Framed

The Confrontation

2016, Bucharest, Romania

In the bustling market of Bucharest, Armani Rogers conversed with a grocer, discussing the quality of plums. "Cum sunt? Sunt bune? Dă-mi șase, mulțumesc," she requested, selecting her fruit.

On her way home, Marni noticed a man from the newsstand eyeing her, then hastily fleeing as she approached. Curious, she examined the newspaper he left behind. Horror washed over her as she saw her face beneath the headline 'Winter Soldier cautat pentru Bombardmentul din Viena.' With a tense stare, she surveyed her surroundings.

______________________

On the other side of the city, Steve and Bucky came to the only apartment that looked uninhabited, with Sam positioned on the rooftop for reconnaissance. Bucky cautiously opened the door.

When the door creaked open, the dimly lit interior of the apartment was revealed, frozen in time. It appeared desolate, with worn and neglected furnishings scattered around. A mattress occupied one corner; its covers were dishevelled. Dust particles danced in the faint light filtering through newspaper-covered windows, casting eerie shadows across the room.

As they explored further, Steve and Bucky's attention was drawn to a small notebook resting atop the fridge. Its weathered cover hinted at its age and significance. Intrigued by its contents, they flipped through the pages, finding tabs of varying colours sticking out from the worn paper.

One page contained Marni's handwriting and the memories she had recovered, while the other displayed a creased but well-preserved poster of the two men saluting. Before they could delve deeper into the notebook, Sam's voice broke the silence. "Heads up, Cap, Lieutenant. German Special Forces approaching from the south."

"Understood," Steve replied, closing the book as he sensed a new presence in the room. Turning around, they found themselves facing Marni, the woman they sought. Steve addressed her, his gaze softening, "Do you know us?"

Marni hesitated, her breath heavy. "You're Steve, and you're James. I read about you both in a museum," she replied, her voice trembling. Sam's voice interjected again, "They've set the perimeter."

Placing the notebook on the kitchen counter, Steve and Bucky exchanged a knowing look. "We know you're nervous. And you have every right to be. But you're lying." Bucky asserted.

"I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore," Marni protested, shaking her head. The men heard Sam once more, "They're entering the building." Quickly looking out the window, the men turned back to face Marni. "Well, the people who think you did are coming here now. And they don't plan on taking you alive."

"That's smart. Good strategy," Marni remarked, pausing as she watched the men facing her. Unaware of what Sam had said to the men, she didn't hear his warning, "They're on the roof. I'm compromised."

______________________

As the tense standoff unfolded, the hurried footsteps of approaching German forces filled the room. Bucky attempted to defuse the situation, urging Marni to avoid violence. "This doesn't have to end in a fight, Marni," Bucky said as the footsteps of the German forces became louder.

Marni's response was terse. "It always ends in a fight," she replied, grabbing the fingers of her glove that concealed her metal fist. Not long after, Sam's voice cut through the tension with a countdown. "5 seconds."

Steve confronted Marni about her past actions, seeking answers to her motivations. "You pulled Buck from the river," he stated firmly, a hint of authority in his voice, seeking answers. "Why?" 

Sighing heavily, Marni lifted her head to look at the two men. "I don't know," she said. Not believing her reply, Bucky ignored Sam's countdown and pressed further. "Yes, you do."