As Time Goes By

3: 06

Steve, Katherine and Sam arrived outside the chamber. Nicolas had been left with the others. Red emergency lights flashed all around. There were numerous agents slumped on the floor. All of them were out cold.

"Help me," Zemo begged. "Help."

Steve and Katherine found Zemo in a heap inside the chamber and ordered, "Get up." Steve grabbed Zemo and shoved him against the wall. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"To see an empire fall."

As Sam entered, Bucky swung his fist which smashed through the wall and Sam ducked. Bucky grabbed him by the jaw and threw him at the open pod. Steve lurched into the fight and landed two punches which Bucky barely felt. Bucky kicked and punched Steve out of the chamber. A punch from Bucky went through the elevator door. Steve blocked the next one, but the power of Bucky's fist sent Steve tumbling into the darkened elevator shaft. Katherine ran to check to see if he was okay and he nodded.

Sam came around and spotted Zemo an Katherine looking down the elevator shaft.

Katherine resisted the urge to push Zemo down the shaft for what he'd done to her husband.

A Man on PA #1 said, "Der Ostflügel ist kompromittiert. Ich wiederhole: Der Ostflügel ist kompromittiert."

(The east wing is compromised. I repeat: the east wing is compromised.)

"Hey," Sam called.

Zemo bolted, followed by Katherine, and Sam rose. At the bottom of the shaft, Steve pushed himself off the floor.

CONTROL ROOM

"Evac all citizens," Secretary Ross ordered. "Get me a perimeter around the building and gunships in the air."

"Please tell me you brought a suit," Natasha said.

"Sure did," Tony replied. "It's a lovely Tom Ford, three-piece, two-button. I'm an active-duty non-combatant."

"Follow me," Sharon instructed, running past Tony and Natasha.

Sam and Katherine chased Zemo up a stairwell.

Steve started climbing the elevator shaft.

Bucky stalked through the building's ground floor. He battered two guards. With tech-glasses, Tony, still holding Nicolas, took cover behind a pillar.

Natasha said over the radio, "We're in position."

Tony, after leaving Nicolas in a place he deemed safe, tapped a wrist-control which became his Iron Man-glove. He zapped Bucky with a stun-burst before he could shoot a guard. Tony rushed them, firing again. Bucky ducked the blast, then traded blows with Tony, firing the gun. Tony had the Iron Man-glove over the barrel, blocking the bullet. He pulled the gun barrel loose then Bucky smacked him backwards. Sharon rushed Bucky, then Natasha rushed Bucky. They each landed kicks and punches, then Bucky flipped Sharon head over heels. She smashed onto a table and Natasha leapt on Bucky, legs around his neck. He slammed her onto another table and grabbed her throat.

"You could at least recognize me," Natasha managed to say.

T'Challa came from nowhere and kicked Bucky off Natasha who gasped for air. He fought with Bucky, landing lightning fast kicks and some punches. Bucky got a counter punch in and T'Challa fell, but quickly recovered. Bucky hurried up some stairs. T'Challa leapt the levels and vaulted a railing, landing in front of Bucky. Limber T'Challa spin-kicked and grabbed Bucky's metal arm which he tried to twist then looked worried as he realized it wasn't going to work. He threw Bucky backwards and kept hold as they both tumbled down the stairs. They resumed fighting on the small landing and a leg sweep sent Bucky over the railing. T'Challa leapt down after him, but found the wide reception empty. He scanned around.