The Curse of Dr. Zola
Chapter 18-May 2011
Mary was driving home from shopping one afternoon, listening to the radio, and a special news bulletin broke into the regular newscast…. Found! Captain America found alive in ice from 1945! Mary nearly drove off the road into the ditch. WHAT?! OH GOD, BUCKY!
She hurried home as best she could. She parked the truck and bolted for the house. Inside, she found Bucky pale as a ghost, sitting on the sofa and watching the news.
"It's him! It's really him! Mary, how can this be? I've got to see him! We gotta find a way!" He got up and started pacing around the living room.
"We'll figure something out, Bucky, we will."
For the next month or so, they tried figuring out where Steve was, without any luck and it was driving Bucky crazy.
When another month went by, Bucky was feeling frantic. Nothing Mary could do was having any effect.
"But he's my friend!"
"I know that, but honey, I don't know what to do. If we don't know where he is, we can't go there. All I can think of is to have a reason that will bring him to us."
Mary woke up one night to find that Bucky had left the bedroom. She got up and went to find him. He was looking out the front window at the darkness, lost in his memories. She crept up behind him, her arms circling around his waist. She drew him into a gentle embrace, and slowly nuzzled his back. He wore a modern day tank undershirt, reminiscent of the 40's and pajama bottoms.
Her nuzzling started to include a tiny kiss here and there. He smiled, and turned around. He looked down at her. He smoothed down her long hair and then drew her head to his chest.
They fit together perfectly. He rested his jaw on the top of her head.
"I know you miss him terribly Bucky, and the time will come when you get to see your friend again. I know it preys on your mind, and weighs heavy in your heart, but for now, just be joyous that he's alive and well."
"I'll try."
With that, he turned and walked her back to the bedroom.
Hand in hand, they walked together at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, looking up at the unisphere.
"I remember being here in '39, with Steve. We saw our first television. The screen was this big." He let go of her hand to demonstrate a screen equivalent to the size of modern day tablets. "And the console was at least 3 feet high by two feet wide."
Mary smiled, as he continued. "My last night before reporting for duty was spent right here at the World Exposition of Tomorrow back in '43. Howard Stark was showcasing his newest invention-a car that didn't have to touch the ground. I got Steve a date, and we were planning to go dancing after. Steve had other plans, and he went to try his luck at enlisting, for the 6th time, right in the middle of our double date! And then…." It was only then that Bucky had noticed he was walking alone, and turned around to find Mary just standing still, about 10 feet behind him. "What's wrong?" He walked back.
"I have an idea."
"Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all? With Stark Revidic Reversion Technology you'll be able to do just that."
Those were the words printed on the full sized page of the newspaper. Below, were the instructions.
"Meet me on your birthday, at noon, at the place these words were spoken. B."
Bucky had fretted about the newspaper ad, but Mary thought it would be the only way Steve would get the message. Only he would know who spoke those words and where, and if they tied Steve's birthday into it, only he would understand the message. It would make no sense to anyone else, so Bucky went along with it.
Little did they realize, someone else was interested in the words printed on the page, and they focused on just one word.
He sifted thru some old files until he found what he was looking for. He opened the file and studied it for a long while. Then he read the notations that went along with it, including the dates.
He unfolded an aged piece of newspaper that had been included and saw the last piece of the puzzle.
He cross referenced the data he uncovered into the computer, and came up with the location and date he needed.
"Let's see who shows up!"
They arrived early, having stayed over at the Best Western to be close to the park, just over a half mile away. Bucky shook his head at the price, but Mary just handed over her credit card. "I could've paid 4 months' rent for what you just paid for a single night."
"Welcome to the 21st Century."
They stopped at a deli on the way, and picked up bagels and coffee for three. Mary put down a blanket ala picnic style in a strategic spot to watch for Steve. They sat down and began noshing on their bagels and coffee.
Just before noon, a tall blond man wandered close to where Bucky said was the right spot.
"I'll go over first. You're sure that it's him?"
"Are you kidding me?" Bucky lowered his sunglasses and his water-colored blue eyes said the rest.
Mary got up and tossed their trash in a nearby trash bin. She wandered over by Steve with her camera. "Hey, can you take a picture of me?"
Steve smiled and nodded. "I'll try."
"You just look thru here, spin the dial here for focus, and push this button."
"Got it."
She positioned herself where she wanted, and waited for the click.
"Excellent! Thank you so much. I hate to take advantage of you, but could you take one with me and my boyfriend?" She waved Bucky over.
Steve looked at his watch, took a quick glance around, but nodded.
"I'm sorry, are you waiting for someone? I promise this will be quick."
Bucky wrapped his arm around Mary, and they posed for the camera. When the click ended, Bucky walked towards him to retrieve the camera. When Steve handed it to him, he nodded. "Thanks Steve."
Disbelief flashed onto Steve's face. "Bucky?"
"I told ya, I'm with ya til the end of the line, pal." Bucky removed his sunglasses.
The scruff covered his face, and his hair was a lot longer, but Steve recognized his old friend. "Oh my God! Is it…? It really is! It is you! How?" Steve pulled Bucky into a crushing hug that made Bucky's ribs creak under the strain.
When they pulled apart, Bucky sized him up. "You were a lot smaller as I remember."
Steve looked down at his body. "Yeah, it's a long story."
Mary intervened. "Before we get into that, we got you a coffee and a bagel. If you're anything like Bucky, you'll need it."
Bucky made introductions and they sat down. While Steve munched on his bagel, and drank his coffee, Bucky filled him in on some of the stuff he'd been up to. Steve's eyebrows rose occasionally as Bucky told him the condensed version of his story, but he never interrupted his old friend.
Off in the distance, someone was watching them…
They invited Steve to come stay with them, and Steve accepted. He walked back to their truck with them. He fully expected Bucky to get behind the wheel, but he stopped short of the vehicle, and turned to Mary. "Do you want me to drive?"
Mary looked at him. "You're not driving my truck, not here in the city, anyway. So, who has the longer legs?"
Steve did a double take. "What?"
"I think that's you Steve." Bucky stood side by side with him, and nodded. "Definitely you."
"Congratulations, you get the center seat. Jump in. Do you have clothes or something to grab on the way?"
"There's not much, but if it's not too much trouble to make a stop…."
"Just show me where I need to go."
Steve directed her to a small gym. He had rented a small room above it. He picked up some stuff and they headed out. Mary had punched in the buttons on her GPS to direct them home.
While Mary drove them upstate, Steve asked Bucky about what happened after he got captured.
Bucky drew in a big breath and a strange expression passed across his face. "Maybe we better wait on that for now."
Steve frowned, but respected his friends' wishes.
When Mary finally made the highway turn off Steve asked if they were close.
"Yes, just a few minutes."
"Good, because that coffee is catching up to me."
Mary laughed. "I'm glad we put in that second bathroom!"
Mary turned the corner onto the dirt road, and Steve looked on curiously. When they pulled up in front of the house, Steve turned to Bucky. "You live here?"
With a sheepish blush on his face, Bucky nodded. "It was left to Mary when her mom passed away."
Mary led the way and showed Steve the bathroom, while Bucky ran downstairs.
Steve came out of the bathroom, and Mary pointed across the hall. "You can use this bedroom." Mary disappeared into the bathroom.
Steve was surprised when Bucky emerged from a doorway behind him.
Bucky laughed. "Come with me and I'll show you the improvements."
They were laughing when they came back upstairs. Mary greeted them. "The room is yours for as long as you want it. I'm going to go start dinner. You guys can catch up."
Outside, near the tree line of the woods surrounding the happy little cottage, the man who had been watching them at the park earlier had followed them home...