“Sam, it’s something I have to do. It’s not like he left me any choices. I’m backed into a corner, and this is the only way I see out of it.”
Sam sighs. He knows Steve is tired of running. Bucky’s recovery isn’t going well, and with the accords falling apart, Tony was looking like shit every time he appeared on television. Its had been months since they had talked, and that hadn’t went well at all. Clint was still in jail, although they had moved him back to the states, where his family could visit. Scott was in the wind, and Wanda and Vision had disappeared, off planet and searching for Bruce and Thor.
“I know, I know. But you know this will destroy Tony, don’t you? He’s not doing well.
This will break him.” Sam said. Steve looked at Sam.
“I tried to do this different. I tried to talk to him. But he didn’t want to listen. He was blind to Hydra’s manipulation and instead of actually dealing with them, he turned the whole thing over and blamed Bucky.” Steve clinched his fists at his side and bit out, “All of this could have been avoided if Tony had just backed my play.”
Darcy continued to set up the camera.
“The accords were a really bad idea. They are already falling apart, after Darcy discovered Howard and Maria were the source of SHIELD Hydra infection and Ross’s connection to it.”
Steve runs one hand through his hair.
Darcy finding out her grandparents were nazis had caused its own issues, but Steve finding the video of Bucky’s treatment had revealed the true level of Howard’s betrayal.
“Now Tony is scrambling to fix his father’s reputation. He thinks he can change the past if he buries it deep enough in the accords. He’s more worried about protecting the dead than helping the living. We can’t trust him.”
Darcy finishes setting everything up and walks up to them
.
“It’s done. If you want, I’ve got everything ready to go. Push this when you want the video to play.” She hands him a small remote. I’ve set it up to go to youtube as soon as you want. T'challa's satellite is ready to defend itself with the new upgrades.”
Steve nods with slight hesitation and Darcy lays a hand on his shoulder.
“I know he’s your friend and he’s my Dad ….” Steve cuts her off.
“He was my friend. Until he decided to make his own daughter a wanted criminal and use Bucky as a scapegoat.” He shook his head.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The screen flashed, and the hero formerly known as Captain America cleared his throat.
“Most people know me as Captain America. But today, I’m here as Steve Rogers. I’m here to talk about Tony Stark and the accords. I am currently on the run because of them. Several of my friends are too. Some are in jail. The Avengers have been torn apart, friends and family have been hurt, and because of that, I have chosen to speak out against them.” He took a deep breath. “ There have been many rumors of what happened, but I’m here to set the record straight. The fight that recently happened should have never happened. Tony even recruited a child to fight against me. Tony Stark is wrong. The accords are not going create peace in our lifetime. The Accords are an attempt to seize control. They will use the Avengers to achieve those ends, and I can’t let that happen. ” He says the last part with conviction.
The screen flashes, and what looks to be a reel to reel projector can be easily heard. The numbers countdown, three, two, one….. The lady in the image is clear, although the footage is a bit grainy. “This is subject one. He has been given Zola’s formula, and a prosthetic and we are attempting to program him for his new assignment. The memory wipes are effective for a short time, but it is unknown if there will be a long term solution to controlling the asset.” She walks over the man bound in the chair.
She picks up a syringe from the table beside the chair and injects Barnes. He slowly starts to come to. He opens his eyes, frantically searching the room, twisting as much as he can with his head strapped down.
“Asset.” Maria barks.
His eyes snap to her, his body suddenly rigid.
“What is your mission?”
“To advance the agenda. To support Hydra personnel. To eliminate threats to the organisation.”
Maria nods.
She opens a folder and pulls out a photo, showing it first to the camera, then to Barnes. It’s Peggy Carter.
“This woman is a threat to Hydra. She must be eliminated.”
Bucky’s eyes look away from the picture. “ I know her.” he softly whispers. “How do I know her?” He looks at Maria, a shadow brushing over his face.
Maria jerks the photo out of his line of sight.
“She fought with you in the war. But she is a traitor, and standing in our way.” She turns her head as the door to the room opens. Howard walks in, and quickly snatches the photo out of her hands.
“Dammit, woman. I wish you get over this. Peggy is not going anywhere. We need her to maintain our cover.” He grabs a syringe from the table and stabs it into Buck’s arm, sending him back to sleep.
“She’s delaying the search, again. If we find Steve, we can crack Erskine’s formula.” she hisses at him.
Howard looks at her angrily. “And if the memory wipes will hold, we can have Captian America on our side. He would make an excellent asset to Hydra. It’s too bad Schmidt couldn’t convince him to join us before all of this was necessary.”
“Zola's formula is fine. Barnes is…..”
Howard cuts her off. “Zhola may have been clever enough to steal a little of the serum, but his formula is a far cry from the original.” He turns to the control panel.
“Now we have to wipe him again. We can’t have remembering anything.” He flips a few switches. The audio feed picks up the grinding sound of electricity building.
“This would all go much easier if you would actually FIND Steve.” Maria says defensively.
Howard ignores her, looking at the camera.
“ The process is getting better. We can wipe it and put it back on ice. Long term memory still triggered by visual trigger.” He frowns. “We might need to bring Stryker in on this. I’ve heard he’s worked with memory removal.” He walks over to the table, picking up the folder Maria had beside Peggy’s, making notes on the page, quickly flipping through it.
“Increasing voltage not recommended. Its seems to trigger the healing faster.”
He looks at Maria.
“If we get this right, we get Steve as an Asset too.” He looks at the readings on the unit for the chair. “Can you imagine the advantages if Hydra gets Captian America under it’s thumb? The freezing unit is still at the New York location. We’ll have to keep him under for a week. Zola has been working with the soviets. The KGB may have uses for him. It wouldn’t hurt to give them a hand. Increased weapon sales on both sides will net me a pretty profit, even if Hydra is still pushing that “cold war” shit.” Howard flips a switch, and bucky writhes in the chair. Blood starts to seep out of his mouth.
“Damn it, he’s bit through his tongue again.” He writes something in his notes.
Maria stepps over the the camera., turning it off.
==========================================================================================================================================
The next video is newer. Zhola is sitting next to what appears to be a cryo unit, and the room is different. He looks towards the camera and smiles a dark smile.
“The asset has progressing nicely. Mr. Stark’s work on the repression of long term memory has succeeded, and the asset is no longer randomly remembering his old life.” Zhola stands up, walking around to the other side of the chair. “The samples we have recovered have proven useful, and Maria gave birth to a healthy child. Stark is still ignorant that the child is not his.” Zhola smirks. “He should have known his work with Gamma rays left him sterile. Arrogant fool.”
Zhola picks up the (thicker now) file. He flips through it, making notes and occasionally humming in agreement with what is written. “Howard’s useful, for now. But his failure to find the Captain is growing tiresome. And Maria’s demands to kill Peggy are getting in the way of our plans. It would not do for Carter to grow suspicious. She’s recruited two agents for the Shield program who will be useful if they can be manipulated correctly. Agent Nicholas Fury, and Agent Phillip Coulson. They are adept and quickly moving up the ranks in Shield. But we must be careful not to let them see too much. We are moving the asset to russia for the time being. They have begun a training program that they want to use the asset for. The Red Room is what they are calling it. Perhaps in a few years we can return, hopefully with Rogers. If not, perhaps one of the “Red Room” assassins.” Zhola smiles as he walks over to the camera and shuts it off.
==========================================================================================================================================
The camera is on again, And Bucky, no, strike that, the Winter soldier is looking blankly at it.
From off camera, Zola's voice is heard.
“Asset, what is you mission?”
The soldier's voice sounds rough from misuse.
“Kill Howard and Maria Stark. Kill anyone who sees me. Leave no witnesses.”
He is handed a packet of information, pictures, notes, assorted files.
Zhola clears his throat.
“You cannot harm Anthony Stark. We have many plans for him. He should be away at college, but make sure he isn’t there when you complete your mission.” Zola's voice comes over again. “Assets, do you understand?
The soldier nods curtly and walks out of the room as Zhola steps into frame.
“Howard’s failures have grown too numerous, and we can’t let him go to Peggy with the truth. He has given us nothing on the Rogers front, and the red room has proven the perfect way to train supersoldiers using my serum and their training. His reluctance to include “his son”,” Zhola lets out a laugh, “in the program is getting in the way of Hydra’s goals. Sadly, Maria’s decision to support him in this, by hiring an outsider named Obadiah Stane to guide the heir to the Stark legacy, has proven most effective.” He pauses. “Stane has his own agenda, and has politely refused all offers our people have given. For now, Young Stark is out of our grasp. Perhaps in a few years, we can get Stane under our control and co-opt the boy.”
==========================================================================================================================================
“The legacy of Howard Stark is a lie. The Accords are a lie. I’m tired of fighting against Hydra alone. Tony Stark was created by Hydra, and whether or not he knew, he has played into their hands his whole life.”
“Because of this new knowledge, I have been forced to rethink everything I’ve learned since I woke up. Hydra is more powerful than ever, and I’m not sure I can even tell anymore who to trust.
But know I will continue to fight. I don’t care if I’m a wanted man, and neither do my friends. We are still the Avengers.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Steve? Is Star… I mean, is Tony really my kid?” Bucky asks, after viewing the video on youtube.
Steve looks into his friend’s eyes as he adjusts the pillows on the couch in the safe house. Bucky had good days and bad days. He had nightmares, and flashbacks, and days when he would just stare out the window for hours at a time. Today, however, Bucky was having one of his better days. Steve pulls the laptop back into his own lap from the coffee table, shutting it and putting it away.
“Yep.” The silence fills the room.
“I have a kid. Not just a kid, but a grown kid. Who tried to kill me.”
“Yep.”
“Damn. This time travel shit is too much, man. Can you believe all the stuff we used to read is real?” He grins, picking up a copy of “Strange Tales” and smiling.
“You’re handling this pretty well, Buck. Are you sure you’re ok?” Steve says questioningly.
“I stopped thinking all this stuff was impossible when the skinny little punk I left in Brooklyn showed up in a whole new body.” Bucky said with a laugh. He sobered for a moment. “And the things I’ve seen since.” He grimaces. He throws his flesh hand on Steve’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
“Did I tell you I fought an alien invasion?” Steve says strained, trying to lighten the mood by switching subjects.
Bucky smiles a wistful smile. “Yeah, I remember you saying something about that.”
Sam comes in the the door. “ Tony sent a peace offering.” He says, holding up a package.
“T'challa had it scanned. It’s not bugged.” He sets the package on the table.
Steve opens the package, finding his shield and Bucky’s arm, both polished and looking brand new.
A note attached to the shield said simply:
I was wrong. I hope you can forgive me.