The Archangel (Avengers Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty Nine

I extended a wing and blocked the shot on goal. My little team of border tribe children cheered at our victory. "Hey, that's cheating!" Bucky pointed out, glaring playfully at me from across the field.

I put my hand on my chest in mock offense, "I would never!" The whole field and surrounding onlookers dissolved into giggles, they most certainly knew that if I could, I probably would.

Looking up, my smile brightened when I saw T'Challa and Okoye approaching us, but faded once I had seen their expressions. It had been months since T'Challa had updated us with anything new, either a formal message from the Avengers or just news about the world. Of course certain members had kept in touch, but nothing work related was ever discussed. By the look on T'Challa's face, something was up.

Bucky and I stepped off the field, the children ignorant to the serious conversation going on mere feet from their continued game of evening soccer. This was clearly a formal meeting so we greeted T'Challa in Xhosa, "my king, how may we be of service?"

Behind him, Okoye brought her thumb and forefinger together and muttered, "so close." We must have mispronounced something.

The comment lifted his lips slightly but he still remained serious, "the world is beginning to doubt the cover story we provided. If you wish to reaffirm it, we will need to provide proof, or we could simply allow your presence in the public eye to fade."

I met Bucky's eye and nodded once. If we wanted to stay Avengers and help when needed, then we needed to have at least a little public presence, and it would be better if that image was controlled by someone we trusted. The Wakandans would make sure that we were painted in the proper light. Bucky seemed to understand that and wouldn't have wanted to leave Steve out to dry. He nodded back at me and we had made our decision. "What did you have in mind?"

"Human trafficking is a problem in our border nations, Nakia has gone undercover to rescue several Wakandan hostages. I believe it is time she returned and if it helps your cover as well, the better for it." T'Challa suggested.

We could hear the underlying meaning. "It will be done, your highness." The thought of people taking advantage of the Wakandans, the people who had shown us such kindness, had us determined to help in any way we could—regardless of personal gain.

And just like that, we were back in soldier mode and to be honest, it felt good to have a purpose again. Peace was nice, fighting for a cause was nice, but fighting for a cause to return to a peaceful life, that was even better.

"Okoye will fill you in on the intelligence Nakia and the Dora Milaje have acquired on the way there. Transportation will be provided."

I heard Bucky mutter a small, "yes!" and smacked him for it. He just didn't like flying, regardless if it was with me or not.

"It is air transportation, Sergeant Barnes." T'Challa informed. Bucky's face fell and I chuckled slightly, soldier mode broken for a brief moment of levity.

"Let's go, Okoye, we have work to do."

Okoye led us to the airship they had used to get here and opened the hatch for us to get in. It was sleek and futuristic looking, as everything in Wakanda did. Okoye set course for our destination and pulled the black vibranium particles up from the floor, forming into a table and on top, a convoy of vehicles running through a dirt road surrounded by tall foliage. "This is their caravan, the hostages are held in the middle two vehicles surrounded by two dozen armed soldiers, shouldn't be much of a problem. I will be piloting a drone and taking pictures for the media from up here but if you should need my help . . ." she left the statement hanging.

"Of course, thank you Okoye."

"We should wait 'till nightfall to drop in, it'll be stealthier."

That put a large smile on my face. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

Bucky sighed, "yes, as much as I hate it, it would be best if we flew in." I cheered silently, quite excited that he was willing to and even suggesting we fly instead of some sort of ground approach.

I threw my arms around him and kissed his cheek. "We're making progress."

"We will be on them in fifteen minutes." Okoye informed, looking out the cockpit window, "looks like it'll be dark enough by then for an ambush."

It was both a short and a long fifteen minutes. Short in that we spent the whole time catching up with Okoye, she had been busy with T'Challa and her general duties recently and hadn't been able to make it out to the borderlands recently. Long in that we were waiting for time to pass by to fulfill our duty. Finally, it was dark enough and we were close enough to get ready.

Bucky and I activated our suits and I turned myself completely metal in preparation. I would drop down first so that I could catch Bucky when he went through. I crossed my arms over my chest and flattened my wings to my back so nothing would get caught when I dropped through. Okoye called from the side as she gave five spheres to Bucky that looked like kimoyo beads, "opening in three, two, one, drop."

I experienced the brief sensation of weightlessness as I fell through the sky straight as a pencil. My wings shot open and I leveled myself out twenty meters below the airship, staying at a steady flight pace to stay even with the airship as I waited for Bucky to drop out. I caught him by the straps of his uniform and flew silently after the convoy, the airship quickly dropping out of sight.

Bucky threw the beads at the hood of each of the cars, cutting the power from the engine. I swooped down and dropped Bucky at the tail end of the caravan and glided back to the front side where I landed without a sound. I folded my wings close to my back and snuck up behind a sentry that had been posted after they realized they were under attack. I pulled him into the foliage and choked him out, laying the guy down silently on the ground—still alive, though unconscious—and kept going.

Before, in Hydra, I would have simply snapped his neck and been done with it, however, I didn't want to be the same person I was when I was in Hydra, that meant no killing. I knew Bucky felt the same way, perhaps even more so due to him having limited memory of those he killed as the Winter Soldier. We were both controlled in some way, but I was still conscious of my actions though they weren't of my doing, Bucky was completely brainwashed.

I watched from where I was hiding in the grass until one of the remaining two guys went towards the back of the caravan, now was the time to strike. I launched out from the foliage, as silent as a cobra, as I struck first with a leg sweeping motion and punched the guy with enough force that he was automatically knocked out. I hooked my forearms under his shoulders and dragged him back toward the other guy. I bound their limbs together with zip ties and quickly moved on.

This wasn't a stealth mission, per say, but it was necessary that we weren't detected before we got to the hostages or we could put them in immense danger. I picked through the pockets of the two hostiles I had knocked out, disarming and disassembling whatever I found and throwing the pieces into the brush. My head shot up when I heard the unmistakable sound of gunshots from an automatic rifle coming from the tail of the caravan.

Bucky.