Wraith [MARVEL x Invincible Crossover]

Chapter Three

Puerto Rico was nothing like Alaska, instead of mountains and planes of snow that seemed endless, Puerto Rico was a paradise. It was the first time that Rebecca had to take off her layers of clothing and wore one of those floral beach shirts that were being sold in a small gift shop. She and Bucky have been in Puerto Rico for the past three weeks, both waiting for the ship heading to Europe. They have been staying in a rundown apartment, renting one bedroom, with neither of them using it when sleeping. Bucky took on a temporary job in the docks, helping fishermen with unloading their catch, it was their way to get some honest money for their journey, which was something that Bucky was trying to teach Rebecca, considering the girl had a knack for stealing.

After running from HYDRA, Bucky and Rebecca got on a ferry headed to San Juan. It was a long journey, and the whole way, Bucky was anxious. He kept glancing around, looking for HYDRA agents, he knew that it was dangerous to get on a commercial ship, but there was nothing he could do to get him and Rebecca out of the country. While on the ferry, he and Rebecca kept to themselves, they barely interacted with anyone, and they only ate what they brought – which wasn't enough. Though he was still hungry, Bucky kept it to himself and just thought that in three days, they would arrive in San Juan, and besides, back in HYDRA he was rarely able to eat, so he was used to it. But it seems Rebecca had other ideas. When night came, she would slip out and walk around the ferry and then come back to their room with money and food she has stolen from the other passengers and the kitchen. And Bucky wasn't too happy about the haul she got.

"What were you thinking?!" Bucky hissed as he hid the money and food she stole into their bag. There was no point in returning those now unless they wanted to get in trouble.

"We need money once we arrive in San Juan, they won't notice," said Rebecca.

"That's not the point!" Bucky frustratingly ran his hand down his face. He took a breath before he knelt down before Rebecca and took her hands and held it firmly but not too much. "Rebecca, I know that you're just trying to help our situation, but this isn't right – we can't keep stealing things."

"But what difference does it make from when we stole those cars?"

Bucky sighed. He wasn't exactly trained to deal with teaching a twelve-year-old about why stealing is bad, especially when he didn't actually have a good background. "From now on, we are not stealing anything, understand?" When Rebecca didn't reply, he grabbed her by her arms. "Understand?"

She nodded stiffly. "Yes. But answer me this, James, how do you think we're going to get honest money? We're wanted criminals – we can't just go ask someone for a job."

Bucky wasn't able to answer her question then, but he made sure to put his foot down with her stealing. And though it was against what he told Rebecca, Bucky used the money Rebecca stole from the passengers to purchase some good food for them, and he made sure to hide the jewels and other things in their bags for when they arrive in San Juan. Once the ferry arrived, the two fugitives left the ferry as quickly as they could and then hid in the small communities in Puerto Rico. He pawned some of the jewels and watches that Rebecca stole and got enough money for their day-to-day life, and since arriving in the island, Bucky and Rebecca have been laying low, they rarely spoke to any of the locals, but eventually, their isolation came to an end when a woman approached them and gave Rebecca some sweets and invited her to play with her sons, while the woman's husband offered Bucky some work in the docks. At first, he was hesitant but then he remembered what he told Rebecca about honest money – he wasn't really being a good role model if he kept pawning off the things she stole for money, so he took the job, and when he got his first pay, he showed it to Rebecca.

"That's my day's work in the docks," he tossed the envelope that had a couple of bills to the table where Rebecca was eating her dinner. "Honest money."