Remnants of Time

Chapter 11

The German Museum of Technology and Science stood on an island in the middle of the Isar, a mighty complex of old architecture and modern structures. Two bridges connected the island with the rest of the city and created a pathway for the hundreds of tourists that enjoyed the warmth of this sunny day.
Disguised with baseball caps and leather jackets, Steve, Bucky, and Sam crossed the street that led to the island in the middle of the river. Sam really hoped no one would recognize them, aware that a baseball cap really wasn't that great for disguise, but Steve insisted he'd had a fair share of missions like this that all went well. Sam just nodded, taking another gulp of his water bottle. Surely, Steve knew what he was doing. He had, after all, been an SSR and a SHIELD agent and if he opted for baseball cap and denim jacket, well, he probably had his reasons. There was one thing the pararescue couldn't shake, however.
"Are you really sure we should take Rebecca with us, man? I mean, if we catch her. We might be the only ones who can help, yeah. But I doubt she wants to come with us. No offense", he sent a quick look over to Bucky, "but Barnes ran after DC. Although, if he'd seen Romanoff, I bet he would've stayed."
Of course, that had been a joke, but Steve frowned. Bad timing.
"Natasha is on a different page than us, so leave her. And yes, Sam, we'll take Rebecca with us. She's his sister, we can't just let her run around like a homeless person."
Sam nodded, sensing that Steve didn't want to discuss anything right now. He didn't like it, this anger that brewed within the blond, but he doubted he'd behave differently after a betrayal like this one. If it was a betrayal. Yes, Sam's mind had been hazed by pain and numbed by alcohol, but he didn't believe Natasha would've left them in her apartment while taking care of business that would somehow oppose Steve's plan.
Maybe Steve was just in pain, maybe he was just exhausted, Sam thought. They all were, the Remnant had tired them out mentally and physically. We shouldn't be here, Sam realized when a shiver of discomfort ran over his back and predicted doom. Damn Steve and his reckless ass.

Mr. Lomawu smiled. Right now, his eyes were completely focused on the screen on the other side of this locked conference room that belonged to the Museum of Technology and Science. The screen relayed everything that happened the basement below. Well. Everything that his asset, the Remnant pointed the hidden camera in the collar of her suit at.
Lawrence didn't dare to tear his gaze from the dark room that was in focus now, with all the obstacles on the ground, old museum inventory, and the apparatus with Zola's new body in there. Nothing was happening at this moment, but he knew the Captain and the Soldier were in the room already, past the guards just like Lawrence had expected.

His agents on the roof had noticed the trio first. Rogers and Barnes were accompanied by Wilson, but Lomawu knew that wouldn't pose a problem. Rogers was the easiest to take down, even with the Wakandan advancements to his suit. In fact, the suit would be the main cause as to why he was easy to take down - Hydra's agents would not waste his abilities by making him enter the basement with them. They listened to Lomawu's orders and Lawrence knew Steve Rogers was a strategist. He'd position the Falcon in the air or on the roof. Also, there was a chance the winged man was not too fond of meeting Zola or the Remnant again, given the nerve-rattling meet and greet they'd had a day ago.
But the Remnant hadn't moved then, she'd stayed in the conference room with her handler. She had chosen to wait, revealing one of her many precious attributes, her astonishing patience that Lomawu considered admirable and scary at the same time.
The calm behavior paired with the cunning instinct that led her every movement at precisely the right moment was just one more thing that pointed at the term "assassin". But unlike other handlers would have in their single-dimensional thinking, Mr. Lomawu had not interfered. He had heard Zola marvel about this asset's potential and during the last weeks, the Wakandan had not once regretted reactivating her from her cryostasis.
Even the lead scientist had warned him about the orders he was supposed to give to her. Never underestimate her. She will follow your orders, but she will find her own way. Don't mess it up while she's at it. Considering the degree of seriousness he faced, Lomawu guessed that other handlers hadn't been that considerate and, in turn, paid with their lives.
He had to admit, he was rather impressed with what she had accomplished so far. While his own thought had circled around Wakanda and the CIA at the same time, she'd performed perfectly in front of the Avengers on the run and the local police, and therefore, drawn all the attention away from his persona. Wakanda and the CIA had no clue what he was really doing. Henderson had bothered him, she and her smart assistant were figuring his game out. But Henderson had been cleared off the playing board and Neesa was taken care of too.
This Hydra asset was special, Lomawu was sure. She'd left him and he could only admire the smoothness of her movements. He had placed his success into her hands and so far, she had exceeded his expectations. Because whatever orders he gave, Lawrence understood that right then, the execution depended on her own mind. It was scrambled, yes, and conditioned to obey, but in the end, it was still filled with innumerable mechanized movement patterns and intuitional knowledge about people and terrain. She knew exactly what to do. The team of scientists had worked overtime to get her ready and prep her for maximum performance. She just needed a goal. And for now, the biggest goal was retrieving the Winter Soldier. Arnim Zola's biggest masterpiece. Also, the Asset was Lomawu's personal guarantee for a top spot in Hydra's upper positions, right underneath Zola's wings, where he belonged.