to die for winter | bucky barnes

act 2 | 07

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Chapter Seven
the strongest metal on earth

PEACEFUL mornings are unusual for people like me. There's usually always something going on every single day. I barely even get any sleep most of my life. So when I woke up the next day after the disastrous party on my own accords and not from any alerts from any of my team members, I thought I would finally have a normal morning.

I, of course, couldn't be more wrong.

As soon as I stepped out of my room, Stark was dragging me to the lab. He didn't even leave any room for me to complain. He was already holding a cup of my favorite cold brew, handling it to me as soon as we got inside the main lab, joining the other waiting Avengers.

"Don't complain. I made sure everyone was already up and waiting before I dragged you here," Tony said, gently patting my head.

I sighed before taking a quick sip of my morning coffee. "So, what's with the emergency meeting? Did our favorite murder-bot make a move?" I asked, looking around.

"Oh, he most definitely did. And I'm sure you wouldn't like it," Tony answered before picking up his tablet and walking towards me. I let my eyes travel to Steve, silently leaning on the wall, obviously avoiding my gaze.

Something's not right.

"Here, take a look," Tony said as he handed over his tablet to me. I furrowed my brows before looking at the image the device was displaying.

"What the hell?" I muttered in disbelief.

Strucker's dead body can be seen in the picture together with a very bold message from no other than my favorite murder bot.

All of them are quiet as they wait for me to react. I know they know what I'm thinking. I specifically made sure that Strucker stayed alive. I have a lot of questions that he holds the answer. I was planning to have a one on one interview with him after the party. Well, I guess that wouldn't be possible anymore, seeing as he's fucking dead!

"I'm gonna rip Ultron apart," I announced, looking at Tony.

——

Thanks to Ultron's handy work, all information we needed to track his movements were all gone. The database was cleaned thoroughly. And that is how we find ourselves digging through physical files, sorting through various boxes.

"You know when you said being an Avenger would be fun, this wasn't necessarily the idea of fun I was thinking of," I commented, flipping through physical files from the box third box I picked up. I heard Steve chuckled behind me, placing another box beside him. I don't know how he does it but I'm pretty sure that's his fifth box already.

"Yeah, yeah. You can complain all you want just keep your hands moving, little prince," Tony answered, eyebrows furrowed as he aggressively flip through papers after papers. "Known associates," he muttered, opening a new folder.

"Well, Strucker had a lot of friends," Steve commented, I looked back at him and saw how he's also going through files of Strucker's known associates.

"Well, these people are all horrible," Bruce said, joining in the conversation, glancing at a set of photos in his hand.

"Yeah, no shit," I replied. Tossing the folder I just finished flipping through back to its box. I sighed, looking around and pouting when I noticed that there are still a bunch of boxes left to go through.

I sadly grabbed another folder, flipping it open and immediately frowning at the title of the folder - Young Prince'. Feeling curious but also scared for some reason, I opened the file folder and what welcomes me is an old black and white picture of myself inside the cryostasis chamber. As I browse through the following pages I realized that what I'm holding is a report about me made by no other than Tony's father, Howard Stark.

I quickly and subtly glanced around me, making sure no one was looking around before swiftly placing folder back inside the box, memorizing the label of it so I can easily find it later. I will have to sneak inside the main lab later tonight to grab the folder and not have anyone see me.

I'm not sure what specific information that file holds but I'm not sure I'll be willing to share that to anyone. For now, I'll have to read it by myself then I'll decide later on if I'll be sharing it to Nat or Clint, or maybe even Steve if it's not as bad.

"Wait,"I immediately glanced up in panicked, did someone saw the file I was holding? However, when I saw Tony and Bruce looking at the file Tony's holding, eyes away from me I let out a sigh of relief. For a second there I thought I fucked up.

"I know that guy. From back in the day. He operate off the African coast, black market arms," Tony stated. Steve immediately glared at him accusingly and I tried my best not to laugh. God, no one can be as righteous as this man. I decided to join the three of them when Steve approached the two geniuses. Tony, of course, didn't missed Steve's glare. "There are conventions, alright? You meet people, I didn't sell anything," he defended himself. This time I let myself chuckle, taking the file from Tony, looking at the picture.

"He was talking about finding something new, a game changer, it was very 'Ahab," Tony explained further, I then noticed Thor walked and stand behind me, I then glanced back at him before adjusting the file so he could see it as well.

"This," Thor said, pointing to Ulysses Klaue's neck.

Tony moved closer to us, looking at where Thor was pointing. AT this point three tall and buff men was surrounding and I'm not entirely sure what to feel about it.

"It's a tattoo. I don't think he had it...," Tony said. Thor, however, shook his head before moving her finger and pointing it at the tattoo on the arms dealer's nape, "No, those are tattoos, this...," he moved his finger back to the one he was pointing at before, "...this is a brand."

I moved the picture closer so I can get a better look of the brand the Asgardian god was referring to. "Yeah, it kind of look different that the other inks he have."

Bruce then asked for the photo, opening one of the computers, I immediately got his point and handed it to him. After a few clicks, he was able to get an answer.

"It's a word in an African dialect meaning thief... in a much less friendly way," Bruce said as the data popped up, turning to face us.

"What dialect?" Steve asked.

"Wakinada? Wa... wa..."

I furrowed my brows before muttering the word Bruce was trying to say. "Wakanda."

"Yes, that!" Bruce exclaimed, pointing at me. I gave him a small smile before turning to Steve and Tony.

The three of us stared at one another for a few seconds and I just know we're all thinking of the same damn thing.

"If this guy got out of Wakanda with of their trade goods..." Tony trailed off.

Steve turned to looked at him with furrowed brows. "I thought your father said he got the last of it?"

"I don't follow," Bruce interjected, getting up from hit seat in front of the computer and walked closer to us. "What comes out of Wakanda?"

"The strongest metal on Earth," Steve answered his question, turning around to look at his shield.

I let out a sigh, shaking my head. "Vibranium."

I let out a groan of frustration, "You've got to be kidding me!"

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took me so much time cause of uni and words are just not coming to me haha, anyway next update will give you a very (ʃƪ＾3＾） interaction between our favorite speed boy and leviiii!!

love u all!!

xo,nics