Chasing Ghosts | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 16: This Is Probably Not A Good Example For My Kid

Katya didn't need to be a perfect people-reader to know that Walker grew impatient, quickly. He stopped pacing, but anything would have been better than the restlessness he displayed now; constantly shifting, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut, breathing loudly and quickly. 

Katya rolled her eyes, not moving from her spot. If necessary, she could stand there for hours. Bucky too. Patience is an art, and Walker definitely hadn't mastered it.

The silence that had fallen over the group didn't make it any better either. She thought Zemo would have talked non-stop, but even he had nothing to say. His rambling would have been better than listening to Walker's silent complains.

Katya shared the occasional glance with Bucky, who had moved to the door, probably to act as some kind of shield in case Walker did indeed break his promise of giving Sam ten minutes. 

And after around six minutes, it appeared he finally cracked and started pacing again. ''Uh-uh. No, no, no.'' He repeated the word endlessly, muttering to himself under his breath. ''This is a bad idea.''

''It hasn't been ten minutes, John. Just sit tight,'' Bucky spoke lazily, all joy sucked from his voice once again. 

''Don't do that. Don't patronize me,'' Walker raised his voice slightly, throwing him dirty looks which Bucky didn't give a fuck about. Even Lamar looked about done with his partner's behavior and was a beacon of rest, like everyone else. 

''He knows what he's doing.''

Katya watched as Walker stopped, stared at the clock on the wall - 4:10 PM - clenched his jaw and made a decision. And according to the way he took the shield from his back and strapped it to his arm, it was a stupid one. 

''I'm going in,'' he announced, marching towards the door. But Bucky quickly stepped in his way and stopped him with a hand on his chest. Katya saw the way Lamar sped to his partner and how Walker threw Bucky almost a psychopathic stare, and hurried over, forming a two-man barricade with Bucky. 

''This is all really easy for you, isn't it?'' Walker started slowly. ''All that serum running through your veins. Barnes, your partner needs backup in there. Do you really want his blood on your hands?''

Bucky's eyes softened, Walker's words for some reason getting under his skin. And it distracted Katya so much that she was too late to keep blocking the doorway. Walker pushed past them in this moment of weakness, knocking Katya against the small metal railing next to the short steps in the process, and ran into Karli's direction. 

Even Lamar had time to break through before she recovered and sprinted after them, Bucky doing the same. But as their footsteps echoed in the room, she knew they were too late to stop him.

''Karli Morgenthau, you're under arrest!'' John yelled, loud enough for everyone in this building to hear. Katya cursed under her breath and ran through the doorway, ending in a huge room with shiny tiles which once acted as a kitchen slash dining room. The equipment was still there, but nobody could prepare a meal here anymore.

On the table, in the middle, a makeshift altar, a transparent white cloth covering what has to be Donya, and Katya couldn't help but feel guilty for barging in on something so beautiful and private. 

For the first time, if only for a split-second, she stood eye-to-eye with Karli. Her shoulder length curly hair was a deep red, and the freckles on her face could be seen even from across the room. Quite beautiful, if not for the snarl that grew on her lips when Walker stormed in. She rapidly whipped her head back and forth between Sam and John, quickly understanding they belonged together.

''This is what that was?'' she accused Sam, whose face had fallen. 

He reached out to her, trying to calm her down. ''No, Karli wait-''