The Life of Veronica Stark

Chapter 18

Roni's POV:

We make it to Bucharest and Steve heads up to the apartment where Bucky is staying while I stay with Sam doing surveillance. "Heads up Cap, German Special Forces approaching from the South." Sam says, seeing the vehicles come into his line of sight. "Understood." Steve says.

We then hear talking. Bucky must be home. "They've set the perimeter." Sam says, watching the task force come close to the building. "They're entering the building." He says. We then see them start to appear on the roof. "Come on." I say, opening a portal to another rooftop, close by.

We jump through before they can see us. "They're on the roof, we're compromised." Sam tells him. "Five seconds." Sam warns. "Three." I say. "Breach! Breach!" Sam yells. We hear the sounds of a fight going on. "I've got Steve." I say. He nods, taking off somewhere.

I run and jump off the roof, taking flight. "Roni, Southwest rooftop." I hear Steve say. "On it." I say, flying to where he instructing. "Who's the other guy?" I hear Sam asks. "I'm about to find out." Steve says. A helicopter then starts firing at Bucky and the cat dude. "Roni." "Got it." I say.

I use my power over wind to send the helicopter to a different roof then I short circuit the controls so they can't move. By the time I get back to the roof. They're gone. "Sam, I can't shake him." Steve says. "I'm right behind you." Sam replies.

Sighing I take to the sky and fly over the tunnels I assume they're in. By the time I find them again, Steve, Sam, Bucky, and the cat dude are surrounded by police. I land beside Steve. People immediately grab for my, but I heat my skin to burning temperatures.

When the touch me, they hiss and back away. "Don't touch me. I'll go willingly, no powers." I tell them. Scared they nod, escorting me to the cars they were hauling Sam, Steve, and cat dude, who I find out is Prince T'Challa of Wakanda, into.

I look over at Bucky being put into an armored, guarded truck. We make eye contact and my heart stops all of a sudden. We maintain eye contact until he is shoved into the truck. We are making our way through Berlin when Sam asks, "So you like cats?" "Sam." Steve chides.

"What? Some guy, shows up dressed like a cat and you don't want to know why?" Sam asks. "You're suit, It's made of vibranium." Steve says, no question in his voice. "The Black Panther has bee the protector of Wakanda for generations.

And now, since your friend has murdered my father, I now wear the mantle of King. Tell me, as warrior and King, how long do you think you can protect your friend from me?" T'Challa asks. Everyone is silent after that.

We finally pull up to the compound and are escorted over to Mr. Everett Ross. I see the glass container that Bucky is in, being loaded out of the truck. Our eyes meet again and I nod to him. "What's gonna happen to him?" Steve asks Ross.

"The same thing that ought to happen to you. Psychic evaluation and extradition." Ross says. "This is Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander." Sharon says. "What about a lawyer?" Steve asks. "Lawyer, that's funny. See their weapons are placed in lock up." Ross orders.

"I better not look out the window and see anyone flying that thing." Sam quips. We are lead through sliding doors. I glance at Bucky one more time. I wish there was a way I could communicate with him, but sadly, Wanda is the one with telepathy.

"You'll be provided with an office instead of a cell. Now do me a favor and stay in it." Ross says. "I don't intend on going anywhere." T'Challa says. "For the record, this is what making things worse, looks like." Nat says, walking up on the other side of Steve. "He's alive." Steve says.

We walk into a room where Tony is angrily talking on the phone. "Try not to break anything while we fix this." Nat says, walking over to Tony. "Consequences?" Steve asks as Tony hangs up. "Secretary Ross want all three of you prosecuted. Had to give him something." Tony says.

He glances at me for the smallest moment with disappointment before looking away. "I'm not getting that shield back am I?" Steve asks. "Technically, it's the government's property. Wings too." Nat says. "That's cold." Sam says. "Warmer than jail." Tony says.

"So lucky I don't need weapons to kick someones ass." I grin. "Stop bragging." Sam snaps and I giggle a little bit. "I'm surprised their stupid enough to have me without something to keep my powers in check." I whisper. "They're all too scared to go anywhere near you." Steve says.

He then follows Tony to sit at the other end of the long table. They start talking about something while I and left next to Sam, in my own thoughts. I suddenly hear yelling and my attention shifts to where Tony and Steve are. Steve walks away from Tony and I walk up to him. "Hey." I say.

"Hey Roni." He says. "You two ok?" I ask. "No, not really. He sees things one way and I see things the other way." He tells me. "He'll eventually see what Sam and I do. Hell, even Nat has some reservations about the whole Accords. She just wants to keep everyone together." I say.

"Yeah. You know, you probably shouldn't talk to me." He says. "And why is that?" I ask. "Your brother, he fears I'm taking you form him which isn't helping anything." He says. I chuckle a little bit at this.

"Well you know Tony is a grown ass man and if he can't get over his stubbornness he is going to lose me all on his own. He just doesn't see anything in the eyes of an enhanced individual. Wanda and I are getting things taken from us. More things than all of you are." I say.

"I know, I can see that." He says. I then look down at the picture he is looking at. "You know that's not him right?" I ask. "I know, but no one else will believe us." He says. "I know, but maybe if I can talk to Bucky-" "No, it's fine really." He says and I nod.

Sharon and Sam come next to us. "Why would the Task Force release this photo to begin with?" Steve asks. "Get the word out? Involve as many eyes as we can?" Sharon suggests. "Right, it's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding." Steve says. I see where he is going with this.

"Bomb the UN, get your picture taken. Get seven billion people out there looking for the Winter Soldier." Steve says. "Your saying someone framed him to find him." I say. "Steve, we've been looking for this guy for two years." Sam says. "Yeah, well you didn't bomb the UN." I say.

"That turns a lot of heads." "Yeah, but that doesn't guarantee whoever framed him would get him, it-" "Guaranteed we would." Steve realizes. We all look to the monitor surveying Bucky in his cage. There is a man in there with him. Something seems familiar about him.

The way he's built is very familiar to me. Suddenly everything goes black.