Chasing Ghosts | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 17: Never Underestimate A Woman

''Something's not right about Walker.''

They were back at Zemo's apartment, the guy lying on the couch with a cold cloth on his forehead because Walker had knocked him out with his shield. Hard. He was lucky his hair was quite long, otherwise everyone would see the huge bump on the side of his head. 

''I know a crazy when I see one,'' Bucky continued, shrugging off his coat and stalking towards the kitchen with big strides, going straight for the bottles of alcohol. ''Because I am crazy.''

Sam chuckled, once again busy with the laptop. ''Can't argue with that.''

''Shouldn't have given him the shield.''

''I didn't give him the shield,'' he jumped to the defense, turning around in his seat.

''Well, Steve definitely didn't.''

''Guys, quit it. That discussion is old by now.'' Katya walked into the room from the bathroom, pulling out a chair opposite Sam at the round dining table. With a sigh, she propped her feet up the wooden surface, much to Zemo's dismay.

Bucky walked around the kitchen island and leaned against it, a glass of what looked like whiskey in his hand. ''Are you going to tell us what happened before we walked into that room back there?'' he asked, his sharp eye on her because some part of him still didn't trust her.

Katya shrugged, getting the dirt out from under her nails. ''Simple really. He had a vial in his hand. I pointed my gun at him, he dropped it on the floor.''

''That sounds too easy.'' Sam furrowed his eyebrows, voicing what she concluded as well.

''It was.'' She nodded, crossing her arms. ''You should have seen the way he looked at it.'' No one who looked at something like that, would ever drop it that easily. ''But the other vials were destroyed and I didn't see any more on him. We should keep an eye on him though. Bucky's right, the guy's crazy.''

He opened his mouth to answer, when the apartment doors were kicked in with such noise that Katya jumped out of her chair and whipped her gun out on instinct. 

''All right. That's it. Let's go. I'm now ordering you to turn him over.''

''Jesus Christ, you people have to stop scaring me,'' Katya growled, putting her gun back in her waistband and glaring at Walker. Her heart pounded out of her chest because of the adrenaline shot. 

Sam stepped forward, speaking for everyone when he put Walker in his place. Because no one was ordering anyone around here. ''Hey, slow your roll. Shield or no shield, the only thing you're running in here is your mouth. Now, I had Karli and you overstepped. He's actually proven himself useful today. We're gonna need all hands on deck for whatever's coming next.''

His explanation was as nice as he could make it. No raised voice, no dirty looks, but of course Walker still felt threatened. ''How do you want the rest of this conversation to go, Sam, huh? Yeah. Should I put down the shield? Make it fair?'' He placed the thing down, drawing everyone's eyes to it. It caused a wave of sadness and anger to fall over Katya.

''Do you ever just shut up and listen?'' She stepped closer, stopping next to Sam. ''It is your fault that we lost Karli, and now you think you can come in here and order us around? We're not your soldiers, Captain.''

He looked her dead in the eye, but she didn't budge either, staring back just as coldly. You could cut the tension with a knife.

This time, Katya saw something move in the corner of her eye before it could scare her. It was a close call, but she got to take half a step back before an object flew in front of her face and rudely interrupted the conversation. It lodged itself in one of the many pillars the apartment had, some exquisite mosaic tiles shattering.