So here's the next update. Still don't own anything Marvel...any questions, comments, concerns, feel free to ask. I will try to explain all in due time.
"Come on, Ryder…you gotta face it sometime."
"Not really," Ryder pointed out. "Technically I don't need to see this at all."
After her little breakdown, Case decided it was time for a break in the story. Plus…retelling the story was creating unnecessary drama where it wasn't needed. She'd stick with talking to Sam by herself from now on if she could.
Now she was trying something else…if she was going to try and conquer her ghosts, she was hoping she could get Ryder to do the same. However, they were twins…stubbornness was a trait that they both shared. She didn't want to push him too far…however, she wasn't expecting him to act like an overgrown man-child about it.
Her ninety-six-year-old brother – who was also twenty-five minutes older than she was, a fact he'd never let her forget since they started talking – was standing in the walkway with his arms crossed like a he was getting ready to throw a temper tantrum. As he glared at the ground he missed the odd looks and glares that the tourists were giving him as they walked around him.
Case, however couldn't miss the looks, and rolled her eyes, "Ryder, you're scaring the other guests! Come on!"
With a sigh, Ryder marched through the entrance to the "Captain America" exhibit.
They were trying to be as invisible as possible, Ryder was in a black hoodie with blue jeans, Case in a blue flannel shirt layered over white with black jeans. They also wore fake horn-rimmed glasses and black hats – Case had a slouchy knit hat and Ryder had a black baseball cap with 'US Veteran' patches sewn on it that he'd borrowed from Steve.
As they walked through the exhibit, Ryder mumbled, "How did I let you talk me into this?"
"You like talking about the past as much as I like talking about Bucky," Case mumbled back.
The twins made their way through the exhibit, pausing here and there to observe just like the other tourists. Case made their first stop the displays from the Captain America stage show.
The display included pictures of the group of dancing girls saluting the camera and a photo of Steve holding a motorcycle above his head with a few of them sitting on top of it. Farther down was a little dedication piece to the one dancing girl who had gone above and beyond the call of duty.
A mannequin was dressed in the typical outfit that the Star Spangled Singers had worn – a dress that had blue halter-style bodice with white stars sewn onto the collar and a red and white striped skirt that ended on the upper thighs, showing off the colors that the black and white photos were unable to capture, with the matching blue hat perched to the side on the faceless plastic head. Also, on the body were white gloves covering the plastic arms above the elbows and silver high-heeled shoes adorned the feet of the mannequin.
To the left, smiling brightly and giving a jaunty military salute was a photo of Case herself, hat perched atop dark ringlet curls that brushed over her shoulders.
"Cassidy Howlett, known to her friends as 'Case' was the only female member of the 'Howling Commandos'. She earned her place in the Commandos by bravely following Captain Rogers into battle to save the imprisoned members of the One-Oh-Seventh—"
"Is that what they're calling it?" Ryder asked with a chuckle.
Case laughed as well, "my thoughts exactly."
They both looked at the pictures, following the line and watching the images change from "Case the Dancing Girl" to "Case the Howling Commando" – high-heeled dancing shoes and ringlet curls making way to hastily pulled back hair and combat boots.
Although in later pictures her hair appeared 'hacked off' below the ears – Case remembered taking a knife and just slicing through her hair, tired of the maintenance required for the longer length.
"Do you regret it?" Ryder suddenly asked.
Case frowned at a nearby picture, "Cutting my hair with Dum-Dum's knife rather than going to a beauty parlor? A little…I mean, it came out wonky and—"
"No, no, not that," Ryder shook his head, "I mean…singing and dancing were some of your favorite things in life. I'm just surprised you didn't try to go back with the USO."
Case thought that one over. "I'd be lying if I said I had no regrets," She began carefully, "But agreeing to join the Commandos? That's not one of them."
The conversation died away as they paused at the line of figures of the Howling Commandos, especially with the Captain America costume missing.
"I still love that Steve stole that," Ryder chuckled.
"Yeah," Case frowned. She thought she caught a familiar scent in the air, but then a rather large woman wearing what Case could only assume was a full bottle of Chanelle Number Five walked by and the scent of the perfume overwhelmed her.
"God damn," Ryder breathed, clearly having caught the overwhelming perfume as well.
"I would say breathe through your mouth, but I it's so thick I can taste it," Case whispered at him.
They paused at the area that was devoted to Bucky, and Case stared at the black and white image for a moment before looking up at her brother.
Ryder's face looked neutral as his eyes traveled over the words, but there was a haunted look in his eyes…combined with a whole level of guilt.
"I'm going to ask you a question," Case warned him. "I'd like an honest answer…I'm not going to judge…I just want the truth."
Ryder didn't respond, and she really didn't expect him to.
Case took a deep breath and waited a moment before asking, "He told you to let him go, didn't he?"
She wasn't looking at Ryder, she kept her eyes on the display in front of her. In her peripheral, she could see Ryder bow his head.
"I know you wouldn't have just let him go," Case continued. "You would've fought them tooth and nail, or even would have gone in his place. So right now, all I want is a simple yes or no, with no judgements or accusations. Just the truth…did you just let it happen or were you following orders?"
"You know the answer."
"Yes, I do," Case admitted, looking up at him. "Do you?"
Ryder lifted his head again and gazed up at the picture, "Some days I do…others I don't."
"Why?"
"Because…" Ryder hesitated. "He was my friend…but he was human…" he looked away, "I tried to keep him safe. I truly did…and I blew it. Hell, somedays I'm surprised they didn't take me too."
He gripped the ropes that kept patrons from getting too close and started staring at his hands. They were covered in black gloves made of thin cotton, same as when they were children. Ryder always swore he'd learned how to control his mutation, but he kept the gloves on as a precaution.
The way he always wore the gloves, though, and was rarely seen without them, Case often wondered if he was trying to convince others he'd mastered it…or if he was trying to convince himself.
She knew her brother often feared what he could do – outside of herself and their father she highly doubted Ryder had admitted that to anyone else, even Steve and Bucky, although she was sure they suspected.
The way he kept staring at his hands, though, gave Case a hint about what happened, and she asked, "What did you do?"
"I…" Ryder thought about his words carefully. "Bucky collapsed…I was helping him up. One of the guards came over, yelling some gibberish in German," He let go of the rope and clenched his fists, "Propped Bucky up on one arm, yanked a glove off with my teeth…grabbed the guy by the back of the neck and told him to forget what he saw." He shoved his hands in his pockets, "Dumb luck it was us and the one guard…but when we got back to the cells…" He looked back up at the picture of his friend, "Bucky said while he was glad I had his back…it was too dangerous for me to do that again. He told me if it happened again to just let him go."
Case gave a small smile, "He was trying to protect you too."
"Yeah…" Ryder grumbled. "He made it two more days…then Zola took 'im."
Case reached up to put a hand on his arm but hesitated, "You still haven't forgiven yourself, have you?"
The scoff gave her the answer.
"You were following orders," Case told him. "He wanted you safe."
"Yeah, I know," Ryder admitted bitterly with a roll of his eyes. "Still doesn't help with the guilt, Cassidy, in case you haven't noticed."
"I know," Case sighed. She inhaled through her nose, then instantly straightened. She sniffed a few more times, "Ryder…?"
Without missing a beat, he sniffed the air himself, "No, it's there…you're not completely crazy."
Case looked over her shoulder and did a cursory glance around the room, before turning back to the display, "Dark alcove, two o'clock."
"Figures…" Ryder rolled his eyes. "You going to call Steve?"
"Nope," Case shook her head. "He's scared enough as it is. We bring Steve in now, it would do more harm than good."
"Fair point," Ryder gave a nod. "So…what are we going to do about this?"
"Let him go for now…let Steve do his thing," Case told him. "And as far as Steve's concerned, we never saw him."
"Steve's going to be pissed about this."
"Steve's heart is in the right place, but he's not…" Case chewed on her lip. "I think the best idea is to give him time before we bring Steve in."
"You said his memories come back eventually…think they'll come back this time?"
"I have no doubt…the way they were talking about erasing mine…that's not the first time they did it to him," Case said in a bitter voice. "I still think maybe it's a better idea to let him regroup and come to us…but what do I know?"
Ryder glanced back toward the location Case had mentioned. He was dressed in a dark ball cap and jacket, his hair hidden underneath the jacket collar. His beard was thicker than the last time they saw him, and while he didn't move from his spot against the wall, where he stood with his arms folded tight against his chest, he stared back at them, seeming to stand his ground.
"He remembered me," Case said in a soft voice. She glanced back at him before going back to the display, "For one brief moment…he knew who I was."
There was something in her tone that prompted Ryder to ask, "You're not done with him yet, are you?"
"Old habits die hard I guess," Case admitted. "But I've waited this long for him, what's another decade?"
"Gonna grow old waiting."
"Meh…Mom and Dad haven't changed much in the last seventy years. I like my chances."
"I guess," Ryder nodded. Then he frowned, "Wait…Mom?"
Case grimaced, "Yeah…uh…that's the conversation you're not going to enjoy." She looked back at the alcove, but the assassin was gone.
Ryder looked back, then looked to Case, "I think we need to go pay a visit to Dad."