𝗀 𝗁 𝗈 𝗌 𝗍 | | 𝗌 𝗍 𝖾 𝗏 𝖾 𝗋 𝗈 𝗀 𝖾 𝗋 𝗌

𝗈 𝗇 𝖾 𝗁 𝗎 𝗇 𝖽 𝗋 𝖾 𝖽 𝗍 𝖾 𝗇

✩ 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟦, 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝖺, 𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗏𝗂𝖺 ✩

SAM, MARTA AND BUCKY WATCHED as Zemo talked to a group of young kids. Marta's motherly instincts immediately made her worry for the children, so she watched Zemo carefully, listening to his words as best as she could. "It's starting to feel like a dead end." Sam said, looking at a little girl whispering into Zemo's ear.

        "The hell is he doing?" Bucky wondered, concerned.

        "You teach your kids about stranger danger?" Sam questioned Marta.

        The blonde nodded. "Steven loves to yell it in the middle of the playground." Marta spoke.

        Zemo gave the children candy and walked back to the three. "Cute kids." Zemo passed them, and they all walked back to the house.

        "Well, we got nothin'. No one's talkin' about Donya." Bucky said as soon as they entered the house.

        "Yeah, it's because Karli is the only one fighting for them," Sam said, Bucky sighing as he sat down on the sofa. "And she's not wrong." Sam added.

        Marta poured herself a drink. "What do you mean?" she asked as she shrugged off her jacket, laying it on the counter.

        Sam took a seat near Bucky. "For five years, people have been welcomed into countries that have kept them out using barbed wire. There were houses and jobs. Folks were happy to have people around to help them rebuild. It wasn't just one community coming together, it was the entire world coming together. And then, boom. Just like that, it goes right back to the way it used to be. To them, at least Karli's doin' somethin'."

        Marta stiffened. "Sam, no offense, but you weren't here. You were gone. It wasn't all like that, you don't understand what it was like to live during those years. The entire world went dark. The entire universe went dark. There was nothing. Nothing to live for, nothing to fight for. And I got lucky because I had Steve, and Steven, and some friends. Other people weren't lucky. Natasha and so many others were left all alone," Marta said, Zemo beside her making tea. "Karli's ends don't justify her means."

        "If they do, then she's no different than him or anybody else we've fought." Bucky pointed to Zemo, backing his sister.

        "She's different," Marta scoffed, pouring vodka down her throat. "She's not motivated by the same things." Sam said.

        Zemo walked over to Sam and Bucky. "That little girl. What'd she tell you?" Bucky asked, noticing how much alcohol his sister had been consuming. It worried him, a lot.

        There a brief silence. "The funeral is this afternoon." Zemo placed the tea on the coffee table.

        "Dumbass, you know the Dora's coming for you any minute." Marta abandoned her glass and just grabbed the bottle of vodka, sitting down beside Sam.

        "In fact, they're probably lurking outside right now. Keep talking." Bucky urged darkly.

        "Leaving you to turn on me once we get to Karli. Hmm. I prefer to keep my leverage." Zemo countered.

        Bucky stood and hurled Zemo's glass against a nearby wall. "You wanna see what someone can do with leverage?" Bucky asked, breathing heavily.

        Marta swallowed some vodka as Sam got between the two. "Take it easy. Don't engage him. He's just gonna extort you and do that stupid head tilt thing. Let me make a call." Sam said, defeated when Zemo did in fact tilt his head.