Venus | James B. Barnes✔️

xxix. 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚛

STEVE, EVELYN, and Natasha walked forward to Jasper Sitwell. Steve shoved him toward the edge, wasting no time in gripping his suit jacket with a glare hardened on his face. Evelyn crossed her arms over her chest while she shared a glance with Natasha. Both women smirked slightly as Sitwell's scared expression.

"Tell me about Zola's algorithm," Steve demanded.

Sitwell let out a wry laugh. "Never heard of it."

"What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?"

"I was throwing up, I get seasick." Steve forced Sitwell to the edge of the rooftop, leaning him over it. Sitwell simply smiled. "Is this little display meant to insinuate that you're gonna throw me off the roof? Because it's really not your style, Rogers."

Steve nodded. "You're right. It's not. It's hers." Steve stepped aside as Natasha easily kicked Sitwell off the roof. Evelyn smirked as they listened to him scream while plummeting down.

Natasha turned to look at Steve. "Oh, wait. What about that girl from accounting, Laura—?"

"Lillian. Lip piercing, right?" Steve asked, pointing at his own lip.

"Yeah, she's cute," Evelyn agreed with a smirk.

Steve gave her a look. "Yeah, I'm not ready for that."

Evelyn followed Sam's figure as he suddenly appeared, flying over them with Sitwell in his arms. When he threw Sitwell on the roof, he landed—allowing his wings to close.

As the trio walked forward to Sitwell, the man rose his hands in surrender. "Zola's algorithm is a program!" Sitwell yelled causing them to pause. "For choosing Insight's targets!"

"What targets?" Steve asked.

"You!" Sitwell yelled. "Both Starks. A TV anchor in Cairo, the Undersecretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa city. Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to Hydra! Now, or in the future."

"The Future? How could it know?"

Sitwell laughed mockingly. "How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught Hydra how to read it." Steve and Natasha looked at him in confusion. Evelyn was catching on faster. "Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores."

Evelyn looked at Steve. "Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future," she finished, realizing what was happening.

"And what then?" Steve asked.

"Oh, my God. Pierce is gonna kill me," Sitwell murmured.

"If he doesn't, I will," Evelyn promised with a tight smile.

"What then!?" Steve yelled, shoving Sitwell again.

Sitwell glanced at her. "Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time."

Evelyn scoffed. "We need to go," Evelyn said right away. "If it's launching soon, then—"

"We don't have much time to plan," Natasha finished. "She's right. Let's take him."

Sitwell began to complain as they pulled him along. Once in Sam's car, Evelyn was sat in the middle between Sitwell and Natasha. Steve and Sam sat in the front as they began their drive to the Triskelion. There was not much time to think or do anything else. They had to stop the launch.

"Hydra doesn't like leaks," Sitwell said after a moment of terse silence.

Sam looked at him in the mirror. "So, why don't you try sticking a cork in it."