The echoing footfalls of the three of them drowned out the bustling city above. Being mainly for water overflow due to the coastal city weather, the tunnel was practically dry.

Zemo walked a few paces ahead of the others, Sam keeping in step alongside Bucky, who was struggling to keep up. His face was paler, eye's not as alert as before.

"Where are we going Zemo?" Sam tried again for a straight answer.

Zemo didn't give him one.

"As I mentioned previously, somewhere we can gather ourselves."

"Ok, if you won't tell me where we are going, tell me this. How did Walker get a hold of the serum when you destroyed the vials?" Sam noticed immediately that he had struck a nerve.

Zemo was slow to reply. "Clearly, I missed one."

Bucky cleared his throat in the background.

"No shit." Sam couldn't comprehend how things had escalated out of control so quickly, the extent of their situation exceeding anything he could have come up with at the start.

"Those who have power, will never have enough." Zemo stopped, making the others stop too. "That is what drove Walker to take the serum." He faced them, something in his eyes conveyed the seriousness behind his words.

"So, what? You've added Walker to your hit list?" Sam queried.

"To put it simply. Yes."

Bucky coughed again, metal fist covering his mouth.

"Fantastic." Sam shoulders went back, preparing for a confrontation.

"Super soldiers have no place in this world, if allowed to remain, they will simply form another faction of people who see it as there right to play god." Passion for his cause gave Zemo ground to stand on, no hesitation in his delivery as if rehearsed in a mirror.

Bucky coughed more harshly this time.

"But why does the solution have to end with blood?" Sam continued.

"Blood is the only currency this universe understands." Zemo was harsh with his words.

Bucky continued to cough, interrupting the debate, attention diverted to him.

"You good?" Sam tried to meet Bucky's eyeline.

He was wheezing, struggling to catch a breath even as he nodded. Whatever Bucky did he couldn't take a full breath, a cough racking his system.

"Relax man." Sam placed a hand on his back, eventually having to help him sit down.

Sitting, back against the wall, Bucky finally managed a decent breath.

"I'm fine." Bucky wheezed pathetically. Having blood on his lips, he used the back of his metal hand to wipe it away.

"I believe you more and more each time you say it." Not seeing enough pressure being applied, Sam pushed Bucky's hand harder against his wound. The action produced a grunt from the soldier.

"James. You look awful." Zemo watched from the side-lines.

"Thanks." Bucky replied, spitting blood onto the floor.

"How far Zemo?" Sam asked, still pushing down on Bucky's hand.

"For him. Too far."

"Just give me a minute." Bucky insisted weakly, head resting back against the wall, eyes half closed.

"This situation isn't going anywhere in a minute Buck." Sam pushed Bucky's hand even harder into his wound, just to help remind him that he had been shot.

"You think I don't know that."

"Come on." Sam took hold of Bucky's mechanical arm. "Sitting here isn't doing anything for us." Bucky helped as much as he could, Sam getting him to his feet. He threw his heavy arm over his shoulders, Sam taking hold of his belt to keep him walking.

"Lead the way." Sam instructed Zemo.

The elegant nod he did in reply, made his smug face even more punchable.

Not able to keep his head upright, Bucky had conceded to dignity and was resting it on Sam shoulder. His fingers were starting to go numb, feet getting heavier with each step.

It was as if a fog was washing over his mind. Making sense of his internal thoughts was now a challenge, words starting to go through one ear and out the other. He wasn't even sure when Zemo had taken a hold of his bicep, working in tandem with Sam to keep him standing as well as walking.

"What do you think, the world is going to think of America's new mascot now?" Zemo resumed the stifled conversation.

"I don't care." Sam put it bluntly. The effort of trailing Bucky along not giving him the luxury of easy conversation.

"But you should." Zemo deceptively faked a level of surprise. "That man is the face of America, he represents your country. Your ideals."

"That man represents nothing to me."

"Unfortunately, for many he does." Zemo sighed. His voice wasn't as strained, Sam taking most of Bucky's weight. "Do you know the funny thing about putting something on a pedestal?"

"What is this? An interview?" Sam didn't think it possible to find the man more intolerable.

"It can fall."

"If that's the case. What do you think Walker is going to do when he finally hits the ground?" Sam decided to question back. "The dude beat a man to death in public, shot at civilians. Not to mention he's a super soldier now."

Zemo smacked his lips together, sighing deeply, thoughts troubled.

"Walker obtaining the serum was an obstacle I should have never let be created."

"Yeah well, we've all been making mistakes recently." Sam adjusted his grip on Bucky, the movement enough to get a hiss out of him.

"Shouldn't have given up the shield." Bucky chimed in; words panted as he lifted his head from Sam's shoulder.

"Here we go…" Sam chuckled deeply. "What can't your cyborg brain understand about, 'I didn't know this was going to happen?'"

"Why did you give up the shield Sam?" Zemo asked in a curious tone, like a shrink trying to gage something about their client.

"That's none of your damn business." Sam growled back.

"Apologies." Zemo backed off. Leaving an awkward silence lingering unpleasantly.

"Walker will go after Karli." Sam changed the subject. The shambling of there steps in the tunnel not enough to distract him from an unwanted thread of thoughts.

"He's not going to let anyone get in his way." Talking was becoming difficult for Bucky.

"The man is unhinged. He'll do anything and hurt anyone to get to her." Sam added in agreement.

With so many players on the field and uncertainties intertwined, a clear path ahead was something Sam couldn't see just yet. And like for anyone, it concerned him, worry morphing into doubt.

"We have to stop him." Bucky mumbled, head resting back on Sam's shoulder unwillingly.

"Easier said than done Buck." Sam quickened their pace. "Let's just get you sorted first."

Having to install a sense of trust in the man who had only recently broken out of prison, killed multiple people, and escaped from even their hands. Sam allowed Zemo to clamber up the ladder first.

Bucky was only just still with it enough to make the climb, Sam right behind him.

Emerging from the tunnel Sam was struck with a surprise.

"You've got to be shitting me." Sam stared for a moment, just making sure he wasn't seeing things. "Why are we back in your bathroom Zemo?" Sam questioned, getting a hold of Bucky as he swayed on the spot.

They were right back where they had started, the holiday home of Zemo, the place he had originally taken them when they first arrived in the Latvian town of Riga. The adorned open plan layout of the luxurious home wasn't something one could easily forget.

Remnants of the aftermath from the Wakandans intrusion could be seen around the room. Beautiful large stained-glass windows provided sufficient light even as the sun was starting its descent somewhere outside.

"When you startle a deer. Would you expect that same deer to return to the spot it was startled?" Zemo walked out of the bathroom, into the main room of the art piece unfitly called a building.

"I think your underestimating the Dora Milaje." Sam led Bucky over to the large opulent sofa. Still pressing a hand to his injury Bucky happily sat down into the fabric, head resting back.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not." Zemo was already pouring a drink in the kitchen, whiskey bottle clanking against the pristine glass. "Only time will tell." He shrugged, taking a much-needed sip of his drink.

Sam had had enough of Zemo, but annoyingly the man had his uses. He just had to put up with his cryptic babble from time to time. He looked back to Bucky. His eyes were closed, his hand just resting on his side, no longer applying pressure.

"Buck?" Sam lightly kicked the man's leg. There was no response. "Hey. Bucky." Sam got closer, hand on his shoulder he shook the man. Bucky's head just lolled from side to side without response.

"You got any medical supplies around here?" Sam kept calm, a professionalism taking over.

"I will fetch them." Zemo disappeared deeper into the house, taking his drink with him.

Now that Bucky was unresponsive, Sam was able to unzip the man's jacket. Beneath the blue leather was a black t-shirt and a pair of old dog tags around his neck.

"Shit." Sam couldn't help mumble. He had peeled back the blood-soaked corner of the top, the two bullet holes continuously trickled fresh blood.

Sam only took notice of Zemo's return when he placed the first aide kit on the small low table beside him.

"Help me with this." Sam asked, needing assistance in removing Bucky's jacket.

Having to put his drink down Zemo complied.

Jacket off Sam rolled Bucky onto his uninjured side, his arm now resting against the back of the chair.

"I assume you have some form of medical training?" Zemo collected his drink.

"I was with Pararescue." Sam pulled the black t-shirt back up, getting it out of the way.

"Interesting." Zemo seemed content with his answer. "There's one exit wound." He then pointed out. Only one of the bullets having passed all the way through Bucky's side.

"I can see that." Sam didn't appreciate the running commentary.

Unzipping the first aid kit, the first thing Sam did was pull on some gloves. He probed with his fingers around one of the gunshot wounds, the highest of the two. Bucky didn't move or flinch back; his only reaction was a stutter in his already troubled breathing.

"Second bullet hit his rib. It's not going anywhere." Sam was talking to himself more than he was to Zemo.

"What can you do for him?" Zemo asked.

Sam wasn't sure if the question derived from a worry for Bucky, or a concern for his own future plans.

"He's struggling to breathe, one of the bullets must have nicked the chest wall. Other than that, he's lost a lot of blood." Sam wiped the mess of blood away with a gauze. "Super soldier or not, these need sutures."

"You'll need this then." Zemo stepped forward offering his drink to Sam. "I'll pour myself another."

Authors notes

Hope this chapter was as good as the last!