Before We Rise

Chapter 19

LAGOS

I smiled at the lady who placed my tea cup down on the table then walked away. I picked up a sugar packet and dumped it in, then steered it. Raising the glass to my lips, I watched Wanda, who sat at the table across from me.

"Alright, what do you see?" Steve asked in through the ear piece. Wanda looked around, lifting her tea cup to her lips.

"Standard beat cops, small station, quiet street. It's a good target." She told him. I glanced up, seeing Steve in the building next to us, looking out the window.

"There's an ATM on the south corner, which means...." He trailed off, wanting Wanda to answer.

"Cameras." She answered.

"Those cross streets are on way." Steve told us.

"So compromised escape route." Wanda said, looking at me.

"These guys don't care about being seen and he isn't afraid to make a mess on the way out. See that range over about half way up the block?" Steve asked her. She glanced over at it, her cup held up to her mouth.

"The red one? It's cute." She stated.

"It's also bullet proof." Nat said, sitting at a table a little ways away from us.

"Which means private security. Which means more guns, which means more headaches for somebody. Probably us." I told Wanda as I took a sip of my tea. Wanda looked at me, shaking her head slightly.

"You guys know I can move things with my mind, right?" She reminded us.

"Looking over your shoulder needs to become second nature." Nat told her.

"Anyone ever tell you, you're a little paranoid?" Sam asked, through the ear piece. He got positioned up on a building, keeping watch for anything weird.

"Not to my face. Why, did you hear something?" Nat asked him, keeping up the joke.

"Eyes on target, folks. It's the best lead we've had on Rumlow for six months. I don't want to lose him." Steve told us. My jaw hardened at the mention of his name. From Rumlow to Crossbones.

"If he sees us coming, it won't be a problem. The guy hates us." Sam reminded us. My ears perked up when I heard loud horns and people complaining.

"Sam, see that garbage truck? Tag it." Steve ordered Sam. I looked up, seeing 'Redwing' fly by. Sam loves that little guy.

"That's truck loaded to max capacity. Wait, the driver's armed." Sam told us.

"It's a battering ram." Nat said.

"Go now." Steve ordered.

"Wait." Wanda remained frozen in her chair.

"He's not hitting the police." Steve stated to us. I instantly got up and signaled Wanda to follow. I got onto a random motorcycle, Wanda getting on behind me then I slammed down on the gas. A few minutes later, Wanda flew off as I kept driving. "Body armor? AR15's, I make seven hostiles."

"I made five." Sam said back to him. I jumped off the bike and it slid, hitting a man in the legs. Wanda used her powers as Sam took him out.

"We made four." I told Steve.

"Rumlow's on the third floor." Sam told Steve. Steve walked over to Wanda and I, looking at Wanda.

"Wanda, just like we practiced." I smiled as he said that. I remember when they practiced it. Wanda got free shots to throw Steve against a wall on purpose. It was quite funny to watch.

"What about the gas?" She asked him.

"Get it out." He told her. He got up on the top of a truck and Wanda used her powers to push him up and onto the third floor. Then she went to work on the gas. I glanced at Sam who was behind us, protecting the both of us with his wings as he made the rest of the men explode with two grenades. I turned back at Wanda as she shot the gas up into the air then let it go. "Rumlow has a biohazard physical weapon."

"On it." Nat told him.

"Sam, he's in an AFB heading North." Steve told Sam. Sam turned to me.

"Go, she's my responsibility." I reminded him. He nodded before flying off. Wanda turned to me and I grabbed her hand. "Let's go."

I grabbed the bike from before and drove to the market where the tracker in Steve's ear piece led. I told Wanda to hang back as Steve and I dealt with Rumlow. Steve turned to me as he stood up.

"He ditched the gear. It's a shell game now. Maximum the payload." He told everyone. Something flew past me and attached to Steve's shield, peeping as it did. Steve looked down at it then threw his shield up into the air. The bomb exploded, sending the shield off somewhere.

"Arhhhh!" I was hit in the back and I flew forward. I landed on the ground as people moved back away from me. I looked up, seeing Rumlow going after Steve. "There you are, you son of a bitch. I've been waiting for this."

Rumlow punched Steve and he flew back, knocking into a table. I stood up and ran at Rumlow. I ducked under his arm and punched his stomach. I twirled around his arm as he went to hit me back. I went to kick his side when he caught my leg. He twisted it back then punched me in the chest. He let go of my leg, letting me fly back, knocking into someone. I glanced up, seeing Rumlow going back to Steve. I got up, helping the lady I knocked over.

"Get out of here." I ordered her and the people around her. She nodded before running off. I turned, seeing a fallen Rumlow. I walked over to him as so did Steve. Rumlow took off his helmet then Steve grabbed him by his shoulder straps. I got a full look of his healed deformed face. He looked at me, noticing me staring.

"I think I look pretty good. Thanks for considering it." He said to me. I smirked at him, knowing he deserved it well enough.

"Who's your buyer?" Steve asked, getting Rumlow's attention.

"You know he knew you. The both of you. Your pal, your buddy, your Bucky." Rumlow said. Steve jerked him forward.

"Steve." I warned him but he didn't acknowledge me.

"What did you just say?" He asked Rumlow.

"He remembered you and her. I was there. He got all weepy about it till they put his brain back under. He wanted you to know something. He said to me, 'Please tell Rogers when you got to go, you got to go.' And you're coming with me." Then I saw the trigger in his hand as he pressed his thumb down on it. It exploded but didn't expanded like it should have.

I turned and saw Wanda. She threw Rumlow up into the air, right next to a building. Then she cried out, losing her hold on it. The bomb expanded, taking out some of the building along with Rumlow. My eyes widened as I heard the screams and turned to Wanda. She had a hand over her mouth, shocked. I looked at Steve, who was also shocked.

"Oh my. Sam, we need......fire and rescue on the south side of the building. We gotta get up there." He told the last part to us.

He ran off to the building while I turned back to Wanda. She stared at the burning building with tears in her eyes as she fell to her knees. I quickly moved to her, wrapping my arms around the girl. Wanda tightly clenched to me, pushing her face into my shoulder.

"It's not your fault. You hear me? It's not your fault."