WORLD'S WEIGHT ▹ tfatws

[ 014 ] chapter fourteen

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WHEN IT COMES DOWN
TO DO THIS WHAT
CHOICE DO YOU MAKE?

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near riga latvia ,  around 9am

Czarina's whole body felt burning and heavy by the time their plane arrived at the country's vicinity. The lack of sleep combined with skipped meals, two gunshot wounds and a heavy fight against those thugs obviously lead to her current state. The Czarina almost a decade ago would walk this off with an ease without being dependent on first aid medicines and hydration liquids.

You've gone soft, is that what the West has made you?' She had a sudden recollection of her snarky comment against Levi years ago. Maybe she really has gone soft too, accustomed to being a civilian on the sidelines and far from the grim reality of fighting. But anything else is better than how it was before, so she might as well embrace the softness that comes with the kind of life she has now.

"How's the knife wound?" Sam walked up to her carrying another bag of IV drip.

"It doesn't hurt that much, the wound's closed so everything is fine." She exhaled and stretched out her arm to let Sam change the mainline IV bag. The liquid helped for a faster recovery of her battered and weakened state when they left Madripoor, of course her serum does its job just fine but she doesn't have all day to wait for her body to fix all by itself. She can't walk around Riga with half healed injuries and burning a fever. They have super soldiers to chase after.

"I know you got a special kind of serum in your system but it doesn't mean you can go around catching knives with your body." Her uncle lectured frankly. Dismay and concern was obvious in his expression.

"It almost got Sharon on the neck. I'd rather have it on my shoulder. I can heal."

"What if it had you by the spine, huh? Can that heal, Czarina?" Hearing Sam call her by full name instead of a nickname was enough to unnerve the girl. She felt like sinking into her seat. Bucky hasn't spoken to her ever since they got out of the Lowtown docks, he's obviously still pissed at Czarina's recklessness and poorly thought decision of catching a knife with her back. But she wasn't aware Sam shares the same sentiment regarding the matter.

"She's going to die. I'm a super soldier, I have a better chance of surviving." Czarina insisted on her point of reasoning once again, unapologetic as ever on what she did.

"Why keep going on with that?" Sam turned around to face her, sounding more agitated than before. "There could have been another way where no one got hurt. But now we're here. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Czarina lowered her head sheepishly. Sam's right. She could have pushed Sharon out of the way or tackled down but she chose the quick but risky one because she thought it'll be convenient. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Sam. It was a spur of a moment. I'll be more careful next time."

She can hear Sam release a heavy sigh. The man sat beside her. "Have you eaten anything?"

"Yeah, I had some of the European dishes Zemo gave me. I think it has chicken."

Czarina stirred on her seat to face Sam closer. She was a bit hesitant before speaking. "What you said about destroying the shield back there, do you really mean it?"

Sam found it troubling to meet the eyes of the girl, he looked away for a few seconds and fell silent in his place. "The way I see it, maybe I do." He said in a low voice. "Why? Do you feel the same way your dad does? You gotta lot of faith in that shield too?"