Chapter 144: Watching the Show

Bucky was taken by Steve Rogers and Sam to an abandoned factory, where a hydraulic press clamped down on his metal arm, leaving him unable to move.

“Ah… Steve.” Bucky woke up in excruciating pain and saw Steve Rogers and Sam standing before him.

“Which Bucky are you?” Steve Rogers asked, staring at him.

“Your mother’s name is Sarah. You used to stuff newspapers into your shoes,” Bucky said, revealing details from Steve Rogers’s past that no one else knew.

“The museum never mentioned that,” Steve Rogers said.

“So does that mean there won’t be any problems?” Sam asked from the side. He still did not trust Bucky.

“What did I do?” Bucky asked, understanding what Sam meant.

“A lot of things,” Steve Rogers replied.

“Oh God, I knew this would happen. Everything Hydra programmed into my head is still there. All he has to do is say those damn words, and it activates!” Bucky said.

“Who is he?” Steve Rogers immediately asked.

“I don’t know,” Bucky answered.

“A lot of people died in the bombing that framed you. That doctor went to all that trouble just to spend ten minutes with you? Don’t just say you don’t know!” Steve Rogers said.

“He wanted to know about Siberia—the place where I was imprisoned. He wanted the exact location,” Bucky said after struggling to recall.

“Why did he want to know that?” Steve Rogers asked again.

“Because I’m not the only Winter Soldier! They were an elite death squad, the deadliest unit in Hydra’s history—and that was before they were injected with the serum!” Bucky said.

“Did they all become like you?” Sam asked from the side.

“Worse!” Bucky replied.

“Can that doctor control them?” Steve Rogers asked.

“Completely. That doctor said he wanted to watch an empire fall. With their help, he could do it. They speak thirty languages and are experts at concealment, infiltration, assassination, and destabilizing governments. They could destroy an entire country overnight!” Bucky revealed, stating a terrifying truth.

“This would have been easy to deal with a week ago,” Sam said, looking at Steve Rogers.

“If we tell Stark…” Steve Rogers began.

“He won’t believe us! And even if he does, who knows whether the Accords will allow him to help?” Sam interrupted.

“Then we’ll have to handle this ourselves!” Steve Rogers said.

“Not necessarily. I know someone,” Sam said.

“If only we knew where Arthur was. His abilities would definitely come in handy,” Steve said with a sigh.

…

Arthur and Wanda strolled hand in hand through the streets of New York. It was rare for him to take Wanda out shopping.

“Aren’t we going back yet?” Wanda asked Arthur.

“Since we’re already here, wouldn’t it be a waste to leave without having some fun?” Arthur replied.

“I don’t understand what you mean. This place is exactly like our world. We can come back and shop another time,” Wanda said, puzzled.

“There’s going to be a battle tomorrow, and I don’t want to miss it. We’ll go watch the show,” Arthur said.

“Watch the show? What’s so interesting about it?” Wanda asked in confusion.

“Captain America versus Iron Man, Wanda versus Vision, and the rest of the Avengers. They’re all going to fight tomorrow. Don’t you think that sounds interesting?” Arthur asked her.

“Well… I haven’t seen it before. I suppose it does sound a little interesting.” Wanda nodded.

“Then let’s go. We’ll treat it like a trip and find a luxurious hotel to spend the night.” Arthur took Wanda by the hand and led her away.

Wanda’s face flushed at his words as she followed him.

…

The next day.

Wanda was still in bed when she heard a knock at the door. She got up, put on her clothes, and opened it.

“Did you sleep well last night?” Arthur asked from outside, holding a breakfast tray.

“No!!” Wanda rolled her eyes at him and shouted before heading into the bathroom to wash up.

“What’s wrong with her? Is she just grumpy after waking up?” Arthur was bewildered by her reaction. He had no idea why she had suddenly lost her temper. Was the hotel bed uncomfortable? That couldn’t be it. He had slept quite comfortably the night before.

Arthur did not know that Wanda had spent the previous night hoping he would sneak over to see her. She had not even locked her door. Who could have guessed that Arthur would merely wish her good night before going to sleep in the room next door?

“I prepared breakfast for you. Come eat something after you finish washing up. We still have a show to watch later,” Arthur called toward the bathroom.

“Got it!” Wanda’s voice came from inside.

After breakfast, Arthur drove a sports car with Wanda to the underground parking garage beneath an airport in New York.

“Why did you bring me to the airport? If we want to go somewhere, we can just use a portal. Do we really need to take a plane?” Wanda asked in confusion.

“This is our destination.” Arthur finished speaking and led the way toward the stairs. Wanda followed him, while the sports car they had been driving transformed into red energy and vanished into the air.

“Attention, everyone! Attention, everyone! An incident has occurred at the airport. The airport is now being closed. All passengers are requested to leave immediately! All passengers are requested to leave immediately!”

An alarm ordering everyone to evacuate suddenly blared over the loudspeakers.

“Looks like we arrived at exactly the right time. Come on,” Arthur said, leading Wanda upstairs.

At that moment, on the airport tarmac, Steve Rogers ran toward a helicopter—the aircraft they had planned to use for their escape. Suddenly, the helicopter was destroyed with a thunderous explosion.

Steve Rogers looked up and saw Iron Man, Tony Stark, flying overhead alongside Colonel James Rhodes in the War Machine armor.

The two descended from the sky and landed in front of Steve Rogers.

“Funny running into old friends at the airport, isn’t it?” Tony Stark asked.

“It really is strange,” Rhodes added, the two of them bantering back and forth.

“Listen to me, Tony. That psychiatrist is the mastermind behind all of this…” Steve Rogers had not finished speaking when a dark figure leaped down from above and landed in front of him.

It was T’Challa, wearing the Black Panther armor.

“Ross gave me thirty-six hours to bring you in. Twenty-four of them are already gone. Could you help me out and cooperate?” Tony Stark said.

“You’ve got the wrong man,” Steve Rogers replied.

“Your judgment is compromised. Your old friend killed a lot of innocent people yesterday,” Tony Stark said.

“There are five more Winter Soldiers just like him. I can’t let that doctor find them first, Tony,” Steve Rogers said.

“Steve, you know how this is going to end. Are you really going to fight your way through again?” Natasha stepped forward and addressed Steve Rogers.

“Enough. I’m running out of patience, Underoos!” Tony Stark shouted.

Suddenly, a strand of webbing shot down from above, yanking Steve Rogers’s shield away and binding both his hands.

A figure in a red suit landed on the roof of a car with Steve Rogers’s shield in his hands.

It was Spider-Man—Peter Parker!

…

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