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Sam landed gracefully amongst cop cars, ambulances, and a crowd, whilst carrying Karli's unmoving body in both arms.
Karli was laid onto a gurney, as Bucky, Thalia, and John watched. Multiple reporters asked different questions about everything that had just taken place as Sam made his way to the senator and members of the GRC.
Thalia moved over to Karli's body and shoved the paramedics away, she slowly lifted a hand to brush some red curly hair away from Karli's face.
In some ways, Thalia had seen similarities in Karli to Nat, from the hair to the attitude. To her, it was like losing the last living piece of her sister she had left.
"You can rest now, love", Thalia whispered and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, regretting every time she tried to kill Karli.
She stepped back and nodded to the paramedics and went back to Bucky's side, he curled an arm around her waist as they listened to Sam.
"Are you still going forward with resetting the borders?", Sam asked them seriously. The woman with white hair nodded at him, "Our peacekeeping troops will begin relocating peel soon. The terrorists only set us back a bit."
Sam shook his head at her, "You have to stop calling them terrorists."
The senator gave him a confused look, "What else would we call them?"
"Your peacekeeping troops are carrying weapons, are forcing millions of people into settlements around the world, right? What do you think those people are gonna call you?", Sam asked the man in front of him.
"These labels, 'terrorists', 'refugee', 'thug', they're often used to get around the question, why?", Sam continued.
"Those settlements that happened five years ago, do you think it is fair for governments to have to support them?", the lady asked.
"Yes", Sam simply replied.
"And the people who reappeared only to find someone else living in their family home, they just end up homeless?", the senator also asked, "Look, I get it. But you have no idea how complicated this situation is."
Just as the senator began to walk away from Sam, Sam spoke up, "You know what? You're right. And that's a good thing. We finally have a common struggle now. Think about that. For once, all the people who've been begging, and I mean, literally begging for you to feel how hard any given day is.... now you know."
"How did it feel to be helpless? Now if you could remember what it was like to be helpless and face a force so powerful it could erase half the planet, you would know that you're about to have the exact same impact. This isn't about easy decisions, senator."
"You just don't understand", the older man shook his head at him as he repeated his words.
Sam scoffed at him, "I'm a black man carrying the Stars and Stripes. What don't I understand?"
There was a ringing silence before Sam continued, "Every time I pick this thing up, I know there are millions of people who are gonna hate me for it. Even now, here.... I feel it. The stares, the judgment. And there is nothing I can do to change it. Yet, I'm still here. No super serum, no blonde hair, or blue eyes. The only power I have is that I believe we can do better."
Smiles adorned Bucky and Thalia's faces as they watched from afar, "We can't demand that people step up if we don't meet them halfway. Look, you control the banks. Shit, you can move borders! You can knock down a forest with an email, you can feed a million people with a phone call. But the question is, who's in the room when you make those decisions? Is it the people you're gonna impact? Or just more people like you?"
Sam continued to go off on his speech, "I mean, this girl died trying to stop you, and no one has stopped for one second to ask why. You've gotta do better, senator! You've gotta step up! Because if you don't, the next Karli will. And you don't wanna see 2.0. People believed in her cause so much that they helped her defy the strongest governments in the world. Why do you think that is?! Look, you people have just as much power as an insane god or a misguided teenager."
"The question you have to ask yourself is, how are you going to use it?", Sam said as he looked at them then walked away and towards Bucky and Thalia. He nodded at John as he passed him, he nodded back.
When he reached the duo Thalia had a smile plastered on her face, "You did your first Captain America speech. So, was that off the top of your head?", she jokingly asked him, Sam at that very moment felt a wave of deja vu wash over him as he looked at the woman.
Sam just chuckled and rolled his eyes, Bucky looked at him, "Sorry, I was- uh, I was texting and so, all I heard was, um- a black guy in Stars and Stripes", Bucky joked as Sam, Thalia and he walked away from the crowd.
They all chuckled, "Nice job, Cap", Bucky said towards Sam and softly clap him on the back. They approached Sharon who leaned against a car as she pressed something on her wound.
"Sharon?", Sam asked with concern flooding his voice.
"You're blocking my light", she answered him shortly. "We gotta get you to a hospital", Sam told her as he looked at the wound.
"She's not gonna listen", Bucky said as he looked at Sharon. "Hey, it's not the worst thing that's happened to me all week", Sharon answered him.
"Uh, Cap?", they heard a man call out the group. "I think he's talking to you", Sharon told Sam who didn't react at first. Sam smiled at her as Sharon spoke up again, "Look, I'm sorry for how it ended down there. For what it's worth, the suit looks good on you."
Sam chuckled at her as he smiled, "Thanks." Bucky interrupted the two, "All right, look, can we get out of here, please?"
Sam nodded and walked off to the guy as Bucky took off towards the cars, Thalia grabbed Sharon's arm and pulled her back before she could follow Bucky, "Listen, you helped us, alright; so I thought, what the hell? Maybe she isn't so bad. Well, I'm not stupid", she said in a low threatening voice.
Thalia pointed at the ambulance that had Karli's body without even looking, "I know you shot her, I also know that you're the Power Broker and gave Batroc what he needed to kill Sam. But listen, honey, I don't give a damn that Sam likes you, or you're best of buddies with James. You make one wrong move in Madripoor or anywhere, I will find you and kill you. No hesitation. I was taught like that."
She let go of Sharon's arm and took a step closer so they were face to face, "You got that? Now, we're gonna walk over there and pretend that this shit didn't happen. And remember watch your step, Carter."
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