The Soulmate Initiative: Book 1

21. Justice

LOCATION: SIBERIA

T'Challa approaches Zemo, who has a gun hanging in one hand. T'Challa breaks the silence "I almost killed the wrong person." "Hardly an innocent one." "This is all you wanted? To see them rip each other apart." "My father lived outside the city. I thought we would be safe there. My son was excited. He could see the Iron Woman from the car window. I told my wife 'Don't worry, they're fighting in the city. We're miles from harm.' When the dust cleared… and the screaming stopped… it took me two days until I found their bodies. My father… still holding my wife and son in his arms. And the Avengers? They went home. I knew I couldn't kill them. More powerful men than me have tried. But, if I could get them to kill each other… I'm sorry about your father. He seemed a good man. With A dutiful son." "Vengeance has consumed you. I am done letting it consume me. Justice will come soon enough." "Tell that to the dead." Zemo quickly moves the gun to under his jaw and shoots, but T'Challa is quicker, he blocks the shot and wraps an arm around his neck "The living are not done with you, yet." The rest of the Avengers had reached outside, just as Zemo had tried to shoot himself, Ashley comments "Too right we're not." T'Challa stands up, holding Zemo "I want to talk with you." "Let me at him, then we'll talk." "No, Stark. Zemo isn't dying today. I'm going to put him away, where he'll never do harm to anyone again. He will be punished, he will not slip through justice's fingers." Stacey nods "Agreed." 

T'Challa knocks Zemo unconscious, then speaks to the Avengers "I want to make a deal." Ashley comments "I don't like the sound of that." "Well, you know you're being hunted now, by everyone. I will not hunt you, I will not help anyone else to do so. However, I need a truth and some security." The others don't say anything, they just listen "I want to know, Stark, how you managed to forgive and even protect, the Winter Soldier." Ashley sighs and looks to Stacey, who nods. She looks back back T'Challa "As well as not hunting us, will you keep a secret?" T'Challa nods, so Ashley continues "Lavina, Stacey, Nian, Candice, Regina, Tasia, Suzanne, Warren, Prisha, Johanna and I are more than a team… we're soulmates." Peter hears this and squeals excitedly "Soulmates!?" They ignore him as they continue talking "When we discovered who the Winter Soldier was, we were cautious, suspicious even. But Stacey told us who Johanna was before all of this happened to her, and we believed, and still believe, that person is still in there. We did our research and found out what she had done, I'll admit, it took me a while-" She looks to Johanna "-But none of it was Johanna's fault, she didn't choose that life in HYDRA. And so I learnt to live with that, to separate the Soldier from my soulmate." 

Ashley looks back to T'Challa "We're going to help Johanna. We have Warren, he has mind abilities, maybe he can do something about those damn trigger words." T'Challa nods "Perhaps he can. And if he can't?" Stacey speaks up "We'll find a way. Johanna is one of us, she won't be leaving our side. She will come home with us, where we'll all keep safe from anyone who wants to harm us." "Then we now come to my security. With the mechanical arm, the Winter Soldier is near unstoppable, I want-" Johanna quickly surrenders "You can have it. Take it. Please. I don't want it." T'Challa is very satisfied with the answer, but also the genuine reaction from Johanna. He can tell that she wants to change "Stark, you can't make her a new metal one." Ashley nods in thought "I actually might be able to re-grow her arm, with a little help from Aldrich Killian, Pep's soulmate. Alright, deal. You and I can remove it right now, you can take with you the arm, Zemo and I'll even give you our phone number, if you need anything." "Deal. And the same goes for you, depending on what it is you need, I may be able to help." He holds out a hand to Ashley and she shakes it.

After removing Johanna's left arm, T'Challa gets into his vehicle, with Zemo, while the others get into their quinjet with Peter. Peter is super excited, the whole way home they have to constantly listen to him asking questions and just fawning over the Avengers as soulmates.

LOCATION: BERLIN.

T'Challa drops Zemo off to Everett Ross, who puts Zemo in the same type of cell Johanna was placed in "Meals at 8 and 5. Toilet privileges twice a day. Raise your voice, zap. Touch the glass, zap. You step out of line, you deal with me. Please, step out of line, hm? So how does it feel? To spend all that time, all that effort… to see it fail so spectacularly?"