SOLDIER ─ marvel

VI. Moonlight Serenade

Chapter Six
Bucky

"James, we need to think this through." Khari pleads to me, watching me from the doorway of my room.

"What's there to think about? Steve is in danger, you heard what Zemo said. I have to do this."

"I know, but we still need to have a plan. You can't go there alone, it's clear he's trying to lure you into a trap. He could hurt you and Steve, so I'm coming with you."

I shake my head, stuffing my gun in the waistband of my pants. "Absolutely not. You don't know what this man is capable of, Khari."

"Steve is my friend," Khari says to me firmly. "And you are apart of my family now, I refuse to let anything happen to either one of you."

I let out a sigh, contemplating the next right move. I know if I leave without him, he'll come after me anyways. I also know that I have a better chance at saving Steve if I have him with me. The only thing holding me back is the thought of Khari getting hurt. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to him, neither would Alex.

Khari comes forward and grabs onto my hand, holding it tightly between both of his. "Please let me help you."

I very reluctantly nod my head. "Alright, but if something goes wrong, I want you to promise you'll grab Steve and get out of there."

"I will promise no such thing. All three of us are getting out of there, no exceptions."

I feel a small smile creep onto my lips. "Alex and Lena's stubbornness is rubbing off on you."

"I could say the same of you."

I tighten my grip on his hand, using my free hand to grasp onto his shoulder. "You ready?"

Khari nods. "I'm with you."

"Then let's go get Steve back."

-

Steve's house is rather small, very quaint. When he officially retired, he bought a two floor house no bigger than a town house just outside of Brooklyn. It's not far from where he and I grew up. From the outside the house, things look peaceful. The lights are on in the house but I see no motion, the only sound I hear is the sound of a record playing from the living room. I recognize the song, it's Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller, a classic, one of Steve's favorites. It's being played loud enough that Khari and I can hear it from out here, several feet from the house, which means Zemo has probably done this on purpose. He wants to block out any noise.

I look to Khari and nod towards the back, thankful that he gets my meaning without me having to speak out loud and possibly expose us. Khari silently makes his way towards the back of the house while I continue towards the front door. I try to steady my breathing and keep calm, showing any fear will play right into Zemo's hand. I have to outsmart him.

I place my metal hand on the doorknob and twist it, taking a step into the house. Zemo isn't there to greet me, he's nowhere in sight. I look to the first room on the left and find that's where the music is the loudest, so I follow the sound of Glenn Miller, hoping it will lead me to Zemo.

I see the record player first, spinning in circles as the sweet sound of piano and trumpets fills the room. The living room looks mostly normal, nothing out of sorts, except for Steve seated in a wooden chair, his arms and legs tied.

I feel my hands clench up at the sight of my best friend in such a state, imprisoned in his own home. I hate seeing him like this, seeing the peace he longed for so much to be stripped away right by a vengeful man.

"Are you alright?" I ask him.

He nods. "You need to get out of here, Buck. Please, just go."

"I'm not leaving you."

Emerging from the shadow casted by the setting sun is Zemo, who places his hand gently on the back of Steve's chair, smiling at me slightly.

"Mr. Barnes, how good it is to see you again."

I let out a deep exhale from my nose, my feet stuck to the floor and my hands limp at my sides. Zemo is so clam, so collected. It's far more terrifying than any amount of anger or insanity. As he looks down at Steve, there's not an ounce of emotion in his eyes, not even amusement in his cold smile.

"I came, just as you asked. Now tell me what you want." I say to him, trying to keep my voice steady.

Zemo lifts his eyes up to me. "I want you. Agree to come with me and I'll let your friend live, it's as simple as that."

"What could you possibly want with me?" I ask, my tone filled with confusion as my brain tried to come up with an explanation.

"That isn't what you should be worrying about."

I reach behind me and grab onto my gun, whipping it out and pointing it at Zemo's head. Unfortunately Zemo has pulled his gun out as well, and it's far bigger than mine. With that gun, he could kill me and Steve before I moved a muscle. Usually I would risk these odds of survival, but not with Steve's life on the line. He can't fight like he used to, he can't escape this on his own.

I clench my jaw as I bring my finger off the trigger and kneel down to the ground, setting the gun down on the carpet in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye I see Khari approaching slowly, his spear out and ready to strike at Zemo.

The relief I feel at seeing Khari however is short lived. I notice an annoyed expression go over Zemo's face as he looks at something across the room in front of him. I turn my head to see that he's looking into a mirror that's hanging on the wall, giving him full view of Khari.

Zemo whips around and aims his gun at Khari, pulling on the trigger. I dive towards my gun and grab onto it, but just as quickly as he fired at Khari, he fires at me. I feel my body stiffen and my arm fall limp. I look down and find blood beginning to spill from my shoulder, the gun falling from my grip and the rest of my body collapse to the ground.

"Khari!" I hear Steve yell, struggling against his bindings to try to escape.

I look over towards Khari and find him on the ground, his body heaving for air as he clutched his stomach. I feel my eyes widen and panic rise in me as I realize Khari has been shot, too, and it looks much worse than mine.

I try to force myself up, but as I get onto my knees, Zemo walks towards me and brings out a can of some kind, spraying an unknown substance in my face. This substance makes me feel like gravity is weighing eight times harder on me, it makes me feel like my whole body is made of metal and the weight is too much to handle.

I feel myself fall back onto the ground, my eyes beginning to flutter and my breathing growing quieter as Zemo says to me lowly; "I told you to come alone. You know what the price is for that mistake."

I try to move, I try to reach up and grab onto him but I can't. All I can do is lie here on the ground and watch as Zemo aims his gun up towards Steve, that same indifferent look in his eyes as before.

"No...no Steve, no." I slur, digging my fingers into the carpet to try and pull myself towards him.

"It's going to be fine, Bucky," Steve says to me, his expression filled with stoicism and bravery. "I promise that everything will be fine."

But that's a lie. As my eyes begin to shut for good, as my body stops moving and I drift off into a deep sleep, I hear the sound of a gun shot, followed by the sound of something hitting the ground.