August spent the entire jet-ride pacing, running her fingers over her mouth.
There are more of us.
All this time, all of these years, feeling like a freak. Blaming SHIELD, blaming anyone she could get her hands on. Only to learn, now, that it had never been SHIELD. That the program was still active, that they were still taking advantage of children.
"You doin' okay?" Tony asked, flipping through his magazine. "I mean, I know that we're not really friends, here, but you can talk to me and I'll pretend to listen."
"You're not bothered at all by this?" She threw her hands up. "Your daughter was mutilated, I was mutilated, god-knows how many other girls are being mutilated, and it's what? Just another Sunday in the life of Tony Stark?"
Tony uncrossed his legs, setting down his magazine.
"Kiddo, this isn't your mission. You don't have a mission. You don't work for anyone any more, you aren't an agent anymore. Your job now is to thank King T'Challa for his kindness in taking you in, settle down in your little homestead, and make sure you're keeping every single toe in line. Plant a tomato garden, or something. Ideally, stop causing headaches for the UN." He lowered his sunglasses, looking up at her over the rim. "My daughter is none of your concern. Secretary Ross and I are going to handle this, and after I have it all wrapped up in a tight little bow, I might give you a call, if I have such an inclination."
August narrowed her eyes at him.
"Don't call me 'kiddo'. I'm older than you."
"You're what? Like, sixteen?"
"Legally 49."
"And technically," He flicked his wrist. "Twenty four, now. How was your birthday, by the way? They put a little candle in your prison chow?"
"I could blow us out of the sky right now, if I really wanted to."
"See, now, fighting words like that are what keep landing you in trouble."
"Then stop giving me a reason to say them."
"King T'Challa might not have my sense of humor, kid."
"Don't call me-" She curled her lip. "God, are we almost there yet? I'm not sure how much longer I can resist the urge of setting your little goatee on fire."
"Oh, I'm sorry, is my fully automated self-flying Quinjet with lightspeed propulsion not fast enough for you?" He looked out of the front window. "Actually, we're here."
August peered out of the window, seeing nothing but thick foliage. She narrowed her eyes.
"What, you're just dropping me in the middle of the jungle to fight bears and shit?"
He gave her an insane look.
"There are no bears in Africa. Just- shut up and watch, August."
He pushed the throttle forward, and they accelerated into the foliage. August braced for an impact that never came. When she peeled her eyes open, her lips parted.
A massive city spanned ahead of them, marked by a huge panther statue, with rolling fields as far as she could see.
"Yeah, that's exactly what I looked like the first time I saw it." Tony chuckled.
Their jet zipped over the city, passing the palace that sat as the backdrop, and into the fields. They passed over houses, highways, municipalities, before they reached a long stretch of nothing but jungle foliage. Flying over the foliage, Tony finally brought the jet down in a large clearing, surrounded on all sides by trees, with one massive oak growing in the center of the clearing.
YOU ARE READING
SURVIVE ➤ BUCKY BARNES
Fanfiction"i think of you-" "think of me?" August had never identified as a hero. She had never chosen to do what she did. Spending her entire life as a pawn in somebody else's wretched game. She was whatever they made her - a hero, a...
