'Cause if I wanted to go I would've gone by now but I really need you near me To keep my mind off the edge If I wanted to leave I would've left by now But you're the only one that knows me Better than I know myself -Better Than I Know Myself, Adam Lambert
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My eyes closed. Back straight. My meditation was helping me relax as the team looked for Ultron. So far there are reports about robotic interference, people having to live their worst fear, and reports about something too fast to see.
"Raven," Steve's voice broke my concentration. "Come on, we might have found something."
I sighed before I floated down. I can't even meditate for five minutes without someone interrupting me. First Banner, which I didn't mind since he wanted to try. Then Thor, who kept asking me questions about where I'm from. I didn't give him any real answers though. Where are you from? Around. Have you always been a half demon? Yes. What are your abilities? You just saw them last night. Now, it's Steve's turn.
Steve handed Thor the tablet as we gathered around. "What's this?" Tony asked.
"A message. Ultron killed Strucker," Steve said.
I looked over Thor's shoulder to see this Strucker with a bullet through his head. The word 'peace' written in his blood. I've seen darker.
"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us."
"This is a smoke screen," Natasha pointed out. "Why send a message when you've just given a speech?"
I crossed my arms. "To show us that he means it." Tony gave me a look, which I just replied with a shrug.
"Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss," Steve concluded.
Natasha nodded. "Yeah, I bet he..." She stopped midway and began typing on the monitor. Strucker's file pulled up, only to show that everything has been deleted. "Yeah. Everything we had on Strucker's been erased."
"Not everything," I said. The team gave me a confused look. I sighed before I waved my hand. One by one, boxes started to fly inside the room. Every file this building had is bound to have Strucker's in it. Clint had to duck when a box flew past his head and landed on the table.
"Rae, please tell me you didn't read all of these?" Tony asked.
I nodded. "Why?"
"What did I tell you about reading confidential files?"
"Not to, but it's a little payback since you called me Rae Rae the very first day you've met me. Not only that, I was bored."
Tony opened his mouth again, but Steve cut him off. "Raven, can you tell us anything you know about Strucker? Anything at all."
"What's there to tell?" I started. "Guy knew a lot of people. All horrible." I looked at Tony. "I think you know one of them. Forgot his name though. Operates off the African coast. Black market arms." I waved my hand again and one of the box opens. A small paper flew towards my hand before showing them it. "Klaue Ulysses?"
Steve gave Tony a look. "There are conventions, all right?" Tony defended himself. "You meet people. I didn't sell this person anything. This guy was talking about finding something new, a game-changer. It was all very Ahab."
Thor pointed towards the guy's neck. "This?"
"Ah, it's a tattoo, I don't think he had it."
Thor pointed at the guy's chest in the picture before pointing towards his neck. "Those are tattoos, this is a brand."
Banner began typing on the screen for the brand. "Oh, yeah. It's a word in African dialect meaning 'thief.' In a much less friendly way." I feel like I've seen that guy's mug shot somewhere. I just don't remember.
"What dialect?" Steve asked.
That's when it hit me. "Wakanda," I answered. Not going to lie, I miss Wakanda. Maybe I'll visit T'Challa when all of this is over.
"How do you know that?" Banner asked.
"I've been there before."
"You've been to Wakanada?" Banner stammered.
I rolled my eyes. "First, it's Wakanda. Second, yes."
Tony leaned closer to Steve. "If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..."
"I thought your father said he got the last of it," Steve said.
Banner got out of his seat. "I don't follow. What comes out of Wakanda?"
I answered. "The strongest metal on Earth."
My eyes found Steve's shield. Soon enough the whole room was looking at it.
Steve looked at me. "Where is this guy now?"
"What makes you think I know?" I asked.
"Because you basically know everything apparently," Tony said sarcastically. "And because we know you know." I felt my red eyes show, making the team back up a bit as I sneered at Tony. "Easy, Lucy. Save your inner demons for later."
My eyes reverted back, but my glare still hardened. "He's at the Salvage Yard."
》》》》
A/N: Peter Parker is still in the lead. Don't forget to comment your vote. And if Peter does win by the time I reach the halfway point of AoU, then I'll change Raven's age.
After Parker is Bucky. Loki coming in third...sorry, Strange, you got bumped down.
