Steve's POV
"He's all over the globe." Hill said as we exited the elevator. "Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs. Reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place."
"Fatalities?" I asked.
"Only when engaged. Mostly guys left in a fugue state rambling on about old memories, worst fears, and something too fast to see."
"Maximoffs." I determined. "Makes sense he'd go to them. They've got someone in common."
"Not any more." Hill pulled up an image and handed the device to me. It was Strucker dead, with the words peace written behind him in blood. I nod at her before taking a detour on my way to meet the others. Kamila was sitting in the lounge reading a book.
"Hey, we might have something." She nodded and stood, following me. I glanced down at the book she had in her hand.
"What's that?"
"Hamlet." She replied, glancing down at it.
"In French?"
"I have to keep up my practice somehow." She shrugged.
"Combien de langues parlez-vous?" (How many languages do you speak) I asked.
"Vingt-et-un." (Twenty one) I coughed in surprise. We arrived so I couldn't question her further, but my curiosity about this mysterious girl had peaked. We walked in and I handed the device from Hill to Thor.
"What's this?"
"A message. Ultron killed Strucker." I replied.
"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene just for us." Stark added, looking at the image.
"This is a smoke screen." Kamila observed.
"Yeah." Romanoff agreed. "Why send a message when you've just given a speech?"
"Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss." I said, understanding what they were saying.
"Yeah, I bet he..." Romanoff began. "Everything we had on Strucker has been erased."
"Not everything." Stark told her. We headed down to the records room. I grabbed a box and began,
"Known associates. Baron Strucker had a lotta friends."
"Well these people are all horrible." Banner observed.
"Wait, I know that guy." Stark said, pointing at one of the papers Banner held. "From back in the day, he operated off the African coast. Black market arms." I looked at him accusingly. "There are conventions. You meet people. I didn't sell him anything." He defended.
"He was talking about finding something new, a game changer. It was very Ahab." Thor, Kamila, and I inspected the picture.
"This?" Kamila asked, pointing to something on the guy's neck.
"That's a tattoo. I don't think he had it." Stark replied.
"Those are tattoos, this is a brand." Thor corrected.
"Oh, yeah. It's a word and an African dialect meaning, 'thief.' In a much less friendly way." Banner added.
"What dialect?" I asked.
"Wakanada." Banner stammered. "Wakanda." That name rang a bell. Stark and I looked at each other.
"If this guy got out of Wakanda with some other trade goods..." He began.
"I thought your father said he got the last of it."
"I don't follow. What comes out of Wakanda?" Banner asked. I looked over at my shield.
"The strongest metal on earth." Stark said.
"Where is this guy now?" I asked.
YOU ARE READING
Red
ФанфикKamila Orlova didn't ask to be raised by HYDRA. She didn't ask to be born into the Red Room. And she definitely didn't ask to be killed by Baron Strucker. Thankfully, she wasn't killed, she was rescued. But by who? See inside for the story Age of...
