Beyond

Black

"Who's Bucky?" Pidge asked as she spun her bayard around her finger.

"He's..." Lance sighed. "This is gonna be complicated. So he's Steve's friend from the past, he got caught by HYDRA and they experimented on him. They brainwashed him and gave him a metal arm then unleashed him into the world as the Winter Soldier."

"So basically Shiro?" Pidge asked tilting her head.

Lance looked shocked momentarily before he nodded. "Yeah, I can't believe I didn't realize that."

Pidge rolled her eyes. "That's why I'm the smart one."

"And you know it." Lance chuckled nudging her arm. "So basically I was able to disrupt the brainwashing with Blues abilities last time."

"That was the problem." Natasha said as she approached. "When you went back to your universe Bucky attacked as the Winter Soldier. It happened so fast."

"Then what happened?"

"He got away." Steve sighed. "He went off the grid for a long time. But he's back now."

"What did he do?" Pidge asked crossing her arms.

"He blew up a meeting for different leaders of different countries."

Lance met Pidge's gaze then glanced back to Steve. "How many dead?"

"One. And several injured."

"Who was killed?" Pidge asked.

"Why are you two asking so many questions?"

"Because the family of that guy might want revenge or answers." Pidge frowned. "I know I would."

Lance patted her shoulder. "Did I tell you I met Matt?"

Pidge's eyes widened then snapped up to meet his. "You did?" She breathed.

Lance smiled. "He's alive and doing really well. He's with the rebels."

"And my dad?" Pidge asked hopefully.

"I didn't see him, but it doesn't mean he isn't out there."

Pidge sighed and glanced across the avenge-jet to where the doors were. "Okay."

"The man killed was T'chaka King of Wakanda." Natasha informed. "His son was there at the gathering."

"What king of place is Wakanda?"

"A third world country." Steve answered. "It's where vibranium came from."

"What does third world mean?" Pidge whispered, Lance shrugged.

"It's a country that is poor and is trying to develop to get better." Steve explained glancing back at them.

"Yet they own the strongest metal on earth?" Lance frowned.

"They don't have much of it." Natasha said quietly.

Lance and Pidge shared a glance. "Could he be a problem?"

"It's a potential, it depends on how close he was with his father, if he's like Lotor he might just take the throne, if he's like me he'll go after the one who killed him." Pidge frowned and resumed spinning her bayard.

"We're moving in. This is the last known location."

Lance nodded and pulled his helmet on. "Com check."

"Hearing you." Pidge nodded.

"Loud and clear." Steve assured.

"Let's do this." Natasha decided as she cut past them and out onto a roof of a building in Vienna. "Sam will be here soon, keep your eyes open for him."

Tracking down Bucky would no doubt be difficult.

Especially since they were Avengers. Blue waltzed around his legs while he tried to scan the streets below.

"Blue." Lance sighed glancing her way. "What's up?'

Blue purred and jumped up to rest her paws on his knee. Her eyes flashed and Lance had to blink several times before the information came through.

He glanced across the roof tops and noticed a figure. He contemplated calling it in but he didn't know who it was and it might distract the others.

So he went to meet them.

Bayard in hand just to be on the safe side as he approached the figure.

They were taller than Lance and broader too. Lance could feel his pulse quickening as he hoped beyond hope that maybe it was-

"I heard you were back."

Lance paused mid step. "Bucky?"

The man turned tugging his hood down before offering Lance a smile smile. "Hey kiddo."

Lance beamed and ran toward him hugging him as tight as he could.

"Hey." Bucky said softly as he patted Lance's back. "Are you okay? What happened to you?"

"It's a long story." Lance sighed before pulling away. "You're Bucky right now right? You're not-"

"That wasn't me Lance." Bucky said gently his eyes pinching with concern. "I didn't kill anyone."

"Someone framed you?" Lance whispered.

"Is this the guy?"

Bucky flinched and Lance managed to catch his arm before he could try and attack Pidge.

"Sorry." She said holding her hands up.

"Bucky this is Pidge, Pidge this is Bucky."

"Hi, I'm Lance's friend from his universe." Pidge explained with a smirk. "And you're his friend from here."

"Yeah well, the kid saved my mind." Bucky shrugged.

"Natasha said when I left you became the Winter Soldier again." Lance frowned. "How are you Bucky again?"

"I remember flashes." Bucky shrugged. "You leaving, pain in my head. I remember fighting Steve and not being able to stop it. Then we were falling... I hit my head, I only know because I woke up the next morning in an apartment I had broken into with a lump on the side of my head."

"You knocked the brainwashing out of you." Lance nodded. "Fair enough."

Blue gave an irritated roar and all attantion moved to her.

"You're so dramatic." Lance said rolling his eyes. "Go on."

Blue ran to Bucky shifting into an earth lion form so she could jump up and lick Bucky's face.

"Hey Blue." Bucky chuckled. "Good to see you."

Lance and Pidge both stiffened at the same time.

Pidge's Bayard formed as Lance's shield activated.

Perching on the chimney on the building next to them was a black figure that appeared to have cat ears.

"We're in trouble." Lance whispered.