Chapter 52: New Horizons
Mika tried everything to keep her mind occupied. She took a nap, did some yoga, learned a few colloquialisms in English from Sam, and counted the bars that crossed the front of her cell. Twice. And all of that took about six hours. God, the next twenty years were going to be boring.
She was just wondering if they would ever let them have books or movies or anything to entertain themselves (what about those people who earned degrees from prison? Or wrote novels?) when the power fluctuated, making the lights flicker and the air conditioner sputter. She stood up from where she was lying on the floor, hesitantly moving to the front of the cell.
"Anyone else see that?" Scott asked the room, also curiously looking around.
"We're in an impenetrable prison submerged under water. I have a feeling that's gonna happen more often than not." Clint deadpanned from where he was laying on his cot. He'd been in that position for a long time, and Mika wondered how long he was going to stay there. When the lighting stayed steady, she deflated, going back to her own cot and laying down. She could hear Sam pacing next door, his footsteps slow and steady. That's what he'd been doing basically the whole time they'd been there. The rhythm was almost soothing, giving her a perfect distraction from thinking about everything that had gone wrong in the past few days.
Soon she realized that Sam's footsteps were not the only ones sounding through the chamber. At first she thought it was Scott, or maybe even Clint, but then she realized that the second set of steps was not coming from their cell block. No, it was coming from the stairs. It wasn't a meal time, and the guard rounds were every twelve hours, so they weren't due for another three or so. Who else would be coming all the way down here?
When Steve finally stepped into the light, she nearly cried with relief. Everyone else stood as well, and she could tell they were wondering if he was really there or if they were filtering some sort of hallucinogen through the air ducts. Mika was speechless, smiling brightly at him as he met each of their eyes and gave them a cheeky grin. She tried to look past him to see if Bucky was with him, but he seemed to be alone. Maybe he was upstairs, taking care of the security guards? Or on the quinjet, ready to make a quick getaway? She tried to think of every possible scenario, because there was no way he wouldn't be okay. Steve wouldn't be looking at her like that if he wasn't.
"You guys look like you could use a hand." he said, his voice echoing in the quiet chamber. He pressed a button on some sort of device on his wrist, and the cell lights flickered again before the bars slowly slid into the wall. She pushed her way out of the cell before the door was completely open, jumping onto Steve like a long lost friend - which, really, that's what it felt like. Prison made her soft like that.
"Where's Bucky? Is he okay?" she asked once he put her down. He hesitated before giving her a half smile, and her heart nearly stopped beating as she anticipated the worst.
"He's okay. He's alive, and he'll be fine. But he did get hurt." he explained, trying to give her enough information to assuage her fears without oversharing the details. Her heart started beating again, hammering painfully against her sternum.
"Hurt? What happened? Where is he? Who's taking care of him?" she asked her questions quickly, not giving him time to answer them. He opened his mouth, but Sam cut him off, carefully directing her towards the door.
"I understand your worry, but he can tell you all of this on the way. I have a feeling we need to make a quick exit." he said, and Steve nodded in agreement.
"That would be correct." came a voice from the door, T'Challa fully decked out in his Black Panther gear. "Captain, we need to be moving."
"On it." Steve said, gesturing for the rest of them to file out of the room while he removed Wanda's restraints. She exhaled sharply as her arms were released, shaking them out and stretching them back.
"God, that was horrible." she said, popping all of her joints as she moved.
"That collar is going to take something a little more...hands on. We'll have to look at it later." Steve said as they finally started climbing up the stairs. Mika followed Sam, keeping her eyes as sharp as possible for anyone who might impede their escape. She certainly had some hesitations about escaping arrest for the second time in a few days, but if Captain America was the one breaking them out, then surely it was okay, right? Besides, this prison was far too advanced for someone like her, and twenty years a completely unfair sentence. At least, that was her humble opinion.
The guards in the security room were still out cold as they ran through, sprinting across the open area of the roof and into the waiting aircraft. It wasn't the quinjet they'd stolen from the Berlin airport; this one was way more high tech, almost alien in its advancement. Mika couldn't help but gasp as they stepped onto it, the inside whirring to life and voice casually instructing them to take a seat. It responded to a few key touches from T'Challa, who set its destination before removing his helmet and coming to sit next to Mika.
"I do not know you." he said, giving her a kind smile. It was night and day compared to the person she'd seen on the news before. She was afraid to trust him at first, but she knew she could count on Steve, and if Steve was running around with him then it had to be okay.
"Mika Corsof, your...uh...king?" she said, unsure of how to address him and forgetting the word in English that she really wanted. His smile grew wider, as if he understood her struggle with the language barrier.
"T'Challa is fine." he said. "You were...trying to help Sergeant Barnes?" He phrased it as a question, but it sounded more like an observation. She bit her lip for a second and dropped her eyes, going to pick at her nail polish but finding nothing left. So instead she clasped her fingers together and steeled her resolve to look back up to him.
"Yes, I was. I'm very sorry about...everything." she said. She didn't know all the details, but she knew about the fight he'd had with Bucky, and knew that his father had passed in the explosion they said Bucky set. That was what made her so reluctant to trust him, even if all signs pointed to an alliance. He nodded his head.
"Thank you. It has been a very trying time for all of us." he said everything in a calm tone, and Mika wondered if that was him as a person or if it was all the preparation he'd gotten before he became king.
"Where are you taking us?" she asked, unable to hide the tremble in her voice. He seemed to realize her train of thought, and sat back slightly to give her a little space.
"I'm sorry, I did not mean to make it seem like you were going from one prison to another." he said, which of course made Mika feel like a right jackass.
"Oh no, I'm sorry, I didn't - I'm just - I don't know what's going on." she said, panicking and hoping she didn't offend the king that had so graciously offered them help. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I understand." he said, laughing at her stuttering and her honesty. "There has been enough pain in the world. I'm just trying to put some good back into it."
"So...where are we going?" she asked, this time her voice much lighter, and her smile much brighter. She was still nervous as hell, but at least she knew that things were better than she thought. He grinned back at her.
"My home, Wakanda. Don't worry, Sergeant Barnes is waiting there for you." he said, his tone teasing. For a king, he was very down to earth. For all her distrust a few minutes before, Mika found that she liked him. A lot. She hoped that they would be friends. She jumped at his mention of Bucky.
"So you've seen him? He's alright? I know Steve said he'd be okay but he got hurt and-" she stopped, pressing her lips together. "Sorry."
"Don't apologize. I have seen him. He was hurt, but they were making a plan the last time I saw him. Don't worry, we have our best physician looking after him." T'Challa explained, and once again Mika found her heart warming towards this man she barely knew.
"Thank you. I can't...I don't know what to say. Or...or how to repay you." she said. She suddenly felt very small, and very grateful. He shook his head.
"Don't worry about that. I just want to undo as much of what Zemo did as possible." he said. With that, he stood up and moved back to the front of the plane, going to talk to Steve in low voices. She watched them for a moment before she was interrupted by Sam leaning over to her.
"Think we can trust him?" he murmured, though based on the look on his face, he'd already made up his mind.
"I don't think we have a choice." she said, still trying to seem tough. Sam let out a huff of a laugh, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back into (the admittedly, very comfortable and ergonomic) seat.
"You gonna be alright, Meeks." he said, resting his head against the wall and closing his eyes. She thought it might be wise to do the same, but she still had too much nervous energy. So she sat with her legs crossed, foot bobbing in midair as she watched through the windshield as they made their way back to Wakanda. Besides the obvious things to be concerned about, she also didn't know how Bucky was going to be when she got there. Sure, everyone kept telling her that he was okay, but she of all people knew how well he could hide his emotions when he wanted to. And she also knew exactly how much of a toll the past couple days had taken on him.
It was well past dark by the time they passed through the border, Mika immediately perking up as the entirety of Wakanda unfolded in front of them. Her breath caught at the brilliant lights of the main city, twinkling in the distance like Christmas lights. She could see T'Challa looking at her out of the corner of her eye, and turned to see him grinning at her reaction. She looked back around to their other fugitives; Sam and Scott were asleep, and Clint seemed unimpressed, but Wanda looked just as astounded as she felt.
"Welcome to Wakanda." he said, tapping a few more controls as they neared the largest building in the city center. The friendly voice warned them of their impending arrival, the craft slowly and gently landing on a large platform. The touch down was so soft she actually had to wake Sam, who was still sleeping peacefully next to her. He was just as surprised by Wakanda as she was, letting out a few choice words under his breath as he took it all in. A very regal woman greeted them as they exited the plane, and when T'Challa greeted her, she thought she heard him refer to her as "mother." She introduced herself to all of them, and she was possibly the most graceful and lovely person that Mika had ever seen. But even then, her eyes were sharp, and spoke of a strength and intelligence that she'd never seen in another woman. It was amazing.
Behind the queen stood a group wearing all white, looking very formal indeed. She told them that these people would lead them to their quarters, that they would have whatever they needed, and to let them know if anything was missing. They were supposed to follow the people in white, but Mika found herself dragging her feet, looking through every window and down every hallway to see if she could find Bucky. Where was he? Steve noticed her vague panic, and whispered something to T'Challa, who then called out to her.
"Mika, come this way." he said, gesturing with his head down the opposite hallway. She quickly followed him, not paying attention to the rest of the people behind them. He led her towards a wide staircase, spiraling upwards. The glass walls showed the medical bay and what looked like a multilevel research lab. Perhaps, if it was another day, she would be more curious and ask more questions. But right now, she was only focused on going up the stairs, hopefully to Bucky. "Sergeant Barnes is staying here, in the lab apartment my sister built. That way it is easier to monitor him."
"I can't thank you enough, T'Challa." Mika said again, not knowing what else to say to the now king. He apparently didn't know how to respond either, simply nodding. "Is he...is he awake?" She was afraid, after his statement about a plan and easy monitoring, that she was about to find him comatose in a bed, hooked up to all sorts of machines. But perhaps that was because of all the medical dramas she watched.
"Yes, he is. I fear Captain Rogers made his status sound much more dire than it is." he explained, and she let out a sigh of relief. It was the first thing she'd been told that actually made her feel better about the situation. They rounded the corner onto the final level, the stairs opening up into a wide living area, decorated with colorful patterns and comfortable looking furniture. A couple hallways sprouted off the main room, and on the opposite side of the stairs was a large kitchen. There, at the stove, stood Bucky, carefully pouring what looked like a cup of coffee. She stopped and stared, honestly wondering if she was dreaming. He was dressed in a white tank top and sweatpants, the light clothing so different compared to the dark, drab wardrobe she was used to seeing him in. He heard them as they arrived; when he turned, she could visibly see him stop breathing. "You must be tired. I'll leave you two." T'Challa said, going back down the stairs without waiting for a response from them.
Bucky put down the coffee pot, his eyes never leaving hers. He, too, wondered if this was a dream, taking a step towards her. That was all the encouragement she needed, running across the short space and jumping onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tightly. He crushed her to his chest, trying to quell the rush of emotions that threatened to overflow. He hadn't been expecting to see her here so soon, or without warning. Normally he hated surprises, but this was one that he was okay with. She pulled back, her eyes scanning him for injuries and immediately zeroing in on his shoulder.
"Your arm…" she whispered, her fingers lightly touching the black cap Shuri had put over the remaining prosthetic. He put his hand on her cheek, turning her attention back to his face.
"Good riddance." he said. She gave him a sad smile, her hands sliding down his chest to rest on his waist. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
"No, no I'm fine." she said, shaking her head. "But you're obviously not."
"I will be." he said, sounding much more confident than he felt. He thought of what Shuri told him the day before, about her scan of his brain and what she thought she could do about it. He didn't know if he should tell Mika, and risk getting her hopes up there with his own.
"Don't tell me it's not the worst thing you've ever been through." she said, giving him a stern look. He laughed lowly, shaking his head.
"I'll be fine. The king and the princess...there's a plan. To take care of this," he moved his shoulder, only a vague ache coming from it. "and possibly...what's in my head."
Mika's jaw dropped. "They can really do that?" she asked, her tone so optimistic that he immediately regretted telling her.
"They're going to try." he said, trying to keep her from staking too much in a possibility. She bounced on her toes, trying and failing to keep her excitement under wraps.
"But still. There's a chance. A chance for you to finally be free." she said, running her fingers through his hair. He couldn't help but notice that she referred only to him and not to the two of them together, and he wondered if that was on purpose or not. Even if he knew he deserved it, he was still afraid that she would decide to leave. He was sure she'd had plenty of time to think things over while incarcerated, and there was a very real chance that she had come to the conclusion that the risks with him were too great. But when he looked at her face and how lovingly she gazed at him, he felt those worries melt away - at least for the time being.
"There's a chance." he agreed, not willing to give it any more than that. She smiled at him, her hand reaching for his and intertwining their fingers.
"Are you going to make me sleep by myself tonight?" she asked quietly. She knew any sort of romantic funny business was out of the question, but that didn't matter to her right now. She wanted to wash the past few days off of her, and she wanted to fall asleep next to Bucky. They could deal with anything else tomorrow.
"I suppose not." he said lowly. He felt alright, certainly better than he had the past couple days. Perhaps, between the exhaustion and the deprogramming of his arm, everything would be fine. She squeezed his hand.
"Good. I'm going to go shower, and then I think we deserve to sleep in tomorrow." she said. He smiled and agreed, directing her towards the bathroom before picking up his cup of coffee and sipping it idly. The blend was certainly different than anything they had back home, but he thought she would like it. He finished the cup just as she finished her shower, and once she was dressed they were able to curl up in the soft bed and finally fall asleep.
He should have known better, of course. The first few hours, exhaustion overtook him. But once his body had regenerated enough, the nightmares took hold. This time, it wasn't a specific memory. No, this time, it was much worse, as he lived through flashes over and over of Mika dying at his hand. No matter what he did, he couldn't stop it, watching each time as the light left her eyes. He startled awake to her calling his name, and he sat up rapidly. He was having trouble breathing, sweat pouring over him. He went to wipe it away, forgetting for a moment that he no longer had a left hand. His right one was tangled in the sheets, a large rip now down the middle of them. His heart sunk as he realized he'd also managed to grab the tail of Mika's shirt, and the early morning light allowed him to see her pale skin showing from underneath the split in the fabric.
"It's okay. We're okay." she said soothingly. She looked vaguely confused, as one often did when awoken suddenly, but she didn't seem scared. But he was. This was just another tally on the times he could have hurt her, and he did not want to add any more.
"It's not okay." he said, his joints popping as he loosened his hand from its entanglement and pushed his hair out of his face. She put a hand on his back, her touch cool against his hot skin. "Everything is still too close to the surface. They still have too much of a hold on me."
"You just need some time, and some rest. And then, when the king figures out what to do-" she tried to calm him, but he was resolute in his decision.
"I have to go back into the ice." he said, his tone tired and resigned. He didn't want to leave her again, but he wouldn't allow the risk anymore. There had been too many close calls in the past few days; he was not going to wait and see how much luck they had before it ran out.
"No you don't, we can just...we can…" her tired brain scrambled for an excuse, or a solution, anything that would mean he didn't have to endure that again. He shook his head, hesitating for a moment before putting his hand on her knee.
"Can I ask you a question?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Mika's stomach started churning, and again she got the strange sense of foreboding that she usually got before break ups. Nothing good came from conversations that started like that.
"Of course." she said, trying to appear more confident than she felt. A million questions ran through her mind, each of them more heartbreaking and ridiculous than the last, as she waited for him to speak again.
"Do you still want to be with me? After everything that's happened?" he asked, and his eyes were so serious that she felt like time stopped for a second. She reached up and tucked his hair behind his ear so that he could see her properly as she said,
"Yes. I do." She wanted to add a quip about how she was officially a fugitive now and she'd be limited, but knew now was not the time. She pressed her lips together, keeping herself from rambling. "Do you still want to be with me?"
"Yes." he said, quickly and boldly. "But I can't hurt you again. That's why I have to go back under."
"But your definition of 'hurting' me and my definition are a little different." she pointed out. Even if she was losing this battle, she was not going to go down without a fight. He let out an annoyed sigh, shaking his head.
"I will concede the bruises on your hip." he said, reaching and pulling her shirt so that the large hole was even more evident. "But this? I can't even trust myself to sleep around you. I want to be with you more than anything, but not until we know that I'm safe."
Her heart sank, but she could see his point. Sometimes, when they discussed things, she knew she had a chance of winning. But this time, she knew that he would not give in. And she knew that it would be selfish of her to ask him to, when he was the one suffering.
"I understand." she whispered. "Whatever you think is best, I'll support you. And I'll be here when you wake up."
"Thank you." he said, sounding tremendously relieved. The sun poked over the horizon, bathing their room in a warm orange light. She rubbed his back again, trying to mollify him.
"Go shower. I'll make coffee." she said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. He caught her hand as she moved away, tugging her back so that he could get a real, proper kiss. He couldn't help but feel like their time was limited, even though he was trying desperately to trust in Shuri and her intellect. She smiled and pushed off the bed, going into the kitchen even though she really wanted to curl up and go back to sleep. But that's what the coffee would be for. She could sleep when Bucky did.
Breakfast was quiet, taken on the balcony overlooking the city. She felt a little bit like they were on vacation, the warmth of the morning and the smell from the new place making time slow down. They drank coffee and ate what they could find as they watched the world wake up below them, a million people they didn't know off to do jobs they couldn't imagine. Wakanda had incredible technology, technology that was advanced and foreign and beyond her comprehension. When the sun was fully risen and the world very much alive, they knew their time was up. They dressed in the clothing that was left for them and started down the stairs towards the medical bay. She took his hand confidently, determined that they would be together until he finally went under.
"Good morning, Sergeant Barnes." a man in white greeted them, making Mika perk an eyebrow. Sergeant Barnes, eh? How formal. She'd have to remember that later.
"Bucky." he corrected him, trying to give him a polite smile. He nodded in response. "Is Lwazi in yet? Or the Princess?"
"The Princess won't be here until later, but I can fetch Lwazi for you. The King is also here as well." the man replied, turning on his heel and walking away without further conversation. Mika was surprised at that, expecting things to be a little difficult.
"So you're known around here, hm?" she asked, giving him a cheeky grin. He rolled his eyes.
"It's a medical ward. Everyone knows everything here." he said, though she wasn't sure that was entirely true. A few moments later, Lwazi came weaving through the busy room, a look of concern on his face.
"Everything alright with the arm?" he asked, going to pull the cap off of Bucky's shoulder. He allowed him to, even if that wasn't the issue.
"Yes, yes it feels fine, but…" Bucky wasn't quite sure how to phrase the request. "The Princess mentioned a cryo chamber…"
"You want to be frozen." he said, filling in the blanks. Bucky sighed, nodding. It wasn't so much that he wanted to be frozen, just that it was the best choice for them at that moment. He couldn't hurt anybody if he was kept under.
"It's what would be safest for everyone, until the Princess can figure out how to remove the sh-stuff from my head. If she can." he explained, making the older man grin.
"Don't let her hear you say the word 'if.' She finds it insulting." he said, directing him to a nearby gurney. His eyes landed on Mika. "You must be the girl."
"Mika." she introduced herself, holding a hand out to shake. She was a bit surprised that he knew about their relationship, given Bucky's tendency to keep his personal life under his hat. Perhaps he was right - everyone in this wing knew everything.
"Lwazi. I will be assisting in this young man's recovery." he explained, going to hook up machines and run Bucky's vitals. He tapped a few spots on a tablet before shoving it off to the side. She let out a snort.
"He's not as young as he would appear." she said, teasing. Bucky glared at her, though the anger didn't quite make it through.
"Watch it." was all he said. Lwazi cleared his throat, trying to stifle a laugh at their interaction and instead focus on getting all the information he needed and preparing him for the cryo. He only paused to formally greet T'Challa as he strode up to them, dressed in traditional black robes this time instead of the Black Panther suit.
"So. Cryogenic stasis." he said by way of greeting, his voice suggesting that he didn't agree with the plan. Bucky nodded, looking down at the floor instead of at the king. T'Challa looked at him for a long moment before straightening up. "Very well. I'll go get Captain Rogers, he was asking after you."
"Thank you." Bucky murmured, still not looking at him as he walked away. Mika reached for his hand, holding it tightly as Lwazi continued his work. As they sat in silence, two men delivered a giant glass tube, depositing it before them. So, this would be where Bucky would sleep until they could figure out how to fix him. Lwazi finished one final wrap of the wounds on his hand and one last scan of his shoulder before giving them both a polite nod and going to the machine.
"So this is it." Mika said, trying not to cry even though she really wanted to. She could cry later, where no one could see her. Right now she had to be supportive.
"This is it." he said. She looked to either side of them, finding that everyone was briefly distracted, and took the moment to lean forward and give him a sound kiss. If he was going to go back into the ice, she would not let him go thinking of all the other times he'd been frozen; no, he would be thinking of her, and how she was waiting for him on the other side. When she pulled back, they said nothing more, instead just content to have these last final moments.
She spotted Steve across the room, looking very much like he was deciding whether or not he really needed to talk to Bucky at that moment. But since he was spotted, he couldn't hide, and made his way over to them with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his shoulders slightly slumped. Now that he was out of his captain uniform, he looked like any other guy, coming to support his friend.
"You sure about this?" he asked, directing the question at Bucky. Mika wondered if she should step away, give the two of them their moment as well, but Bucky's hand stayed in hers and he showed no sign of letting go.
"I can't trust my own mind." Bucky said, looking at Steve and giving a humorless laugh. "Until they find a way to get rid of whatever's in here, I have to keep...everyone safe."
"Bucky, we're ready now." Lwazi said. With one last glance at the both of them, Bucky slid off the table and stepped into the cryo chamber. Mika wondered if they really needed to strap him down, but didn't say anything. His eyes stayed towards the ceiling, and he took a deep breath before closing them, the glass panel sliding up over him. It was a startlingly brief time before the chamber whirred to life and ice crystalized over the glass. And just like that, Bucky was under. Mika crossed her arms over her chest, trying to keep her emotions in check. Steve put an arm around her shoulders, rubbing her arm in a comforting manner and letting her know she wasn't alone.
"He'll be fine. He's been through worse." he said, making Mika laugh.
"I swear, sometimes it's like you two share a brain." she replied, thinking of all the times Bucky had said the same thing. One corner of his mouth lifted in a grin, and he nodded.
"Yea, we used to get that a lot." he said, his voice nostalgic. Mika suddenly wanted to just sit and hear every story Steve had of their misadventures back in the day, if only to understand Bucky a little bit better. He looked over her head for a moment, then pulled away. "I'll be right back. Will you be okay?"
"Yea, yea I'm just going to sit with him for a minute longer." she said, noticing T'Challa waiting off to the side. She assumed he wanted to talk to Steve, and stayed out of earshot as he went to talk to him. She sat on the table Bucky had occupied previously, swinging her legs and watching the monitor that showed his slow, steady heart beat. She stayed there until two men in white came and wheeled him away to another part of the medical bay, taking him out of sight. T'Challa came up to her then, looking sympathetically somber.
"Would you like to meet the person who will be helping him?" he asked, and Mika found that she really did.
"Yes, please. Bucky said it was the Princess?" she asked. She was self conscious enough speaking to the King, and now she was going to meet a Princess as well. Not a big deal. T'Challa nodded, grinning mischievously.
"Yes. My sister. Now, don't be surprised, she is probably younger than you anticipate." he said, gesturing for her to follow him. She kept right on his heels as he moved out of the medical bay and back to the stairs, going up into another lab. This one was built into a massive supercomputer, with screens on every wall and multiple computer towers arranged along one side. In the middle of the room stood a girl facing away from them, dressed in colorful and quirky clothes and artfully arranged hair. She was surrounded by holographic projections, including a massive brain with a red thread running through it.
"Shuri." T'Challa called. Shuri did not look away from a long line of code in front of her, using her fingertips to move and shift pieces of it. Mika had never seen any code like it before. "Shuri!"
"What?!" she snapped, turning quickly. She immediately straightened when she saw the two of them, waving her hand and taking down the holograms. "I mean, yes, my King?"
"Oh stop it." T'Challa said. "I wanted to introduce you to Mika."
"Sergeant Barnes' Wonder Woman!" she exclaimed, skipping off the platform and coming to meet them. "And here I thought you were just a figment of his imagination. He was right, you're very pretty in person."
"Shuri." T'Challa said in the well-practiced warning tone of an older brother. Mika blushed, trying to hold back a bashful grin. "I wanted her to meet the person who would be helping him. She's very worried."
"Oh, no need to worry. I've almost got it figured out. Come see." she said, grabbing Mika's wrist and dragging her over to the platform. Shuri was a few inches shorter than she was, but she exuded a confidence and intelligence that made her seem taller. Mika loved her instantly. She pressed a bead on her bracelet and the holograms sprang to life again. Mika gazed at the running code, trying to see anything familiar in it.
"What script is this?" she asked, her brows furrowing. While none of the tags were familiar, she could certainly start to see the patterns. It was brilliant.
"This? Oh, I made it myself. Do you know code?" Shuri said, moving on from her own question and bringing her attention back to the big brain in front of them. "See, when Hydra originally put the virus in his brain, I assume they intended for it to connect and invade the host cells. But with the advanced healing, his brain was able to encase it and keep it separate. It literally developed new neurons in an effort to protect itself. So even though his brain still responded to the neurotransmitters they released, it isn't completely embedded."
"So you can remove it?" she asked, amazed at everything she was hearing. Shuri was clearly a genius, probably the smartest person she'd ever met. And she was so, so grateful that she was the one who would be helping Bucky.
"Yes, yes I can." she said with a grin. Mika couldn't help it, forgetting that the girl was a Princess and pulling her into a tight hug. Shuri was startled for a moment before gently laying her arms around Mika's waist, hugging her back hesitantly. "You're very affectionate with strangers."
"I'm so sorry." she said, springing back away from the Princess. "That was very rude of me, Princess, I'm apologize."
"Don't apologize, I understand." Shuri said, clasping her hands in front of her. "I'm glad you stopped by, I've been wanting to explain this to somebody and T'Challa doesn't like to listen."
"Why not? This is incredible." Mika said, her eyes going back to the code. "You wrote all this yourself?"
"Yes. I still need to alter the nanotech to seek out the icononeurons and fix the code so that it can seek it out automatically, although repeat scans show that the icononeurons tend to shift as well in an effort to fight off the host…" she stopped talking as Mika gave her a blank look. Talking about code? She could keep up with that. But once she brought biology into it, it became a little more difficult. It took her a second to catch up before she could contribute to the conversation.
"So you may have to do it manually." she said, and Shuri looked surprised at that insight.
"It's a last resort, but hypothetically yes. I just like to make things automatic." she replied, making Mika nod and look back at the code. The patterns were becoming more apparent now, though she still didn't know what they meant. She realized she'd been staring at the screen too long, and looked back to the Princess.
"Well um, thank you. For doing this for him. If there's anything I can do to help…" she trailed off, looking at all the complicated technology around them. She was out of her depth. "Well, obviously it won't be with anything like this but...any way I can, I will."
Shuri smiled and nodded. "I'm sure I can find something. In the mean time, you're staying in the lab apartment, right?"
"I'll stay wherever you allow me to." Mika said, holding her hands up. She was not in any position to be asking for any favors or questioning anything they gave her. Shuri clapped her hands together.
"Good, so you'll be close by. Not to worry, Wonder Woman, we'll get the bad guys and bring back your knight in shining armor. Here, take this, it'll let you in to where Sergeant Barnes will be sleeping. I'll have Makima here show you where it is, so you can visit any time. And I'll call you and keep you informed every step of the way." she said, handing her a bracelet similar to her own. Mika carefully slipped it onto her wrist, the beads humming ever so slightly against her skin. She wanted to take them apart and see what made them work, but she would never take the risk of breaking them.
"You're amazing, has anyone ever told you that?" she asked. Shuri reminded her just a little bit of Nicoletta, though a much younger version. And one much better versed in science. Shuri flipped her braids over her shoulder.
"Not nearly enough. Now, off you go. I've got work to do." she said, turning back to her screens. Mika looked to find another person in white that she didn't know, this time an older woman, who smiled in a motherly manner and gestured for her to come with her. She led her towards the stairs, just outside the lab, and used her bracelet to scan her through a glass door. Three cryo chambers were there, two of them empty. Bucky was at the front of the line, closest to the door, and appeared to be sleeping peacefully. The monitor next to him still showed steady vitals, and Mika felt herself calm down a little more. Knowing that he was close by, and she could at least see him, certainly made her feel better. Makima left without a word, leaving her alone in the room. She knew it was silly to stay here, knew that there was no way Bucky knew she was here, but she couldn't help but sit on a stool for a little bit, her hand resting on the cold glass.
"We're gonna be okay, Bucky." she whispered in Romanian. "We're both gonna be okay."
And with that, we're finally through Civil War! Not gonna lie, I thought CW would take like, four or five chapters. And here we are, clocking in at eleven. Oops. I'm not entirely happy with how this one turned out, but at least we got to see our beloved Shuri! And don't get too complacent, since remember - Black Panther takes place one week after Civil War!
Thank y'all so much for all the reviews! I'm so glad that y'all are enjoying it, though my admission that I imagine Mika as Gal Gadot seemed to rock a few boats! Tell me, if you could cast her, who would you cast? Also, special shout out to all the binge readers coming in, I'm sorry you lost sleep, but I'm so happy that you like the story!
Please let me know what y'all thought of this chapter!
-XM