Without You {𝟙𝟚} | Marvel √

chapter seventeen

As Iron Man, Captain America, and Bucky cautiously walked along a corridor, Black Panther was hiding around a corner, watching them intently. With his helmet reengaged, Iron Man led Captain America and Bucky towards an enormous chamber with the capsules standing in it.

As they entered the vast chamber, the lights shot on and hazy, yellow mists descended within the capsules, revealing the four deadly supersoldiers from 1991. Captain America and the others glanced around, bewildered.

"If it's any comfort..."

The three quickly glanced around when the voice of Zemo came over the speakers.

"...they died in their sleep."

As the three continued into the chamber, they noticed all the enhanced soldiers had been shot in the head. Bucky stared at one of them sternly as Zemo continued,

"Did you really think I wanted more of you?"

"What the hell?" Bucky murmured.

"I'm grateful to them, though. They brought you here."

Right then, a small light turned on in the distance, revealing Zemo behind some sort of control room. Instantly, Iron Man placed his thruster towards him as Captain America hurled his shield towards him, but it flew back as soon as hitting the wall.

"Please, Captain. The Soviets built this chamber to withstand the launch blast of UR-100 rockets."

"I'm betting I could beat that," Iron Man said as they continued on through the chamber.

"Oh, I'm sure you could, Mr. Stark. Given time. But then you'd never know why you came."

"You killed innocent people in Vienna just to bring us here," Captain America said, while in the shadows, Black Panther watched, hearing everything that was said. Captain America walked all the way towards the control room window, eyeing Zemo down while he stared at The Avenger glumly.

"I thought about nothing else for over a year. I studied you. I followed you. But now that you're standing here, I just realized...there's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes," Zemo said before lightly chuckling, "How nice to find a flaw."

"You're Sokovian," Captain America pointed out, "Is that what this is about?"

"Sokovia was a failed state long before you blew it to hell," Zemo told him, "No, I'm here because I made a promise."

Captain America studied him for a moment before realizing, "You lost someone?"

Zemo stared at him, grave, slight tears stinging his eyes before he clicked his tongue. "I lost everyone. And so will you," he said before he turned and pressed a button nearby. This pulled up footage to a computer screen next to Captain America. He turned towards it, the words DECEMBER 16, 1991 in Russian over the screen.

Captain America slowly approached the computer, the screen glitching to a camera footage of a dirty road.

"An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again. But one which crumbles from within? That's dead...forever," Zemo continued.

With his helmet injected, Tony walked over to the computer while Bucky stayed nearby, holding the rifle tightly. But when Tony placed his eyes on the screen, he completely froze in familiarity. "I know that road," he muttered before he quickly glanced over at Zemo, "What is this?" He turned back to the computer as the footage played;

Down a dark dirt road, unknown location, a faint beige car drove past. But in the woods, was The Winter Soldier. Waiting. Hunting.

After the car drove off, The Winter Soldier, on a motorcycle, turned on the headlight before zooming out onto the road. He got up right behind the car, before swerving closer, slashing the car's front tire out. The driver lost control of the wheel, and crashed into a tree.