Crimson Blade

Twelve

We walked back to the crowd. A stone in my chest formed when I saw Sam flying down. Holding Karli in his arms. He placed her on the medic bed and walked towards the GRC people we saved.

I heard him talking to them. Buck looked at me and grabbed my hand. "Let's get you to a medic." He said pulling me to one of the trucks.

"Im fine." I assured him. He turned me around sitting me off the back of the truck. My feet hung down as he called a medic over. They finished their patient and walked over to us.

"Buck, I'm fine." I insist. He rolled his eyes, taking off my jacket to reveal a 5inch wound just bellow my rib to the far left.

"Oh, yeah, that." I mutter. The medic went into the back and started to work on it. Meanwhile me and Buck listened into Sam.

"Do you think it is fair for governments to have to support them?" Omg I wanted to punch her teeth in.

"Yes."

"And the people who reappeared only to find someone else living in their family home, they just end up homeless? Look, I get it. But you have no idea how complicated this situation is." The Senator said.

"You know what? You're right. And that's a good thing. We finally have a common struggle now. Think about that.  For once, all the people who've been begging, and I mean, literally begging for you to feel how hard any given day is... Now you know. How did it feel to be helpless? Now if you could remember what it was like to be helpless and face a force so powerful it could erase half the planet, you would know that you're about to have the exact same impact. This isn't about easy decisions, Senator. "

"You just dont understand." He snapped.

"I'm a black man carrying the stars and stripes. What don't I understand? Everytime I pick this thing up, I know there are millions of people who are gonna hate me for it. Even now, here... I feel it. The stares, the judgement. And there's nothin'I can do to change it.  Yet, I'm still here. No super-serum, no blonde hair, or blue eyes. The only power I have is that I believe we can do better. We can't demand that people step up if we don't meet them halfway. You control the banks. Shit, you can move borders! You can knock down a forest with an email, you can feed a million people with a phone call. But the question is,  who's in the room with you when you make those decisions? Is it the people you're gonna impact? Or is it just more people like you?... I mean, this girl died trying to stop you, and no one has stopped for one second to ask why. You've gotta do better, Senator. You've gotta step up. Because if you don't, the next Karli will.  And you don't wanna see a 2.0. People believed in her cause so much that they helped her defy the strongest governments in the world. Why do you think that is? Look, you people have just as much power as an insane god or a misguided teenager. The question you have to ask yourself is, how are you gonna use it?" He walked towards us in silence. He nodded to John before approaching Buck who was standing beside me just finishing up.

"Sorry, I was, uh, I was texting and so, all I heard was 'a Black guy in stars and stripes.'" Buck said sarcastically. The medic finished and I thanked him before standing up and pulling my jacket on.

"Nice job, cap." Buck said.

"Thanks." Sam said as Buck patted his back.
"Sharon?" Sam said as we approached her.

"Blocking my light." She said, leaned against a car with gauze pressed to her wound.

"We gotta get you to a hospital." Sam urged as I put my hand behind her back to comfort her.

"She's not gonna listen." I roll my eyes.

"It's not the worst thing that's happened to me all week." She admitted.

"Told you." I said.

"Uh, cap?" A guy said from behind us.

"I think he's talking to you." Sharon said, abit of cheer in her voice. "Look, I'm sorry for how things ended down there." She apologized. "For what it's worth suit looks good on you."

Sam chuckled. "Thanks."

"All right, look, can we get out of here, please?" Buck said impatiently. We walked out with Sharon.

"I didn't forget my promise." Sam called back. We both turned, I smiled at him before leaving.

•~•

We made an uncomfortable walk down a hallway. We... We had one last amend to make. And I knew I wouldn't like it. We stopped infront of the door. Buck sighed before knocking. The man opened the door.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" He rasped. "It's late, come in before someone calls the cops." He said letting us in. He shut the door. I looked over to the memorial of his son. My heart twisted telling me to go but I knew we needed to do this.

"What are you doing here? It's not Wednesday." He and Buck would often meet for lunch.

"We, uh, we have to tell you something. About your son." I said. I slid the glove on my metal hand off. We sat down and I swallowed feeling my throat tighten.

"He was murdered.." Buck started.

"What?"

"By the two soldiers.." Buck hesitated he voice shaked. "And that was us..."

"Why?" He eyes began to well with tears.

"We didn't have a choice." I whispered. He slowly looked over to his sons memorial.

We walked out. The door shut behind us. The pit in my stomach began to dully sit there. I lightly held his hand as we walked down the hallway. We were making one more stop.

A small paper bag sat on Dr.Raynor's couch.
It held the book of crossed out names, and a small card.