(flashback)
When Bucky punched Logan out, he could’a dodged it or blocked it or fought back. But that wouldn’t have gotten him what he wanted. When he did, Captain America asked Bucky what he was doing, that was a fellow soldier, a fellow patriot. Cap then informed the rest of his crew that he wouldn’t tolerate that kind of dissension in his ranks from anyone. Logan remembers thinkin’ then, that with every word Steve said, he sounded weaker an’ weaker. Usin’ words to maintain order in a company of killers – sayin’ what he would an’ wouldn’t stand for instead o’ showin’ it. He could also tell that Cap’s men felt the same way.
Eventually Cap would show them, he’d show them all. Like the time when he took out a tank on his own. But that wasn’t until later. In the meantime, the first order o’ business was getting’ the hell outta where they were and getting’ the hell to where they needed to be. Least, that’s what Cap’s first order o’ business was. Logan’s was already checked off the list.
Captain America tells Logan that they’re on their way to Djerba and asks if he cares to join them. Logan tells him that he will, much to the dismay of Bucky. He then adds that they better get movin’, sun’ll be up soon. From behind them, a voice asks why Djerba. Cap immediately turns but Logan tells him and his soldiers to hold their fire, they’re with him. He then introduces Sergeant Nick Fury to Captain America. Logan thinks back that there it was again. How the hell do you call yourself “Captain America” an’ not have people think it’s a joke? But that’s the thing, though. It wasn’t a joke. Steve Rogers WAS Captain America.
Cap tells Fury that them going to Djerba is classified information. Fury answers okay, but which part is classified? The part about Baron Von Strucker being there? One of his soldiers adds or the wee bit about how he’s settin’ up his own paramilitary operation there, unbeknownst to Der Fuhrer? Captain America and Bucky react to this revelation with great surprise.
Logan’s reaction – surprised as well but for different reasons. He wonders if this whole thing with Strucker has anything to do with what went down in Madripoor. ‘Course it did. When it comes to this kind o’ stuff, almost nothin’ is ever a coincidence. Strucker was puttin’ together his own outfit – that much was plain. An’ in preparation, he was reachin’ out, makin’ alliances – tryin’ to solidify power before he made his big move. But “Romulus,” the guy who was givin’ him, Seraph, an’ Natalia their orders, obviously didn’t want him to make that move. That was why the Hand got themselves slapped, and one of their leaders killed by Logan’s own hand.
Evidently, the Hand an’ “them” had an arrangement of some kind. An arrangement that Strucker was lookin’ to trump, an’ the Hand was about to take him up on it. It was a gutsy move. It made him wonder what else he’d been up to. ‘Cause whatever it was, it sure as hell got under the skin of the American government – they hadn’t even declared war yet an’ there they were, sending in not only American soldiers but Captain America himself. An’ the really odd part, they didn’t even bother to tell him why.
Captain America proceeds to ask Fury Strucker and how he got his information. Fury asks him if he really wants to know. Cap answers yes, but Bucky chimes in no. They just need to know when the last train to Budapest leaves the station. Fury informs him that the last train leaves the station promptly at ten. Bucky asks if they have their tickets. Fury tells him that he does, his companions do not. Bucky tells him let’s talk and leads him and Cap away from Logan and the rest of their company.
Away from everybody else, they tried to keep their voices down, but Logan with his sense o’ hearin’ could hear them clearly. Cap tells Bucky that he doesn’t like to be kept in the dark; he’s told him that before. Bucky replies that there are some aspects of some missions that he just can’t be privy to, that comes from the top. Their mission there in Tunisia is to engage Rommel’s Rear Guard, risking few or no casualties, then with the battle won, accept the “surrender” of Major Hans Guetter, their turncoat inside Rommel’s forces. After that, they’re to escort him back to London for debriefing. That’s it. He then tells Cap that they need to give the men faith in him as a leader; that is the only way.
Cap inquires how Strucker figures into all of this. Bucky tells him that he doesn’t – their mission has nothing to do with Strucker. Cap says “their” mission doesn’t, but his does, right. He then asks Bucky that he doesn’t have a problem with that? Bucky tells him that he doesn’t question his orders. Back then, neither did Logan.
When Bucky, Fury, and Cap rejoin their crew, Fury tells his crew that he’s going with them. They’ll rendezvous in one week at the usual place. Cap then yells out to his crew to gear up and move out. They’re proceeding on to their objective point. When his crew doesn’t move, Bucky kicks their bags and yells at them that they heard the Captain. Get off their sorry butts and get moving. Now, dammit! Upon hearing that, Cap tells Bucky to watch his temper and his language. Thinking back, Logan laughs to himself. Yeah, he actually said that while stranded in the middle of the Tunisian desert.
As Captain America leads Fury, Bucky, Logan and the rest of his crew through the desert, Logan wonders if Bucky was one of Romulus’ operatives, too. It made sense. He had what it took to get the job done. Any job. He was a lot like him. Guess that’s why they didn’t get along. Cap an’ Fury seemed to hit it off, though. Cap asks Fury how he knew Logan. Fury tells him that their mothers were in the same sewing circle. Cap answers that he finds that hard to believe. Fury asks what, that Logan has a mother? Cap only smiles at that response. Fury then asks him why he doesn’t carry a weapon. Cap replies that he does and points to the shield on his back. Fury asks a shield?? Cap informs him that used creatively, it’s both a defensive and an offensive weapon but no one realizes that which is what makes it so effective. Fury contemplates that and repeats the word “shield.”
As they continue to trek through the desert, Logan remembers that a man once told him that the only difference between the middle of the ocean an’ the middle of the desert is that one’s wet an’ the others dry. Other than that, there ain’t no difference at all. He recalls that ‘bout halfway through the march, the men started droppin’. Noticing that, Cap orders his company to halt. Heading back towards the fallen soldier, Cap asks him where his cover (hat) is. The soldier answers that he lost it in the crash. Cap gives him his shield and tells him to hold it over his head, it’ll block the heat. He then assures him that he’ll be fine, he promises. Cap then tells the soldiers that are still standing to pick up the bags of those that weren’t doing so good while picking up a few on his own.
Logan never thought twice about pickin’ up the pack, he just did it because Cap told him to. That was when he first started to see Steve Rogers as what he actually was. After Djerba, everybody knew. When they got there that night, Logan, Fury, Bucky and Cap are overlooking their targets. Cap tells them that they will be attacking at first light. Fury queries as to what the approach will be. Cap informs Fury that he and his squad will take the left flank while Logan takes the right. He will be going up the middle, hard and fast. Logan realizes that in the confusion, Bucky would slip out an’ pull Strucker’s plug.
The next morning, Cap hit the targets like a freight train on fire. Logan an’ Fury didn’t so much charge in as chase after him, pickin’ up the pieces. If the goal was to make Cap look good in front of his men, well mission accomplished. Once they took care of business, Cap and Logan approach Hans Guettzer, who promptly surrenders to them. Cap tells Hans to surrender to Logan and proceeds to walk away. He then got in a jeep and went after Bucky. With Cap gone, Hans tells Logan that he has information of Rommel’s… Logan tells him who cares, he’s still a @#$in’ Nazi and points his pistol at Han’s head.
At that moment, Fury appears and tells Logan that Hans is useful. Hans admits that he is but Fury shuts him up by punching him out. He then orders his crew to proceed to the evac point and to take the piece of $#*# turncoat with them. Once there they are to wait for word from their Captain. With that taken care of, Fury goes to ask Logan if he wants to… Looking around he sees that there is nobody around.
Logan has already gotten into a jeep and taken off down the road. His orders were to stick close to Captain America an’ see what he could find out about him, but there was more he wanted to know. Like why was Natalia ordered to grease the leader of the Hand when she could’ve taken out Strucker an’ ended the whole thing. An’ if this kid Bucky was “one of them” why was he tapped to give Strucker his pink slip when he was already there, in-country. With the town looming in the distance getting larger, he was determined to find out.
