Shadow Killer

Eighteen

I open my eyes gingerly, shutting them tightly, seeing how bright it is. I detect movement from around me, as well as the hum of chatter. I open them once more, everything coming into focus. Above me is a light source shining down on me. I slowly sit up, looking around the room, not recognising where I am.

I can see several people bustling around the room, each of them sporting a white lab coat. One of them looks over to where I sit, and they scurry off out of sight. I glance to see I am wearing a pair of black pants and a white tank top. I scrunch my eyebrows together, trying to remember how I got here. The person who saw me comes into view along with a lady.

"Posie Parker, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I- I'm okay." I look at the lady's face trying to understand the expression. All at once, everything comes back to me. "Shuri?"

"Oh thank the Lord, you remember. I would hate to tell brother that you couldn't remember anything."

"Did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Remove the programming and brainwashing from HYDRA."

"Yes, I believe so," she wrings her hands nervously.

"Shuri, what is it?"

"Well, do you remember before the cryofreeze, I said HYDRA altered your frontal lobe? And that's why you don't have normal emotional capabilities or reasoning." She pauses, and I nod my head, "well I don't know if I reversed that..." she trails off, waiting to see how I react

"But I can no longer be controlled?"

"If all is right, then yes."

I look away, feeling a small smile growing on my lips, "then that's okay."

"Come, lets get you some better clothes, and you shall talk to King T'Challa." I push myself off the metal bed and follow Shuri, who leads me to a room with a closet full of clothes. "Just put on whatever and meet me back outside the room in a few minutes."

She closes the door, and I look at the closet, which is bristling with clothes. I peel off the current items of clothing. I squash my legs into a pair of blue jeans before wearing a random shirt. I glance at my arm and grab a jacket to cover the abnormal appendage. I put on the same pair of shoes, a black pair of combat boots, and as I walk out, I grab a cap to hide my face. I walk out to find Shuri impatiently tapping her foot.

"Why do you have a hat?"

I look at the black cap and shrug, "instinct."

She rolls her eyes, "come on." She drags me through the building, where I wordlessly follow her, not really understanding what is happening. We arrive into an open plan room, with a large window revealing the view outside. Standing near the window is a man in a long black robe, hands behind his back. "Brother?"

He turns around, a smile falling on his face when he sees us both. "Posie Parker, how are you?"

"I'm his sister and he doesn't even acknowledge me," she whispers under her breath to me.

"I heard that. Go on, get out of here."

"Bye Posie!" She calls, deliberately not saying bye to T'Challa.

"Come, lets talk." He guides me towards a couch, where he encourages me to take a seat.

"So, how are you feeling Posie?"

"Am I supposed to feel a certain way?"

It appears I have caught T'Challa off guard by my response, as he stutters for a second, "that is a good point. Now, Shuri told me that she firmly believes she has removed all programming by HYDRA."