Tragedies of Betrayal

02

WORLD EXPOSITION OF TOMORROW

"I don't see what the problem is," Bucky said. "You're the last eligible man in New York. You know, there's three and a half million women here."

"Well, I'd settle for just one," Steve replied.

"Good thing I took care of that."

Katarina tilted her head with a curious expression and asked, "What did you do?"

"What didn't he do," Steve mumbled.

Bucky chuckled as he looked between them. "Just helped my friend out a little. I have a date, but stick around if you so wish." He waved to the dates, Connie and Bonnie, he'd lined up.

"Hey, Bucky!" Connie greeted, noticing Katarina. "Your girl is beautiful."

Bucky smiled awkwardly. "She's not my girl. She decided to come with us."

"What did you tell her about me?" Steve asked.

"Only the good stuff."

Music played and the expo announcer said, "Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world. A better world."

"Oh, my God!" Connie cried. "It's starting!"

Katarina turned to the stage with a light smirk, planning to take mental notes to tell those in charge.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!" Mandy introduced.

Howard entered the stage and kissed the announcer.

A woman yelled, "I love you, Howard!"

Howard addressed the audience at the World Exposition fair. "Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all." The female assistants took the wheels off the car on stage. "Yes. Thanks, Mandy." He addressed the audience again. "With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that."

Howard turned on the switch of his machine and the car started to hover off the ground.

"Holy cow," Bucky muttered.

The robots making the car hover suddenly malfunctioned and the car fell back on stage.

"I did say a few years, didn't I?" Howard said, causing everyone to laugh.

Steve disappeared, and Bucky and Katarina noticed.

"Hey, Steve, what do you say we treat these girls..." Bucky began.

"He left," Katarina said.

RECRUITMENT CENTER

A woman said to her male company, pulling him away from a mirror making him look like a soldier, "Come on, soldier."

Steve stepped in front of the mirror but was too short to fill out the face.

"Come on," Bucky said. "You're kind of missing the point of a double date. We're taking the girls dancing."

"You both go ahead," Steve told him. "I'll catch up with you two."

"You're really gonna do this again?"

"Well, it's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck."

"As who? Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you."

"Look, I know you don't think I can do this."

"This isn't a back alley, Steve. It's war!"

"I know it's a war. You don't have to tell me."