It wasn't hard to guess who was spying on Steve—naturally, it would be Fury's agents.
The moment Marcus called out, a man in a suit emerged from the crowd.
"Who started this trend at S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Marcus frowned at the agent. "Why is everyone wearing suits and sunglasses?"
This was something he'd wanted to complain about for a long time. So many S.H.I.E.L.D. agents dressed identically—it had been this way for more than ten years. Suits and sunglasses, as if they were afraid people wouldn't recognize their special status.
Hearing these words, the corners of the agent's mouth twitched. He was just following orders, yet he ended up not only exposed but also mocked.
Marcus didn't wait for a response and waved dismissively, signaling the man to leave.
"Tell Fury I'm taking this guy to meet someone."
Steve had recovered from the ice, and this was the perfect time to reunite him with an old friend.
Bucky, who'd chosen to live on a farm, would be thrilled... probably. That guy seemed to be quite in love these days.
Watching the agent leave, Marcus turned to Steve.
"Captain America, let me introduce myself. My name is Marcus."
"Just call me Steve."
Steve wasn't surprised that Marcus knew his identity. The man's behavior made it obvious he'd recognized him.
But he was genuinely curious about who Marcus planned to introduce him to. Everyone he had known was either elderly or gone, so the prospect of meeting an old friend was exciting.
Meanwhile, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was speaking with Fury.
"Director, are we really going to let that guy take the Captain?"
He couldn't understand why the director had ordered him to let the Captain leave with a stranger.
Captain America wasn't just an ordinary person—he was effectively government property, and nothing could be allowed to go wrong.
"It's fine. I'll take responsibility for any issues," Fury replied flatly. "Now go report to the experimental base."
Fury knew exactly who Marcus intended to introduce Steve to.
With Howard and Maria unable to show themselves publicly, there was only one person Marcus would take Steve to meet—Bucky, who had completely embraced the farmer's life.
"The meeting will be good for him," Fury thought. "It might help the Captain accept this new world, and..."
He hoped Steve would continue the fight against HYDRA, eliminating it root and branch. After all, as Steve's best friend, Bucky had been brainwashed by HYDRA and nearly killed Howard, who was also their friend.
Glancing at Steve's profile on the monitor, Fury turned to Agent Hill behind him.
"Remove all surveillance from around the Captain's residence."
...
Marcus and Steve sat in the car, driving toward the farm.
Marcus couldn't wait to see the reunion between Steve and Bucky—especially Steve's reaction to Bucky's new girlfriend.
"The person you want to show me lives in the farm?" Steve asked, his curiosity growing.
He was eager to discover who Marcus was taking him to meet, someone who apparently lived in a rural area.
"That's right," Marcus replied with a smile. "You'll recognize him when we arrive."
They continued speeding toward the farm.
After passing through dense fields, they drove into the heart of the farmland.
"Here we are. He takes care of everything here now."
With that, Marcus got out of the car and walked toward Bucky's house.
Knock knock knock
Marcus rapped on the door, anticipation building for the moment Steve and Bucky would reunite.
"Just a minute! Coming!" a voice called from inside.
The voice sounded slightly flustered, and Marcus's enhanced perception detected two people moving around inside.
"Did Bucky bring his girlfriend over for the night?" Marcus thought, raising an eyebrow with interest as he waited.
A moment later, the door opened. Bucky appeared wearing only beach shorts, his upper body bare.
"Marcus? Why are you here at this hour?"
"I brought an old friend to see you," Marcus replied, stepping aside to reveal Steve standing behind him.
Two men who hadn't seen each other for more than half a century locked eyes.
"Steve? You really are alive! I knew it—if I could survive, someone with your physical condition would have no problem!"
Bucky hugged Steve excitedly. He couldn't believe the person Marcus had brought was his best friend.
"Bucky? Is it really you? Didn't you fall from that cliff?" Steve asked, more emotional than Bucky.
During a mission over 70 years ago, he had watched Bucky plummet from a cliff with his own eyes. He'd believed his friend was dead, never expecting to see him alive again.
"Your arm..." Steve noticed Bucky's metal arm immediately.
"It's nothing," Bucky replied good-naturedly. "Just an arm compared to certain death." He turned and called excitedly into the house: "Christy! Come out here!"
"Christy is my girlfriend," Bucky explained, his face lighting up with joy. "Actually, soon she'll be my wife!"
After a moment, a brown-haired woman in a white dress emerged from the house.
She looked curiously at Marcus and Steve, waiting for Bucky to introduce them.
"They're both my friends," Bucky said, pointing to Marcus. "His name is Marcus. He gave me half of this farm." Then, gesturing toward Steve: "And this is Steve. You can also call him 'Cap.'"
"Hello, I'm Christy. Please, come in!"
Christy smiled warmly and invited everyone inside. Marcus and Steve were guests, after all—it wouldn't be right to leave them standing at the door.
Sitting on the living room sofa, Marcus looked at the affectionate couple and couldn't resist teasing them:
"You two weren't in the middle of... you know?"
Marcus's comment made both of their ears turn red, though Bucky maintained his composure.
"Just normal activities between an engaged couple. Who knew you'd show up now?"
Seeing Bucky and Christy's reactions, Marcus and Steve exchanged glances and laughed.
"Why so nervous?" Steve asked. "When's the wedding? Let us congratulate you properly."
"Next month. We've planned a ceremony at a church in New York," Bucky replied, keeping an arm around Christy. "I want her to have the perfect wedding."
They'd already booked the church and had recently been handling pre-wedding preparations, even designing the invitations.
Watching the couple's affection, Marcus couldn't help but shiver dramatically.
"Alright, you two are getting too sweet for me. If you need anything for the wedding, just let me know."
Steve was equally bemused. He'd expected his old friend to have changed after 70 years.
But Bucky hadn't changed much at all. Apart from the metal arm, the biggest difference was his dedication—he was no longer the "ladies' man" of their youth. That transformation, Steve suspected, was Christy's influence.
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