Came for the Low- Revised

Untitled Part 24

High Town - Madripoor

"You're sure he's dead?" Sharon asked into the phone as she paced in her apartment. It was night, she was in her underwear and only half awake, but the information just given to her by Batroc was clearing her head of the fog quickly.

"Yeah. I don't even know how anyone could have found out. I mean Nagel's lab was blown to shit. There was nothing left but char. All we did was look it over."

"But you took Holdings with you?" She went to the bar cart looking down at the glass decanters but waited.

"He wanted to see for himself. What can I say, guess the place is like a shrine for all the science nerds of the world."

"Yeah, well now he's dead. So be better Bartroc, or what the hell am I paying you for!"

"Sorry boss." He replied only half meaning it.

She gave an angry huff and hung up, going to the window lined wall. The city glowed its neon haze of purple, pink, blue and green but up here she was removed from it—high and low— still no matter what floor she slept on, she could not seem to pull herself out of the shit.

This particular pile had Zemo written all over it. But for him to have known about her efforts would mean he's got people everywhere now. How was that even possible? She shook her head turning her back on the city. Of course it was possible. He's an asshole with all the money. He could pay just about anyone to do anything if he asked the right people, and with his determination, she knew he would never end his crusade to keep the world free of the serum.

Alright, she thought pacing, it's time to stop playing games. Zemo understands nothing but violence repaid in violence. Not that she hadn't tried. The previous trap had nearly worked but it all fell apart somehow and they found her hired hand's body with a bullet between his eyes in the south of Spain.

Sharon left the window and went to the fridge to get some water. She sat at table staring off into the distance, her mind working quickly. The attempt on the girls life had failed, but there'd been no sign of them after that, Bucky and Sam were no help either, their trail was cold as ice. But no one—not even Zemo could disappear completely. They had to keep looking because she needed him gone, totally out of the way if her plans were to ever continue.

Creating her own army of super soldiers had been her greatest accomplishment until Karli betrayed her and started the Flag Smashers. Sharon simply needed to find another scientist capable of extracting the serum from one of them and try again. Adjustments and another attempt made with the serum—that's all she needed. This was far from over.

She would send Bartroc to New York and once they'd finished up there, bring at least one of the Smashers back for the next mad genius to recover and extract something, anything from their blood to continue with the work already done.

Until then, she would have to stick with dealing art and ammo for a while longer, at least until she could figure out how to get rid of that damned Baron.

*

Christine gripped Zemo's hand as they watched the footage play over and over again on every news network.

The truck blowing up— the camera's cutting.

The end of the Flag Smashers.

She was numb. She'd known them call. Called them friends even, but they stopped being that long ago. Still, she had laughed with them, slept in awful places next to them to stay warm, fought and even killed with them to stay alive... But look at him, she thought watching Zemo, the glow of the television illuminating his face. This was everything he'd been fighting for, and now it was over. She could not deny being sad for all the wasted life, but to see him so complete was enough to soothe the pain in her heart. He had after all been right about everything. It wasn't easy to admit, but Zemo's truth was hers as well.

This was their fight, and they had won.

"Did he get out safely?" She asked quietly not wanting to disturb him too much.

Zemo nodded. "Already in the air."

"Oeznik, you mad bastard." She smiled turning to the tv again.

Zemo sat back, his hand under his head on the couch. "Show me again..."