𝙎𝙋𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙀𝙍 ² | 𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖 𝙈𝙖𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙤𝙛𝙛 (𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘵)

[7] - 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺

IN THE CITY of Riga, Latvia, Zemo had a penthouse the four could stay at. Sam, Y/N, and Zemo walked in while Bucky went for a walk.

"I've seen what has become of Sokovia." Zemo said as he changed out of his clothes into a comfortable robe, "Its neighbors just moved into where it once stood. Have you even bothered to visit the memorial?"

Sam didn't say anything and just looked at Y/N, who sat on a stool by the bar.

"Yes, I have." He answered.

Zemo huffed.

"Of course. Why did I ask? Probably a trip with the lady, huh?" He replied, mentioning Wanda.

Y/N shook his head and didn't reply, simply shifting his body to turn away from the Sokovian.

Moments later, Bucky walked into the room.

"Well, the Wakandans are here. They want Zemo. I bought us some more time." He announced.

"I'd prefer we give him up right now." Y/N remarked, in which Zemo simply chuckled.

"Were you followed?" Sam asked Bucky.

"No."

"How can you be so sure?" Zemo asked, getting up from the couch and going over to the bar.

"Because I know when I'm being followed."

"How sweet of you to defend me, at least."

Sam turned to Zemo, "Hey, you shut it. No one's defending you. You killed Nagel."

"Do we really have to litigate what may or may not have happened?" Zemo replied.

"What? There's nothing to litigate. I walked in and you straight up shot the man." Y/N chimed in.

Amidst the conversation, Bucky was looking at his phone when he was notified of an incident.

"Karli bombed a GRC supply depot." He said.

"What? What's the damage?" Sam asked.

"Eleven injured, three dead. They have a list of demands and are promising more attacks if those demands aren't met."

"She's getting worse." Zemo spoke as he opened a wine bottle, "I have the will to complete this mission. Do the three of you?"

"She's just a kid." Sam responded.

"You're seeing something in her that isn't there. You're clouded by it. She's a supremacist. The very concept of a Super Soldier will always trouble people. It's that warped aspiration that led to Nazis, to Ultron..." Zemo glanced at Y/N, "...to the Avengers."

"Hey, those are our friends you're talking about." Sam cut in.

"The Avengers, not the Nazis." Bucky interjected.

"And certainly not Ultron." Y/N added.

Sam continued, "Okay, Karli is radicalized, but there has to be a peaceful way to stop her."

Zemo shook his head, "The desire to become a superhuman cannot be separated from supremacist ideals. Anyone with that serum is inherently on that path. She will not stop. She will escalate until you kill her...or she kills you."

"Maybe you're wrong, Zemo." Bucky rebutted, "The serum never corrupted Steve."

"Touché. But there has never been another Steve Rogers, has there?"

Zemo gave a smile and walked over to the pantry to get a snack. Bucky scoffed and started going towards the couch.

"Maybe Y/N's right, we should give him up to the Wakandans right now."