Frostbite

Six

It was a good thing we always came prepared. We quickly changed into our suits once we reached Bucharest and wasted no time finding Bucky's apartment. I didn't like my part in this plan. Not one bit.

I was stuck as the getaway driver. I mean seriously? Sure, I could see that they were trying to keep me involved as little as possible but come on. The plan was to find Bucky and hopefully convince him to come with us peacefully before he was found by less friendly faces.

Sam was in the air, surveying for any incoming threats while Steve disappeared inside to find Bucky. I shifted restlessly in my seat, leaning on the steering wheel as I glanced up and down the busy street again. There had been nothing from Steve since he went inside. My fingers thrummed across the wheel impatiently.

"Heads up, Cap. German Special Forces, approaching from the south," Sam dutifully informed him. Damn, that was the other side of the building. He needed to hurry.

"Understood."

Several more moments went by as we waited for something to happen.

"They're entering the building," Sam warned. Movement caught my eye, and I looked over to see several men marching through the front door as well. I slouched slightly, not wanting to be seen.

"They're on the roof. I'm compromised."

My anxiety spiked and I was cussing internally. We should have known he wouldn't willingly come with us. Why would he?

"Five seconds... Breach! Breach! Breach!" Sam shouted, making me flinch and wanting to rip the comm out.

"That's it. I'm coming in," I huffed, starting to exit the SUV.

"No! We'll be out in a minute," Steve assured me, out of breath. I froze with the car door open. I debated on just ignoring him, but I knew he'd be prickly if I left my position. So, I waited impatiently, my body practically rattling with nervous energy. There was no way Steve would get out of there before he'd been seen by authorities.

There was a flash of a body jumping from one building down to the rooftop of the next building. I watched as merely seconds later another person followed, clad in all black. Steve then appeared after them. Who in the hell? A chopper swooped in, firing at the lot of them. I groaned internally; I hated not being able to see anything.

Bucky jumped down the side of the building and the mystery person followed, unfazed. Were they wearing a cat suit? I didn't have time to analyze this, because I noticed where Bucky was gunning for. He was gonna drop down to the underpass. I started the car and shot off toward the exit loop that I hoped would take me down there. I could hear the chopper firing at them again from behind me.

I passed several other vehicles, speeding like a bat out of hell. The tunnel was busy as I barreled down trying to catch up. Two police cars popped up in my rearview mirror, their lights flashing a few hundred feet behind us. Steve crept into my vision, and I blared the horn to get his attention. I slowed enough for him to jump into the passenger seat and as soon as the door swung shut, I slammed on the pedal again.

"Hey," Steve huffed with a small smirk playing on his lips. I shook my head and narrowed my eyes.

"This is the exact opposite of getting him out of here quickly and quietly," I told him, using his own words against him. He never got a chance to reply because there was a solid thump on the back of the car. I peeked into the rear-view mirror and cursed loudly. The cat man was now attached to the back of the car.

I swerved randomly, trying to throw him off, but he held firm.

"Sam, the cat man is literally glued to the back of the car. Think you could help a girl out?" I asked sweetly, swerving once again.

"Right behind you," he answered. The police cars finally caught up and there were several more than before.

"You're gonna have to bump them," Steve said, twisting in his seat to look behind us. I shot him an incredulous look.

"And cause them to wreck?"

"We won't lose them otherwise."

I grumbled under my breath and gave the one next to us a baby tap, which barely deterred them. Bucky jumped over into the other lanes without warning, and I quickly swerved to follow. We barreled through a bunch of traffic cones and barely missed another group of police cars that had come from the other direction. The person was still somehow attached to our ass.

"Do not ever make me the getaway driver again," I snapped at Steve, my nerves almost entirely frayed at this point. All he did was cock a brow in my general direction.

Up ahead, Bucky swiped a motorcycle from an unwitting civilian. He hopped on and pursued on, eventually swerving into the right lanes again, trying to lose us. I didn't hesitate to follow.

We were closing in when the mystery person finally moved, jumping onto the roof and stealthily running across and leaping forward, latching onto Bucky and the bike. They struggled for several seconds, the bike actually tipping over at one point, but Bucky managed to kick him off.

"Shit!" I exclaimed as I jerked so as to not turn them into roadkill. Sam finally glided into view and my eyes drifted to the mirror.

"Melanie!" Steve shouted, bringing my attention back to the road in front of us. The bridge above us had suddenly exploded, debris crumbling down. I swung the wheel around, completely turning us sideways.

The vehicle couldn't handle the sudden, drastic turn and was gonna roll. Before I could even comprehend what had happened, Steve climbed over me and kicked the door open. He grabbed onto my arm and dragged me from the car behind him. Our feet hit the pavement just as the car flipped and he kept ahold of me, forcing me to keep up with him.

We managed to outrun the car and the falling debris, so I started to slow down. Steve on the other hand, sped up, launching himself at Bucky and his assailant. He rolled across the ground and instantly popped back up, but Steve stood protectively in front of Bucky. I jogged forward, hand raised toward the cat man in case he tried anything.

Armed police began surrounding us, guns aimed and ready. Rhodey dropped down from above and raised both hands threateningly. I was just grateful it wasn't Tony they had sent out here.

"Stand down, now," Rhodey thundered. Steve hooked his shield onto his back, and I lowered my arm meekly. "Congratulations, Cap. You're a criminal."

The police moved in and forced Bucky to his knees. Sam was marched forward from behind us and stopped next to me. The unknown person caught my eye as they slowly removed their mask. I almost gasped aloud. It was T'Challa, the prince of Wakanda. Well, King now due to his father's death in the bombing. Steve and I exchanged a glance.

"Your highness," Rhodey greeted stonily, still trying to be respectful. Not wasting any time, the officers whisked us away and loaded us into a police van. I got stuck in the back with T'Challa; Steve and Sam were in the row in front of us.

I watched warily as they loaded Bucky into an armored truck, not taking any chances with him. I half expected him to make a break for it, but he went quietly. My head hit the back of the seat, and I closed my eyes, not wanting to think about how much crap we were in.