Lost + Found [Bucky Barnes] ✓

Chapter 9

I can't...I can't even process what's happening right now. My mom stares at me with a mix of sadness and something akin to pride on her face, and I really want to slap her. It's true, I'm a bad daughter. I want to slap my mother. Or scream. Or cry. Something.

After spending several minutes in an awkward silence, I finally excused myself from the living room and paced around the kitchen. My mother eventually followed me, but I refused to meet her concerned gaze.

"What about Artemis?" My voice is barely louder than a whisper as I speak the words, afraid of what the answer might be. If my father wasn't actually my father, then what about my sister? "Who is her dad?"

My mother wipes a tear away from her eyes and smiles, "You are both daughters of S'yan."

I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding, and relief floods through my veins. Ari is my sister no matter who her father is, but there's something reassuring about knowing that we are in this together. We have both been lied to about our parentage.

"I meant what I said earlier, Chloe," Zuni says, watching me carefully. "Artemis will be safe as long as our enemies do not have you. I do not believe they will harm her for fear of angering T'Challa. We must keep your location a secret and inform your cousin of the situation. He will find Artemis. It is best if you remain here."

"With all due respect, ma'am," Steve interrupts, walking into the kitchen along with Natasha. "Staying here is a bad idea. Whoever is responsible for Artemis' disappearance clearly knew Chloe. She'll be a target as long as she's in DC."

My mother frowns, "And what do you propose?"

"We have connections in S.H.I.E.L.D," Natasha interjects. "We could facilitate her transfer to a safe location, keep her under guard."

I scoff, "So throw me into a glorified prison? No thank you. Whoever took my sister wants me, right? I'm not going to sit around and wait for them to find me. I want to help get Ari back."

"Sthandwa sam," my mom croons, "That is not wise. There are enemies everywhere - even in S.H.I.E.L.D. The fewer people who are involved, the better. Even telling these two is a risk. No, your cousin--"

"I'm not waiting around for someone else to take care of this," I interject, firmly planting my hands on my hips. I glance at Steve and Natasha hoping they'll back me up, and I'm surprised when Steve of all people nods.

"T'Challa is a friend," he says. That earns a look of shock from my mother, and I'm glad to see that she lets him continue. "If we aren't involving S.H.I.E.L.D, then - with all due respect - I'd like to see this one through to the end."

Natasha nods in agreement, and I can't help but smile at my two new friends. I didn't expect Steve to support me given his hesitation to get involved, but I guess that's my mistake for thinking Captain America doesn't follow through on a promise. I get the feeling that when Steve Rogers does something, he does something. No half-assing allowed.

"So what's the plan?" I ask, tucking a piece of my black and violet hair behind my ears.

My mother grimaces, "We go to Wakanda."

<><><><><><>

It's been ten hours since we left my mother's house in Bethesda, Maryland. Ten and a half hours since Steve and I discovered the massacre at my apartment and my sister's kidnapping. Twelve hours since I killed two men with my bare hands.

Needless to say, no one knows about that last one. I'd like to keep it that way. 

I tried to sleep on the flight to Wakanda, but the seats aren't exactly conducive to a good night's sleep. Then again, neither are the horrific nightmares flickering behind my eyelids every time they slide shut.

After much deliberation, we managed to leave without my mother - opting to travel light on a quinjet operated by Natasha. Steve spent half the flight in the copilot's seat with her and the other half watching me silently. He tried to talk a few times, but what do you say to someone who just found out that 1) she's a freak 2) her sister has been kidnapped 3) her father wasn't really her father and, oh yeah, 4) she's a fricking royal.

Short answer? You don't say anything.

Now, I'm standing outside the quinjet in who-knows-where surrounded by what appears to be miles of endless jungle with my hair plastered to my forehead as I sweat through my layers in the Wakandan heat. Let me just say, this climate is not a leather-wearing climate.

Natasha smirks at me before passing a hair tie which I gratefully use to twist my long hair up on top of my head. Somehow, her red hair is still in perfect condition, falling in loose waves to her shoulders, but she's also removed her jacket in favor of jeans and a loose blouse. Steve beckons us to follow him through a sliding metal door, and we're instantly greeted by the blissful cool of air conditioning.

The sweat on the back of my neck chills, and I get goosebumps as I take in my surroundings. We're in a modern and sleek room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the jungles, and everything looks far more technological and expensive than I could've possibly imagined. I guess when I thought about Wakanda, I didn't know what to expect. I've heard that it is one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world, but this...this is a whole different level.

A young man approaches us, greeting Steve and Natasha with a friendly smile. He's wearing a simple navy tunic with black trousers, and I can't help but notice the reservation in his eyes. He can't be much older than me, but the man in front of me is one who carries a heavier burden than I could possibly imagine. After releasing Steve from a welcoming handshake, he turns to me with a formal nod.

"Hello, Chloe," he says. "I am your cousin, T'Challa." 

*****
AUTHOR'S NOTE

You know what's going to happen soon, right? Are you squealing internally yet?

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