UNKNOWN GUEST

#82 The Winter Soldier- Part 2

So, how are things? Well, they're messed up. Like, really messed up. How? Let me break it down.

Uncle Sam and Dad—yeah, they got arrested, kind of. Their armor and weapons were seized, and a few hours ago, the police went after Uncle Bucky. Naturally, Dad and Sam got in the way, trying to protect him. And just to top things off, T'Challa, the Black Panther himself, is hunting Uncle Bucky down. So yeah, they're calling Bucky a "terrorist" and locked Dad and Sam up for, what, supporting him? Like, they're after the wrong man. I know that. But try explaining it to anyone. It's hopeless.

I was sitting in a quiet room, just me and my thoughts, when Mom walked in. She looked worn out and frustrated, like she'd been carrying the weight of all this chaos on her shoulders. She sighed and dropped into a chair. "Steve is being reckless," she muttered, shaking her head. "We can't survive without the system and authority's backing."

It was just the two of us. I sighed, trying to keep my cool. "Can you blame him?" I asked.

She shot me a look, raising an eyebrow. "Blame him? For what?"

I leaned forward a little, my voice staying low but firm. "Look, he's been searching for Bucky for almost a year with nothing, no leads, no real clues. And then, all of a sudden, your 'system' wants to cage him up for a crime they're not even entirely sure he committed."

Her expression sharpened. "Jason, I know you're sympathetic to Steve, but they have a 64% match that the terrorist is Barnes."

I couldn't help rolling my eyes at that. "64%? Really? Ma'am, do you remember last Halloween when Mr. Stark forced me into that Black Widow costume as some weird joke?" I paused for a second, watching her face as the memory hit. "What did Jarvis say about how much I matched Natasha Romanoff?"

She tilted her head, thinking it over. "79%, I think?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, 79%. So should I just pretend to be you now and replace you in the field?"

She sighed, shaking her head, but I could tell she wasn't just brushing it off. "You think someone's pushing this whole thing into something else?"

I leaned back, crossing my arms. "You think this is still about the Accords? This mess has spiraled into something way bigger. Cap's been turned from a 'non-cooperator' into an 'accomplice in the explosion.' They're going to push him to sign the Accords, surrender, or else they'll throw him in a cell. They've already started it, through you and Mr. Stark, by seizing his shield and gear."

Mom fell silent. She didn't have a quick answer, and I could see the wheels turning in her head.

I took a breath, adding one last point. "This is the agenda I was talking about earlier."

Without waiting for her reply, I got up and walked out of the room. This whole situation—it's going nowhere fast, and I'm not sure how long anyone can keep pretending otherwise.

Some time later, I found myself back in the same room when the interrogation was about to go down. Bucky Barnes was going to be questioned, and the tension was thick in the air. I spotted Mom, Uncle Tony, and T'Challa already there, waiting. I took a seat beside Mom, but before I could say anything, she sighed, not even looking my way. "Don't say a word."

I raised my hands in surrender. "Okay," I shrugged.

A few seconds passed before she glanced over at me. "This whole agenda... it's changed. No one's talking about the Accords or peace anymore. Everyone just wants Barnes dead."

Finally. At least she understood that now. I was about to respond when I noticed Dad and Uncle Sam enter the room behind us. They were in the observation area, separated by a glass wall. I caught Mom throw a quick glance behind us, her eyes narrowing when she saw Dad and Agent Carter exchanging a look. She sighed again, turning back to face the screen. I leaned in closer and whispered, "You think they really could've caged the Winter Soldier?"

She glanced at me, then fixed her gaze back on the screen. "This is Bucky Barnes," she said, her voice low, "that's the only reason they could catch him."

I nodded slowly, processing her words. "So, you're convinced?"

She sighed, clearly not fully convinced herself. "Not entirely. But I have my suspicions that someone is using this whole situation as bait."

"Bait for what?" I asked, curious now.

Her eyes widened slightly, like she was starting to connect the dots. It hit her all at once—someone wasn't just trying to get Bucky out of the picture. They wanted something more. She turned her attention back to the screen, where the psychiatrist was questioning Uncle Bucky.

"Bait for Barnes," she muttered.

That's right. Someone wanted the Winter Soldier.

Suddenly, the room went dark. A blackout. The entire section of the building lost power. Everything was in chaos—people scrambling, voices muttering in confusion. "What's going on?" Mom asked, looking around.

I stood up quickly, my heart racing. "Where's the interrogation room?"

Even in the pitch-black room, I could tell she understood what I was thinking. She didn't need to say it, but I could imagine her stunned expression. This wasn't just a random blackout. Something bigger was happening, and it wasn't good.

We burst outside, only to find chaos already unfolding around us. Officials were running for their lives, dodging falling debris and trying to escape the havoc. And in the center of it all, the Winter Soldier was tearing through the place like a raging bull. I watched, wide-eyed, as he tossed Uncle Tony aside like he weighed nothing more than a toy. He hit the ground hard, his suit barely making a sound.

Agent Carter tried to stop him next, but she didn't stand a chance. The brute strength of the mind-controlled soldier crushed her attempts like they were nothing. And then Mom stepped in—of course, she did. She always does.

I wasn't just going to stand by and watch. So, I joined her, heart pounding in my chest. But before I could even land a solid punch, the Winter Soldier swung his metal arm at me, sending me flying back several feet like I weighed nothing. The impact knocked the wind out of me, but I managed to pull myself up just in time to see Mom still giving the fight her all.

She was holding her own for a while, flipping around him with ease. At one point, she climbed onto his shoulders, trying to flip him down, but the Winter Soldier was too strong. He grabbed her mid-air and slammed her onto a nearby table, his hand tightening around her throat. She was gasping for air, struggling to break free.

I rushed at him, fists clenched, and punched him square in the neck. He stumbled a bit but quickly released Mom and turned toward me, fury in his eyes. Great. Now he was focused on me. I stepped back, dodging the barrage of punches he was throwing my way. Each one came with enough force to shatter bones if I didn't stay quick on my feet.

I aimed a kick at his knees. It made him budge, just for a second, but then he grabbed me by the throat, his grip like iron, and slammed me against the wall. The air rushed out of my lungs as I felt the cold, hard surface against my back. I couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. This was exactly how Ultron had held me against that wall. Not again.

The Winter Soldier raised his metal arm, ready to bring it crashing down. I barely managed to dodge the blow, the punch hitting the concrete wall behind my head with a thunderous crack. I didn't waste a second, driving my fist into his chest with everything I had. But he didn't even flinch. He just stood there, like a mountain, completely unfazed.

I could see the fire burning in his eyes now. Rage. But underneath that, something else—something familiar. Uncle Buck, you used to joke in the future that my punches hurt like Dad's. Liar. I choked for breath, half-laughing, "You were... just pretending?"

Before I knew it, he grabbed me again and threw me across the room with a swift motion, like I was nothing. I slammed into a desk, the impact sending a sharp pain through my body. A computer screen fell on my head. Great, that's definitely gonna leave a bump.

As I lay there, dazed and struggling to get back on my feet, I looked around. The Winter Soldier was gone. Just... vanished. I hoped Dad was hot on his trail and would catch him in time.