You Must Remember This (WIP)

Chapter 18 - A case of do or die

Wakanda, 2016

Bucky leaned back against his pillow. He had never imagined it would work but talking to Black Widow about Evelyn had actually helped. Well, more or less, anyway. The headache was still there, but he didn't feel like shooting a bullet through his brain anymore. At this point, he was just grateful for a few minutes without the constant hammering in his head. It allowed him some time to think about certain things. Things that were only now coming back to him.

Did it change then? Did what I felt about Evelyn change after Prue? We fought a lot less. And I... I helped her, didn't I? I marched with her, and I was there when she got interviewed for... God, what was it again? Ugh, whatever. I was there. I had her back, and I... didn't hate her as much anymore. We were... We were...

Bucky shut his eyes when he heard Evelyn's voice again. It was clearer somehow. So were the piano tunes.

"... fight for... glory. A case of do or die."

The last words echoed through Bucky. He mouthed them silently, trying to keep that same melody. He pictured Evelyn in a red skirt with a white blouse, her hair loose and waving over her shoulders. She was smiling... at him?

Bucky's eyes opened, and his reflexes kicked in when the door to the recovery room suddenly slammed open, but he managed to hold back from attacking the person who so rudely forced their way in when he recognized Agent Romanoff.

"Get up."

Bucky frowned at her grave expression when she pulled back the covers and unhooked him from the machines and IVs on his arm.

"What's going on?"

"Can you walk?" Natasha pulled him up.

"Romanoff, what's going on?!"

"Nemesis got out."

"What?! How?!"

"She faked an allergy attack and locked T'Challa and Okoye in her cell. She escaped through the vents. T'Challa said she activated a device that she hid in her boot. It can only be a secondary tracker to that thing she put in your heart, meaning she's on her way here."

"Wait, what thing in my heart? What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Less talking, more walking, Barnes! Hustle!"

The first couple of steps were unsteady, but Bucky quickly found his footing and hurried after Natasha. They were headed for Shuri's lab. He'd been there only once before, but thanks to his keen observation skills (one of the very few things he actually thanked HYDRA for), he recognized the route immediately.

"What did you mean about her putting something in my heart, Romanoff?"

"Long story short; we think Nemesis shot something into you, and it traveled through your bloodstream until it could latch itself to an organ," explained Natasha while keeping a wary eye on her surroundings. "It's homemade and seriously advanced tech, and how she's been able to find you these past years. We found a tracker in her belongings earlier, but we didn't think she'd have a second one. Dammit, why didn't I think to search her again?!"

Because it's not every day you come across someone as meticulous and genius as Nemesis, thought Bucky as they turned the corner into the final corridor.

"Shuri's preparing the proto-type of your arm. Gear up and be ready," said Natasha as she stayed back. "I'll try to hold her off."

"I'm not leaving you, Romanoff."

"I'm not asking, Barnes. Move your ass in that lab and stay there."

-----

Dammit, what is it with these people? Why do they insist on postponing the inevitable? You'd think they'd at least be smart about this. They're just leading him further into this godforsaken building. What do they hope to gain, huh? Wait for Hello Kitty to break out and help? He's busted up pretty badly. And Stars 'n Stripes and Tweety Bird aren't here either, it seems. They would've already shown up if they were. There's no one left to fight me except...