Rumors and Ghosts

viii. preparations to recruit

HUGE ABANDONED WAREHOUSE

Bucky came to with his metallic left arm clamped in a huge industrial vice. Steve peered through a gap at a chopper flying overhead. Sam and Anastasia were over by Bucky.

"Hey, Cap!" Sam called.

"Steve?" Anastasia said.

Steve went over to join Sam and Anastasia by Bucky who sat with his arm in the vice. They stared at them.

"Steve. Anastasia," Bucky said.

"Which Bucky are Anastasia and I talking to?" Steve asked.

"Your mom's name was Sarah... You used to wear newspapers in your shoes," Bucky said with soft chuckle.

"Can't read that in a museum."

"Just like that, we're supposed to be cool?" Sam asked.

"What did I do?" Bucky asked.

"Enough," Steve replied.

"God, I knew this would happen. Everything HYDRA put inside me is still there. All he had to do was say the goddamn words."

"Who was he?" Anastasia questioned.

"I don't know." His gaze turned solemn, ashamed he'd hurt the woman he adored.

"People are dead," Steve told him. "The bombing, the setup. The doctor did all that just to get ten minutes with you. I need you to do better than "I don't know.""

"He wanted to know about Siberia. Where I was kept. He wanted to know exactly where."

"Why would he need to know that?"

"Because I'm not the only Winter Soldier."

1991

At night, Bucky rode alongside the car and somehow caused the car to crash. He circled back, pulled up and climbed off the motorbike. He was filmed on CCTV as he approached the car's trunk. He janked it open, breaking the lock. Inside, he opened a metal case which contained five clear drip bags filled with bright blue fluid.

---

Four young men and a young woman sat up in hospital beds. The blue fluid was fed intravenously into their arms. The drip bags hung on stands beside them. They were all fit and muscular. One man, Josef, flexed a huge bicep. Josef was screaming, dragged into a cell and left on a bed.

Josef/Super Soldier #1, said, "It hurts!" He struggled in leather bindings. A viewing slot was closed.

Karpov was sitting at a desk in a corridor, making notes and listening. Karpov opened the door to a lab and switched on the light. Josef was sitting on a bed. He looked up at Karpov.

Bucky and Josef fought each other in a barred chamber. The four others who were given the blue liquid were there. Josef kicked with enormous power, sending Bucky flying. Watching, Karpov folded his arms.

"Очень хорошо, Иосиф," Karpov said.

(Good work.)

A medic took Josef's pulse and Josef slammed him onto the floor. A soldier clubbed Josef onto the back with no effect. Karpov got behind Bucky and aimed a gun.

Солдат, вытащи меня отсюда!"

(Soldier, get me out of here!)

Josef and the other four Winter Soldiers effortlessly dispatched a squad of soldiers. Bucky escorted Karpov, covering from him from the barred chamber, while batting guards aside.

PRESENT

"Who were they?" Steve and Anastasia asked.

"Their most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in HYDRA history," Bucky replied. "And that was before the serum."

"They all turn out like you?" Sam inquired.

"Worse."

"The doctor, could he control them?" Steve questioned.

"Enough."

"Said he wanted to see an empire fall."

"With these guys he could do it. They speak 30 languages, can hide in plain sight, infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize, They can take a whole country down in one night, you'd never see them coming."

Steve and Sam moved across the room to talk.

Anastasia chose to stay by Bucky. She ran her fingers along his metal arm. "I don't blame you, my love."

Bucky didn't meet her eyes. "I saw what I was doing to you, doll. I could've squeezed the life out of you and not blinked twice."

She lifted his chin. "James, I don't blame you."

"Why? You should."

"That's not who you are. You are the kindest, most gentle man I know." She cupped his face in her hands and rested her forehead to his. "We'll figure this out. I promise you this won't happen again. We'll find a way to save you."

Bucky stared at her sadly and nodded, using his free hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.

Sam glanced back at Bucky and Anastasia, then said to Steve, "This would have been a lot easier a week ago."

"If we call Tony..." Steve began.

"No, he won't believe us."

"Even if he did..."

"Who knows if the Accords would let him help."

"We're on our own."

"Maybe not. I know a guy."

---

"I don't suppose you have any idea where they are?" Secretary Ross asked.

"We will," Tony replied. "GSG-9's got the borders covered. Recon's flying 24/7. They'll get a hit. We'll handle it."

"You don't get it, Stark. It's not yours to handle. It's clear you can't be objective. I'm putting Special Ops on this."

"What happens when the shooting starts?" Natasha asked. "What, do you kill Steve Rogers and Anastasia Romanov?"

"If we're provoked. Barnes would've been eliminated in Romania if it wasn't for Rogers. There are dead people who would be alive now. Feel free to check my math."

"All due respect, you're not going to solve this with boys in bullets, Ross," Tony said. "You gotta let us bring them in."

"How would that end any differently from the last time?"

"Because this time, I won't be wearing loafers and a silk shirt. 72 hours, guaranteed."

"36 hours. Barnes. Romanov. Rogers. Wilson."

"Thank you, sir." He slumped, exhaling. "My left arm is numb. Is that normal?"

Natasha patted him on the shoulder and asked, "You all right?"

"Always." He had a massive black eye and a cut on his brow. "36 hours, jeez."

"We're seriously understaffed."

"Oh, yeah. It'd be great if we had a Hulk right about now. Any shot?"

"No. You really think he'd be on our side?"

"No."

"I have an idea."

"Me too. Where's yours?"

"Downstairs. Where's yours?"

Tony smiled slightly.