Frostbite |The Alternate Timeline

The Flag Smashers

We made it to the group of buildings Redwing had tracked the man to, sneaking inside the nearest one.

"This isn't eerie," I muttered, my eyes continuously scanning around us. Redwing swooped down near Bucky's head, taunting him with its presence. Bucky swatted at the machine with a sneer.

"Oh-ho-ho. Don't hurt him," Sam chuckled from his position. We kept moving, not a soul in sight. We crossed the dirt road into another building.

Sam stood there patiently waiting. He directed Redwing from the small device on his arm, searching for anyone.

"You're doing the staring thing again," Sam informed Bucky before saying, "They're in there." He pointed down a hall next to us.

"Where's the guy?" I asked, peering at his screen. There was a flurry of activity on the camera.

"I don't know. I think they're smuggling weapons, though."

Bucky made a face and said, "Well, I think you could be right, but there's only one way to find out. I see a clear path. I say we take it."

"We're not assassins," Sam reminded him, his mouth twitching.

"I'll see you inside- or not."

With that, Bucky stomped off in the direction Sam had indicated.

"Hey, come on, man. I'm just messing with you. Come back!"

"He's a tad dramatic," I snickered to Sam and he shook his head in amusement as we watched Bucky creep out of the room.

"Look at you. All stealthy," Sam teased, "A little time in Wakanda and you come out White Panther."

Sam motioned for me to hurry up as we followed behind him quietly.

"It's actually White Wolf."

"I'm not gonna comment on that," I snorted.

"Yeah well, I could say the same thing Frostbite," he retorted.

"Don't call me that."

"God, can I call you anything?" he muttered.

"No."

We snuck up behind him, staying hidden behind a large shelf. He didn't even notice our entrance. There were two men loading crates into a trailer on the outside of the building. I peered between the gaps in the shelf.

"All right, I'm inside. Therefore, way ahead of you. It's not great but very doable," he told us, but his body stiffened a beat later. He glared at us and then back the way we came as if he were confused, making an agitated noise.

"I think the old man's hearing is going out," I whispered to Sam.

"You know what, Melanie-" Bucky muttered, leaning close to my face.

Sam rolled his eyes and separated us saying, "Don't start you two."

"Fine, let's go."

"No, wait," Sam argued, grabbing Bucky's arm as he tried to march off.

"I got a vibranium arm. I can take them," Bucky reminded him, his voice snarky.

"And I can fly. Who gives a shit? Wait. I want to see where they're going."

"There are two people."

"You only see two?"

"That's what I saw."

"Let me see what Redwing sees. Let me see."

"All right," Bucky finally gave in.

"Let's see what Redwing... Oh, look at that," Sam basically sang as his device showed several more heat signatures on the opposite side of the wall, "How many people you see now? One, two... Oh, here it comes again- Four. Five."