[ Maybe Steve should have been prepared for that answer, but he isn't. It's not like Viktor could have anticipated that he was going to wander by and be able to join him in this. Had he thought about reaching out to him or to Sam, but thought better of it for some reason? Or maybe he's not thinking clearly at all right now, too stunned by the thing he was dreading for so long finally becoming a reality.

Steve heaves out a sigh and sends a glance around the room, eyeing the line of people also sitting and waiting. It's probably going to be another hour or two, but he's stubborn enough to wait. ]

I guess the first step is to confront them about it. Which might not do much, but it could give you a shred of agency in the situation.

[ It's preferable to doing nothing, anyway. ]

... Anything more than that, we probably shouldn't discuss here.

[ But it's not going to stop unless real action is taken. And even then, it might be too late, though Steve isn't one to immediately jump to a defeatist attitude. ]