Karma - W. Maximoff

Chapter Fifteen

The first thing Alex did was cry. She sobbed for hours, begging Wanda to open the door, but the witch wouldn't budge. She wanted to take it all back and tell Alex how sorry she felt but she stayed strong, hoping Alex would see her side on the accords.

The second thing Alex did was buy a plane ticket to Vienna.

She knew the risks. She knew that the famous Avenger would have to reveal her real identity to the public. She just didn't care anymore.

"Phoenix! Phoenix!" Crowds of people and reporters called Alex's superhero name as she stepped out of the car. She had her mask on, not planning on taking it down until absolutely necessary.

Alex pushed past them, ignoring all the questions that were fired at her. She made it inside the building, the anxiety in her chest disappearing as she saw the more relaxed atmosphere.

"Ms. Phoenix, could you please sign?" Alex looked up at a woman holding a clipboard. She smiled, looking over the document she was handed. This was it. She only had twenty-four hours before everything on that paper became public.

Alex shook the woman's hand after she had signed. She wanted to take her signature back, but it was already on a legal document. There was nothing she could do.

"Not accompanied to the attention?" A man in a blue suit walked up to her, shaking her hand.

"I wouldn't say so, no."

"Ms. White, is it?"

Alex pulled down her mask. If this man already knew her identity, there was no point in hiding. "How did you know?"

"My name is T'Challa, the Prince of Wakanda. Nothing stays secret long with our technological advances."

Alex immediately led herself into a curtesy, wrinkling her nose at the pain from her stitches. "I am so sorry I didn't recognize you earlier, your highness."

T'Challa laughed and shook his head. "There is no need for that. I have heard great things about your work and I should be thanking you."

Alex smiled at him before an announcement sounded through the room. She said a quick goodbye before making it to a seat in the room.

"When stolen Wakandan vibranium was used to make a terrible weapon we in Wakanda were forced to question our legacy. Those men and women killed in Nigeria were part of a goodwill mission from a country too long in the shadows. We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful to the Avengers for supporting this initiative. Wakanda is proud to extend its hand in peace."

Alex smiled. The speech the king of Wakanda was giving was amazing and she wished she could hear something like it more often. Her thoughts were instead interrupted by screams and the sound of glass breaking behind her.

"Everybody get down!" T'Challa screamed, ducking for cover. Alex had a quick reaction and was luckily able to get under a table, preventing herself from ripping open her stitches.

The building was blown to pieces and was on fire. Alex tried to put out the fire as quickly as she could with her powers but was only causing the fire to grow quicker.

"I mean this is the nicest way possible, Al, but you should get yourself out of the building." Natasha was trying to get people out of the building but kept feeling the flames licking her skin.

Alex only nodded, hobbling her way to the nearest exit. Fire and rescue had already arrived on the scene, someone taking the king of Wakanda in their arms to confirm the death. Everything in that moment felt so surreal.

Alex felt a faint buzzing in her pocket. She pulled out her phone to see Steve's caller ID. "Hello?"

"You all right?"

Alex sat down on a bench, resting her head against a nearby tree. "Yeah, I got lucky."

Alex heard an ambulance whiz by her. She heard the same sound a few seconds delayed on her phone. "Steve, where are you?"

"London."

Alex looked up and spotted Steve with a baseball cap and sunglasses on. He was hiding under a tree, trying to keep a low profile. "Did you change your mind on signing the accords or is there something I don't know?"

Steve sighed, locking eyes with her but not taking another step forward. "Bucky is being framed for the assassination of the king."

"Is he now? And let me guess, you're going after him?"

"In other words, yes. Are you going to arrest me?"

"No." Alex sighed, absentmindedly rubbing her stitched-up side. She really shouldn't, but she needed to help. "Are you going to stop me from coming with you?"