Lessons in Stars and Stripes

05

AVENGERS HEADQUARTERS

"He's all over the place," Hill said. "Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs, reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place."

"Facilities?" Steve repeated.

"Only when engaged. Mostly guys left in a fugue state going on about old memories, worst fears, and something too fast to see."

"Maximoffs. Well, that means he'd go for them, they have someone in common."

"Not anymore." She handed Steve a tablet, and Shelby glanced at it, showing a photo of Strucker's dead body with the word PEACE written in blood on the wall next to him.

Clint was talking on his phone. "That's a negative. I answer to you. Yes, ma'am." Steve interrupted him.

"Barton, we might have something," Steve told him.

"Gotta go."

"Who was that?" Shelby asked.

"Girlfriend." After Steve had gathered the rest of the team, he showed the photo of Strucker's body.

"What's this?" Tony wondered.

"A message," Steve replied. "Ultron killed Strucker."

"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us."

"This is a smokescreen," Natasha realized. "Why send a message when you've just given it a speech?"

"Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss," Steve replied.

"Yeah, I bet he..." He looked at the computer monitor. "Yep. Everything we had on Strucker has been erased."

"Not everything," Tony said.

The team went through the physical files they had on Strucker.

"Known associates," Steve stated. "Well, Strucker had a lot of friends."

"Well, these people are all horrible," Bruce noted.

"Wait. I know that guy," Tony realized as Bruce passed him the photo he was looking at. "From back in the day. He operates the African coast, black market arms." Steve gave him an accusing look while Shelby frowned as she watched Jack run around. "There are conventions, all right? You meet people, I didn't sell him anything." The photo was of a man named Ulysses Klaue. "He was talking about finding something new, a game changer, it was all very "Ahab.""

Thor pointed to the scar on the back of Klaue's neck and asked, "What's this?"

"Uh, it's a tattoo. I don't think he had it..."

"No, those are tattoos, this is a brand."

Bruce identified the brand on Klaue's neck on the computer and said, "Oh, yeah. It's a word in an African dialect meaning thief, in a much less friendly way."

"What dialect?" Steve and Shelby questioned.

"Wakanada...? Wa... Wa... Wakanda."

"If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..." Steve trailed.

"I thought your father said he got the last of it?" Steve replied in a questioning tone.

"I don't follow," Bruce said. "What comes out of Wakanda?"

Tony looked at Steve's shield and answered, "The strongest metal on earth."

Shelby turned to Tony and asked, "Where is this guy now?" She kissed Steve's cheek. "I have to finish up lesson plans. I'll see you later. Good luck. Call me if you're in trouble."