Time Unchanging

Chapter 172

Just over two days, five hours, and thirty-two minutes were left. Some members of the team parked at an undisclosed location. They saw an unassuming car pull in not long after them.

"T'Challa is here with the vibranium," Bucky announced, prompting everyone to get out to receive the King of Wakanda.

They shook hands with T'Challa before Steve said, "Thank you for your help. I can't tell you what this means to me."

"There is no need to thank me, Captain Rogers," the king said. "I am happy to help."

He looked over his friend. He could see that this situation weighed heavy on Steve. Stubble was already appearing on his face, his eyes were red, and he looked as if he was on the edge, but fighting to hold on. The betrayal of the Death Widow had shaken the world, but hit all of the Avengers, near and far, harder. They had fought beside her, shared meals and stories, and looked upon her like she was family. Now, they could only see the evil she left in her wake.

Okoye wasn't about to hand over the vibranium without an explanation. They weren't given a good enough reason over their call, only that it was sensitive and they had to meet someplace the enemy could not find them. But now, the leader of the Dora Milaje would get the answers they needed.

"Why not just search for her via satellite?" Okoye asked, the briefcase locked firmly to her wrist.

"We are," Tony informed her, "but we don't have the right signal. It's as if she's invisible."

Loki added, "Heimdall is also having problems. He can see her but her exact location is difficult to distinguish."

Neither brother believed this, but they had no proof the Guardian of Asgard was lying either. It left uneasy feelings in their stomachs. There was very little he could not locate. All he could tell them was she "remained on Earth proper," whatever the hell that meant.

Sharon stated, "Yaya said that Draykov had a flying fortress. She restarted the Red Room, maybe she copied that, too."

That would make sense, Loki said to his brother.

Bucky stifled a groan as he replied, Earth proper. Why not just say she is flying in a giant building? Okay, it sounds crazy, but still, he didn't have to be so damn cryptic!

Bruce rubbed his face and mimicked Bucky's thoughts, saying, "Ugh! This just keeps getting more and more complicated!"

Wanda rubbed his back as she asked, "Why vibranium?"

"With the right electrical pulse," T'challa said, "it can act as sonar. A tracker without a signal."

"One I can find in our jet easily," Okoye finished.

The Wakandans had had problems in the past with the theft of vibranium and they had started to implement this tracking system a few decades ago to get past searches for bugs. There was a slight energy reading, but nothing that would tip off smugglers or, in this case, the Death Widow.

Steve gave a hard look as he said, "As long as my girls aren't hurt, do what you have to."

Okoye gave him an incredulous look. She knew that there was only one way for Eva to sneak the vibranium tracker into the Red Room without detection. The real question was how to get it out for the Wakandans to find.