The Winter Soldier: Master of Madripoor

Prologue

"Yesterday, December 7th - 1941, a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan..." the intonations from the orator, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sounded as powerful issuing from the large radio sitting in the living room as they would in person. Everyone sat raptly for the speech, staring at the radio as if it was the President himself, with a tension in the air that was appropriate for a nation that suddenly found itself at war.

"No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory...." The speech continued, with no other sound heard. It was as if the entire city was listening at the same time, not speaking, not thinking about anything but the war. It was the entire country listening, possibly the world.

Two young men sat up straighter as Roosevelt stated: "with confidence in our armed forces – with the unbounding determination of our people – we will gain the inevitable triumph – so help us God. I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."

"That's it, we're at war. It won't be long before we're at war with Germany too." James Buchanan Barnes, known as Bucky, said into the silence. He glanced at Steve Rogers, sitting next to him, and Steve nodded, a strange look in his eyes.

"There'll be a draft," an older man, Bucky's father said heavily. "But a lot will enlist. There were already lines at the enlistment offices this morning."

"I'll be there this afternoon," Bucky said firmly. His mother looked at him with sad eyes and he felt himself almost waver at the look, but she didn't say anything and he knew she wouldn't try and ask him to stay. She knew the stakes. All around them were the newspapers they'd all been buying and reading obsessively, detailing the attack on the base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with most already declaring the nation to be at war before the President was able to make the formal declaration.

Bucky and Steve did not speak much as the others, Bucky's parents, and sisters, talked rapidly and with considerable nervousness about the attack and the war. Bucky had his own apartment and needed to go there to pack before he headed to the enlistment office. There was a scramble at the offices, but most information was that those who arrived were being sent to training almost immediately. Both Bucky and Steve admired the ability of the military to move so fast, in preparing troops. There was also information from the old factories that had been shut since the Depression began that they would be reopened to begin to help the war effort.

Steve still lived in the small, often damp apartment he'd once shared with his mother, until her death a couple of years earlier. He had been able to find some odd jobs to help pay the rent and Bucky helped when he was able to. Steve refused to live with Bucky, maintaining the last bit of independence he could. There was no discussion among Steve and Bucky, but both stayed to eat lunch with Bucky's parents and sisters. Once the meal was finished, they walked to Bucky's place slowly, ignoring the cold, finally talking about the things they had not wanted to discuss in front of Bucky's family.

"You'll probably be in training by tomorrow," Steve observed. "I hope I can be there with you."
Bucky hesitated, but he hadn't been friends with Steve for nearly their entire lives by not telling the truth, even if that truth was unpleasant. "I'm not sure they'll take you, Steve."

"I have to try Buck. I can't just sit and do nothing."
"There will be more jobs than there are people to fill them soon. Jobs that are important to the war effort."