Into the War || A Captain America Love Story

11

TORI

Tony peels the door open in this freezing old compound, revealing Steve and Bucky, who are both armed, on the other side. Steve is the furthest down a small flight of stair with his shield up. Bucky is behind him with a most definitely loaded gun, aiming at my brother. I hear Steve heave out a sigh, and I can just hear him thanking God that I'm not dead.

"You seem a little defensive," Tony says, unmasking his face. I do the same, staring at Steve. He stares back, but his gaze shifts to Tony and he narrows his eyes at him as he approaches us.

"It's been a long day," Steve replies.

"At ease, soldier. I'm not currently after you," Tony calls to Bucky.

"Then why are you here?" Steve asks him.

I've got him, I mouth to Bucky, showing him my hand that it ready to shoot. He nods, agreeing to not get trigger happy.

"Could be your story's not so crazy. Maybe," Tony says back to Steve. "Ross has no idea we're here, and I'd like to keep it that way. Otherwise, I gotta arrest myself and put my sister in jail."

"Well, that sounds like a lot of paperwork," Steve says, his shield still out. Tony scoffs, and Steve lowers the shield. "It's good to see you two."

"You too," Tony replies. I just nod back. I know for a fact that Steve "missing us" has two different meanings when it comes to a certain person. "Hey, Manchurian Candidate, you're killing me. There's a truce here. You can drop the gun," Tony tells Bucky.

I nod and Steve lowers his hand towards Bucky, showing him to put the gun down. He does, so that the gun's aiming at the floor. We quietly investigate the compound together, not daring to make a sound as we go.

As Tony, who is leading us, turns a specific corner, Steve puts his hand on my side, forcing me to stop. I turn around to face him, about to ask him about his actions, and he just gives me a cautious look.

"I got heat signatures," Tony announces.

"That's why," Steve whispers, letting me go. He raises his voice to talk to my brother. "How many?"

"One," my brother and I say in unison. There is only one red human-sized blotch on the screen in the corner of my vision. We walk into a larger part of the compound. Something activates, turning yellow lights on in front multiple pods that are in the shape of / \.

"If it's any comfort, they died in they're sleep," Zemo says over a speaker, referring to the people inside the pods.

I take in a deep breath and continue following the boys.

"Did you really think I wanted more of you?" Zemo asks, his voice having a thick accent.

"What the hell?" Bucky mutters under his breath.

"I'm grateful to them though," he continues. I scan each pod. Each one has a person in it, all of different genders, with a bullet wound on their forehead. One wound on every single one. The heart monitors show a horizontal straight line, showing that Zemo wasn't lying when he said they were long gone. "They brought you here."

A sound comes from a corner. All of us prepare to shoot, but Steve it the only one who actually does something. He throws his shield, which hits nothing, and comes back.

"Please, Captain," Zemo sighs. "The Soviets built this chamber to withstand the launch blast of UR-100 rockets."

"I'm betting I could beat that," Tony shouts. All of us split up now, circling around the center of the room.