Steve, Bucky and Sam arrived outside the chamber. Alpine had been left in another room with food, water and litter. 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 Bucky 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, Flora swung her fist which smashed through the wall and he ducked. She grabbed him by the jaw and threw him at the open pod. Steve and Bucky lurched into the fight and the former landed two punches which Flora barely felt. Flora kicked and punched Steve out of the chamber, then kicked Bucky in the gut. A punch from Flora went through the elevator door. Steve blocked the next one, but the power of Flora's fist sent Steve tumbling into the darkened elevator shaft.
Sam came around and spotted Zemo looking down the elevator shaft.
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 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 Bucky chased Zemo up a stairwell.
Steve started climbing the elevator shaft.
Flora stalked through the building's ground floor. She battered two guards. With tech-glasses, Tony took cover behind a pillar.
Natasha said over the radio, "We're in position."
Tony tapped a wrist-control which became his Iron Man-glove. He zapped Flora with a stun-burst before she could shoot a guard. Tony rushed her, firing again. Flora 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 Flora smacked him backwards. Sharon rushed Flora, then Natasha rushed Flora. They each landed kicks and punches, then Flora flipped Sharon head over heels. She smashed onto a table and Natasha leapt on Flora, legs around her neck. She slammed Flora onto another table and grabbed her throat.
"You could at least recognize me," Natasha managed to say.
T'Challa came from nowhere and kicked Flora off Natasha who gasped for air. He fought with Flora, landing lightning fast kicks and some punches. Flora got a counter punch in and T'Challa fell, but quickly recovered. Flora hurried up some stairs. T'Challa leapt the levels and vaulted a railing, landing in front of Flora. Limber T'Challa spin-kicked and grabbed her metal arm which he tried to twist then looked worried as he realized it wasn't going to work. He threw Flora backwards and kept hold as they both tumbled down the stairs. They resumed fighting on the small landing and a leg sweep sent Flora over the railing. T'Challa leapt down after her, but found the wide reception empty. He scanned around.
Outside, staff fled the building en masse. Sam and Bucky were among them and quickly spotted something on the ground. Sam picked it up.
"Damn it," Sam and Bucky muttered as they looked around the wide courtyard and scowled.
YOU ARE READING
Stars
ActionFlora is on the run, trying to escape her past while struggling to remember who she is. Midway through, she is joined by one who may know her better than herself; at least for the time being. An AI, created to better the world, turns against the m...
