Till the End of the Line Vol. 5

Chapter 16 - Zemo escapes/ 'What's wrong with you?'

Thirty minutes later, back at the hideout, Sam is typing on his computer. Sofia is looking out the window. Zemo is on the couch with a wet rag on his face. He asks, "Were you ever offered it?"

"What?" asks Sam.

"The serum."

"No."

"If you had been, hypothetically, that is, would you have taken it?"

Annoyed by Zemo's questions, he rolls his eyes. "No."

"No hesitation. That's impressive." Zemo grunts as he removes the ice pack. "Sam, you can't hold out hope for Karli. No matter what you saw in her, she's gone. And we cannot allow that she and her acolytes become yet another faction of gods amongst real people. Super Soldiers cannot be allowed to exist."

Sam turned to Zemo and asks, "Isn't that how God's talk? And if that's how you feel, what about Bucky? Or Becca? Blood isn't always the solution."

Bucky enters the hideout, takes off his jacket, and throws it on the table. "Something's not right about Walker," said Bucky.

"You don't say," Sofia replied, expressing the obvious as she turned to him.

Bucky grabs a bottle of Crown and makes himself a drink. "Well, I know crazy when I see one. Because I am crazy."

"Can't argue with that," Sam remarked.

"Sam," Sofia snaps. She stands up and walks to Bucky to comfort him. "Babe, you're not crazy." 

He offers her a drink but she declines. It is a red flag for him but he continues with his drink. "Shouldn't have given him the shield," said Bucky.

"I didn't give him the shield," Sam said defensively as he stood up to face Bucky.

"Well, Steve definitely didn't." Bucky takes a sip of his drink.

Suddenly, Walker and Lemar storm in. Pissed off, Sofia is in defensive mode. Bucky notices her reaction and is a little concerned. Walker commands loudly, "All right. That's it. Let's go. I'm now ordering you to turn him over." Loki and Becca enter from one of the bedrooms.

Sam snaps at Walker, "Hey, slow your roll. And let's be clear, shield or no shield, the only thing you're runnin' in here is your mouth. Now, Sofia and I had Karli, and you overstepped. He's actually proven himself useful today. We're gonna need all hands on deck for whatever's comin' next."

"How do you want the rest of this conversation to go, Sam, huh?" Walker chuckles softly. "Yeah. Should I put down the shield?" Sam scoffs at him. "Make it fair?" He puts the shield down.

Sofia creates small little blue balls in her hands as she takes a few steps towards Walker and glares at him. She asks him, "Ready for round two, Walker? Because I know kicking your ass is something I'm going to enjoy very much."

At that moment, the Dora Milaje throws a stick at Walker and Sam. As they enter the room, everyone Sofia's eyes return to normal. Ayo looks at Bucky, Bucky sighs as he knows that this isn't going to go well.

Speaking Wakandan, Ayo says, "Even if he is a means to your end...Time's up." Zemo and the others look at Ayo. She speaks in English, "Release him to us now."

Walker takes a step towards Ayo and reaches for her hand and introduces himself. "Hi. John Walker. Captain America." However, she doesn't say a word but stares at him. He puts his hand down as he sees that they are serious. He smiles and puts his arms out. "Well, let's, uh, put down the pointy sticks, and we can talk this through, huh?"

"Hey, John, take it easy," said Sam. John Walker smiles and turns to face Sam. "You might wanna fight Bucky before you tangle with the Dora Milaje."

Grinning, Becca comments as she crosses her arms, "And you certainly don't want to go against them; they are not to be messed with."