The Venom || WTM

Chapter five

◆Cleveland◆

Vasily Karpov sits, eating at the table in a cluttered house. He hears the sound of something crashing outside and peers through drawn blinds. Outside, Helmut Zemo stands by his car, the front end crumpled against Karpov's car.

"I feel like I have seen him before." Wanda said.

"Hello? Is this your car out front?" Helmut Zemo asked as he comes to the door.

"I jumped the curb." Zemo said

Karpov eyes his gun nearby.

"Maybe we could take care of it ourselves. If you wanna call the cops, tha--that's okay too, I guess." Zemo said.

"No. No cops." Vasily Karpov said.

"Thank you." Zemo said.

Karpov slides a heavy duty lock and opens the door. Zemo punches him.

"Woah" Everyone exclaimed.

Zemo is using a sledgehammer to smash a hole in the wall. He retrieves a large box from inside the hole and tips the contents onto a table. Karpov is hanging upside down, tied to pipes in his basement. There are various documents and the red book with the star on the cover. He holds the red book for a moment then opens a file. Inside is a photo of Karpov in his military uniform and beret.

Seeing the red book again Bucky tensed. 

"You have kept your looks, Colonel. Congratulations." Zemo said.

Karpov's head is in a sink, which is filling with water.

"Mission report: December 16, 1991." Zemo said.

"Who are you?" Karpov asked.

"My name is Zemo. I will repeat my question. Mission report. December 16, 1991." Zemo said.

"How did you find me?" Karpov asked.

"When SHIELD fell, Black Widow released HYDRA files to the public. Millions of pages much of it encrypted, not easy to decipher. But . . . I have experience. And patience. A man can do anything if he has those." Zemo said.

Natasha, Steve and Sam looks down knowing they risked many lifes.

"What do you want?" Karpov asked.

"Mission report. December 16. 1991." Zemo said.

"Go . . . to . . . hell." Karppov said.

Zemo goes to lean on the sink as water continues to flow into it. He turns off the tap and studies Karpov's upside down face.

"HYDRA deserves its place on the ash heap. So your death would not bother me. But I'd have to use this book . . . and other bloodier methods to find what I need. I don't look forward to that. You'd only be dying for . . . your pride." Zemo said.

Zemo stares at Karpov then nods resignedly. He turns the tap back on. The water is up to Karpov's eyes. Zemo watches the water level rise.

"Hail HYDRA." Karpov said.

"They never give up." Sam said shaking his head.

Holding the red book Zemo walks away. Karpov twitches and struggles in his bindings.

"That can't be good." Lydia said.

________________________

◆Avenger Tower◆

The Avengers are gathered at HQ. Steve is sitting, studying the Accords, while Rhodey and Sam argue behind him.