Follow Your Arrow

2: 11

Fury looked at a photo of Pierce. "This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, "Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility." See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues."

"We have to stop the launch," Natasha and Elliot said.

"I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore." Fury opened a case containing three chips.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"Once the Helicarriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites becoming fully weaponized," Hill answered.

"We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own," Fury said.

"One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational a whole lot of people are gonna die."

"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We need to get pass them, insert the server blades, and maybe, just maybe, we can salvage what's left..."

"We're not salvaging anything," Steve argued. "We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down S.H.I.E.L.D."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. had nothing to do with it."

"You gave me this mission, this is how it ends. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s been compromised, you said so yourself. HYDRA grew right under your nose and nobody noticed."

"Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed."

"And how many paid the price before you did?"

"Look, I didn't know about Barnes."

"Even if you have, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too? S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA, it all goes."

"He's right," Hill agreed. Fury looked at Natasha, then Elliot, then Sam.

"Don't look at me," Sam protested. "I do what he does, just slower."

"Well... Looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain."

---

Steve stood on a bridge and had a flashback to the time he spent with Bucky after his mother's funeral.

"We looked for you after," Bucky said. "My folks wanted to give you a ride to the cemetery."

They walked towards Steve's apartment.

"I know, I'm sorry," Steve apologized. "I just... kind of wanted to be alone."

"How was it?"

"It was okay. She's next to Dad."

"I was gonna ask..."

"I know what you're gonna say, Buck, I just..."

"We can put the couch cushions on the floor like when we were kids. It'll be fun. All you gotta do is shine my shoes, maybe take out the trash." As they got to the apartment door, Steve tried to find his keys, Bucky kicked a brick aside, picked up the apartment keys from under it and gave them to Steve. "Come on."

"Thank you, Buck, but I can get by on my own."

"The thing is, you don't have to." Bucky gave Steve a friendly pat on the shoulder. "I'm with you until the end of the line, pal."

Steve's thoughts of Bucky were interrupted as Sam joined him on the bridge.

"He's gonna be there, you know?" Sam said.

"I know," Steve replied.

"Look, whoever he used to be, the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save. He's the kind you stop."

"I don't know if I can do that."

"Well, he might not give you a choice. He doesn't know you."

"He will."

Steve added, "Gear up, it's time." He turned and started to walk off.

"You gonna wear that?"

"No. If you're gonna fight a war, you gotta wear a uniform."

---

As a guard walked in the Smithsonian Museum, when he looked over to the Captain America exhibit, he noticed the Captain America WWII uniform that was on the dummy had been stolen.

"Oh, man. I am so fired!" the Smithsonian Guard said.

---

As Elliot got ready, Natasha said, "You're going to help Steve, aren't you."

Elliot nodded. "Yeah. He's gonna need all the help he can get."

"You've already been shot once. Try not to get shot again. Sasha needs her dad."

"I have no intentions of getting shot again or dying."

"Good. Be careful, Elliot."

"You too. Nat-"

"Yeah?"

He froze, suddenly not knowing what to say. "Uh, good luck."

"To you as well."