Ascendancy

Chapter 13

        "Steve, please be open minded."

        I look him straight in the eye. Wanda, Bucky, and Natasha all sit around a circular glass table. Pupils stare Steve down.

        "I will!" Steve puts his hands up in defense.

        "Ok, well," I stand at the front of the meeting room. It feels like I'm back doing power point during college. Good grief, I hated those things. "My proposal is that Bucky, Wanda and I leave the compound."

        "WHAT?" Nat and Steve throw through the stagnant air.

        "Now, what did I say..."

        Natasha cuts me off. "You know what they will do to you if you leave? The government is searching every corner of the earth for these guys. I'm surprised this place hasn't caught their attention yet."

        "Why would you want to leave?" Steve questions. His face is like death, freezing and sharp.

        "Bucky's next step in treatment is not to perform more illusions with the glasses. No, he needs to make reconciliation himself. We want to visit the places where the Winter Soldier assassinated his victims." I make sure to say Winter Soldier, because it certainly wasn't Bucky.

        Steve is about to say something when Bucky cuts him off. "I agreed to it Steve. I'll be fine."

        "I trust Ella." He stands up and takes my hand.

        Surprise works into the creases of Steve's face. Natasha's face is smeared with the expression.

        "Thanks Bucky," I say affectionately, looking deeply into his eyes.

        When Steve does a conspicuous cough, Bucky and I share a look. I'm still gazing deep into his gorgeous blue eyes. Bucky smiles, his whole face glowing.

        "Um, is there something we don't know about?"

        Wanda snickers. Obviously, I told her. Wanda has become a great friend of mine.

        "Let's talk about that after we finish discussing the matter we came in here for."

        Steve sputters indignantly.

         "They're right," Nat says clearly to Steve.

         "Fine," Steve mumbles. What a five year old.

          "How do plan to hide yourself from the government? As soon as you step foot out of the compound, the UN will be on top of you."

         "Well, they wouldn't expect us in plain sight, would they? Obviously, Wanda and Bucky would need a disguise. The government doesn't care about me," I explain.

        "A different haircut isn't going to do it, if that's what you think," Steve says.

        "Wanda, you want to explain?"

        She comes forth onto the stage to perform her magic tricks. Red wisps shoot into Bucky's face. He turns toward Steve and Natasha.

        The air runs sharply into their mouths.

        I know what they are seeing because I saw it myself. When I told Wanda my plan for leaving the compound, she showed on herself. Irises became blue, her face molded into a new shape and all her features become unrecognizable.

        Now, although, I am within the spell. Bucky looks normal to me, but to Nat and Steve he must look like a stranger.

        "Um, as you can see, Wanda can change the way Bucky looks. The government won't know a thing," I say. Wow, now I know what it feels like to be a salesman. What a rush. Sometimes I remind myself of Dwight from the Office. Is that a good thing?