New Mission

Working Together

3rd Person POV

The foursome headed to the GRC camp that Torres informed them Donya had lived in. "Shame what's become of this place. When I was young, we used to come here for fabulous dinners and parties." Zemo said noting the once beautiful building and country practically in tatters from the lack of care and overpopulation "I knew nothing of the politics of the time, of course, but I remember it being beautiful."
"I'm gonna take a look upstairs." Sam informed them.
Star looked up and nodded "You take 3 and 4. I'll take 1 and 2."
"We're on 1." Sam said confused.
"No, darling. We're in Europe, this is ground floor, that's 1." She said pointing to the next level.
"She's right." Zemo agreed and Bucky nodded too.
"Fine. See what you can find out here and keep an eye on him." Sam told Bucky and then walked off still confused and muttering about the floor numbers.
"Be careful." Bucky told Star as she turned for the stairs. "I'll be fine." She promised. Bucky turned back to find Zemo staring at him "I'll stay out of your way." He promised and walked off to find clues.

Star was fairing slightly better than her male counterparts because she came off as less of a threat but still didn't get any reliable, definitive answers or new information - only that Donya was known as Mama Donya to the community because she was very maternal to the children. They also sang Karli's praises and spat at the rude doctor who wouldn't help, 'Nagel' Star realised. She noticed some children drawing pictures which had a plump older woman in the sky; Star didn't speak Latvian but when one of the mothers bend down and softly speak to the child, she presumed it was something along the lines of "She's in a batter place now."

Sam found a classroom type setting in one of the rooms and asked the teacher "Do you know a woman by the name of Donya Madani? She was a refugee here."
"We're not refugees, for we have nothing to seek refuge from. We're internationally-displaced persons, for what it's worth, and we don't trust outsiders."

Sam feel bad that the people were struggling and he couldn't help but knew now was not the time to pout about it. So he went back downstairs to see if Star found anything before meeting up with Bucky and Zemo on the ground floor again.

"My old friend Donya passed away. Did you know her?" Zemo asked a young girl.
"Yes."
"I would like to pay my last respects. Do you know where her funeral will be?"
She nodded and whispered it to Zemo.

Bucky was watching in complete confusion from the opposite end of the courtyard as Sam and Star rejoined him "It's starting to feel like a dead end." Sam said due to people not helping them.
"The hell is he doing?" Bucky asked still watching Zemo.

"Do you see these men there?" Zemo asked the girl looking at Bucky and Sam "They're very bad. Not to be trusted. Donya is our little secret, okay?" He locked his lips and the girl mimicked as Zemo handed her and her friends all of the Turkish delight.

When Zemo walked back over to the team all he said was "Cute kids."

Later on, back at Zemo's home the 3 heroes were feeling quite defeated "Well, I got nothin'. No one's talking about Donya." Bucky stated.
"Speak for yourself, but I didn't learn anything that we didn't already know." Star countered before signing in defeat and plopping herself on the end of the couch. "That's because Karli is the only one fighting for them." Sam explained this time Bucky sighed and sat in the middle of the couch "And she's not wrong."
"What do you mean?" Bucky asked.
"Yeah, did you miss the part where she blew up the building." Star questioned.

Sam slumped down on the tail-end part of the couch "For 5 years, people have been welcomed into countries that have kept them out using barbwire. There were houses and jobs. Folks were happy to have people round to help them rebuild. It wasn't just one community coming together, it was the entire world coming together. And then, boom. Just like that, it goes right back to the way it used to be. To them, at least Karli's doin' somethin'."
"Sam, I was here for those 5 years, they weren't exactly a picnic." Star said surprising the guys, they'd met more people who had blipped out of existence than those who hadn't, and just assumed Star was in the former category seen as the topic was never brought up. "It wasn't always that nice and simple. It was basic human psychology - fight or flight. Jobs were all up in the air, people lost money, which led to squatters - and of course all of those things caused protests and riots. Countries welcomed foreigners to try and make up for their missing half of a population, and to one up their rivals and prove they were better at recovering."
"I don't think her ends justify her means, Sam. Then she's no different than him" Bucky pointed at Zemo "or anybody else we've fought."
"She's different. She's not motivated by the same things."

When Zemo brought tea over Bucky questioned him on his conversation with the young girl "That little girl. What'd she tell you?"
Zemo was quiet for a few moments like he was considering answering:

Star had been standing since Bucky threw the glass teacup and now moved over to him "Bucky." She said softly placing a hand on his upper back to let him know she was there. Star could feel Bucky's tense muscles through his shirt and jacket as he continued to glare at Zemo "James." Mia tried again hoping it would catch his attention. It did. His blue eyes shifted to look at her's before his head turned to follow their direction. Siobhan could feel James' shoulder blades relax as he looked at her before looking back at Zemo.
"Want some cherry blossom tea?" The Sokovian asked.
"No, you go ahead." Bucky said before walking away and taking Mia with him by the [metal] hand.

As Zemo exhaled a breath of relief before putting the pieces together as to why Bucky became calm when Star was around - the Sergeant obviously liked the girl. Zemo realised this meant that even more of the James' Winter Soldier personality was slipping away.

Bucky and Star were standing behind the kitchen island whispering to each other as Bucky still played with her hands to keep himself distracted:
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I am now, thanks to you. He just infuriates me so much. And I know it wasn't a good/mentally stable decision to bring him here, but he does have his uses and we are running out of time to take advantage of them. Ayo's gonna come for him and I am not sticking my neck out and breaking their trust for him."
"Feel better?" She asked once his rant was over.
"Yeah, actually. Do not tell my therapist I said that." Bucky warned making her giggle. Star was about to bring up the hand holding thing when Sam stuck his head out of the other room "Hey Star, it's Sharon. She wants to talk to you."

"Hi Sharon." Star said into the phone once she was in the other room relieved to hear from her friend.
"Hey Mia! Just wanted to check in, you're not getting into any trouble, are you?"
"Not really." Star dragged out the words "What about you?"
"Nah, I've nearly fixed that situation I mentioned. Oh, and your psycho Norwegian friend picked up the painting."
"Good. What did Sam call you for?"
"To ask me if I could keep an eye in the sky on the camp."
"Alright let me know if you want a hand calling favours in."
"Will do."
"You want to speak to Sam again?"
"No I said everything that needed to be said."
"Ok, see you soon S."
"You too Star."