Chapter 29. Sabotage

Remember: Jim Ference is modern Bucky. Andrew Smith is Merton from 2142.

It was hard for Bucky to stay calm that Sunday. His anxiety about the injuries suffered by both Sam and Will had made it difficult for him to rest in the room Hal led him to. He looked at the clock on the wall. It was only 10:30 in the morning. His parents would be leaving church shortly, after talking to other parishioners and Reverend Martinson. If he left now he could be waiting near the house and see them in the moments when they got out of the car and walked up the front steps. He knew that he wasn't supposed to be interacting with them, but he had already spoken to Rebecca and was sure she didn't recognize him. What harm could there be if he hid himself? The brownstone across the street had a separate entrance to the basement flat. He could wait there, on those steps, and look out between the railings. They wouldn't see him. Of that he was certain.

Breathing heavily, he got up and put his jacket back on then stepped out, checking to see if anyone was around, then headed down the stairs to the main door. Just as he got there, he heard a voice.

"Where are you going, Jim?" asked Hal.

"I need to work off some of this nervous energy," he replied, so tired of having to think of himself as Jim. "I'm just going for a walk. I am allowed to go for a walk, aren't I?"

Hal came over, concerned at the tone in the super soldier's voice.

"Hey, they're going to be okay," he said gently. "Our medical facilities in the future are top notch. They're both probably already up and around, eating and walking already. There's not much that they can't treat. If you need to let off steam then by all means go, take your time. Just don't go near where your 1940s self was, that's all."

Jim nodded and tried to modulate his voice into something calmer. "Thanks, yeah, I got that," he replied. "I just feel cooped up. I'll be okay once I burn off some of this anxiety."

With a nod to Hal, he left and walked in the opposite direction from his parent's home until he was out of sight of Hal's place. Then he ran a couple of blocks further out of the way and began running towards his parent's home through the alleys. When he got to the street where the old brownstone was, he didn't see his father's car and slowed up, not wanting anyone to think he was up to no good. As he got to the steps down to the basement flat across the street from his parent's brownstone, he heard a car motor from down the street. Looking back, he recognized his father's car and quickly went down the steps, positioning himself so he could peek out at his parent's front stoop.

Never had he felt so anxious as he did that moment, waiting for the car to come to a stop. Breathing deeply, he tried to calm the sound of his heartbeat in his ears, hoping that he could hear them talk, desperately wanting to hear their voices. His dad got out of the driver's side and went over to open the door for his mother, giving her his hand as she stepped out. Rebecca got out by herself from the back seat.

"Ma, can I go over to Izzy Weinstein's after lunch?" she asked, as they stepped towards the house.

"What for, dear?" his mother asked.

"Just to talk," said his sister. "We were thinking of writing a story together."

"Have you finished your homework?" asked their father. "You know that has to be done first."

"Yes, Pa, it's done," said Rebecca.

"Alright, but you be home in time to help your mother with dinner," said George Barnes. He suddenly stopped at the bottom step and looked around. "I swear I smelled Bucky's aftershave just then. But he's nowhere in sight. I hope those friends of Mr. Burnett are alright."

"Makes you wonder what the world is coming to doesn't it?" asked Winnifred Barnes. She patted her husband on the back. "I'll make you some egg salad sandwiches and soup for lunch. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good," he replied, and he stepped up to the door, unlocking it and opening it for his wife and daughter to enter before him.

Jim exhaled, realizing he had been holding his breath, desperately trying to hear his parent's voices once more. Then he wondered if his father had managed to smell his aftershave. He hadn't even thought of buying something different from Old Spice once he arrived here in 1940s Brooklyn. Although he kept a full beard he still shaved along the edge of it and that was enough to make his aftershave noticeable. Jim started back up the steps to the street when Rebecca came out of the house suddenly and opened the back door of the car. She pulled something out from the back seat, closed it, then turned and looked right at him. He froze, shocked that she seemed to know he was there, then she smiled slightly and went back up the steps to the door, opening it and entering the house. He slumped down and sat on the nearest step. She must have seen him. Could she smell his aftershave as well? Waiting for several more minutes before moving, Jim finally stood up and went up the steps, walking quickly away from the brownstone. If he had been thinking straight, he would have been aware of the almost eleven-year-old girl watching him from her window.

The following week he went to work as usual. Hal's place was actually closer to the grocer's store, so he didn't have to walk through or bypass the rough neighbourhood to get there. He stopped in at the fishmongers on the Monday and told them that Thomas had been attacked, and seriously injured. They were shocked and very sorry to hear about it. When they asked when he would be able to come back to work Jim sighed.

"I'm sorry but he's decided to go back to Louisiana once he's able," he answered. "If you could give me his final pay, I'll make sure he gets it. He and I have been friends for some time, and it was a bad business. They hurt him really bad."

He felt guilty about letting them down as apparently, they had become quite fond of Thomas, finding his interactions with customers as being very positive. When he received the pay packet before he left his job for the day, he was pleased to see a personal note and an additional five-dollar bill in it to go towards Thomas's train fare back home. It was a testament to the decency of the owners.

Since Thomas was already gone his pay went towards the expenses of providing food for the almost always hungry super soldier. Hal, who usually took care of getting the groceries, added it to the jar where they pooled their money. Jim kept the note, intending to give it to Sam when he next saw him. Arnold had arrived, having been notified via some sort of messaging that reached him in New Jersey to relocate to Hal LeBlanc's location. The corporal had been shocked to hear of the attack that severely injured both Will and Thomas. He was in the process of going through his notes trying to determine what was missing so they could figure out who the other side was targeting.

It would take him until Thursday night to realize that nothing was missing, and the ransacking of the apartment was likely a red herring, tying their resources up and wasting their time. Andrew was livid about it as he made his report to Peri. It was a surprise to him when she asked him to go to the grocers where Jim worked the following day, Friday.

"Why? What's going on?" he asked.

"Just observe from a distance then report to me," said Peri. "You'll probably need some microphones to pick up the conversation, but you aren't to intervene until the encounter is over. I want you there at about 4 pm."

He agreed, never saying anything to Jim about it that night or the next morning. When he did go to the grocers the next afternoon, he was surprised to see it was extremely busy, as people were buying cases of apples.

"What's going on?" he asked a man, walking past him with a case of the fruit.

"They suddenly got a full truckload of apples," said the man. "Mr. Malloy thinks the distributor messed up his order, but he's been told they're his to sell. They're on sale, best deal in town. You better get in line if you want some."

Andrew watched, as he saw Jim carrying out case after case of the fruit to waiting cars, wagons or even a child's pram as people scrambled to take advantage of the sale. He tensed when he noticed Winnifred Barnes, with Rebecca by her side, waiting in the line to make their purchases. It was only a matter of time before they would see Jim. This must have been what Peri wanted him to see. Stepping closer when Jim disappeared inside, he pulled what appeared to be a button from his pocket, fixing it on a wall beside the grocers, then turning and walking a short distance away. He activated the microphone and listened through the various conversations it was picking up.

"Stop fidgeting," he saw and heard Mrs. Barnes say to Rebecca.

"We're not going to try and carry these home, are we?" asked the girl.

"No, your father will pick us up when he gets off work, but I want to get several cases," replied the older woman. "With a limit of two per customer you're going to have to buy two cases so that we have four cases in total."

"You mean, I have to go inside the store by myself to do it?" she asked.

"You've done it before," said her mother. "What's got into you?"

Mrs. Barnes was distracted by another clerk telling her she could go inside the store, and she told Rebecca once more to stay in line. Jim came out right away as Andrew observed Rebecca watching him closely. When Jim passed by her, he stiffened when he heard what she said.

"I know it's you, Bucky," she whispered loudly. "You are, aren't you?"

Jim stopped, looking down at the girl, then kneeled down pretending to tie his shoelace.

"My name is Jim," he said, in a low voice. "I don't know a Bucky."

"You're him but you're not," persisted the girl. "I've read your time travel books and I think you're an older Bucky who's come back in time. You are, aren't you?"

"I'm not who you think I am, kid," answered Jim.

"Then why did you save me at the World's Fair from those men that were trying to take me?" she asked. "How did you know my name?"

There was no sound from Jim except for heavy breathing. Just as he whispered Rebecca's name, unwilling to continue lying to her, Mrs. Barnes came out and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Mr. Malloy wants you to bring my two cases out," she said. "If you please."

Jim stood up, trying to keep his face away from the older woman but she noticed and watched him as he entered the store to get her apples. Rebecca was called in and Mrs. Barnes gave her the money for her purchase. As Jim carried the first two cases out and put them on the sidewalk where Mrs. Barnes indicated he tried to do it quickly and get away, but she put her hand on his artificial arm, noticing the glove on his hand then looked closer at him.

"Do I know you?" she asked kindly.

"No, ma'am," replied Jim, trying to keep her from seeing his face directly.

"I know your face," she said. "Maybe, when you were younger you lived in the neighbourhood."

"I'm from Queens," he replied curtly. "Sorry, ma'am I have to get back to work."

He pulled away as Mrs. Barnes continued to watch him. Another clerk came out with the two cases of apples for Rebecca, and they waited for Mr. Barnes to come and pick them up. When the older man arrived, Mrs. Barnes asked him to wait to make his own purchase, but the line was still long.

"I'm not waiting in line for more apples, Winnie," he said. "Four cases are more than enough."

He loaded the cases in the car and the three of them got into the vehicle, driving away. As Andrew went to remove the microphone, he saw Jim come out of the grocery store with cases for the next customer. Their eyes met and he could see the anguish in Jim's eyes. Stepping forward so that Jim could hear him he said only one thing before leaving.

"Quit your job, today."

A small nod was the only acknowledgement Andrew received and he returned to Hal's, asking to use the communications console in the attic. When Peri's image appeared he almost lost it.

"What the hell happened?" he asked.

"Sabotage," she said. "One of the council was turned. I informed him of 2024 Bucky being in 1940 as extra security, and that was the result, an attempt to expose him to his family. He might have also been the reason behind the attack on Will and Sam. Wouldn't take much to make the connection. You're going to have to see the sister and tell her to keep the secret. His mother will wonder but I'll let it ride. If she says anything we'll deal with it then. We'll have to relocate him as I have a date now for the attempt to switch in the doppelgänger."

"It's only been hours since I spoke to you," countered Andrew. "You're telling me all of this happened in just hours?" Peri gave him a very pointed look which he understood meant hours in this time but longer in other timelines. "You implemented Operation Chrysalis, didn't you? Who was it?"

"I did and their operative found out about the member of the council about a year after her implantation in 2141. Once she provided Benedict Fuchs name to me, we fed him the information. The "unexpected" delivery of too many apples to Jim's workplace attracted people from all over Brooklyn for a deal too good to pass up."

"Alright, I told Jim to quit the job, as I assumed you wanted to pull him out immediately," said Andrew. "What about me?"

"After you get Rebecca Barnes to promise not to tell her secret you'll be returning to your time," she said. "I figured you would want to be in on the rescue of Ariel along with Sam Wilson, Will Greening, and a security team."

"Wouldn't it be easier to remove the memory of Jim from her mind?" he asked.

"Easier but it would be a deviation from the future timeline that would have consequences," said Peri. "Of that, I have been assured. Jim will not be involved in Ariel's rescue as he will be needed for the arrest of Lowell Mason and May Weatherly, but don't tell him any of that. When he needs to know he will know."

"Okay, can I tell him this was an act of sabotage?" asked Andrew.

"Yes, and you can tell him he will be relocated," said Peri. "But only that. Do not tell him why."

"When is his extraction?"

"Need to know, Andrew," smiled Peri. "Hal will handle it when you are otherwise occupied. I will see you soon, dear friend."

As soon as he ended the conversation, he came down the stairs and stood outside Jim's door then knocked gently, wondering if he had returned. He could hear a voice saying to come in. Jim was sitting on the bed, his head in his hands, weeping. He wiped his nose with his hand and looked at Andrew.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I went to the house across the street from my parent's home on Sunday. I saw them as they came home from church. I only wanted to hear their voices and see them again as I hadn't seen them since 1943. Rebecca saw me when she came out of the house the same time I started back here."

For a moment Andrew was angry but it passed almost immediately. If he was in Jim's position, he would have done the same. Pulling a chair up he sat across from the upset super soldier.

"That probably didn't change anything," said Andrew. "What happened at the store was sabotage. A member of the council was identified as a HYDRA supporter and Peri told him about you in this time. He accessed the records and arranged for the apples to be delivered to the store. With your boss wanting to sell them quickly it was too good of a deal to pass up and the news of it spread. It was certain it was done to make you known to your sister and mother. It's obvious your sister is very sharp, if she deduced you were Bucky when you rescued her at the World's Fair."

Jim smirked. "She was as smart as a whip," he said. "Ten years old going on twenty-one. I tried to tell Ma I didn't know her. I don't think she believed me."

"According to Peri your mother thinks she knows you but isn't sure from where," replied Andrew. "I'm guessing Merton will be given a cover story, maybe something along the lines of seeing a guy who looked like you and thinking you looked like Bucky's cousin or something. People do have natural doppelgängers. Any search of an image database from the moment photographs were taken shows a repeat in certain facial features."

"What about Rebecca?" asked Jim. "She identified me by name. You won't hurt her?"

Andrew smiled sadly. "No, we don't do that," he said. "In extreme cases we do a memory adjustment. It's nothing like what you went through. It's kind of like we substitute a different person in her memory then expose her to that person, so she sees it's not you. They've chosen not to do that with your sister." Jim looked at him with puzzlement. "Apparently doing so will interfere with a future timeline." He shrugged. "Not sure what that means exactly but Rebecca will be left alone."

Jim took a relieved breath. "What happens to me now?"

"You'll be relocated, either to another time or a new location," replied Andrew. "It's been deemed need to know, even for me. I have my own assignment to perform and I'm guessing they'll send you when I'm off doing that because I've been told after I've completed that task, I'm going back to 2142."

For a moment Jim said nothing. "Does that mean they found Ariel?"

Andrew shrugged again. "I really don't know. Peri is very good at playing her cards close to her chest. I've known her for forty years and I still don't know much about her. Regardless, if I don't get a chance to say anything before they send us our separate ways, it's been good working with you. I've known you and Steve since you were both boys and I only ever wanted to help you, even in the limited way that was permitted. Both of you were exceptional young men during a difficult time in American history."

Jim held his hand out to shake Andrew's. "We knew you were gay, but you were always straight with us," he began, then he grinned. "You know what I mean. We both appreciated the things you did for us." Andrew stood up and picked up the chair to put it back. "Merton? I'm truly sorry I broke Ariel's heart. I was too proud, too set in that mindset of being the man, and being in charge. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. If we had stayed engaged but not married, would it have changed anything?"

"To you? No," admitted Andrew. "But she would have stayed here until the telegram of you falling from the train arrived. Ariel would have been able to grieve your loss honestly, with support from your family and me. Breaking it off when you did was too sudden and the arrival of you in her room that night with the perfume of Connie and Bonnie on you was a blow to her. It's just the way it was."

"I'm still sorry," said Jim. "It's one of my biggest regrets."

Andrew left Jim there, as it seemed he wanted to be alone. Down in the parlour he reported his conversation with Peri and Hal shook his head over the betrayal of the council member. There wasn't much more to be said by either of them on any of the revelations.

The following morning a message was sent telling Andrew where he could find Rebecca Barnes on her own to talk to her in confidence. He was told to be there at 10 am. At 9:30 he headed out towards the library. As soon as he was out of sight of the house Hal knocked on Jim's door.

"You need to pack," he said to the super soldier. "You're being relocated in time. You'll receive your instructions when you arrive."

Nodding, Jim packed his bag and was ready in 15 minutes. He came down the stairs surprised to see an open portal already waiting for him.

"We aren't going to the warehouse?" he asked.

"Nope, this portal was sent here so that I don't have the coordinates," said Hal. "It likely means whatever you're doing on the other side is secret and whoever is on the other end wants to keep their identity hidden. They've given a security code that can only come from someone on our side so you'll be safe with whoever is waiting for you, I can assure you of that." He held his hand out to shake Jim's. "It was an honour meeting you Bucky. Good luck."

Taking a breath Bucky stepped into the portal, seeing the black go to red, orange, more orange turning to red, and back to black. When the hand entered the vortex to pull him out, he was surprised to see it was a woman's hand. He was even more surprised to see the two women who waited for him on the other side.

As Andrew walked towards the library, he wondered how he was going to convince Bucky's sister to stay quiet about recognizing her brother in his future self. Peri didn't say what he could tell the girl, but he knew he couldn't tell her anything about the future. He would have to tell her something that would allow her to accept future Bucky's presence in the past, then not to tell anyone about it. Finally, he arrived at the library and entered it, looking for Rebecca in the stacks. He found her sitting in the fairy tale section, cross-legged on the floor, reading a book. Looking around to see if there was anyone nearby, he approached her, hoping she wouldn't get creepy vibes off of him.

"What are you reading?" he asked, as he pulled another book out from the shelf.

Briefly she looked up, frowned at him, and closed her book before standing up, holding the book defensively in front of her.

"Mr. Burnett?" she asked.

"No, my name is Andrew Smith," he said. "I'm related to him, in a way."

"Well, you look just like him but younger," she said, still frowning. "Why are you talking to me? You were at the grocer's yesterday."

"You're very perceptive," he said. "That's why I'm here. I need to talk to you about what you saw."

"I saw my brother but he was older and different, but he was my brother," she said defiantly.

Andrew sighed and put his book back on the shelf. "Yes, he was," he admitted.

"Why was he different?" she asked.

"Because he was on a mission and his appearance wasn't changed enough to keep you from recognizing him," he said.

"A mission? Like a quest?" she asked, curious now.

Andrew tilted his head. "Sort of," he replied. "He was sent to the past to protect someone."

He could see the girl process his statement for several moments. "He protected me and Ariel at the fireworks and at the World's Fair with the negro man."

"Yes, that was his partner," he answered. "He got hurt and had to go back. Now that you've seen Bucky from the future, and recognized him we have to send him back as well."

"Why can't he stay?" she asked. "I want to ask him things about the future."

"He's not allowed to tell you," said Andrew. "It's against the rules. You can't tell anyone that he was here, either."

"Are Ariel and I still in danger?" she asked. "Who will protect us?"

"There will be others watching over you," he replied. "People you won't recognize but I think most of the danger is now past. You'll be safe and so will Ariel. Rebecca, it's really important that you never tell anyone about seeing your brother in his older form here. Ever. Saying something may change the future and not in a good way."

"Can I say goodbye to him?" she asked.

"No, in fact, he's probably already gone," said Andrew. "I'm sorry."

"Okay," she said after a considerable pause. "I'll keep it a secret. Will you see him in the future?"

"I'm not sure," he replied. "Maybe."

"If you do, will you tell him thank you for rescuing me at the World's Fair? I was so scared when those men pushed me away from Ariel. They spoke of someone wanting me and I didn't know why they would want me. I'm just a girl."

"Did they say a name?" asked Andrew.

"Mason," she replied. "I think it was Mason."

"Thank you. I'll make sure we find this Mason so that he never sends anyone again. I promise."

A voice from the next aisle interrupted their conversation and Andrew smiled at her then turned away. He resisted the urge to look back. As he stepped away from the book stacks he noticed Mrs. Houseman talking to a woman at the circulation desk. He waited for her to turn around as it had been a long time since he saw her, since his original presence in this timeline. She turned briefly and he smiled but she just nodded her head at him and went in the other direction. Puzzled by her reaction but knowing it was better to leave it be he left and walked back to Hal's house. As he entered the front door the resident historian looked up from some papers he was reading in the parlour.

"I have news," he said. "Jim has been relocated and you've been recalled. Tomorrow morning I'll take you to the warehouse and send you back. Must be good news that neither of you are needed in this time any longer."

"Must be," answered Andrew. "I'll get started packing."

It didn't take him long and he spent the rest of the day reading and listening to music. The next morning he took his time getting ready and eating breakfast. Hal drove him to the warehouse and brought up the portal. He stepped in, carrying his suitcase, and didn't even really notice the changing of the vortex's colours as he was sent back to 2142. When the arm entered his bubble, he grasped it with his free hand and stepped into the control room, seeing Peri waiting for him.

"Welcome home, Merton," she said, with a tired smile. "The team is waiting on you, if you're not too tired. Go bring our girl home and then we'll restore you to your proper age."

Handing his suitcase to an assistant he was taken to wardrobe where he changed his 1940s clothes for a modern tactical suit. He was handed a comms earpiece, and two handguns. He checked the magazines on them to make sure they were full then inserted the earpiece in his ear. From there he went to the ready room, seeing Sam Wilson, Will Greening, and a security team waiting for him. All of them were in tactical suits and armed. It was obvious trouble was expected. With a nod, the door at the other end was opened and they filed out entering a large transport air car. Taking a deep breath, he nodded at everyone and the order to mobilize was given. There was no turning back now.