When Sparks Fly

Bar

We land outside of Madripoor and get changed. The covers we go with are Bucky is still The Winter Soldier and I'm his partner, being 'taken and brainwashed' after we reversed the blip, while Zemo gets to be Zemo. Sam isn't happy about the fact that he is the only one in bright colors, since I opted to wear a black suit rather than the normal white one. "We have to fix this. I'm the only one who looks like a pimp."

"I think you look pretty good, Sam," I smile over to him.

Zemo sighs and shakes his head, "only an American would assume a fashion-forward Black man looks like a pimp. You look exactly like the man you're supposed to be playing. The sophisticated, charming African rake named Conrad Mack, aka the Smiling Tiger."

"He's even got a bad nickname," Sam scoffs.

Zemo takes out a photo of Conrad and I look over his shoulder, "he does look a lot like you." I take a deep breath and cough a bit. "What is that smell?"

Zemo looks over to me, "Madripoor. Now no matter what happens we have to stay in character. Our lives depend on it. There's no margin for error." A car comes up to us, turning around and stopping in the middle of the bridge, "High Town's that way. Not a bad place if you wanna visit, but Low Town's the other way."

Sam heads to the other side of the car, "let me guess. We don't have any friends in High Town."

Zemo doesn't answer as he gets in the front passenger seat, Bucky opens the door for me before the two of us get in and Sam gets in from the other side of the car. As we drive on to the island it begins to storm, I can hear the thunder and rain falling outside. Once we get on to the island six motorcyclist begin to drive around us, two in front, two beside, and two behind us. Through the flashes of street lights and lightning, I can tell they're armed and they are making me anxious. Bucky places a hand on my leg and looks over to me, I nod and take a deep breath, placing my hand on his. We pull into a tunnel and park, when we get out of the car, I can hear upbeat music playing, the music becomes louder as we get closer to the bar where we plan on finding this Selby, walking over the streets on catwalks and through back alleys. When we get on the street Bucky places a hand on my back, walking beside me while we walk behind Zemo and Sam. I look around and notice several people holding rifles and others doing drug deals. Finally we come across a neon sign that has a purple monkey, I'm assuming this is the club.

"Here we are," Zemo leads us through the crowd of people. He speaks in Russian to Bucky and I, "ready to comply, Winter Soldier? Electric Nova?"

As we walk through the crowd we get some odd looks as some in the crowd begin talk, "is that really the Winter Soldier and the Electric Nova?"

We walk up to the bar and the bartender walks over to us, "hello gentlemen and lady." He looks over Sam, a bit confused, "wasn't expecting you, Smiling Tiger."

Zemo shrugs, putting his hands on the bar, "his plans changed. We have business to do with Selby."

"The usual?" The bartender is still giving Sam a sceptical look, Sam just nods. The man takes a snake out of a jar cutting it open.

Zemo cringes a bit, "ah, Smiling Tiger, your favorite."

I don't know about Bucky but I'm trying not to cringe or gag as the bartender takes out one of the snake's organs and puts it in the shot glass of liquor, before sitting it in front of Sam. "I love these," Sam picks up the glass, nodding to the bartender.

"Cheers, Conrad," Zemo clinks his glass against Sam's.

Sam smells the drink, "mmm..." He lifts it to his lips to take a drink, but pulls away, "mmm." Sam decides it's best to just bite the bullet and throw back the drink, slamming the glass back down onto the bar once he's done, giving the bartender a thumbs up.

As the bartender walks away, a bearded man walks up to us, speaking to Zemo, "I got word from on high. You ain't welcome here."

Zemo turns back to the man and shrugs, "I have no business with the Power Broker, but if he insists, he can either come and talk to me..." Zemo looks over to Bucky and I.

The man looks over Bucky, "new haircut?" He looks down to me, "and new dame?"

"Or bring Selby for a chat."

The man looks between Bucky and Zemo before walking away. Bucky leans against the bar, "a power broker? Really?"

"Every kingdom needs its king. Let's just pray we stay under his radar."

"You know him?" I tap my nails on the bar.

"Only by reputation. In Madripoor he is judge, jury, and executioner." Zemo looks around and I notice the same thing he does, several men closing in on us. Zemo turns to Bucky and I, speaking in Russian, "Winter Soldier, Electric Nova. Attack."

As soon as one of the men puts his hand on Zemo's shoulder Bucky grabs his hand, I can hear the mechanics flex and move in his robotic arm. Bucky drags the man to the middle of the room and I follow behind. Once we're a few feet away Bucky throws the man to the ground, the man groans in pain while he lays on the floor. I look around and see another man coming toward us and I power kick him back into the crowd. Bucky does the same to another man, before kicking the man he had thrown to the ground back. I look around, allowing energy to flow between my fingers as we look around, I smirk, "who's next?"

I know I probably shouldn't but I miss fighting like this, fighting with a partner not a group, and on some level I enjoy it. A few other men come at us, Bucky fighting a couple, while I shock whoever makes the mistake of choosing to fight me over Bucky. We send whoever decides to fight us flying back through the club. I glance over and see that Sam and Zemo had followed us to watch the fight, Zemo looks over to Sam, "it didn't take much for him to fall back into form and it seems she hasn't completely lost her touch. I was worried she was all talk." Our fight ends with the sound of guns cocking, while Bucky has someone pinned on the bar and I have my knee on another man's throat. "Stay in character or the whole bar turns on us." Zemo walks out between Bucky and I, speaking in Russian, "well done, soldiers."

I get up and walk back over to the boys, as the bartender comes back, "Selby will see you now."

The man that Bucky has yet to let go of groans, "thank you." As Zemo nods, Bucky lets the man slide off the bar onto the floor.

I walk up to Bucky and glance around, not looking up to him. Sam looks between the two of us, "you good." Bucky just takes a sharp inhale before he walks after Zemo and I am quick to follow.