5
The news was abuzz with updates on John Walker, the new chosen candidate to take up the shield and become the new and next Cap.
"Look, here's the thing," Walker told Good Morning America. "I'm not Tony Stark, I'm not Dr. Banner, okay? I don't have the flashiest gadgets , I don't have super strength. But what I do have, is guts."
"I'm about to puke my guts onto the floor," Carina mumbled.
"Something Captain America always had, always needs to have, and I'm gonna need every ounce of it."
"You sure are," mumbled Bucky.
"Cause I've got big shoes to fill."
"Damn right."
"Did you know Steve Rogers?" asked the woman interviewing him.
"I was two years out of West Point when Steve came back on the scene. I followed his career very closely as an Avenger. I like to think that I modeled my work after his."
"You've always wanted to be a hero?"
"I liked that what I was doing would make people feel safe. Steve Rogers was the kind of guy who could do that, he gave me hope. Even though I never met him, he feels like a brother..."
"Wow," gushed the newswoman.
"Yeah, 'wow' is right," sighed Carina, flicking off the TV. "That's enough of that."
"Are they joking?" Bucky said after a long silence.
"I wish they were, but sadly I doubt they are. Poor Sam. This is awful."
And the more they watched on TV, the less they liked John Walker, the new 'Captain America'.
Seeking out Sam, Bucky intercepted him as he made his way down to the tarmac, clearly on his way out of town for something.
"You shouldn't have given up the shield."
"Nice to see you too," Sam responded.
"Yeah, nice way to lay it all on him," Carina told her husband.
"You agree with me!"
"I supported Sam's choice."
"Well if you're feeling guilty at all there's a lot of that going around," sighed Sam.
"You have nothing to feel guilty for, Sam," she tried to assure him. Bucky looked as though he was about to say something but she shot him a look. "I'm so sorry about this. How have you been?"
"A bit shocked, a bit hurt. I did what I thought was right and now its backfired into this mess." He nodded to a poster baring a photo of Walker suited up with the words Cap is Back! "But what can I do?"
"This is wrong," Bucky said.
"Hey, look, I'm working so all this outrage is gonna have to wait," Sam told him.
"You didn't know that was going to happen?"
"Bucky!"
"No, of course I didn't know. You think it didn't break my heart to see them march him out there and call him the new Captain America?"
"This isn't what Steve wanted."
"Oh my God. What do you want me to do? Call America and tell 'em I changed my mind? Yeah right. It's a great reunion, buddy. Be well."
"You had no right to give up the shield, Sam."
"Hey, this is what you're not gonna do - you're not going to come here in your overextended life and tell me about my rights. It's over, Bucky."
"Besides, the shield was in his possession, so he could do with it what he wanted," added Carina.
"Thank you. Listen to your wife. Besides, I have bigger things to deal with now."
"What could be bigger than this?"
"This guy." Sam help up a photograph on his phone. "His connections with rebel organizations all over Eastern and Central Europe, and he's strong. Too strong."
"And?"
"And he's been connected to this online group-"
"What's with all this stuff online nowadays?"
"-Called the Flag Smashers."
"'Flag Smashers?' Who names these things?"
"I don't know. They think things were better during the Blip."
"You're kidding, right?" cried Carina.
"Well, it did eliminate a lot of bad people, but a lot of good ones too. And not to say Thanos was right, but there seemed to be enough resources to go around."
"True."
"Now Redwing tracked them to a building somewhere outside of Munich so that's where I'm going."
"Well I don't trust Redwing," said Bucky.
"You don't have to, but I'mma go see if he's right. Cause I have a feeling they might be a part of the Big Three."
"What 'Big Three'?"
"The Big Three"
"What Big Three?"
"Androids, aliens-"
"And wizards," finished Carina. "It's a thing."
"That's not a thing."
"It's definitely a thing," said Sam.
"No, it's not," Bucky continued to argue.
"Every time we fight, it's one of the three."
"So who are you fighting now, Gandalf?"
"How do you know about Gandalf?"
"I read The Hobbit in 1937 when it first came out," Bucky stated proudly.
"So you see my point."
"No, I don't. There are no wizards."
"Doctor Strange," Sam said as though it were the most obvious thing.
"Is a sorcerer," Bucky said, as though this were equally obvious.
"A sorcerer is a wizard without a hat," Sam said. "But that's not the point, these guys aren't magical. They use brute force just like you-"
"Thank you."
"-The incredibly annoying guy in front of me with the staring problem."
"I'm coming with you."
"No, thank you."
"We'll both come with you."
"I would, if I could, I really would," Carina said. "But I've really got to get back to the lab, we've got a group of grad students coming in, I can't just jaunt off to Munich. But you two should go."
"No thanks, I'll go on my own," said Sam.
"I'm coming with you."
"No you're not."
"Play nice, boys," Carina called after them as Bucky followed Sam to the jet.
Several hours later, she received a call from Bucky.
"Hi Hon, how's Germany?"
"Hi honey, uh, okay."
"So what's up with these 'Flag Smasher' characters?"
"Oh, they're super solders. Definitely super soldiers."
"How?"
"Good question, that's what we need to find out. Listen, I know you're busy with work, but can you by chance meet us in Maryland?"
"Maryland?"
"Yeah, Maryland. There's someone I want you to meet."
Bucky bringing Leah flowers for their date melted my heart! And he's read 'The Hobbit'?! Just when I thought I couldn't love this man anymore I do! ;)
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)