R͟u͟t͟h͟l͟e͟s͟s͟ {Q͟u͟i͟c͟k͟s͟i͟l͟v͟e͟r͟/ A͟v͟e͟n͟g͟e͟r͟s͟}

Chapter 42: Out of It

I raised my eyebrows. "Not in Wakanda?"

"Ditto, Strong," Clint said, without looking at me, "What are you talking about?"

"I think both Wanda and Steve are telling the truth. Somehow, this is not the place we expected it to be," Pietro said, "Wakanda has special landmarks and properties that identify it. I didn't know what they were, because all Wanda said about it was that it was 'the most unique place in all of Africa', in her own words. I didn't think much of it until you said that there was dirt everywhere, just like everything else here. It shouldn't be identical, and Tony just confirmed that. We are in the wrong place. Wanda isn't here, and Steve insists she's in Wakanda. It only makes sense."

"But-" I started to cut in. This has to be Wakanda. We followed directions. There was a map. There's no way we could be mixed up.

"You might be on to something, Maximoff," Clint replied, stroking an invisible beard. I refused the urge to laugh.

"No way." I cut in, "There was a map. A GPS. No way are we in the wrong spot."

"I think we better try it. I'll scan the area. What's one of the major landmarks? Maybe I can find one." Clint said thoughtfully, completely ignoring me. I scowled.

"There's a spot where the natives buried their dead. It's supposed to be sacred," Tony said in reply.

"There's another fact. Natives. There should at least be some remains. Something."

"Maybe we haven't found them yet," I insisted.

"We can at least try this idea out, Strong," Clint said calmly, "Don't push it away so fast."

"It's a waste of our time! We shouldn't go looking for anything until we look around here and find real evidence that that's where she is," I said hotly, "We only have one week. Seven days. That is not enough time to go searching for a completely new spot, when it may not even exist. We need to poke around here first."

"Crimson-"

"I'm serious. I'm sick of stalling and waiting around and getting attacked while you guys sit around and look for new adventures and do whatever the heck you do while you wait," I said roughly, "If this isn't Wakanda, that's fine, but I won't go until you have legit proof."

"You're being irrational-" Clint started to say.

"I'm being sensible," I retorted, "You guys are being irrational."

"We could just take a look around the area," Clint compromised, "I promise."

"It's still a waste of time," I retorted, getting to my feet. "I'll see you tomorrow. And I'm planning on looking around here," I felt almost dizzy. We had to stay safe. I couldn't risk our precious time with guessing. I was perfectly fine with looking for information on where it could be, as long as we're multitasking and searching here, just in case. I stumbled over to twilight-shaded part of the dirt that wasn't too rocky and laid down, tired. I was exhausted and I felt bipolar, like every emotion could spring on me at any moment. Besides, it was important I had enough rest for tomorrow. Tomorrow... What was tomorrow again? My mind was fading to blank, and I numbly felt my jumbled thoughts melt into dreams.

***

"I think she's dead...." I heard somebody say next to me, startling me and making me jump to my feet. It was pitch black.

"Who? What? Dead?" I said, everything feeling out of place. I quickly tried to pull myself out of sleep-mode, but I wasn't exactly a jump-out-of-bed-ready-for-the-day kind of person. Speaking of, it certainly wasn't day. It was past midnight, but the sun wasn't anywhere near rising.