iiii. 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 - 𝐭𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐰𝐬

𝟎𝟎𝟕

The peace that had filled Everett and Kashim barely lasted a few hours before Everett's phone started ringing. Green eyes met brown ones as Everett answered the call.

"Hello?"

Kashim watched her expression darken as she listened to the person on the other end. The corners of her mouth turned down and her eyes lowered to her feet. She started biting at her nails as she nodded.

"Yeah, I can do that. I'm bringing a plus one, though. I'm done putting up with you and Bucky by myself."

Kashim smiled softly at her words. Everett had filled him in on the work that she had been doing with Bucky and Sam, and how she wanted him to be by her side. He hadn't hesitated you to say yes.

"Okay. Tell Joaquin we'll be there in 20 minutes."

Everett hung up and placed her phone on the coffee table in front of them. She sighed heavily, leaning her head down onto Kashim's shoulder.

"We have to go again."

Kashim nodded, wrapping his arm around her. "I know. It's okay. The sooner we go, the sooner this all can be over and done with."

Kashim felt her head move up and down. She sat up and met his eyes. "Are you sure about this? Because I don't want to pull you back into this fight just because I'm involved. If you want to stay out, that's totally fine. We'll figure it out."

Kashim shook his head. "No. I just got you back, there's no way in hell I'm gonna let you go fight without being by your side."

A small smile filled Everett's face at his words. "Okay. Let's go, then."

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Everett and Kashim walked the streets of Riga, hand in hand. It was strange to Everett to have Kashim by her side, on her side, after all this time. She had spent a good portion of her life believing that she would only ever get to see Kashim again in her dreams. But here he was, walking by her side, smiling at her in that way only he could.

Kashim watched Everett's green eyes track the ping on her phone. She'd been tracking Sam from the moment they stepped off the plane, and he knew that she was worried. Two of the people closest to her were following a dangerous man around all corners of the world, and she still didn't know why.

Sam had said very little in way of information over the phone, pushing away her questions, telling her that he would explain everything in person.

That did nothing to help ease the anxiety in her stomach.

Kashim paused in front of an old building, staring up at it. Everett stopped, looking at him.

"Is this it?"

Everett looked back down at her phone, realizing they were right in front of Sam's location. She smiled at Kashim, who looked down at her with pride glimmering on his face.

"I would've walked right past it, Kash. Thanks."

He nodded, allowing her to go ahead of him. Everett walked up to the wrought-iron gate in front of the door and banged her fist against it. The metal echoed around them, and the pair glanced at each other.

The door in front of them creaked open to reveal Zemo. A sharp smirk filled his face at the duo standing in front of him.

"Miss Barton. And friend. Welcome to Latvia."