White | B. BARNES

Chapter 30

📍 Schkeuditz, Germany | June 2016

"You don't get it, Stark. It's not yours to handle. It's clear you can't be objective. I'm putting Special Ops on this," Secretary Ross said.

"What happens when the shooting starts? What, do you kill Steve Rogers?" Natasha asked.

"If we're provoked. Barnes would've been eliminated in Romania if it wasn't for Rogers and the girl. There are dead people who would be alive now. Feel free to check my math," the secretary replied.

"All due respect, you're not going to solve this with boys in bullets, Ross. You gotta let us bring them in," Tony insisted.

"How would that end any differently from the last time?"

"Because this time, I won't be wearing loafers and a silk shirt. 72 hours, guaranteed," Tony assured him.

"36 hours. Barnes. Rogers. Wilson. And-"

"And the white lady. Got it. Thank you, sir," Tony said to the secretary before Ross left.

Tony slumped on him, exhaling, "My left arm is numb. Is that normal?"

Natasha patted him on the shoulder, "You alright?"

"Always," he replied, "36 hours, jeez."

"We're seriously understaffed."

"Oh, yeah. It'd be great if we had a Hulk right about now. Any shot?" He asked.

Natasha shook her head lightly, "No. You really think he'd be on our side?"

"No," Tony replied.

Natasha then spoke, "I have an idea."

"Me too. Where's yours?"

"Downstairs. Where's yours?" Natasha asked while Tony smiled slightly.

As Steve, Sam, Sapphire, and Bucky drove in a small car, Steve spoke, "How long were you together?"

Sapphire shrugged from the back seat with Bucky.

"2 years," Bucky said, which made Sapphire glared at him.

"So, you mean to say when we all thought you were dead, you were canoodling for 2 years?" Sam said, looking back to Sapphire.

She turned to Sam, then he began to scream in pain.

"Enough," Bucky told her sternly. "You just woke up from overusing your body."

Sapphire pulled back her illusions and huffed, "I can go all year long using this," she pointed to her head. "It was the magnetic force that I'm not used to."

Sam slumped on his seat, slightly heaving, "Why do you hate people so much? That's twice already!"

"Is that how you were able to stop the chopper?" Steve asked her through the rearview mirror.

"Partially," she said, shrugging.

They reached under an overpass where a sleek car was waiting.

"Not sure you understand the concept of a getaway car," Sharon stepped out of the car.

"It's low profile."

"Good, because this stuff tends to draw a crowd," She opened the trunk of her car, revealing Steve's and Sams's gear.

Bucky, who was sitting behind Sam in the getaway car, asked Sam, "Can you move your seat up?"

"No," he replied, making Sapphire hold back her laugh, remembering the stirring wheel accident.