Hello Sergeant (Bucky Barnes)

Can't take you anywhere

Sarah's POV

We managed to make our less than promising morning pan out, taking the base with only minor injuries, thanks to Tony taking out the machine guns that were mounted on each building. We went through every building, clearing out every last person. A couple of them attempted to fight back and got themselves shot, but overall, we were successful. As we were loading the prisoners to be taken to Cairo for interrogation, I noticed a familiar face. Making a motion at the guards, they stopped the line and I walked up to the man.

"Sahib? What are you doing here?" I said in Arabic, gesturing for his guard to leave him with me. I pointed my rifle at him menacingly and the guard nodded and removed the rest of the line, leaving us alone.

"Ronin's Maria?" he said in surprise. "I could say the same for you. Is Ronin here as well?"

"He is." I switched to Russian and spoke over my com. "<Ronin, we have a situation here. I've got Sahib with me. Can you join me?>"

"<On my way. What's the hell is he doing here?>" Clint asked, sounding surprised.

I rolled my eyes. "<I'll tell you when I find out. ETA?>"

"2 minutes. Get him inside the guard house, act like you're going to beat the shit out of him."

"Copy, that." I turned to Sahib, switching back to Arabic. "We need to talk out of sight of prying eyes. I'm going to have to act like you are just another prisoner to avoid raising suspicion for now."

"I understand. I will play along, Maria."

"Good. Sorry in advance, Sahib." I ordered him to walk in front of me, hands on his head. I barked at him like the other guards were doing, shoving him with my rifle and directing him to the small guard house we'd taken first. Once inside, I dropped the charade, becoming myself again.

"Ronin's on his way, so if you don't mind waiting for him, you won't need to tell your story twice. In the meantime, how is Malika and what did you have – boy or girl?"

"She is well and adjusted to motherhood easily; our son, Ramses, was born just last month. He is strong and healthy, Allah be praised. How is it that these men look to you as their leader?"

"There is more to me than meets the eye," I replied. "I am not just a pretty face, you know. Do you have pictures? Does he look more like you or Malika?"

Sahib smiled widely, showing his white teeth in his tanned face and pulled out his phone, to show me his many pictures of his firstborn.

"He definitely looks like you for now, but he has his mother's eyes."

"What did I miss?" asked Clint as he came in and embraced the man like family. "Talib! I wasn't expecting to see you here today."

Talib nodded understandingly. "It's a long story, old friend, but one you should hear. You are not what I thought you were, either, but in this case, I think it is for the best you found me today or I would have needed to seek you out soon."

"Talib, I'm an Agent of Shield, as is Sarah." Clint said, gesturing to me. "Ronin is an alias I've always used when I have to deal with the black market or mercenary underground."

"You have always seemed like more than just another mercenary, so this doesn't surprise me." He turned to me, raising an eyebrow. "You, however, I wouldn't have believed you were capable of doing everything I have seen you do today. I watched you perform feats that no human is capable of."

I grinned and shrugged. "It was extremely hard for me to pretend to be a helpless trophy woman when we were in Brazil."

"So you are not really Maria?" he asked, still trying to understand.