Maya Stark

Chapter 94: A statue for Isaiah Bradley

We went to Isaiah's the next day, Sam and me. Not just to see him, but to show him something. Show him something the two of us were working on. Well, something Sam set up that I just got done a lot faster than usual. We knocked on the door and Eli opened up.

'What you want, Black Falcon?' Eli said.

'Hey, you need to learn some manners,' Sam said as Eli looked at me. I rolled my eyes at him. 'You better watch that gaze.'

'He ain't a Falcon anymore, but he's still black,' Isaiah said from behind us.

He started walking to the back and I gave Eli a small smile before turning to follow Sam. Sam had stopped walking and was glaring at me. I shrug and walk past him, following Isaiah. I shoved my hands in the pockets of the jean jacket I was wearing. It was weird being out of dad's shirt, but it was long over do. I stood on the steps leading to the back door and leaned against the railing.

'I saw what you did out there,' Isaiah said. 'And it seems, so did everyone else. I heard the GCR was standing down on those plans of theirs, so you must have done something right. I ain't gonna lie. You're special.'

'Thank you,' Sam said.

'I mean, you ain't no Malcolm, Martin, Mandela, but—'

'No argument there,' Sam said. 'But I know what I've gotta do.' Eli walked out of the house and stood near the door.

'So, a Black Captain America, huh?' Isaiah said.

'Damn right,' Sam said with a laugh. I smiled. He did it.

'The fight you taking on ain't gonna be easy, Sam,' said Isaiah.

'Yeah, I might fail,' Sam said. 'Shit, I might die. But... we built this country. Bled for it. I'm not gonna let anybody tell me I can't fight for it. Not after what everybody before me went through. Including you.'

'Besides,' I say, 'he won't die alone, that's for sure. He has a semi-unstable, reckless, eighteen-year-old and a definitely unstable, reckless, 106-year-old man.' Sam shook his head at me, and I couldn't help but grin.

'I almost bought that,' Isaiah said.

'Man, do you ever lighten up?' Sam asked.

'Nope,' Eli said. 'Mm-mmm.'

Sam chuckled. 'Hey, why don't you clean up? There's, um... something we wanna show you.'

Isaiah looks at Sam for a second before walking into the house. Eli leans forward.

'So, uh, where we going?' he asks.

I scoff. 'Nobody said anything about bringing you.'

Eli turns to me smiling. 'Still complicated?'

I nod. 'Yeah. Still complicated.'

'Still allowed to use you as bragging rights?'

'As long as it's appropriate,' I said.

He nods as if it was a win, and walks into the house. I shake my head, a smile on my lips. I look at Sam and my smile drops. He was giving me a stern look.

'Its... uh, it's a beautiful garden,' I stutter.

'Yeah, okay,' Sam said, shaking his head. 'Be glad I don't know Parker.'

My face whitens slightly, and I shake my head, my tongue poking at the inside of my cheek.

Walking around the Smithsonian, I felt like we did a total full circle. It seemed like years when we were here giving the shield away. We walked to where the new and amazing statue and plaque for Isaiah Bradley. Sam and I stepped aside for Isaiah and Eli to get a better look. I shared a smile with Sam. Isaiah turned to us and I give Sam another smile before walking up to Eli, who was looking at the plaque.

'Called in a little Stark favor?' he asked.

I smiled. 'A little. Sam asked me for a favor, and he's done so much for me these past couple weeks.' I turn and look at Isaiah hugging Sam and my smile widens. 'Besides, it was a damn good favor.'