Maya Stark

Chapter 63: You looked up to Steve

We walked into a huge garage, filled with a bunch of old-style cars. My mouth practically dropped open as I looked around.

'Holy shit,' I mumble. 'These are so cool.' I walk to the first two closest cars and Bucky and Sam stare at me. 'What?'

'You like cars?' Bucky asked.

I roll my eyes. 'Why are you surprised?'

'So our first move is grand theft auto?' Sam asked.

'These are mine. Collected by family over the generations,' Zemo said.

'Seriously?' I said, still walking around. 'Sweet.'

'I spent years hunting people HYDRA recruited to recreate the serum,' Zemo said. I walk over to the three of them. Zemo was getting something out of one of the cars. 'Because once it's out there, someone can create an army of people...' he looked at Sam and I, 'like the Avengers. I ended the Winter Soldier program once before. I have no intention to leave my work unfinished. To do this, we'll have to scale a ladder of lowlifes.'

'Well, join the party,' Sam said. 'We've already started.'

Zemo starts to walk towards the exit as he says, 'First stop is a woman named Shelby. Mid-level fence I still have a line on. From there, we climb.'

Sam, Bucky, and I share a hesitant look before we follow Zemo out. This could only go wrong.

'So, all this time you've been rich?' Sam asked as we walked through the airport to a private jet that Zemo owned.

'I'm a Baron, Sam,' Zemo said. 'My family was royalty until your friends destroyed my country.'

Zemo says something in Russian to the man waiting outside of the plane for us, my guess is a butler. They speak in Russian for a second before Zemo leads us onto the plane. It definitely wasn't my first time being on a private plane or anything, it had just been a while. I sat across from Zemo, Bucky next to me, Sam across from him. After we get in the air, the butler person who I don't know the name of, brought Zemo a glass of champagne.

'Apologies if that's a little warm, the fridge is out. But I will see if there is some good food in the galley.'

Zemo says something in Russian and the butler laughs before walking back towards the way he came.

'You don't know what it's like to be locked in a cell,' he said to Sam. 'Oh. That's right. You do.'

'Why don't you tell us where we're going?' I said, crossing my arms.

'I'm sorry. I was just fascinated by this,' Zemo said, opening a book he was holding. 'I don't know what to call it, but this part seems to be important.' He holds a small notebook that he was hiding in the book. I recognized it but couldn't place it. 'Ah, yes, the famous Stark name. Who is Nakajima?'

My eyebrows furrowed at the mention of my name but before I could ask, Bucky was up and over to Zemo, a hand around his neck, faster than me.

'If you touch that again, I'll kill you,' Bucky mumbled. He grabbed the book and sat back down.

'I'm sorry,' Zemo said. 'I understand that list of names. People you've wronged as the Winter Soldier.'

'Don't push it,' Bucky said.

I turned my gaze to look at Bucky, some things falling into place. Why he wouldn't look at me before we went to get Zemo. Everything that happened back when we were all fighting. Some things just clicked, but I had bigger things to worry about right then.

'I've seen that book,' Sam said. 'It was Steve's when he came out of the ice.'

'Right,' I said. 'I made him read all the Harry Potter books. He was so happy when he finally crossed it off.'

'I told him about Trouble Man. He wrote it in that book,' Sam said, excitedly. 'Did you hear it? What'd you think?'

'One, the Harry Potter books are exceptional at best,' Bucky said, making me roll my eyes. 'Second, I like '40s music so...'

'You didn't like it?' Sam asked.

'I liked it.'

'It is a masterpiece, James,' Zemo said. 'Comprehensive. It captures the African American experience.'

'He's out of line, but he's right,' Sam said. 'It's great. Everybody loves Marvin Gaye.'

'I like Marvin Gaye,' Bucky said.

'Steve adored Marvin Gaye,' I said. 'He was always listening to him. It actually got annoying every once in a while.'

'You must have really looked up to Steve,' Zemo said, making me turn to him. 'But I realized something when I met him. The danger with people like him, America's Super Soldiers, is that we put them on pedestals.

'Watch your step, Zemo,' Sam said.

'They become symbols,' Zemo continued. 'Icons. And then we start to forget about their flaws. From there, cities fly, innocent people die. Movements are formed, wars are fought. You remember that, right? As a young soldier sent to Germany to stop a mad icon. Do we want to live in a world full of people like the Red Skull?' He shook his head. 'That is why we're going to Madripoor.'

'What's up with Madripoor?' Sam asked. 'You guys talk about it like it's Skull Island.'

'It's an island nation in the Indonesian archipelago,' Bucky said. 'It was a pirate sanctuary back in the 1800s.'

'It's kept its lawless ways,' Zemo said. 'But we cannot exactly walk in as ourselves. James, you will have to become someone you claim is gone.'

I didn't catch on for a couple seconds. Honestly, I forgot who Bucky used to be. My eyes widen slightly. 'No,' I said quickly.

'Maya—'

I turn to him. 'No. You shouldn't have to pre—'

'I don't think his part is what you should worry about, Stark,' Zemo said. I wince at the name again, scolding myself. I turn to Zemo with narrowed eyes. 'You see, there aren't many women around there that look like... well, a Stark. So, we will need to disguise you. You will be a new face.'

'What are you implying?' Bucky asked, glaring at Zemo.

'Don't go all soldier on me,' Zemo said. 'But she will be my... in the nicest way possible, of course, my date.'

'You mean slut, right?' Sam said, visibly angry. 'Arm candy?'

'Sam!' Bucky said.

'Oh, get over your '60s trained mind,' Sam said, rolling his eyes.

'She's only eighteen!' said Bucky.

'Alright, both of you shut up,' I say. 'If he tries anything, I'll break his neck.' I point to Zemo. 'That's a promise.'

I look at Sam, who still looked concerned. I gave him a reassuring nod as he sighs and looks away.