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.
I enter into Rhodey's front door first, with Khari close behind me. Rhodey's house has always felt very quaint and peaceful to me, like those cottages you would see in a vacation brochure. I have come here many times on our days off, Khari has as well. I remember after a particularly long mission in Sicily, we stayed here over the weekend and watched 'I Love Lucy'. The walls are a baby blue, with pictures on the walls of Rhodey with various friends and family members. There's a picture with the remaining Avengers at New Years last year. He held a party here, which was actually rather fun. The floors are a dark oak, as are the kitchen table a few feet from us. The kitchen to our right is painted the same baby blue, but has white cabinets and tiled floors. We make our way into the living room where a football game is playing on the tv in front of the two brown leather couches.
"Rhodey?" I shout, hearing footsteps from upstairs as he comes down to the main floor. Rhodey smiles at me widely, bringing me in for a tight hug. When he pulls back from me he goes to hug Khari as well.
"How have you been?" Khari asks, placing his hand on Rhodey's shoulder.
We all know what Khari means. Rhodey gives us both a sad smile, answering honestly; "Not great. It will just take time."
I slip my hand into his. "We're here if you need us. How are Pepper and Morgan?"
"They're doing as good as can be expected. Pepper is having a hard time adjusting to being a single parent. I've been going over there a lot."
Khari and I share a look before I say; "Let me know if there's anything I can do. They're not having money problems are they?"
Rhodey chuckles. "You kidding me? Tony left his whole fortune to Pepper...well almost. There's the Avengers bank account but you already know about that."
Alex's jaw drops, starring between the three of us. "So that's how our Greece trip was paid for? Why didn't you tell me you have a portion of Tony Stark's fortune?"
"Every Avenger does. But I don't trust you with money," I say, turning back to Rhodey. "I don't believe you've officially met my brother. Rhodey this is Alex, Alex this is Rhodey."
Rhodey shakes Alex's hand before his eyes fall onto Bucky. Both men look extremely uncomfortable, but I give Bucky a lot of credit for making the first move; extending his hand out to Rhodey. "Colonel Rhodes."
After a moment Rhodey shakes his hand. "Sergeant Barnes."
I know how hard it is for both of them to be civil. They didn't interact at Wakanda when Thanos first came, so the only time they have really been face to face is when they fought each other in Germany. I can tell there is distrust here, but both men trust me, and for them that's enough.
Rhodey's eyes linger on Bucky for a moment longer, before he makes his way back over to me. "I called a few people I know in the CIA as well as the FBI. The only shapeshifter they're aware of is you. They don't even know about Alex. I pulled a couple of strings to see if I could find any other files and I found a box," He says, leading us over towards the kitchen table. "This box contains reported cases of people with abilities that haven't been captured. Perhaps this woman you're looking for is in here. It would be helpful if I had her name."
I nod. "Well I didn't get it when we interacted, so this is what we have to go off of," I say, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Thank you so much for this."
He smiles at me. "Anything for you. I'll help you look through the files in a minute, you want some coffee?"
I nod eagerly. "Did you get the new cappuccino machine?"
His smile widens. "I did. Will you have one too, Khari? Alex? Barnes?"
Khari nods his head, as does Alex. Bucky silently shakes his head, grabbing onto the box. He goes into the living room and sits on the floor, spreading the documents out in front of him. I sit on the floor next to him, placing a kiss on his cheek. He closes his eyes for a second, contemplating something in his head before letting out a sigh. He's definitely still angry with me, but even that won't stop him from grabbing onto my hand and kissing my knuckles, rubbing them softly before refocusing his attention back on the box.
The five of us spend the next few hours reading through the files; trying to find any whisper of a shapeshifter besides me and Alex. If anyone would have files on another shapeshifter I would assume it would be HYDRA or S.H.I.E.L.D. But since we found no leads there, we're trying to find a needle in a haystack. This woman just doesn't exist. There's no record of another person like us. She obviously can't control her powers, so I find it hard to believe she's never been caught until now. Someone must have helped her hide. But who?
Around dinner time is when we finish, with papers covering every inch of the living room floor. Khari, who is reading a file with his head resting on Alex's lap, looks over to me. "Have you tried calling Everett?"
I nod my head. "I did earlier. He said he didn't find anything but would send some people out to look into it. He said he would come back to us with any answers."
Bucky's brows knit together. "Everett?"
"Everett Ross. He's a CIA Operative."
Bucky releases a sigh. "The man who held me captive when I was in Vienna?"
I hesitate for a moment before nodding my head. "He helped us take down Killmonger. He's also worked with me several times in the past five years. He's a good man, he was only doing his duty. He could have turned me in, but instead he trusted me and helped me get off the FBI wanted list."
I can tell this still bothers Bucky, but he slowly nods his head. Silently, he makes his way out of the living room and towards the back door. I watch as he sits down on the top step of the porch, his hands resting on his knees.
I rub at my face, sensing someone sit down next to me. When I look I see that it's Rhodey, who gives me a sympathetic smile.
"He feels uncomfortable with me being on the team. We were hunted and on the run for so long, he still thinks the world is out to kill us."
Rhodey wraps an arm around my shoulder. "He has every right to be uncomfortable about that. It will take time for him to get used to it."
I raise my eyebrows at him. "I'm surprised you're sympathizing with him."
Rhodey sighs. "I may not trust him, but I trust you. If you tell me he's a good person, then I believe you. But I don't want you to start thinking you can't rely on us for help because of his worries. Whether he likes it or not, you're an Avenger. We stick together."
I nod my head reassuringly. "I would never think that. Especially not of you."
"Good," He says, rubbing my shoulders once before sitting himself up, being careful not to step on a reclined Khari as he makes his way out of the living room. "I insist you all stay the night. It's getting late and making the trip back to Wakanda will be tiring."
"As long as you're okay with it." I say.
Rhodey nods. "Of course I am. I'll order us something to eat, how does Chinese sound?"
Alex and Khari both sit up, with Alex looks eager as he says; "What's it taste like? I've never had it."
Rhodey looks over to me for confirmation he's never had it. I sadly nod. It was definitely a crime Alex has never had it before. Rhodey grabs onto Alex's shoulder, handing him the menu. "Let me enlighten you."
As the three of them begin to discuss what Chinese food is the best, I make my way out to the porch. I sit myself down next to Bucky, leaning my head against his shoulder. "We can trust him."
"I know."
"But do you? I can see you tense up whenever I mention one of my team members. I understand why it makes you uncomfortable, but remember what I keep telling you? You can't always expect the worst of people. These people are good and they only want to help us."
He leans his head on top of mine, letting out a sigh. "I do know that...but there's still part of me that thinks we're still on the run; that anyone knowing you or I will end with us both being behind bars or worse. The fact everyone knows your face, that you pay for everything using Stark's money, that I saw a mural painted of you on a building in Hamburg, that I saw a child with a savage shirt on...it just makes me paranoid someone will get to you."
"I know I didn't make that any better by leaving last night. It was stupid and I know that, but I just felt such a pull towards her. My powers had been acting up so much I figured it was nothing. I should have gotten you first."
Bucky pulls back from me, and I can see the seriousness in his eyes as he tells me; "You tell me you're terrified of anything ever happening to me? Of me leaving you again? You think I don't have the same fears? I can't even fathom a life without you. Now there's another person who is after you and we don't know who we're up against or what they want."
I let out a deep breath, slipping my hands into his. "I know. I know this is all a lot to take in. But If you don't trust the Avengers, then trust me. Trust that I know who these people really are and know that they only want to keep us safe."
He nods his head, rubbing his metal thumb over my knuckles. "I'll try."
"And next time you're angry with me, please talk to me. Don't shut me out."
"I wasn't trying to. I'm-I'm really trying to be open with you. And with Alex and Khari. You're the three I know I can trust."
I smile at him, squeezing his hands. "And for that I couldn't be more proud of you. Though I think a therapist would still benefit you."
He chuckles, bringing both of my hands up and kissing my knuckles. "Baby steps."