Final Lap - Sambucky AU

1

Formula One.

The pinnacle of the racing industry. Sam Wilson was brand new to the professional scene on this caliber.

He was ready, but he wasn't ready to see what happened on his third race ever.

Sam stayed in the pits by his car and stretched as he got ready for his race. He listened to music as he blocked out all distractions as he got into the zone.

As he started to zone out he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Sarah, his sister.

"Sarah... you can't give me a heart attack right before my race..." he said with a chuckle. SHe rolled her eyes and handed him a water bottle.

"You mean to tell me, my brother who drives cars that go around 200 miles per hour is scared of a tap on the shoulder." She said with a smirk.

Sam chuckled and shook his head. "Nahh. Just caught me by surprise. That's all. I was getting in the zone so I couldn't hear much." He said as he sipped the water.

He looked outside and saw the practice laps, when he saw a Mercedes racer zip by. He stepped outside and watched the car on the cameras. Suddenly the racer crossed the checkered lines as the top speed showed up on the screen.

236 miles per hour.

Sam stood there almost shocked. He wasn't too surprised since the racer in that car has won the last two Grand Prix. This was his first one, and today, it was expected to go to Mercedes again.

"James "Bucky" Barnes... ranked number one in the industry right now. Has won every Grand Prix he has participated in, and has placed in the podium every race in either first or second  with Steve Rogers in tow. He ranks #1 globally with Steve in second"  Sarah said as she read off her phone.

Sam listened as the Mercedes car pulled to the pit to his left. The car was turned off and Bucky got out, and pulled his helmet off.

Bucky chuckled as people patted his back. He looked up slightly and saw Sam looking at him. Bucky smiled softly and waved as he walked into the pits.

Sam was going to wave back when someone slapped his back. "He's fantastic isn't he." Sam turned and saw Steve Rogers.

"Oh hey Steve! Yeah... he's pretty fantastic. He beat his record again." Sam said with a smile. Steve looked at him and then at the screen.

He saw his speed. Steve stared at it and then forced a chuckle. "That he did!" He smiled. Sam noticed the force but didn't say anything afterwards.

"Wanna meet him before the race?" Steve said. Sam looked at him. "Really? Of course!" Sam said quite excited.

Steve dragged him along over to the pit. But before they stepped out, they saw Bucky come out pissed. "I'm not doing that! If they can't keep up, they don't deserve it!" Bucky put his cap on and stormed off.

Sam looked a bit confused. Steve raced a brow. "Bucky??" Steve raced after him. Sam turned to go catch up to them but then hears a conversation.

"John... you know what to do."

Sam didn't know that this conversation was a plot being set in place to ruin a racers life. B

Eventually the racers all lined up. Bucky was up front and Sam was a few places behind him. Steve wasn't racing this circuit for some reason, but it was probably his companies choice.

The red lights ticked down and then green. The cars roared down the track and started the race.

Bucky was confidently in the lead and did not let anyone take the lead ever.

The laps continued until they came to the final lap. Sam was inching closer to Bucky as they rounded a corner, until the racer called John who raced for Red Bull did an illegal overtake.

Sam avoided John as Buckys car flew off the track. It rolled over so many times. All the racers felt as if everything went slow.

Buckys car caught fire and he was caught underneath. All the racers were ordered back to their bits.

The cars got to the pit and the drivers all jumped out of their cars and watched the accident from a safe distance. For some reason, emergency services were not there yet.

Sam stared in horror, but as he looked to see where Steve was, he saw Steve sitting down not paying any attention to the accident.

Sam jumped over the barricades and rushed to the fire. He couldn't watch a fellow racer die. "Bucky!" He yelled as he saw the car was on its side between the barricades.

He took his helmet and saw Bucky. He tried to get him out of the car but couldn't. Suddenly emergency services arrived. They sprayed the car, but as they did they saw red dripping from Buckys seat.

They placed the vehicle level on the ground and broke it to get him out. A red headed EMT pulled him out and onto a stretcher.

They placed a neck brace, as they picked him him up. Sam stared in shock as he wasn't moving. He was escorted back to his pits as Sarah came over and hugged him tightly, being thankful he was okay.

Sam hugged her back but then heard the ambulance sirens echo through the raceway and become more and more silent.

Days go by. The racers never heard anything about Bucky. He just disappeared. People assumed he was dead, some assumed he was retiring.

No one knew where he was.

Sam continued his racing and was always placing in the top 5 from there on out. Eventually the season ended and he ranked number 2 in the industry with Steve Rogers in number 1.

Sam felt so confused. He wondered what happened to that racer. And what lead up to all of this drama...

Sam just didn't know. It was killing him.

Where did the infamous Bucky Barnes go? And what happened to him?