The assassin reloaded his weapon and took aim across the street. Never blinking, never breathing, there was a fluid, inhuman grace to his movements. The gun fired and faint screams pierced the air as he quickly reloaded with a striking metal arm and marched forward. A black mask covered most of his face.
Grimacing, Charlotte turned away from the screen. She wrapped her arms around herself and noted the faint bumps raised on her skin. As she wandered back over to the white table where Shuri was sitting, she murmured,
"It's scary what people will do to each other."
The technology lab was empty save for the two of them. It was late and the usually bright lights that hung from white, scalloped sculptures in the ceiling were dimmed to a faint yellow glow. The perimeter of the room was dark and Charlotte could just make out a few silhouettes of various gadgets illuminated by the massive spiral ramp in the center of the lab. Yet she could feel the edges of her scalp itching as energy streams pulsed from the various tech spread throughout the room, like little electric heartbeats.
She leaned against the table, surveying the multiple screens suspended in midair that displayed digital files of the man known as the winter soldier. She held up a finger to one of the transparent screens and flipped to another page.
Shuri absentmindedly fiddled with a tool on the table. "I thought you should see his background, so you can know what we are dealing with."
"I didn't realize that anyone had successfully figured out mind control to such an extent. You said they used trigger words?"
"Yes," Shuri replied, her long legs dangling from the stool she sat on. "After each mission, they would wipe his memory clean using a primitive form of electroconvulsive therapy. For each new directive, they used a series of Russian words in a specific sequence to engage complete cognitive control. It's only recently that Steve Rogers was able to break into his deeper subconscious and begin to disrupt his programming. But the threat is still there."
Charlotte paused as another video clip began to auto play on a lower screen. He was strapped to a reclining chair, bare chest heaving. Several other men in ties and white coats tended to a machine before exiting the frame, leaving the soldier confined to a head vice with a mouthguard clenched between his teeth. Charlotte was grateful there was no audio for his scream.
She flipped to another file that showed a picture of the soldier. It was blurry, as if someone had taken it while running outside, quickly trying to snap a photo without him knowing. Dark, disheveled hair brushed his shoulders. He had a straight, fine nose, lips that bowed slightly downward, and shadowy stubble painted his jaw. Strong, dark brows hung heavily over piercing steel-blue eyes.
"He has beautiful eyes." Charlotte winced. She hadn't meant to say so out loud. "Empty. But beautiful."
Shuri sadly grinned. "He's a good man who has done a lot of bad things. But we can help him."
Charlotte looked away from the photo and faced her friend. "Where is he now?"
"He's here. We were keeping him in a cryostasis chamber until we were ready to begin treatment. We took him out a few weeks ago and moved him to the perimeter of the city. His memory recall has made significant improvement in relative isolation."
As Shuri talked, Charlotte spotted the dark figure moving through the lab, slowly approaching the Wakandan princess from behind. He raised a finger to his lips. Trying to keep from smiling, Charlotte quickly averted her gaze.
"So what exactly is your plan?" she asked.
With lighted eyes, the answer tumbled out of Shuri, as if she had been waiting a lifetime for a chance to explain. "The Hydra scientists were able to imitate a form of neurogenesis that allowed them to artificially stimulate the synapses and sensory neurons within the brain. We've managed to isolate the cortical remapping around the –"
He yelled into her ear and she jumped high off her stool, long braids whirling as she twisted in midair as fast a cat. She threw her fists into his laughing face, which he fended off with ease.
"T'Challa! For Bast's sake! I swear I will make you the shortest-lived king in Wakanda history!"
"Ey," T'Challa spread his hands apart in surrender. "At least we know your sneakers work well." She looked down at his feet, her lips puckering when she saw the fitted black shoes she had designed.
"My designs always work, dumbass." She landed a hard punch into his chest before wheeling on her friend. "And where were you, eh? Able to sense energy waves for a mile and you couldn't give fair warning?"
Charlotte simply shrugged.
T'Challa looked over at Charlotte, still smiling as he rubbed where Shuri's fist landed. "Apologies for interrupting your discussion."
"It's ok," Charlotte said, mirroring his amused smile. "I didn't understand what she was saying, anyway." The king chuckled.
Shuri hung her head between her hands. "My brother is king of Wakanda and my best friend is a metaphysical miracle. And I still feel like I'm surrounded by idiots."
Charlotte snorted. "Well I'm sorry that I'm only a miracle. Maybe next time I have a near death experience I'll ask if I can be sent back as something more useful to you. Like a Kimoyo bead."
Not entirely unamused, Shuri's nose crinkled as she smiled at her friend.
"You are looking well, Charlotte," T'Challa said. "What brings you back to Wakanda?"
"Your sister, mostly. Though I'm sorry I did not return in time to see your father again. I would've liked to have thanked him for all that he did. I'm so sorry to hear of his passing."
T'Challa nodded solemnly. "Thank you."
"How did your trip go?" Shuri asked, now completely engrossed in adjusting the tool she had been fiddling with earlier.
"As well as could be expected. We have a long road ahead of us, but I am confident the world will soon see Wakanda and its people as a leading nation."
"And not just farmers?" Shuri said, now writing on a small piece of paper. "I heard that imbecile at the conference." Then, in her laughably best European accent, "'What can a bunch of farmers offer ze rest of ze world?' I don't know how you do it, T'Challa. To just stand there and not say anything."
"That is why I am ruler and you are not," T'Challa said calmly, dark eyes surveying the screens and notes scattered about the table. "I see you are reading up on Sargant Barnes."
Charlotte looked back at the blurry picture of the winter soldier. "Shuri seems to think I could be of some help. Though I'm not exactly a psychiatrist, so I'm still not really sure what it is I'm doing here."
Shuri rolled her eyes.
"That man needs more than a psychiatrist," T'Challa said, nodding towards the frozen photo. "What is your plan, Shuri?"
"Cerebral re-calibration by deconstructing and then regenerating the neurons and synapses associated with each trigger word. I have developed an algorithm that will help to stabilize the neurological pathways that were corrupted by Hydra's soldier code, but Charlotte's electromagnetic biology is more fine-tuned and organic when trying to disrupt the electrical fields of the brain."
With her chin cupped in her hand, Charlotte glanced up at T'Challa. "Good thing I'm a miracle."
T'Challa smirked but said nothing. She watched his face a second longer, detecting an apprehension from him that lighted a spark in her gut.
"Here," Shuri slid the piece of paper she had been writing on to Charlotte. "These are the trigger words that are used to activate the soldier code. I need you to learn how to pronounce them in Russian."
Charlotte looked down at the list. They were written in English with their Russian translations to the side.
Longing. Rusted. Furnace. Daybreak. Seventeen. Benign. Nine. Homecoming. One. Freight Car.
"Shuri, I don't know Russian. How am I supposed to learn how all of these words overnight?"
The princess shrugged. "Google."
Charlotte tossed her head back, laughing, then folded the paper and placed it in her back pocket. "Of course. Well, seeing as how I suddenly have plenty of homework, I'm going to have to say goodnight."
T'Challa gave her a slight nod of his head. "Good night, Charlotte. Sleep well."
When Charlotte was halfway up the spiral ramp, Shuri called out, "There will be a test!"
The sound of her footsteps faded, leaving the Wakanda king and princess in silence. As Shuri began to turn off the various monitors, T'Challa turned his unblinking gaze to his younger sister.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Logically, it's the best idea," she said, though her brazen confidence no longer lighted her face. "I could do it on my own, but we risk completely erasing Barnes' memories – again. And there's no promise of getting them back. Charlotte can manipulate specific energy signatures in a way that allow us to keep him – all of him – intact."
"Her abilities are not well understood. She has never done something like this before. Neither have you."
"Yes, putting a mind back together is a little trickier than a vertebra, but it can be done. We have tested the algorithm on several digital constructs of Barnes' brain. The science is sound. There will be safety perimeters and restrictions in place. I would not take any unnecessary risks, brother."
"I know you will not," T'Challa said. He glanced at the masked winter solider that was still displayed on the screen. "It is not you that I am worried about."