Guy called Nagel made it for some underworld mobster called the Powerbroker. Tracked him to Madripoor, engaged in the world's shittiest espionage. [ A beat, then softly: ] Nagel was recruited by HYDRA to recreate the serum so they could make more Winter Soldiers. [ And Sam glances at Tony fully here, briefly presses his knee against Tony's lightly in a small gesture of sympathy. Whether you look at this situation through an angle related to the Stark family, to Bucky, or to Isaiah and black people in general - it's all fucked up beyond belief. ] When HYDRA fell, the CIA snatched him up. And they gave him...
[ And this is where Sam stops for a moment, jaw tightening. Then he gets up, arms crossed, walking a few paces. The line of his shoulders is tense. ]
Blood samples. Not Steve's, of course. Nothing based on your father's work either, far as I know. They experimented on a bunch of black soldiers, after Steve. Just guinea pigs, of course. Shit took in one of 'em, so they... [ Sam stops again, takes a deep breath. Isaiah's story isn't an easy one, and he has no desire to share all of it. ] Well, they kept samples of his blood, and erased any trace of the man's existence. The CIA provided Nagel with his blood samples to recreate the serum based on that. He was hovering on a breakthrough. Then Nagel got blipped, came back, found the CIA had terminated their super soldier program. So Nagel gets hired on by the Powerbroker instead, and is able to produce 20 vials of the serum. All of 'em are stolen by the Flagsmashers. The eight members of the inner circle take the serum, hide the remaining vials.
[ Sam falls silent for a moment. It was a mess, the entire situation - and thinking about it makes everything ache all over again. The generational trauma on the one side, and the impossible complicated situation with Karli on the other. The overlap and differences. He shakes his head. ]
They were just kids tryna help people.
[ And perhaps, just maybe, Sam sounds defensive on that note. As if he expects Tony to judge these kids, and makes it clear that he's gonna go to bat for them. And then, with a small frown: ]
Don't worry, Nagel's dead. We wrecked the lab, too. The remaining 12 vials were destroyed - except Walker got his hands on one. He didn't take it when he offered to throw down with me, but he definitely took it after the Dora Milaje wiped the floor with him. Guy was already losing it big time, serum didn't help matters. So his partner dies in a fight with the Flagsmashers, and Walker goes ballistic. Has one of the Flagsmashers yielding and begging for his life. Uses the shield to cave the kids' chest in. Broad daylight, plenty witnesses. Plenty cameras. Wouldn't stand down after, either, so we fight him. Long story short, he got a big ol' slap on the wrist and was stripped of the title.
no subject
[ And this is where Sam stops for a moment, jaw tightening. Then he gets up, arms crossed, walking a few paces. The line of his shoulders is tense. ]
Blood samples. Not Steve's, of course. Nothing based on your father's work either, far as I know. They experimented on a bunch of black soldiers, after Steve. Just guinea pigs, of course. Shit took in one of 'em, so they... [ Sam stops again, takes a deep breath. Isaiah's story isn't an easy one, and he has no desire to share all of it. ] Well, they kept samples of his blood, and erased any trace of the man's existence. The CIA provided Nagel with his blood samples to recreate the serum based on that. He was hovering on a breakthrough. Then Nagel got blipped, came back, found the CIA had terminated their super soldier program. So Nagel gets hired on by the Powerbroker instead, and is able to produce 20 vials of the serum. All of 'em are stolen by the Flagsmashers. The eight members of the inner circle take the serum, hide the remaining vials.
[ Sam falls silent for a moment. It was a mess, the entire situation - and thinking about it makes everything ache all over again. The generational trauma on the one side, and the impossible complicated situation with Karli on the other. The overlap and differences. He shakes his head. ]
They were just kids tryna help people.
[ And perhaps, just maybe, Sam sounds defensive on that note. As if he expects Tony to judge these kids, and makes it clear that he's gonna go to bat for them. And then, with a small frown: ]
Don't worry, Nagel's dead. We wrecked the lab, too. The remaining 12 vials were destroyed - except Walker got his hands on one. He didn't take it when he offered to throw down with me, but he definitely took it after the Dora Milaje wiped the floor with him. Guy was already losing it big time, serum didn't help matters. So
his partner dies in a fight with the Flagsmashers, and Walker goes ballistic. Has one of the Flagsmashers yielding and begging for his life. Uses the shield to cave the kids' chest in. Broad daylight, plenty witnesses. Plenty cameras. Wouldn't stand down after, either, so we fight him. Long story short, he got a big ol' slap on the wrist and was stripped of the title.