Torn Between Lies

Chapter Four~Classic Movie Chase

London is a beautiful city, but a cathedral, packed with mourners, not such a beautiful sight. A choir is singing. Steve is one of six pallbearers carrying a coffin draped with the Union Jack. His eyes are red--he's been crying.

My hands shake as I try to smooth down my black dress. Sam, who was sitting next to me, takes one of my hands calming me down. Steve sat on the other side of me, using my free hand I take his. Sam, Steve, and I the three of us, together.

At the altar, a candle burns by a framed photograph of Peggy Carter in a military uniform. The label reads "Margaret 'Peggy' Carter". Agent 13, Steve's "neighbor" from DC, steps up to the podium. "Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D . . . but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy," she says.

Steve realizes who exactly Sharon is, and takes a surprised breath. "She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to J.F.K. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we were related." she says looks directly at Steve. "I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said compromise where you can. But where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move . . . it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say " No, you move."

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"Hey, Tony, the funerals over we're gonna come back to America soon. I was just wondering if you could look at this. Remember the Queens hero from the news, his name Peter Parker, he's Spiderman. He isn't signed up for the program but he's just what it needs, think about it, love you." I hang up and send Tony the file on the kid.

"Illisha." starts Sam, I turn to him we both walk into the living room where Steve and Sharon are watching the T.V. "A bomb hidden in a news van ripped through the UN building in Vienna. More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous H.Y.D.R.A. agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations." says the reporter.

"I have to go to work," says Sharon. I look to Steve who had the look "No there's no way we are doing this." I start.

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"I can't believe we're doing this." I say through my earpiece, in my suit, as I stand on the roof of Bucky's apartment in Romania "It's for the greater good, don't tell me you think this guy planted a bomb in the last six hours?" asked Sam.

"Of course I don't it makes no sense Heads up, Cap. German Special Forces, approaching from the south." I say looking from out over the building. Steve was inside trying to reason with Bucky.

"Understood. Do you know me?" asked Steve to Bucky.

"You're Steve. I read about you in a museum," says Bucky.

"I know you're nervous. And you have plenty of reason to be. But you're lying."

"I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore."

"They've set the perimeter. They're entering the building," says Sam.

"Steve tick-tock." I start. We turn to see cops running up the side stairs "Sam we got to go!" I shout, he nods and takes off as I just jump to the next building hiding behind a radiator.

"They're on the roof. We're compromised," says Sam, I look through the window to see armed cops run upstairs with a battering ram. "5 seconds. 3 seconds!" I shout. Just then a grenade crashes through the window. I see Bucky kick it to Steve, and he smothers it with his shield.

"We need to find a way out of here!" shouts Sam, I look all around the screens on my mask "I'm trying! I'm trying!" 

Just then a backpack is thrown out of the window and behind me. Another crash and Bucky roll off the radiator and fall in front of me as well "Bucky?" I ask. He picks up his backpack and runs. I get up and start to run behind him until a muscular man clad entirely in black slams into Bucky from behind, knocking him down. He has a full face mask with pointed ears. He extends his fingers and sharp claws pop out. 

I activate my boots and fly up to Steve who looks down, he grabs my hand and I drop him down onto the neighboring building "Sam, southwest rooftop."

"Who the hell's the other guy?" asked Sam. Wait I've read about this somewhere "F.R.I.D.A.Y. search: Wakanda legend."

Bucky breaks free from his attacker, slings his bag on his back, runs and jumps down a level running on the highway the mystery man following and the chase continues. "You think this guy from Wakanda?" asked Steve.

"I read in an old book once a legend, like a super-soldier, but a protector of Wakanda. They called it the Black Panther." I explain flying over the tunnel and through an opening continuing my course through an underpass all of us in a chase after Bucky.  A Special Forces Vehicle pursuing us.

"Guy's didn't the king of Wakanda just get killed?" I ask. "Yeah," says Sam.

"Wasn't his son at the signing?"

"What does that have to do with anything."

"Who else would get to Romania in this short of time that quickly, this guy doesn't want to arrest Bucky, he wants to kill him because he thinks Bucky killed his dad," I explain. "We can't jump to conclusions like that," says Steve.

The Panther leaps on the back of the 4x4 that Steve's driving. Steve swerves from side to side, trying to throw him off. "Sam, I can't shake this guy." 

"Right behind you," says Sam. Up ahead Bucky reaches a fork in the road and faces oncoming traffic. A motorbike speeds towards Bucky. Bucky grabs the handlebar and spins the bike around in mid-air, throwing the rider off. Bucky gets on the bike and rides away sending cars careering out of the way. 

Sam and the Panther start to go at each other while I was still on Bucky's trail. He throws a sticky bomb and blows up the roof at the end of the underpass, bringing down tons of rubble. The Panther leaps off from Sam and throws Bucky off the motorbike. 

I quickly put a shield around myself, landing on the ground rolling a few feet from the ruble. Steve swerves the 4x4 through the rubble, leaps out and pulls the Panther away from Bucky. the Panther pulls out of his grasp running at Bucky again, only to jump back at the wall shield I put between them.

Armed police arrive and surround us, guns aimed. 

Rhodey! Leaps down from above and raises both hands "Stand down, now."

Bucky stands beside me and Steve who puts his shield on his back as I take my shield down, we all put our hands in the air.

"Congratulations, Cap. You're a criminal," says Rhodey. Police move in and force Bucky to his knees. A cop moves Steve and Sam's arms behind there backs. The Panther raises his hands, retracts his claws, and pulls off his mask revealing his face. 

It's T'Challa. Revenge. Just like I said.

"Your highness." I start, he gives me a cold look before Rhodey walks over to me as Bucky's hauled flat on the ground. Rhodey gently forces my hands behind my back "Illisha, all you had to do was sign."

I bite my lip as he leads me to a police car "Sign my ass."