The Deadly Nightshade | { BOOK 1 of The Flower series }

[40] Black Panther

Bucky Barnes silently watched the man in the blue uniform as he examined a journal that he got from the top of Bucky's fridge. Bucky's apartment wasn't the best, and to be honest, he felt bad that Steve had to see his living state. It was a tiny, run-down apartment in Romania, taking in the near-squalor. He was a fugitive, and he didn't want to be, but he had no other choice with the thing still in his head. The horrible thing about this was that the apartment was dark and depressing that didn't jive.

Bucky didn't even have an actual bed. He had a dirty mattress lying on the floor in the back corner; he had one full love seat covered in dust, a small kitchen where he had to use the same cutlery because he didn't have that much.

Bucky was heading out to go shopping at the different marketplaces, but he knew he had to get into hiding when he saw the newspaper. He went back to his apartment to get the bag. He knew that he wasn't in Vienna and set off any bombs, and whoever did it had to frame both Jade and him. He was surprised to see the image of his HYDRA partner on the front cover. There was a part of him that believed that she was still under the mindset of Nightshade. He had seen her walk back to the rendezvous point where they were both supposed to go once the mission of 2014 was accomplished.

"Heads up, Cap. Romania special forces approaching from the south," Sam informed through a radio.

"Understood." Steve froze and slowly turned around to face his old friend. He swallowed as he noticed Bucky. "Do you know who I am?"

Bucky slowly nodded. "You're Steve," he whispered. "I read about you in a museum."

"They've set the perimeter," Sam informed.

Steve sat down the journal on the kitchen table. "I know you're nervous. And you have plenty of reason to be. But you're lying," Steve rushed out, yet with calmness.

"I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore," Bucky started with pain. "JS2, she's out there, though." He swallowed, knowing that he needed to find her before the Task Force got to her first.

"They're entering the building."

Steve looked out his back door before looking back at Bucky. He had to hurry. "Well, the people who think you did are coming here now. And they're not planning on taking you alive."

Bucky slowly nodded. "That's smart. A very good strategy."

"They're on the roof. I'm compromised." The old friends heard loud footsteps thumping up above them and heading up the stairs right outside Bucky's door.

"This doesn't have to end in a fight," Steve warned.

Bucky removing his glove from his metal hand and glanced down at his hand before sighing. "It always ends in a fight."

"Five seconds."

"You pulled me from the river. Why?" Steve asked.

Bucky clenched his jaw, remembering the memory as if it was yesterday. He remembered Steve. He remembered his death. He just wanted to remember more but was terrified of what would happen if he did. "I don't know."

"Three seconds!"

"Yes, you do," Steve pushed, staring at him intently.