Solaris ⋯ Steve Rogers|Marvel Cinematic Universe

[chapter 96]

"Steve." Bucky greeted him as the two men stared at him.

"Which Bucky am I talking to?" Steve asked crossing his arms and Evelyn felt bad for Bucky, his head hung low as his best friend questioned him.

"Your mom's name was Sarah..." Bucky replied looking up with a weak smile. "You used to wear newspapers in your shoes."

"Can't read that in a museum." Steve stated with a matching smile but Sam scoffed, not believing.

"Just like that, we're suppose to be cool?" He asked giving a side eye to Bucky.

"What did I do?" Bucky asked with a pained voice.

"Enough." Steve replied making him sigh.

"Oh, God, I knew this would happen." Bucky groaned shaking his head. "Everything HYDRA put inside me is still there." Evelyn shakily inhaled thinking everything he had went through, not even imagining what it was like. Sure, she was with HYDRA but she didn't know the pain of being brainwashed. "All he had to do was say the goddamn words."

"Who was he?" Evelyn asked. "The doctor?"

"I don't know." Bucky shrugged.

"People are dead. The bombing, the setup. The doctor did all that just to get 10 minutes with you." Steve argued taking a few steps towards him. "I need you to do better than I don't know."

"He wanted to know about Siberia." Bucky replied after thinking for a second. "Where I was kept. He wanted to know exactly where."

"Why would he need to know that?" Steve questioned as he went over to free Bucky's arm.

"Because I'm not the only Winter Soldier." He replied making their eyes widen.

"Who were they?" Evelyn asked as he rubbed his shoulder, flexing his metallic arm for a second.

"Their most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in HYDRA history." He replied his eyes briefly meeting with Evelyn's. "And that was before the serum."

"They all turn out like you?" Sam asked with distaste as he stood at the door.

"Worse."

"The doctor..." Steve crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "Could he control them?"

"Enough."

"Said he wanted to see an empire fall." Steve repeated the same thing he told Evelyn earlier.

"With these guys he could do it." Bucky looked at his hands. "They speak 30 languages, can hide in plain sight, infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize. They can take a whole country down in one night. You'd never see them coming."

"This would have been a lot easier a week ago." Sam stepped up to Steve.

"If we call Tony-" Steve sighed but Sam cut him off.

"No, he won't believe us." Sam shook his head as Evelyn neared them.

"Even if he did..." Steve trailed off knowing it wasn't an option.

"Who knows if the Accords would let him help."

"We're on our own." Steve's shoulders slumped with a defeated sigh, his eyes on Bucky who sat still, his head hung low.

"Maybe not." Sam shrugged with a small smile. "I know a guy."

"And I can call Clint." Evelyn offered as Steve nodded at them. "I mean, he's retired but he'll help us."

"You guys are all over the news." Clint spoke on the phone. "They're saying you broke out of jail?"

"It's complicated." Evelyn replied. "You know I wouldn't call you in if it wasn't important and you can say no, I'll totally understand."

"Tell me everything." Clint replied and Evelyn could hear a door close, the sounds of his kids quieting down. "I may be retired but you're still my friend."

Evelyn told him everything Bucky had said, how there was a doctor with possible intentions of releasing highly trained HYDRA super soldiers into the world and that was enough for Clint to agree.

"And Wanda?" Clint asked caring for the girl. "Where's she?"

"Tony's got her in house arrest."

"I'll get her." He replied and Evelyn felt relief wash over her. "We got your back."

"Thank you, Clint." Evelyn sighed, resting her head against the wall. "I hope Laura doesn't get too mad."

"Actually, I'm with you guys on this one." Laura spoke on the phone, surprising Evelyn. "Just be careful you two."

"We will." Evelyn nodded. "I promise."

Clint hung up, telling her to text him the details and he would meet her there. Evelyn's phone buzzed in her hand and she saw she had a text from Sharon. She saw the multiple ones she had from Georgiana, all in caps, asking her what she was doing and that she's seen the news. Quickly texting Georgiana to stay out of it and that she'd explain it later, she opened the one she got from Sharon.

Got your gear. Meet me in 15.

"Couldn't find anything bigger?" Evelyn asked as she sat in the passenger seat of the beat up car Steve had borrowed.

"It was the easiest one." Steve shrugged barely fitting in the driver's seat. "Guys, come on."

"I'm not sitting with him." Sam crossed his arms like a kid, narrowing his eyes at Bucky.

"Sam." Evelyn rolled her eyes at him but he shook his head. "For the love of..." She muttered and looked back at Bucky who sat in the middle with a blank look. "Just get in the car."

"Thank you." Sam flashed her a big smile as she got out and let Sam sit in the front.

Evelyn got in the back, her knees digging into Steve's seat as there wasn't much space. She awkwardly smiled at Bucky who briefly looked at her and tried to give her more space, sliding to his right.

"Buckle up, kids." Evelyn joked trying to diffuse the awkward tension in the car which didn't help. "Yeah, this isn't weird at all..."

Rest of the ride was quiet as Steve drove to the location Sharon had texted them. Evelyn couldn't get out of the car fast enough when he parked under an overpass, feeling like she could finally breathe.

"Not sure you understand the concept of a getaway car." Sharon joked looking at the beat up car as Steve and Evelyn reached her.

"It's low profile." Steve replied making Evelyn chuckle.

"Good, because this stuff tends to draw a crowd." Sharon opened the truck of her car revealing their gear. "This is everything."

"Thank you." Evelyn smiled putting a hand on the woman's shoulder. "I hope this doesn't get you in too much trouble."

"I can take care of myself." Sharon replied. "This is what Aunt Peggy would have wanted."

Evelyn gave a one last smile at the woman and picked up her and Sam's gear, walking back to their car. She put them in the trunk and got in as Steve exchanged final words with Sharon.

"Can you move your seat up?" Bucky asked as Sam had pushed his seat as far back as he could.

"No." Sam replied staring ahead as Steve walked back with his suit and shield.

"I hate you."