The Dark Heart(B.Barnes)

10: Bleecker Street Magician

{Song: I'm not Okay by Weathers}

~Edited~

"I'm sorry, have we met before?" I ask slightly alarmed as I abruptly stand up and turn to face him fully. Strange doesn't respond right away, instead he studies me intensely and I do the same. 

I try to see into his mind but he was very aware and had mental defenses, so I moved on to his appearance. His clothing was extremely well kept, like he had ironed it right before walking through the doorway he had created. The red cape seemed to be resting on his shoulders by itself, slowly shifting around his frame as if it was a shield. His gloved hands had a single block like gold ring on it, and he was wearing a large gold pendant around his neck that looked strangely familiar. 

It was shaped like an eye, with a gold ball in the middle covered by some crossed lines that I placed as the symbol of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. I had seen that image in the minds of a few agents from both HYDRA and SHIELD but still don't know who the Masters are. 

Strange cleared his throat and started to talk again, but I was still focused on that necklace. "I suppose not yet. You look different." He mutters before squinting his eyes at me, "You are the one who needs help?" He asks. 

I register his question but push it to the side as I finally place the recognition, "I've seen that necklace before!" I exclaim in a mix of relief and surprise. Strange looks extraordinarily confused as he looks down to where my finger was pointing and lifts the gold pendant. 

I turn towards Wanda as I continue, "Remember our ninth birthday? In the marketplace?" I ask and she nods, "When you went missing for hours and mama was freaking out because she thought you might have been taken?". 

I roll my eyes, "I told you, I was only gone for a few minutes. I met this bald woman wearing that necklace and then there was a bright green glow and-" I was cut off by Strange, his eyes wide. 

"We need the room." 

My eyes dart to him before looking at everyone who was hesitating, "Wait, no really.." I try to protest but Steve was already slowly ushering people out. Bucky and Wanda were the last two to move from where they had been watching the encounter. 

"Come on Buck, Wanda." Steve claps a hand on Bucky's shoulder and basically drags him out of the room. Tony was waiting by the doorway for Wanda and I could clearly hear his thoughts as he finally follows everyone else, "Yeah, sure. Not like I don't have the entire room under surveillance. Just gotta grab the popcorn." .

Wanda turns back to give me a final tight smile before she closes the door and leaves me alone with Strange. 

God, is this going to be a habit? Twice in the span of an hour I am left alone with a man in this room. At least I don't have a history with this guy... unless I do?

"So, you have seen the Time Stone before?" Strange asks curiously. 

"What's a time stone? I just remember that necklace opening up and this bright green light, and then when I had reached up and touched it I was drenched in a cold feeling." I explain as my eyes closely follow his movements as he seems to glide over to one of the loveseats and sinks down into it. 

He lifts one gloved hand to rub his bearded chin as he continues to study me, "Perhaps it will be easiest if you provide an example of this power that was conveyed through the message." He suggests. I give a quick nod before standing, shaking my hands nervously, and harshly exhaling through my mouth. 

I grab one of the abandoned mugs from the kitchen counter and turn to face Strange, taking a breath in before tossing the mug up into the air with my right hand while holding my left hand slightly tilted up towards it. The same blue mist encloses the mug and the accompanying slightly less intense burning in my eyes which tells me that they must be glowing again.