✓ | parted [ ➁ ]

[ chapter twenty one ]

It had barely been days since the airport debacle... and everything that followed soon after at the HYDRA base. Andi was already off on another mission, though not as part of the Avengers. She had no idea if she'd ever be able to do that again, but she sure as hell wasn't going to let the people she considered her family rot in an underwater prison.

Steve had been the one to propose the idea, and Andi was certainly on board. Because of how complicated everything was though, the two of them had to go through with the plan with minimal help. Really, the only other person they could call on was Nat, since she'd been in brief contact ever since she fled from New York.

Bucky would have been a good asset, but it was a risky move bringing him along, and Steve seemed confident that they could achieve what they needed to without his help, which was more than enough to convince Andi. T'Challa had been kind enough to lend them a jet that they could take, and it wasn't hard to figure out where Wanda and the others were being kept. Andi had been there, though locating a prison under the ocean was a hard feat from above — but not when you had someone like Natasha Romanoff on your side to help get the necessary intel.

They couldn't afford to waste too much time, so the plan was put into action pretty quickly, whether they were all prepared for it or not. Andi herself had tried her best to practise a little, with what space she was given. She just didn't want to mess up like she had with her very first mission. Her second attempt at going into battle hadn't been too great either since she ended up changing sides toward the end. Andi couldn't afford to make mistakes this time around.

The ride was quick, and because the jet belonged to T'Challa, they got clearance pretty quickly, without having to explain themselves. The real challenge would begin once those doors opened and the guards saw that the king of Wakanda wasn't on board, like they were led to believe.

As the jet descended to land, Nat got up from the controls and moved to stand beside Steve, who stood facing the door. Andi was off to the side, feeling a little nervous, but also feeling hopeful.

"You alright?" Andi looked up to see Steve watching her. She nodded slowly in response to the question and rose to her feet so she could approach him. The jet finally landed, and those doors would open soon enough.

Steve offered an encouraging smile. "Just like we practised, yeah?"

That got Andi to smile a little too, and she felt the jitters wear off. The doors began to open and she looked toward them. "Yeah," she nodded. "Just like we practised."