As y/n is interrogated by Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff, memories of her life as the Ruby Raven start resurfacing. She used to work hand in hand with the Winter Soldier. Except she knows there's more to that, more to him, and she's determined to...
"We fight every night for something When the sun sets we're both the same Half in the shadows Half burned in flames"
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--2016--
I can't believe it's been two years. As I cross another day on my calendar, I grab the local newspaper. I grin as I see they've failed to catch me. Again. When I said Rogers wouldn't hesitate to throw me under the bus, I wasn't wrong. I only wished Nat would've stopped him but apparently she didn't. "The Ruby Raven still at large : what we know so far." S.H.I.E.L.D. gave them everything : my name, my age, a picture of me. I've avoided them so far and I can tell it pisses them off. I became even better at hiding over the past two years and I feel the thrill of danger each time I leave a place, unsure of where I'll go next. That's why I spice it up. I grab a red pen and circle the headlines. I draw a raven and add my signature, a simple "See you never, Rogers." I can't wait for him to find it. I leave it on the table and once I'm out, I buy a burner phone. I find somewhere quiet and dial the emergency number to the line they created just for me. So much for the Ruby Raven.
"Emergency line for the Ruby Raven. What is the object of your call ?"
"I saw the Ruby Raven," I say in my most beautiful Italian accent.
"Ma'am, can you tell us your exact location ?"
"I'm in Florence, Italy. I saw the building she went into."
"Can you give us the address ?"
"Of course."
I give them the address as they asked and hang up immediately. Do they know it was me ? Well, they'll probably do when they'll see what I left on my dinner table. I did the same thing in Paris and also in Nice. Then I went to Brussels. Then to Amsterdam, where I almost got caught. I also stopped briefly in Barcelona and now I'm leaving Italy, heading off to Romania. It's gonna be a long trip but I'll have to be careful. I hop on my motorcycle and drive north. I only stop when I cross the Slovenian frontier and I find an isolated motel to spend the night. The ride was long and I can hear my stomach growling as I check in.
"Is there a room service ?"
"No, there is vending machine upstairs," the receptionist answers with a strong accent. I thank him with a nod, careful to keep my eyes under my hoodie and find the vending machine. I don't really have any change but the machine looks like crap and my intuition tells me I might not need any. I kick it softly and, as I expected, a few snacks fall off their emplacements. I get them with a disappointed smile. Crisps and crisps and crisps again. I head into my room and throw myself on the bed. I'll fall asleep in a minute if I don't do anything. I eat my poor meal and my eyes land on the bedside table. They left the local newspaper and I expect to see something about me again. God, was I wrong. I'd recognise this face anywhere and yet something about it feels off. It's not...it can't be. The articles is about some king that died recently. T'Chaka ? The name doesn't ring any bell. I look at the picture again. They say he's the killer. I'm not fluent in Slovenian but I know enough to figure James is being charged with murder. Seeing his face again... I have to find him. If I am right, he's being framed and I know for a fact that the Winter Soldier hasn't killed anyone in two years.
