Carousel of Time - An Alternative Bucky Barnes Story

Chapter 17. April Sadness, May Gladness (Sexual Content)

The Easter weekend passed quickly, too quickly for the honeymoon couple, who came back a little early to move into the rental house.  On the Tuesday morning, Bucky, Steve and Peggy all took the train into New York to the SSR where Steve announced his and Peggy's marriage so that she did not go through the same questioning process that Dr. North used on others who were reassigned to the SSR.  She did go to the secret meeting later and gave a quick report on her final mission in Europe.  Bucky took the opportunity to announce that Kate was definitely pregnant, emphasizing the need to get the secret agreement completed.

"I'm sorry," replied Miss Webb to his inquiry.  "Due to the president's health there is a concern about committing to anything until a new president is sworn in.  I tried to get them to include Truman in the agreement but there are other things that are more important right now.  The noose is closing on the German Reich and on the Japanese empire.  Until they are dealt with there is no appetite to expedite an agreement on your status.  That being said, we have received the green light to begin arresting and detaining any suspected HYDRA operatives.  We already know some of them in the SSR so this week we will begin taking them into custody."

"With all due respect, ma'am, all that will do is alert the others," said Bucky. "They will go dormant until they can strike later when we are unprepared."

"Then convince your wife to provide some actual names," replied Miss Webb.  "It will go a long way to establishing her as a friend to this country."

"I beg your pardon?" he said angrily.  "She's already made you aware of the extent of HYDRA's infiltration and all you can say is you need more before you can guarantee her status?  As for being a friend she was born here and is a U.S. citizen."

Bucky was furious and almost walked out the door.  Steve convinced him to stay.

"Miss Webb, you realize that if HYDRA learns about Mrs. Barnes they are in a position to expose her, which could lead to her arrest on trumped up charges," noted Steve.  "Are you that willing to put her life in jeopardy when all you need to do is guarantee her safety and legal status, as well as the status of her children, also born in this country?"

Miss Webb frowned.  "Gentlemen, Mrs. Barnes is an American citizen but so are these HYDRA sympathizers," she stated.  "The insinuation that we would put her in jeopardy is insulting.  Of course, we would protect her. Where we differ is when she would be protected.  You want it provided first and we are offering it if it is needed.  It's as simple as that."

Bucky stood up and walked out, followed by Steve and Peggy.  They understood and shared his anger, knowing that Kate risked exposure and arrest if the wrong people learned of the source of the names.  On the ride back to Brooklyn they didn't speak due to the sensitive nature of the subject and on the chance that the wrong ears could be listening. 

That evening they walked over to Bucky and Kate's house to talk safely about the issue.  The few hours since they went their separate ways had done nothing to quench Bucky's anger.

"I'm not going to let Kate expose herself just so they have names of people to arrest," said Bucky.  "They still need evidence."

"What if we investigate them first?" said Peggy.  "Just us three.  Once we have enough evidence we turn over the information and names." 

"That's what we've been doing in the month since I returned," replied Bucky.  "The people in that meeting are the ones asking for something to be done but Webb is in charge until the General returns.  I don't understand what the holdup is on arresting the whole lot of them."

"They know about Dr. Zola," said Kate.  "Yet they still allow him to remain working in his lab.  He should be the first one arrested."

Ultimately they decided that without an agreement in place Kate would not provide names to the SSR but the three of them would separately investigate the suspected people themselves.  Unfortunately Miss Webb authorized the arrest of 8 people in the SSR not including Dr. Zola.  He and 18 others on the SSR list of people to detain disappeared proving Bucky's argument that they would just go underground.  At the next meeting Miss Webb agreed to try and get negotiations started on the agreement again and not to act against anyone else until they could do one mass arrest.