'He's just through that corridor,' a guard told Sam, Bucky, and Clara. They had arrived at the Berlin Correctional Facility after a short walk, Clara still refusing to leave her bag behind even with the promise of Torres keeping her belongings safe. 

'Alright,' Bucky said, looking the way the guard had gestured. 'Give us a sec.'

The guard nodded and walked away, giving one last glance towards Clara, thinking she was a little young to be in such a place. 

Sam and Bucky stopped walking at the start of the corridor, Clara moving forward an extra step to peer down. It looked like any other prison. Cell doors lining the walls, openable slots at eye and waist level, one there to allow the guards visuals on the prisoner, and the other for passing them their meals.

'I'm gonna go in alone,' Bucky told Sam, Clara turning back to them with a raised eyebrow.

'Why?' The other man asked him with a scowl. Clara wondered that too, also thinking she really wanted in on Bucky and Zemo's conversation. 

'Because you're an Avenger, you know how he feels about that.'

'I'm not,' Clara perked up, 

'No.' Bucky shut her down, not even offering a glance in her direction. 

'It's not like you two were known for frolickin' in the sun together,' Sam reminded him. 

'He was obsessed with HYDRA. We have a history together. Trust me,' Bucky urged him. 'I got it.'

He didn't give Sam a chance to disagree, walking away down the hallway as the passage was opened for him. Clara took a step after him, but Sam stopped her. 'Don't,' he told her. 'Let him do this.'

'But doesn't Zemo know some magic words that'll make his head all-'

'They don't work anymore,' Sam reassured her. 'The Dora Milaje helped him in Wakanda. Zemo doesn't have any power over him.'

'Right,' Clara nodded slowly. 'You sure?' 

'Yeah, I'm sure.'

'Okay, then. I believe you.' Clara took a few extra steps back from the entrance to the corridor, making sure Sam was closer. You know, just in case.

*    *    *

'What are you talking about? You wanna break Zemo out of jail?' Sam grilled Bucky, walking through a deserted garage building. A low purple glow illuminated the area around them, but Clara couldn't help but notice how it made the shadows appear that much deeper. 

She peered into them, a creeping sensation moving through her as the eeriness of the building put her on edge. Bucky hadn't said much after leaving Zemo's cell, just telling Sam and Clara he knew where they'd have to go later - Later being a few hours after. 

They had time to get some lunch after leaving the facility, and they returned to Torres who was told by Bucky that they wouldn't need him to fly them home.

'Where the hell are we, Bucky?' Sam continued. 'Have you lost your mind?'

'We have no leads, no moves, nothing,' Bucky told him. 

'What we have is one of the most dangerous men in the world behind bars.'

'And we also have eight Super Soldiers on the loose,' Bucky pointed out, Clara sighing a breath of relief when he found the breaker to switch on the power. She pulled back the purple glow, letting the overhead lights do the work of illumining the space.

Sam shook his head in disbelief at what Bucky was suggesting. 'Zemo's gonna mess with our minds.'

'Especially yours,' Clara mumbled, scanning her eyes over the room. 'No offense,' she added, smiling innocently at Bucky. 

'Offense,' Bucky scowled. 'Super Soldiers go against everything he believes in,' Bucky continued. 'He's crazy, but he still has a code.'

'Yeah, and I've been on the wrong side of that code, and so have you,' Sam exclaimed. 'He blew up the UN, he killed King T'Chaka and framed you for it! Did you forget that? You think the Wakanda's forgot about it? That's a rhetorical question - They didn't.' 

Clara looked back and forth between them and Sam went on. 'I know why this matters to you, but come on, it's pushing you off the deep end.'

'Sam, we don't know how they're getting the serum. We don't even know how many of them there are! Look, let me just walk you through a hypothetical. Can I walk you through a hypothetical?' Bucky asked. 

'What did you do?' Sam said in defeat, already suspecting he knew where this was headed. 

'I didn't do anything,' Bucky claimed. 'Just, think about this, okay? The weakest point in any system isn't the software, the hardware - it's the meatware.'

'Ick, that's gross,' Clara muttered, trying not to picture the literal sense of the word.

'The human element,' Bucky reiterated, as if thinking Clara genuinely believed he meant a computer made out of meat. 'Now, in this lockup, it's nine to one, prisoners to guards. If two prisoners start fighting, then the protocol says four guards have to respond.'

'So why would two prisoners randomly start fighting at that moment?' Sam asked him.

'Who knows - There could be many reasons...' Bucky feigned ignorance. 'But the point is, these things escalate. Lockdown procedures would have to be initiated, and with all those bodies flying around left and right, wouldn't be hard to slip down a hallway or two.'

Clara turned to face Bucky, her own realisation creeping in on her as all the pieces of what Barnes was saying finally clicked together in Clara's mind. 'Bucky...' She whispered, her skin already looking a shade paler than usual, her heart beating just a few paces faster. 

'And if the fire alarm got tripped while the prisoners were being separated, someone could use the chaos to their advantage,' Bucky continued.

'I don't like how casual you're being about this,' Sam commented. 'It's unnatural. Are you- And where are we, man?'

Before Bucky answered, the sound of a door opening and closing pulled their attention to a second entrance to the room. A figure stepped into view, Sam instantly heading towards him. 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing here?'

Bucky stepped in front of him, holding out two placating hands in an effort to calm Sam. 'I didn't tell you 'cause I knew you wouldn't let this happen.'

'No shit, I wouldn't!' Sam swore, raising his voice. 'What did you do?'

'We need him,' Bucky tried to convince him.

'You're going back to prison!' Sam pointed at Zemo.

Zemo took off his hat as he spoke to the two of him, his voice calm. 'If I may-'

'No!' Bucky and Sam cut him off in unison. 

'Apologies,' Zemo bowed his head slightly, catching Clara's eye as she stared wide-eyed towards him. His head tilted at the sight of her, a question in his gaze. 

Clara looked away quickly, stepping to stand with Sam blocking the man's view of her. 'When Steve refused to sign the Sokovia Accords, you backed him. You broke the law, and you stuck your neck out for me. I'm asking you to do it again.'

'I really think I'm invaluable,' Zemo tried again.

'Shut up,' Sam said as a way of warning. To Clara's dismay, Sam went on, looking to Bucky, then back to Zemo again. 'Okay, if we do this, you don't make a move without our permission.'

'Fair,' Zemo agreed. 

'Okay, Zemo.' Sam folded his arms. 'Where do we start?' 

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