Chapter Twenty-Three:
Soroya
Today was my first day of working with Okoye. We met the Jabari warriors, led by Khari, just at the border. The amount of Border Tribesmen left from Killmonger's reign was down to about a third of what it once was. So, Khari and I were in charge of selecting Jabari warriors to pick up the duties of the missing members.
A lot of the people living near the border didn't like the Jabari being so close. Khari and I could sense that, so we set up a small gathering to allow the Wakandans to meet some of the Jabari. It helped that Khari was there, since he was the leader of the entire Jabari army. Once people saw how warm and friendly he was, they were less scared of the others.
Okoye and the other Dora Milaje helped teach the Jabari about our weapons once they got their new positions on the border. I can tell she enjoys the job, probably welcoming any distraction.
We quickly formed a routine; go to the next border position, pick Jabari warriors, try to relax the Wakandans, then let Okoye teach them about weapons. At the third border position, while the other Jabari were interacting with the local Wakandans, Khari and I decided to take a break. We sit on a log a few yards away from the others.
"You're a natural at this," I say bumping my shoulder with his. "You're a born leader."
He smiles at me, looking back at the Jabari warriors, watching them laughing with some children who came to meet them. "This is everything I've ever wanted for my country. I'm just happy to help."
We both stay silent for a minute, before a question comes from Khari. By the sound of his voice, he has been wanting to ask this for some time now. "When you both came back...your brother seemed different. Not as...well not his usual self. Why is that?"
I turn to face him a little more. "He said that after seeing what a monster Killmonger is, he wanted to change how he viewed others because he fears becoming like him."
That was not the answer Khari was expecting. He looks surprisingly sad, maybe even guilty. "In the name of Hanuman," he mutters. "I am so sorry, this is all my fault. I kept telling him he should open up to others more and not act out of fear of getting hurt, I never meant—"
"Khari! Khari it isn't your fault!" I say, placing a hand on his arm. "He drew parallels to Killmonger on his own. In fact, Alex said a huge reason why he wanted to change was because of you. Because of seeing your influence on people and how good of a person you are."
Khari looks at a lost for words. From the moment I met him I could tell how he felt about my brother, but it's in this moment I see how much. "He said that?"
I nod. I can see a wide grin spread on his face, and it makes me happier than words could express. If I could pick anyone to be with my brother, it would be Khari.
Khari adds after a moment. "I wanted to tell you, that I'm truly sorry about what happened to your parents. Alex told me before you both left...I can't even imagine."
I squeeze his hand. "Thank you. You talk to your mother and father often?"
He nods. "Whenever I have time off from my duties I try to see them. They're more than thrilled about what's happening between the Jabari and the rest of Wakanda. She baked me a cake to celebrate me becoming a General."
I feel my mouth water. I don't think I've had cake since HYDRA. "What flavor?"
"Vanilla with strawberry icing. And my parents hate deserts, so I got it all to myself."
I groan, half in hunger and half in jealousy. "That's one of the few times not having a sibling is really lovely. Whenever it was my birthday I would have to fight Alex to get a piece of my own cake."
"Did you win those fights?"
"After threatening to break his toy trains while he slept, yes, I would win."
This makes us both laugh, just as we hear laughter coming from the other Jabari warriors. Khari glances at them and then back at me. "We should probably go back."
I sigh, nodding my head. "Wouldn't want to miss out on the all fun." I say, before we walk back towards the two peoples getting along at last.
-
When the sun began to set, Shuri contacted me on my Kimoyo Beads, asking for me to come to her lab. Khari said we were done for today and that he would stay here while Okoye wrapped up.
Nodding to him in thanks, I change into a falcon and fly to the lab. I don't bothering to change back until I am down the stairs and in the main level. As I shift back, I pass by Bucky's cryo tank, running my hands gently across it as I walk towards Shuri.
She hears me approaching and forces a smile, looking utterly exhausted.
"You should get some sleep." I tell her, sitting down at the table in front of her, she follows suit.
"I can't sleep. I have too much work to do, which is part of why I called you here."
I shake my head. "I won't be much help with the trains."
She waves her hand at me. "No, no not for the trains. I called you here, because I think I am getting close to figuring out how to help your Sergeant Barnes."
My heart beat quickens. "Really?"
She nods. "For the past few weeks I've been reading about the mind and the different waves and circuits that goes with it. I have now determined there isn't anything physical I can do to his mind."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't do surgery or extract anything from his brain. In order to heal him I'll have to implant something in."
"Any ideas?"
Shuri smiles at me. "That's what you're here for."
Now I'm lost. "I'm not a scientist, Shuri. What could you need me for?"
"I don't know the specifics on what happened to him. You do. I need to know what HYDRA did to him in order to create something to undo it."
That made sense. I wanted to help in any way I could to help Bucky. But I really try not to think of what HYDRA did to him. The only hatred I hold in my heart is for Emma Becker; for what she caused my family. And for Arnim Zola; for what he did to Bucky.
Shuri sees my discomfort and moves around the table, taking a seat next to me and placing her hand on mine. "I know it isn't a pretty subject, but in order to get him back, it's something you need to tell me."
I look back to the other side of the lab, where Bucky's cryo chamber lies, nodding my head to her.
"He fell off the side of a train while on a mission in 1944. The serum HYDRA had given him helped him survive that fall, and that's when a man named Arnim Zola took him. He gave him the metal arm, but he also tried to brainwash him the old fashioned way. He told me he remembered for a couple years they would do psychological torture and would beat him."
I take a deep breath, feeling anger rise in me, feeling my chest grow rather tight. Shuri waits patiently for me to continue, and after another moment, I do.
"When that method didn't work, they used an electrical chair. The chair strapped his arms and legs down, while these metal plates would press against his head; one around the left side of his skull and the other right above his right eye. They used this to wipe his mind and then they created passwords. When someone said the passwords it would trigger the reprogramming and it's how people control him."
Shuri has been writing down every word I say. When I finish, she doesn't put her pencil down, she asks me: "What are the passwords?"
Bucky told me this too. Even now when I heard some of these words they made my skin crawl. "They're in Russian."
"Then can you do me a favor and speak them into my Kimoyo Beads." She says, pressing on one of them, and a recording device comes up.
I lean forward, closing my eyes as I say in Russian: "Longing. Rusted. Seventeen. Daybreak. Furnace. Nine. Benign. Homecoming. One. Freight Car."
Shuri shuts the recording down, squeezing my hand. "I'm sorry, but I needed that information."
I shake my head. "I know, I just...I hate thinking about what they did to him. It makes me angry."
"Rightfully so," She says, making her way back to the other side of the table. "But don't worry. I'm sure I'll figure out what to do in no time. Soon, he'll be back by your side."
I feel myself getting excited at the very thought and the smile that spreads over my face is automatic. "You don't have to rush anything though, Shuri. I don't want you to overwork yourself."
She scoffs. "I can handle the work load. I promised I would help him. Besides, you're my friend and I want you to be happy. I know that happiness includes Sergeant Barnes."
She's right, it does. "I am eternally grateful for all you've done for me. How can I ever repay you?"
A mischievous smile comes over her face. "Well..you could keep me company down here while I work at night...and maybe watch another movie with me tonight."
I let out an exaggerated sigh. "What movie?"
The mischief doesn't leave her smile. "The Notebook."
"What's that one about?"
"Oh you'll love it. It's a romance movie, it's set mostly in the 40's and it has Ryan Gosling in it."
I raise my eyebrows. "Whose Ryan Gosling?"
She extends her hand out to me. "Oh, you'll see." She says. With a shake of my head, knowing I'll regret this, I take her hand, letting her excitedly lead me out of the lab.