Mosaic (Bucky Barnes X OC / Winter Soldier x OC)

Chapter 28: Bucky Barnes - Oasis (Part III)

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Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid.

(She means don't let Val dash off and go driving in a blind rage.)

The soft white noise started up again and, with an eerie grin, "Hi hi!" blurted through the line.

Valeriy's body jerked up. Her hand flying to her hip and grabbing at something that wasn't there. Her taser. But her other hand was already wound around a pen.

My muscles couldn't help but tense. Bracing for a stab.

"Wha? Huh? Amber...? What uh... wh-what up...?"

"There's good news and bad news," the other woman stated.

Now the eight petalled flower turned and stared at her. Staying lower and swaying by her head. A vine with three leaves joined the sway. Dropped down into the footage from the upper right corner.

"...Uhhh you're not mad at... me?"

"Mad at – What stupid thing did you do this time? What do I have to fix?"

Now the woman on the screen sounded irritated.

"Nothing since last time...?" Valeriy tried. Her voice barely even projecting.

The Asian woman heaved a sigh. "Good news first or the bad?"

"...The bad...? Might as well get started on the mess I have to clean up."

Now both of them were irritated.

'I don't want to be in the room anymore....'

Another two vines joined the swaying mass of plant parts. All dropping down from the top of the screen. One even bumped the Asian woman's cheek and was promptly waved away.

"Project Oasis – "

"I buried that," Valeriy cut in, devoid of emotion. Except she wasn't.

"Not anymore, it's not. It's too late to hide it again. Ayers made an announcement at the symposium."

Everything about the young woman was blank, but it didn't feel that way. Something contained just below the surface. Made every instinct I had screaming for me to run. Get myself out of sight. Far away where I couldn't hear any orders.

"The Ayers are bringing fresh water to the world. Pretty sure it's over losing Africa, or so I was told. Been a little hectic on my end since the announcement. Which is where the good new –"

"Losing – LOSING AFRICA!?!?!"

I bolted to my feet, grabbed the dogs, and leaped over the fireplace. Sinking low to the ground to hide.

Even if there were a lit fire, I would have gone through it to get away. Had to hide. But the three of us were too big. Tails and legs poking out from the sizable column where the fireplace sat on.

"I just bloody got Africa back!!!!!"

Something made of glass shattered against the floor tiles as the young woman in the room continued to scream words.

All I could do was pull Ixie and Zephyr closer. Anything to make us smaller while we were stuck here.

No safe out.

The room was too big, too empty to slip to another area. We'd be spotted. The kitchen would have been our best chance at slipping away. The long counter would have provided cover if she wasn't right in between.