SHIFTER ─ marvel

IX. Cappuccinos And Case Files

Chapter Nine
Soroya

"Any luck?" I ask Shuri as I walk into her lab. Bucky is following closely behind me, as is Alex. In the lab, Shuri and Okoye are both reading through HYDRA files on the internet, trying to find any word of another shapeshifter besides Alex and I. Khari and T'Challa are searching through the physical files Bucky and I stole while on the run together, trying to see if we missed something.

Shuri turns her head towards me, shaking her head. "No. Not a word of another shapeshifter. Theres a couple of files on Alex, but besides that they're all about you."

"Okoye?"

She shakes her head as well. "Nothing. What did the chief say?"

I cross my arms and lean against one of Shuri's working counters. "I told him that the woman who killed those people was a shapeshifter and to come back to me if another attack happens. He said he'd let me know if there's a new development."

Khari drops the files on the counter I'm leaning on, resting his arms against his spear. "There's nothing in there about another shapeshifter...that was very hard to read, Soroya," Khari says, his eyes very distressed. "You never told me all the things those people did to you. I am beginning to feel nauseous."

I grip his hand, glancing at T'Challa, who has the same distressful look. "It was a long time ago, don't get upset about it."

Nakia makes her way into the room, her face as disappointed as everyone else's are. "I asked our spies if they had heard anything, but they came up with nothing. I'm sorry."

I shake my head at her. "Don't worry about it. I asked her if she was with HYDRA and she said no...but she seemed annoyed when I mentioned them. So I don't believe she's telling the truth. Or at least she isn't with HYDRA anymore, but I think she used to."

"It would be easier if we had a name." Bucky mutters. He's leaning against the wall near where T'Challa and Nakia stand. He's actively avoiding my gaze, starring fixedly at the floor.

"Is there anyone else that could help us look?" Alex asks, making his way over towards Khari and I. "Use some of those Avengers connections."

An idea pops into my head. I take my phone out of my pocket, going into contacts.

"Who are you calling?" Bucky asks, his stern eyes filling with slight curiosity.

I press the call button and smile at him. "An Avenger who can help us."

-

A couple hours later, Alex, Bucky, Khari, and I are stepping off the ship and onto the street outside Rhodey's house. It felt good to be back in New York. Over the last few years, this chaotic bustling city had become a second home to me. I have begun really missing the Avengers compound. I hope that pretty soon we'll start to rebuild a new headquarters.

Bucky seems happy to be back in New York as well, though he isn't in the mood at the moment for feeling nostalgic. He has been angry with me all day for leaving in the middle of the night to confront the other shapeshifter. He's barely spoken to me since it happened. I wanted to talk it through with him, but we had to a job to do right now. I hate seeing him angry with me though.