"Wakanda? Where is that?" Cosima asked. She erased what Steve had told her and pretended like it never happened.
"Didn't Hydra teach you anything?" Natasha asked, rolling her eyes a little.
"It's in Africa. A rather secret nation," Tony stated. He turned to Bruce to answer his question. "What comes out of Wakanda? The strongest metal on Earth."
Everyone turned around to look at Steve's shield. "Where is this guy now?" Steve asked.
"Um ... about that. We lost contact a while ago. He said he had more important things to be doing than hanging around for me to say yes," Tony admitted.
"So you don't know where this guy is?" Steve asked. Tony shook his head. "Guess we've got more digging to do."
Cosima was standing at the computer that Bruce had been at. She recognised the man - Ulysses Klaue. Where had she seen him? On a ship. There was no water around it. They were negotiating some deal - Stryker and Klaue. What was it about? Cosima tried to remember, but the thoughts slipped out of her mind. He was on some coast. Probably near Africa. This was an associate of Stryker, and she knew of one on the coast of Africa. She thought that might be him.
But that would be giving up some Hydra information, and she had agreed not to. She was tearing herself apart. She spread her wings out slightly and then retracted them in. It helped her think these last few days without the memory-wiping machine. Why would she want to tell them? Ultron might be there. And she wanted to kill the robot for almost killing her - and for killing Stryker. But these were Hydra secrets. Maybe they would delve deeper and find more about Hydra operations all over the countries. They would shut them down and then she would have no-one to go to.
Only problem was, she had no-one to go to.
Telling the Avengers seemed better than not telling them. She could avenge her prized trainer and mentor and remember him respectively.
"He's on the African coast," Cosima said aloud into the room.
"What?" Thor asked.
"Klaue's on the African coast," she said in a more confident tone.
"How can we trust that?" Bruce asked. "How do we know you're not lying."
"The African coast does ring a bell," Tony said.
"But how do you know?" Bruce asked. "Did you meet him before?"
"Yep," Cosima said. She felt the room immediately judge her. It radiated from them like the rays of sunshine radiate to the dark of space - Cosima.
"Do they dabble in vibranium?" Steve asked.
"No-one uses the word dabble anymore Steve," Tony whispered, almost inaudible, but Cosima picked it up.
"I don't know. I can't remember. But they were negotiating deals on something. It could have been."
"We should try there. It's a lead," Steve said.
"I'll get the quinjet started," Clint said, leaving the room and immediately getting his phone out.
"Let's go," Cosima said, following Clint, but Thor stuck out his arm.
"She is not going with us," he said.
"Why? Why shouldn't I go?"
"You were with Hydra for goodness sake! None of us trust you if you haven't noticed," Natasha said, coming out a little harsher than she wanted.
"I get it," Cosima said.
"Stay in your room until we come back," Tony said. "I'll have Hill send me daily updates on what you're doing. So don't destroy the place."
"Got it," Cosima said. She faked being a little sad. She trudged out of the room so it looked real. She waited in her room until she saw the quinjet zoom through the sky.
She then opened her window and stood on the ledge. She let the little wind blow in her face and through her hair. This was what being free was for - the risks and hazards. Cosima edged forward a little. Finally she jumped.
She started falling gracefully down the side of the Avengers tower head first. She loved this moment - the moment before she spread her wings. It made her feel alive and incredible. Before she reached the bottom, she spread her ebony wings and was lifted high into the cloudless sky. Cosima had to admit that it was beautiful - more beautiful than she had ever seen before. She actually smiled for once. A genuine, real smile flashed on her lips. She thought it felt good, but she wouldn't admit that.
"Wait. Where's the quinjet?" She had lost the one thing that she was supposed to follow. She knew Africa was to her south-east, so she headed that way. Her direction was perfect, and she knew where she was going.
After about an hour and twelve minutes of flying, she finally found the quinjet. She flew underneath it and would emerge just after they all came out.
In her heart, she was worrying if they would be angry, but she couldn't understand why. And she didn't have time.
She kept flying.