Till the End of the Line Vol. 5

Chapter 13 - Ayo/ Zemo's words

WAKANDA - SIX YEARS AGO

Ayo, Bucky, and Becca are around a campfire. Bucky and Becca sit down. "It is time," says Ayo.

Not looking at Ayo or his sister, Bucky asks, "You sure about this?"

"What if it doesn't work?" asks Becca as she looks at her.

"I won't let you hurt anyone," Ayo replied. Bucky and Becca look at each other, sigh as they take others' hands, then look back at the flames. Then in Russian, Ayo recites the words. "Longing. Rusted." As she begins, Becca and Bucky start to have flashbacks of their lives while working for HYDRA. They squeeze each other's hands and feel afraid. "Seventeen."

"It's not going to work," Bucky choked.

Ayo pauses, then continues speaking in Russian. "Daybreak. Furnace." As Ayo continues, their memories continue to plague their mind and make them feel pain. "Nine." Becca's visions of her life with HYDRA intensify even more as she begins to hyperventilate silently. "Bengin."

Bucky's visions of his life with HYDRA intensify as he silently grunts. "One." Finally, they see a clearing at the end as both Becca and Bucky have a beautiful memory. Becca's kiss with Loki before he left Asgard and Bucky's very first kiss with Sofia. "Freight Car."

At that moment, the pain stops. Bucky and Becca shed tears. Ayo sighs and is pleased as she tells them in English, "You are free." Bucky looks up at her with his tears. "You are free." Becca covers her face; Bucky glances away then back at Ayo as they are happy that now they are no longer in pain and that their minds are free.

PRESENT

A few feet away, Ayo is standing across from Bucky and Becca. She then walks towards them and asks, "How could you free him?"

"We need his help," Bucky replied.

Ayo looks at Becca with a dark glare. Becca quickly adds, "Trust me, Ayo. I didn't like the idea either but -"

Ayo walks around them and interrupts Becca, "With time, will, and resources, the Winter Soldier and Black Swan programming were removed from you both like a rotten fur."

"And we're grateful for that. Truly."

Bucky adds, "Ayo, I'm grateful for everything you and Shuri have done..."

Ayo interrupts once more, "Zemo murdered our King T'Chaka at the U.N. The man who chose us. Who chose me to protect him."

"I understand."

"Very little, if anything, of our loss and our shame."

Bucky pauses as he speaks to Ayo in Wakandan, "He's a means to an end."

They pause and stare at each other. "Eight hours, White Wolf. Then we come for him." Bucky and Becca nod their heads in agreement. Ayo takes the beads and leaves.

Several minutes later, back at the hideout, Zemo, Loki, Sofia, and Sam are waiting for Becca and Bucky. They hear them coming inside. Bucky walks to the kitchen and says, "Well, the Wakandans are here. They want Zemo. Bought us some more time."

Sam looks at Bucky and Becca and asks, "Were you followed?"

"No."

"How can you be so sure?" asks Zemo.

"'Cause I know when I'm being followed," Bucky replied as he pulls out his phone.

"Besides, if we were being followed, something bad would have happened by now," Becca added as she leaned over to Loki on the couch.

"Don't jinxs it," Sofia warned her. 

"At least she's honest," Loki implied.

Zemo glances at everyone and then continues doing what he is doing. "It was sweet of you to defend me, at least," he said.