Blood Debt - The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Bucky x Zemo)

Chapter 14

"I don't mean to complain, but I do much prefer my jet."

The military plane they were seated on certainly did have less amenities than Zemo's.They were strapped to the bulkhead, in seats meant for troop transport.

Bucky and Zemo sat next to each other, and Sam sat across from them. Sam hadn't said much since Bucky requested they go to Wakanda instead of back to the Raft, but his facial expression and body language radiated disapproval.

Zemo never could let silence ride, so he started talking again when it became apparent that neither man was going to engage with him. "Not that I am not grateful for a delay of my return to the Raft. But it seems...to be a poorly calculated strategy to bring me to Wakanda. Not only for the safety of my person, but for your own relationship with them."

Sam looked from Zemo, over to Bucky, eyebrows arching. "He's got a point," he said tightly.

Bucky sat leaning forward, as far as the straps would allow. He had been thinking about this for some time, and he knew that no one around him would agree with his decision. He knew Sam was acting on faith and nothing else. He almost expected the other man to refuse to fly them to Wakanda, and they'd have to find their own way there.

Bucky really shouldn't have been surprised, after all they had been through, that Sam would trust him. The fact that he was, said volumes about his own lingering brokenness.

"You'll both just have to trust me," said Bucky.

And to his surprise, that seemed to be enough for both Zemo and Sam.

---

Most of the rest of the flight to Wakanda was spent in silence. At one point, Zemo dozed off. Bucky very gently pulled him towards him so the other man's head rested on his shoulder.

That definitely renewed Sam's look of disapproval.

Bucky refused to apologize or explain as the Sokovian dozed against his shoulder, his beard tickling his collar, warm breath exhaling against his cheek.

It made the rest of the flight awkward. But thankfully, there was only an hour or so left at that point when the plane touched down.

Bucky undid his straps. Sam did the same, and Zemo, drowsily followed suit.

Bucky held out a hand towards both of them. "Stay here. I want to have a word with T'Challa first."

---

"You brought him here ?" General Okoye was a formidable woman when she was at-rest. When she was angry, she was very intimidating, even to a seasoned and augmented soldier like Bucky.

As before, T'Challa received him as a friend rather than a dignitary or government official. That meant a smaller antechamber that served as the King's office, and not the throne room. The Black Panther looked calmer than his general at the news of Zemo on their soil.

"Zemo was instrumental in helping me get this." Bucky pulled out a jump drive identical to the one he gave Sam. "It's a copy of the virus. I'm sure Shuri will find a way to counteract it quickly. They have devices that transmit the code to your technology. Then they have devices that emit a frequency that activates it."

T'Challa nodded to one of the Dora at his side. She stepped up and took it from Bucky. "Take this to my sister right away."

The guard saluted with arms crossing her chest, and then left the room.

"This only proves that you were right to ask for his help, Barnes. Not why you have brought him to Wakanda." T'Challa's voice was even, thoughtful.

Okoye on the other hand, was clearly biting her tongue, hard .

"He can still help. He knows the black market more than anyone, even if he hasn't been in it for years. But it's kind of a pain in the ass to go all the way out to the Raft every time we need his input on something." Bucky grinned a little lopsidedly. "And we may need him in the field again."

"Again, this does not explain why you have brought that man to our country. The fact that he continues to draw breath is an insult to the memory of King T'Chaka. You would be very fortunate to take him..."

"Okoye..." said T'Challa in a calm tone, a hand held up towards her. "Please. Continue," he said to Bucky.

"Zemo wants to die. And if he goes back to the Raft, he'll find a way to. I'm sure of it." Bucky felt a sharp stab in the pit of his stomach as he said those words aloud. "When I finally broke my programming with your help, I was going through a lot of what he's going through. And I don't think he was in control of himself much more than I was when I did the things I did. You both know what grief does to a person." He looked from Okoye, to the king. "And you saw it yourself, years ago. He needs a reason to live. But he also needs to make amends."

"I'm asking you to speak to him. Let him apologize to you. And if you believe he's sincere in his remorse, then all I ask is that you don't object to the proposal I want to put to the UN and to SWORD."

Okoye continued to silently fume, but she was deferring to her king.

T'Challa was quiet for a long moment, but in a thoughtful, regal way.

"Bring him in."