OUR LIFETIME « Pietro Maximoff

15 /| criminals & panthers

[chapter fifteen]

BUCHAREST

SAVANNAH WAS GROWING TIRED OF pretending to be interested in the fruits at this booth. The Bucharest market was filled with people speaking a language she only knew few words of. She was dressed casually, having left her skirt suit on the jet. Her mission suit was in her and Natasha's hotel room back in Vienna, and there hadn't been anytime to get it. She had enough energy to last her for a day or so thanks to Pietro. She felt bad about hanging up on him, but he would understand once she got the chance to explain.

If she got the chance.

She lowered the glasses on her face, looking to where James Barnes, Bucky as Steve had called him in the briefing, was standing. He held a plum in his hand, and spoke in Romanian to the owner of the booth. She looked down at the booth before her, then back to where Bucky was once standing. She could faintly see his black cap moving through the crowd, a very large crowd at that. It made her head hurt.

Savannah covered her mouth before speaking into her comms. "He's on the move,"

"Don't lose him Savannah," Cap let out.

"I won't," she promised, moving through the crowd, eyes set on his black hat. When Bucky turned to check his surroundings, she quickly pretended to be looking the opposite way then continued moving. Soon Bucky stopped in the middle of the busy street and headed to a kiosk. The man picked up a paper, which most likely alerted him about the recent bombing. He regarded the area, catching Savannah's gaze. Damn it, she thought, hurriedly looking away.

Sav began walking away.

She started to say that she'd been compromised, but someone grabbed her arm before she could even speak. The person pulled her into an alleyway. Her glasses fell from her face.

It was the Winter Soldier himself, or at least some tamed version of who she thought he would be.

The man forcefully asked something in Romanian, shoving her into the wall. The words were incomprehensible to her, but she could've guessed what it meant. His gloved hand wrapped around her throat. "English please," she said, his hand tightening. She would have to reach out a hand and siphon his energy because the hand at her throat was not real.

"Who are you? Why are you following me?" His deep voice was hollow and threatening.

She let his energy flow into her veins and he fell back, slightly weakened. She hadn't taken much, she could barely even feel it.

Savannah coughed, her throat burning more than her hands. "Trying to help... you," she forced out.

"What did you do to me?" They always asked the same thing. His long hair flowed beneath his baseball cap and his face was angry.

"Bucky," she said after the coughing subsided. She was surprised he'd allowed her to catch her breath.

"Who are you?" He repeated, his gloved hand twitching. The assassin was obviously ready to kill her if need be. She didn't answer the question.

She stood upright, saying one name as if it would explain everything. "Steve."

His face changed, but only slightly.

"I don't know who that is," he convincingly lied, but Savannah knew better.

"Liar," she let out. His gloved hand gripped her shoulder painfully. She let out a gasp.

"I'll kill you," he said through gritted teeth. He could try, and given the chance she was sure he would.

She brought a glowing hand to his chest, pushing him back a few feet. "There's no need. I'm not here for a fight and neither is he."