Bronx, New York, around 10 p.m.
In a single-room rental on the 20th floor of a building located next to a bustling street, Captain America, Steve Rogers, in his uniform and holding his vibranium shield, arrived at the suspected hideout of the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes, based on the intelligence Natasha had provided.
"Captain, a large contingent of American special forces is heading your way. They'll be there in about a minute," Sam Wilson's voice came through the earpiece as he kept watch outside.
"I got it, keep an eye out," Steve replied, locking the door behind him as he scanned the room he had just entered. The curtains were drawn across the windows, and under the dim ceiling light, the place was cluttered with various items. A faint smell of smoke lingered in the air.
Someone was here.
As this thought crossed Steve's mind, the door suddenly opened and out stepped a disheveled man— Bucky, his old friend and comrade.
Bucky wore a jacket that conveniently covered his mechanical left arm. He looked at Steve with a blank expression, showing no surprise at his appearance.
"Bucky, it's really you."
Seeing his old friend again, Steve took a deep breath and asked, "How long have you been hiding in New York?"
"About three months, give or take."
"Why didn't you contact me?"
"Why would I?" Bucky turned his head away in defiance, replying, "Don't forget where we stand. You're a hero, and I'm a criminal."
Steve frowned and took a step closer, looking directly at Bucky. "The person who attacked the King of Wakanda..."
"It wasn't me," Bucky calmly raised his eyes, meeting Steve's gaze. "I was just passing by. Do you believe me?"
"I believe you," Steve said with a nod, his voice firm. "But you're the prime suspect right now. The police and special forces across the city are out to arrest you. You're in serious danger!"
"Then you really shouldn't have come here," Bucky glanced at the door and windows, already aware that a group of people, most likely U.S. military personnel, was quietly approaching the apartment.
"Bucky, let me ask you one last question: back on the Helicarrier, why did you save me?" Steve stared intently at Bucky, trying to confirm a suspicion he'd held for some time.
Maybe Bucky had broken free from Hydra's control and was only isolating himself out of fear of relapse, unwilling to harm anyone else.
"I don't know," Bucky replied.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the door and windows of the room were forcibly breached, and a high-explosive grenade was tossed into the room.
Bucky reacted instantly, kicking the grenade toward Steve. Steve flipped his vibranium shield and covered the grenade on the floor, neutralizing the blast. Despite having been apart for seventy years, the two of them fought in perfect sync, their actions seamless and fluid.
Boom!
Through the shattered doors and windows, fully armed U.S. special forces burst into the room, and Bucky and Steve immediately counterattacked.
Both men were seasoned veterans of World War II, with enhanced physical abilities and combat skills far beyond those of ordinary people. The squad of special forces soldiers was no match for them.
Seeing Bucky grab one of the soldiers with his mechanical left hand and slam him to the ground like a ragdoll, then raising his fist to strike again, Steve shouted, "Don't kill him!"
"I won't kill anyone," Bucky responded coldly. His mechanical left fist, instead of striking the special forces soldier on the ground, diverted to smash through the wooden floor, pulling out a hidden backpack. Bucky quickly threw the backpack across to the rooftop of the building opposite, before making his way down the stairs alone.
Steve had no choice but to follow. Even knowing this would taint his reputation and brand him a criminal, he acted according to his conscience, taking down the American special forces surrounding the building to assist Bucky in escaping.
With Steve covering his back, Bucky managed to evade the squad, making an incredible leap to the rooftop of the opposite building. However, just as he grabbed his backpack, a swift dark shadow crashed into him, sending him flying several meters away.
Bucky propped himself up with his mechanical left hand and looked ahead. The dark figure that had struck him was a humanoid Black Panther— more precisely, a mysterious figure wearing the Black Panther suit.
The Black Panther glared at Bucky coldly, raising his hands, sharp claws extending from his fingers, ready to strike again. At that moment, Captain America, Steve Rogers, leaped down, just in time to block his attack.
"Don't get in my way!" Black Panther growled angrily, swiping his left hand toward Steve. Steve quickly raised his shield to defend himself, but even his vibranium shield, known for being nearly indestructible, showed five shallow claw marks after the strike.
If that had been flesh instead of the shield, the damage would have been devastating, even to someone with enhanced physiology.
The claws were made of vibranium!
Steve was shaken by this realization. Meanwhile, Bucky seized the opportunity and leaped off the building. Black Panther didn't waste time fighting Steve and immediately pursued Bucky, with Steve close behind.
Under the highway in the car tunnel, the chaotic sound of honking echoed as cars, their headlights glowing, swerved and skidded out of control. In the midst of this chaos, the Winter Soldier, Black Panther, and Captain America raced against the flow of traffic, their pursuit causing accidents and confusion.
The Winter Soldier was solely focused on escaping. Black Panther was driven by vengeance for his father, while Steve was determined to protect Bucky. The three of them battled and chased each other through the tunnel, a display of superhuman combat that culminated at the tunnel's exit.
It wasn't that any of them chose to stop fighting; they were forced to halt because the American police and military forces had arrived, sealing off the entire area.
Countless police cars, sirens blaring, surrounded the three of them. Above them, more than a dozen military helicopters hovered, their spotlights glaring down on the trio.
"Put your hands up!" Came the commanding voice of War Machine, Colonel Rhodey, as he landed in his Iron Man suit, both hands raised with cannons aimed at the Winter Soldier, Black Panther, and Steve. He looked between Bucky and Black Panther, then focused on Steve. "Captain, you're a criminal now."
Both Bucky and Steve remained silent, not resisting as they slowly raised their hands in surrender.
Black Panther retracted his claws and removed his helmet, revealing a dark-skinned, resolute face— T'Challa.
"Oh, Your Majesty," Rhodey remarked, realizing that with the king's death, Prince T'Challa had now assumed the title of king.
Seeing that the three no longer resisted, Rhodey exhaled and ordered the surrounding officers, "Alright, cuff them. But wait, regular handcuffs won't work on these three. Use the special restraints."
"Yes, sir."
As several officers moved forward to carry out the arrests, a small spark suddenly appeared on the road, quickly spinning into a circle of flames. From the center of the fire, a tall, imposing figure stepped out.
He was a young, handsome, silver-haired man, dressed casually and unassumingly. Yet, his presence was so commanding that everyone on the scene— police, military personnel, and even Rhodey, Bucky, and Steve— was momentarily stunned.
"You guys sure know how to cause trouble," Kyle, said with a slight smile, looking at Steve, Bucky, and T'Challa.
It seemed like every time Kyle left New York, something happened. If he hadn't arrived in time, that needless civil war might have actually broken out.
(End of chapter)
I have finished translating this fanfic, IMUC (I Am In Marvel With Unlimited Cards) and have posted all the advanced chapters on Patreon (100 Chapters). (https://www.patreon.com/c/marvel6395). You can read all the advanced chapters there.