[616] ground zero for trouble

[daughterofliberty]

"Remember, Nick," she calls, buckling the utility belt of her suit. "I've got years of vacation time saved up. You owe me. After this, I'm taking five whole days in Virginia with Steve, and no one is going to bother us. Right?"

Fury scoffs, and she turns a gimlet eye on him. "Right?"

"Right," he says, holding up his hands in surrender. "Hell, Carter, it's not like the rest of the Avengers and SHIELD aren't around to pick up the slack. Go! You crazy kids have fun. Send a postcard. Let your hair down a little. You've been tense as a wire ever since – "

"I wonder why," she snaps, and he shakes his head. 

"Just saying," he says, as Tony Stark sniggers behind him. Sharon waves them both off, an unruly smile tugging at her mouth.

"I'll check in once I've made contact," she says. "Steve should be waiting for me at the rendezvous."

"Good luck, Agent Carter," Tony says, and she tosses him a crisp half-salute, then heads through the hatch towards the hangar that holds her vehicle: not the Quinjet, not for a mission this small, but the cherry-red convertible that hovers as she enters and taps out the activation code. "Come on, baby," she tells it. "Let's go for a ride."

But when she reaches the rendezvous at Avengers Tower and strides through the door, Steve's nowhere to be seen. 

And, honestly? Neither is the Avengers Tower.

Comments

[marvel_npc]

"Then we have a little time," T'Challa says. "To plan."

And for the White Wolf to rest, if he can. T'Challa feels a pang of misgiving – if this mission leads to only more disappointment, what will that do to his friend? – but he shakes it off. There is no room for second-guessing.

He looks at Shuri, who nods. "I will have everything ready," she says. "Come back here when Captain Rogers arrives."

T'Challa nods back and goes to the White Wolf, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I will walk with you to the hut by the lake," he says.

"And we will discuss the best approach."

[nerves_of_ice]

He opens his mouth to say it's not necessary, that they can wait and plan there in the lab to save time, and shuts it again without protest. He has to stay rational about this; has to do everything he can to ensure mission success, including making sure he's ready in every way. Sharon's life might depend on it.

Instead, he nods, and turns to fall in at T'Challa's side. "We can't go in hot," he says, as they walk.

No matter how much he might want to.

"How much do you know about Madripoor?"

[marvel_npc]

T'Challa shakes his head, walking with long, measured strides, his hands clasped behind his back. "Nothing first hand," he says. "Nakia has told me of it. She has operated there in the past. I believe Agent Ross is quite familiar with the place, as well."

That last is said with a questioning air: no doubt Agent Ross would be more than willing to assist, but he as yet is unaware of the White Wolf's true identity. "I know that it is a lawless place, and that we will have to be on our guard."

He glances at the White Wolf as they board the waiting train. "Do you have reason to believe that, if she survived, she is yet in danger?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes." It's very, very flat. "Madripoor's a cesspit. I don't know how many criminal organizations operate out of there, but it's a lot. If she's alive, working her way into one of them to find the weapons smugglers, without support..."

He shakes his head. After a moment's grim consideration, he glances at T'Challa.

"The Winter Soldier's known there."

[marvel_npc]

T'Challa considers him for a long, thoughtful moment.

"And yet would cause quite a stir by appearing in the company of Captain America and the King of Wakanda," he muses.

"...White Wolf, are you certain you are prepared to once again take on the persona you have worked so hard to shed?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"For this?" Bucky meets his gaze and holds it. The shadows in his own are bleak, but his determination is clear.

"Yes."

[marvel_npc]

T'Challa sighs, inwardly, but nods, his own gaze steady and clear.

"In that case, I will ask Nakia how we might best be able to leverage the Winter Soldier," he says. "I believe she still has come contacts in Madripoor, as well."

[nerves_of_ice]

He struggles with it for only a few moments before he says, quietly, "She could coordinate with Natasha. She's ex-SHIELD; she knows Fury well, and she knows the capabilities of the Winter Soldier, too."

[marvel_npc]

T'Challa nods. "Her knowledge and perspective may be invaluable," he agrees. "I will contact Captain Rogers and request a consultation."

He only hesitates briefly before adding: "And I suggest contacting Everett Ross. He has been working the illegal weapons trade as well; he may have intel we can use."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Up to you," he says, quietly, as they leave the train. Bucky hesitates before taking the side path, looking to see which way T'Challa wants to go.

"He's going to be mad as hell when he finds out you've been sheltering the Winter Soldier."

[marvel_npc]

"I have done no such thing," T'Challa replies, calmly joining him on the side path.

"The Winter Soldier has not been seen or heard from for over a year now."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky glances over at him.

"You know he's not going to see it that way."

[marvel_npc]

"Then we will see if Everett Ross is truly the man I believe him to be, or if he will disappoint me," T'Challa says, walking at Bucky's side.

"But I believe his concern for a woman who was previously his most trusted subordinate and his friendship with myself will prevail."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky nods. "Your call." He'll stand by it.

And if the price of this is that he ends up back with the JTTF as Ross's prisoner, to protect Wakanda, to save Sharon, he'll pay it.

[marvel_npc]

"White Wolf," T'Challa says.

"I will not risk you while attempting to save Sharon Carter. Whatever Everett Ross decides he must do, I will deal with it."

[nerves_of_ice]

Soft and certain: "I know." Bucky looks over at him as they draw near the hut by the lake.

"Steve told me what you said to him, after I went under the first time here."

[marvel_npc]

"And it still stands."

He halts a little ways from the hut to look out over the lake, thinking back to the terrible day weeks before when he had last stood here, grim news hanging heavy on his head and heart. "It will be a little while before Captain Rogers returns," he notes, gently.

"I suggest you take this time to rest and prepare yourself, White Wolf. We will gather to plan once all have arrived."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I know. Just like you know I don’t want to cause trouble for you.”

He stops beside T’Challa, looking at the hut. “I won’t be able to sleep. But I’ll try to rest, at least.”

[marvel_npc]

T'Challa nods and puts a warm, firm hand on Bucky's shoulder.

"If she is there to be found, we will find her," he promises. "I give you my word."

He pats Bucky's shoulder and lifts his hand away. "I will send for you when Captain Rogers approaches. Until then, rest as well as you can, White Wolf. Things will move quickly once we begin."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods back and makes his way into the hut. For the first time in weeks it doesn’t cause a stab of pain to do so.

Bucky sits down on the bed and picks up the neatly-folded green throw he’s been using as a pillow and presses it to his face. “Hold on, angel,” he whispers. “I’m coming.”

[marvel_npc]

He doesn't begrudge the extra time it takes to return, pick up Nat and Sam, and turn around again, but it thrums through him anyway: what if we're already too late?

Of the three of them, Natasha is the most calm; she spends a good part of the flight in conversation with Nakia, discussing the best angles of approach, the various teams they can put together and the pros and cons of each. If she's feeling hopeful, she has it tamped down hard; her voice is as steady and even as ever.

For his part, Sam sticks with Steve, keeping him from falling prey to swirling worries and impatience. They stay busy by taking inventory of every thing that might possibly be useful in the jet, by fiddling with Redwing's controls, trying to get the most out of its range.

When they land, King T'Challa, Nakia, and Okoye are there to great them; Sam and Natasha head off with the king, already speaking low and fast, but Steve waves them off.

"I'll get him," he insists, when T'Challa offers to send a Dora down to the hut by the lake. "Start without us; we'll be right there."

He's hardly finished and doesn't wait for T'Challa's nod of acquiescence before he's heading at top speed for the hut by the lake, arriving slightly out of breath before he knocks.

"Buck? You here?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He’d been right; he hadn’t been able to sleep. Instead, Bucky had taken the time to wash his hair, and to shave, thinking through possibilities and angles all the while.

He does finally lie down, staring at the roof of the hut, only to be on his feet the instant he hears Steve’s voice.

“I’m here.” He pulls the door open and looks at his best friend. “Thanks for coming.”

[marvel_npc]

The hut by the lake has been a quiet, grim place for the last few weeks. If Steve had been haunted by memories of laughter and games and warm candlelight, he could only imagine how it must have gnawed on his best friend. He's not sure what to expect when the door opens: Bucky had been exhausted and drawn this morning; had been wild and insistent during their short call.

It's a relief beyond words to see the freshly-washed and shaved man who opens the door, and if Bucky's eyes aren't quite as clear as Steve might want, at least they've lost the hopeless bleakness that's all he's seen in them lately. "I couldn't have stayed away," he says, honestly, and draws his best friend in for a brief but crushing hug.

"Sorry I'm late. I ended up going all the way back to pick up Sam and Nat; they refused to be left out of it, once they heard."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I’m glad they’re here.” He pulls back from the hug and looks at him. “Did T’Challa tell you? Looks like the recording was faked. Shuri took a closer look at it.”

[marvel_npc]

Steve looks a little abashed.

"I came down here as soon as we landed," he admits. "But he was saying something about Shuri to Sam and Nat – that must have been it."

He gives Bucky a close look. "She's sure? It's definitely been tampered with?"