Decisions and Splinters - Book 5 (Civil War)

Chapter 5 - The Explosion

Steve talked with Sharon near the elevators as Sam and Annabelle sat in the cafe the hotel had.

"Oh my God," Annabelle suddenly let out and Sam turned to look at the tv where the news about the explosion at the United Nations meeting. They quickly stood and rushed over to the elevators

"Steve," Sam called. "There's something you gotta see."

***

Steve, Annabelle, and Sam watched the news as Sharon paced behind them on the phone.

"A bomb hidden in a news van ripped through the UN building in Vienna," the news reported said as live footage of the fire played. "More than seventy people have been injured. At least twelve are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of the suspect," the video changed to some surveillance footage, showing a man with a black hood, "who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier." Annabelle let out a small breath as Steve stood up straighter. "The infamous Hydra soldier linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations."
Sharon came to stand beside the three, sighing, "I have to go to work."

"Has anyone heard from Nat?" Annabelle finally asked.

***

"Yeah?" Natasha said as she answered.

"You alright?" Steve asked, the phone on speaker so Annabelle could hear.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks. I- I got lucky."

"That's good," Annabelle told her and Natasha was quiet.

"I know how much Barnes means to both of you. I really do. Stay home. You'll only make this worse. For all of us. Please."

"Are you saying you'll arrest me?"

"No," she told him. "Someone will if you interfere. That's how it works now."

"If he's this far gone, Nat, we should be the one to bring him in."

"Why?"

"Because I'm the one least likely to die trying and she's the one who shares his memories." He hung up and they took one last glance at her from where they were standing on the sidewalk before walking into a nearby cafe.

"She tell you to stay out of it?" Sam asked as they joined him at the counter, all three in baseball caps and sunglasses. They were silent. "Might have a point."

"He'd do it for me."

"In 1945, maybe. I just want to make sure we consider all our options."
"Our Bucky's still in there. He's just confused because of what Hydra did to him. The people they're gonna send after him aren't gonna care."

"Well, the people who shoot at you two usually wind up shooting at me."

"Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public," Sharon told them as she walked over. "Everybody thinks the Winter Soldier goes to their gym. Most of it's noise. Except for this." She slid Steve a file. "My boss expects a briefing pretty much now, so that's all the head start you're gonna get."

"Thank you."

"You're gonna have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight."

Short chapter this week, but next week is gonna be a wild ride, guys!