Sunrise Serenade

05

[The Star-Spangled Man]

Bucky, Phillip and Bea sat in Bucky's apartment as they watched the reveal of the new Captain America. Bucky and Phillip had their hands to their knees while Bea had her hand on Phillip's shoulder to try to comfort him as they stared intently at the TV.

"Did you know Steve Rogers?" the announcer asked.

"I was two years out of West Point when Steve came back on the scene," Walker replied. "I followed his career very closely as an Avenger. I like to think that I modeled my work after his."

"So, you've always wanted to be a hero?"

"I liked that what I was doing would make people feel safe. Steve Rogers was the kind of guy who could do that, he gave me hope." Bucky tilted his head with a slightly seething expressions. "So, even though I never met him, he feels like a brother." Bucky and Phillip pursed their lips and a frown crossed Bea's face.

"Wow."

Bea glanced at Phillip and Bucky. "We going?"

Bucky and Phillip nodded. "Yeah."

---

Sam looked at a poster of the new Captain America which read 'CAP IS BACK - JOHN WALKER'.

"Seems like a good guy," Torres commented. "You met him?"

"No," Sam said. "Thanks for doing this on such short notice."

As the two walked away, Torres replied, "Yeah. No sweat. I'm just, uh, finishing up the checklist. You'll be all good to go once you land in Munich." They walked down the metal stairs.

Bucky, Phillip and Bea stalked up to Sam and the former said, "Shouldn't have given up the shield."

"Good to see you too, Buck, Phillip, Bea. Nice to see you're still together."

"This is wrong."

"Hey, hey, look, I'm working, all right? So all this outrage is gonna have to wait." The four walked towards a plane.

"You didn't know that was gonna happen?" Bucky asked.

"No, of course I didn't know that was gonna happen. You all think it didn't break my heart to see them march him out there and call him the new Captain America?"

"This isn't what Steve wanted," Phillip told him.

"Oh, my God. So, what do you three want me to do? Call America and tell 'em I changed my mind? Huh?" He chuckled. "Yeah, right. It's a great reunion, buddies, Bea, be well."

"You had no right to give up the shield, Sam," Bucky retorted as the four of them stopped.

"Hey. This is what you three are not gonna do. You three aren't gonna come here in your overextended lives and tell me about my rights. It's over, Bucky, Phillip, Bea. Besides, I have bigger things to deal with now."

"What could be bigger than this?" Bea asked with a frown.

Sam pulled out his phone and showed them a picture of a masked man, the leader of the Flag Smashers. "This guy. His connections with rebel organizations all over Eastern and Central Europe, and he's strong. Too strong."

"And?" Bucky and Phillip pressed.

"Well, he's been connected to this online group called the Flag Smashers. Now, Redwing traced them to a building somewhere outside of Munich. So that's where I'm going."

"Well, I don't trust Redwing," Bucky said. "I can't speak for Phillip or Bea on that."

Phillip shook his head. "I don't trust him either."

Bea shrugged. "I'm impartial. Mostly."

Sam looked between them a moment. "Hold on a minute. You three don't have to trust Redwing, but I'mma go see if he's right. 'Cause I have a feeling they might be part of the Big Three."

"What "Big Three"?" Bucky and Phillip asked.

"The Big Three."

"What Big Three?"

"Androids, aliens and wizards."

"That's not a thing," Bucky told him.

"That's definitely a thing."

"No, it's not," Bucky, Phillip and Bea argued.

"Every time we fight, we fight one of the three."

"So, who are you fighting now, Gandalf?" Bucky questioned.

Sam looked between them. "Wh- How do you know about Gandalf?"

"Phillip and I read The Hobbit in 1937 when it first came out."

Bea smiled lightly at her husband's light excitement.

"So you three see my point?"

"No, we don't. There are no wizards."

"Doctor Strange."

"Is a sorcerer," Bea and Phillip said.

"Aah!" He chuckled. "A sorcerer is a wizard without a hat. Think about it. Right? I'm right. I just came up with that. It's crazy. But that's not the point. These guys are magical. All right? They use brute force just like you two, the incredibly annoying guy and girl in front of me with the staring problems." He started walking off.

"We're coming with you," Bucky decided as he, Phillip and Bea followed after him.

"No, you're not."

Bucky, Phillip and Bea continued after Sam.

---

The plane flew to Munich, Germany.

An alarm blared and Torres skipped to where the four Avengers were before saying, "One minute to drop off, Sam." He walked to another area of the plane.

Sam, Phillip, Bea and Bucky stared at each other.

Sam leaned forward, then Bucky, the Phillip, and each stood, shortly followed by Bea, who let out a sigh.

As Sam grabbed his goggles, Bucky and Phillip asked, "So what's our plan?" Bucky and Phillip walked away and Sam put in his earpiece without answering.

Bucky sat down and added, "Great. So no plan."

"Thirty seconds!" Torres said, looking out the open door.

"Enjoy your ride, Buck, Phillip," Sam told them.

"No, you can't call me that," Bucky argued.

"Why not? That's what Steve called you and what Phillip and Bea call you."

"Steve, Phillip and Bea knew me longer, and Steve, Phillip and Bea had, have, a plan."

"Fifteen seconds to drop," Torres informed.

"I have a plan," Sam replied as he walked towards the open door.

"Really?" Bucky and Nessa asked, standing. "What is it?"

Sam jumped out, extending his wings and Bucky muttered, "Great." His voice rose. "Where's the chute?"

"We're at 200 feet," Torres replied. "It's too low for a chute."

"We don't need it anyway." He, Phillip and Bea walked to the door.

"You three sure about that?"

"Yeah."

Bea glanced at Phillip, seeing the worry in his eye, and took his hand, squeezing it gently.

Phillip offered her a small smile, ripped off his sleeve to expose his Vibranium arm, let go of her hand, and jumped out with a yell. Bucky followed shortly after, also with a yell.

Bea rolled her eyes. "Boys." She grabbed a parachute and put it on, then jumped out.

Bucky and Phillip grunted and groaned as they fell to the earth, hitting it with a thud. They let out another groan.

Falcon said, "I have all of that on camera. You know that, right?"

Bucky stared at Redwing and retorted, "Get out of our face, Sam, or Phillip I'll break it. Where's Bea?"

"She's caught up to me. Okay, head north. Come on."