Before the Morning // TFATWS

21

[One World, One People]

Bucky and Dorothy, who had persuaded her father to let her come, were waiting outside the GRC building. Josiah had gone back because he had an assignment to get done. A reporter was informing the city of what was going on, but Dorothy wasn't listening.

Sam said over the radio, "I'm almost there."

"What's the plan?" Bucky asked.

"Karli's gotta be close. Keep your eyes open."

"Yeah, well, it could be anybody," Dorothy reasoned.

"Sergeant Barnes. Miss Barnes," an officer called.

"And by the way, I called in some backup."

"Excuse me, sir, ma'am," an officer said from behind. "Are you supposed to be here?" Bucky and Dorothy looked at the person with a puzzled expression.

The officer pressed the side of their face and removed a facial screen to reveal Sharon Carter. "It's me."

"Sharon, what the hell are you doing here?" Bucky asked.

"Relax. No one's looking for me here."

"Do I hear Sharon?" Sam asked.

"Unfortunately," Bucky replied.

"Hey, Sam," Sharon said with a chuckle. "I thought I'd get the band back together."

"Thank you. You're risking a lot coming here."

"I hear pardons aren't all they're cracked up to be anyway."

Bucky shrugged. "Depends on the therapist."

"They're gonna move on the building soon," Sam warned. "Be ready."

---

Sam got close to the building and started flying around as he looked for a safe place to enter. He saw a man in a black mask in front of a group people and threw his shield through the window, hitting the man before smashing the rest of the way through the window.

"Sharon, Bucky, Dorothy, what's going on on your end?" Sam asked.

"Nothing," Bucky and Dorothy replied. "All quiet."

As Sam walked up to a group of men, one stopped him and said, "I'm sorry, wait. Who are you?"

"I'm Captain America," Sam said.

"I thought Captain America was on the Moon."

"No one's moving toward the building," Sharon informed.

"Karli's not coming in. She's trying to force everybody out."

"East evac teams..."

"It's a misdirect. We gotta keep everybody inside." Sam grunted as he was kicked back.

"You cost me a lot of money. I wonder how much I can get for your new bird costume," Batroc said.

"Maybe a baguette and a few French fries," Sam sassed, getting attacked in return and he grunted.

"The robes don't make the mask," he answered in French, kicking at Captain America.

"You guys are gonna have to do something." Bucky, Audrey and Sharon were walking through a metal detector; Bucky first, then Dorothy and lastly, Sharon. "Don't let 'em out of the building."

As Sharon walked through, the metal detector beeped and she said, "Oops."

Bucky and Dorothy noticed one of the Flag Smashers walking from behind glass and the former said, "Here's one of them. Audrey and I'll get the evac." He and Dorothy walked away.