The group fell silent as they contemplated Bucky's question.
"When I got here I was sort of overwhelmed by everything and…" Peter said. "But yeah, its kind of weird. It does look the same. Did they lie about the wizards?"
"Maybe that's not the same thing," Steve said. "Maybe they just look similar. Science can be indistinguishable from magic."
"Why are you so hell-bent on believing these people?" Bucky asked. "Is it because you want to justify us coming here?"
Steve gave him a hard look. "They had Peter. I couldn't take the chance that they…" he began, but was interrupted. The room went dark. When the lights returned instead of seeing their benevolent captors, a door appeared on one side of the wall.
"Whoa!" Peter said. "That's new!"
Wanda sent one of her red sparks through it, making it open. On the other side was a well-lit, white hallway, revealing five more doors. She entered the hallway as the unofficial discretionary scout, opened one, her other hand upraised ready to use, just in case. She appeared surprised. "It's a room..."
They followed her in as a group. A bed, a table, a bureau, another small door. Steve opened that one, revealing a small bathroom with a shower He turned on the tap and water flowed out. Touching a drop to his lips, he nodded to the others.
"It is what it looks like. Would guess that these are our quarters," he said. "They appear to be comfortable enough."
"How did they do that?" Peter asked.
Bucky and Wanda explored the walls, searching for anything out of the ordinary. "All one material as the rest of the building." She opened one drawer pulling out what looked like a generic black t-shirt with matching slacks. "Unisex, but serviceable."
"I wonder if they will magically just sort of fit us?" Peter asked.
"Magic is the word," Bucky said.
"Or science we don't understand," Steve said. "When I woke up from my deep freeze, Times Square looked like… pure magic."
"What will they feed us?" Peter asked. He was doing his own snooping, opening another drawer.
"I'm sure they have that covered," Steve said. "They understand we need air and water, and we've got that."
"How long do they intend to keep us here?" Bucky asked. He took the t-shirt from Wanda holding it up against the light. "The details mean someone did their homework." He put the shirt back in the drawer, shutting it hard, slamming it so it made a noise. Everything felt real.
"It's been several months since the Blending, so at least that long," Steve said. "They're fast learners."
"Why are their only five rooms?" Peter asked. "There's six of us!"
Bucky was glad he was facing the wall so no one could see his expression.
"If they've been watching us, they know I've been staying at Bucky's place in Wakanda. They probably just put us together. Think you can stand me in such close quarters again for this little adventure?" Steve's voice took on a teasing tone. Bucky turned around, and they exchanged a glance. It obviously amused him, making Bucky want to throw something at him. "I mean, after growing up together, marching together in WWII, hanging out at the compound, and now in Wakanda, I think we've got each other's bad habits down pat. Better us bunking up together than anyone else." This was his way of diffusing the situation.
Bucky crossed his arms in front of him and tried looking a little defiant. " Before this happened, I was going to ask if you wanted the neighbors to build you your own place, but I guess I can put up with you for a little while longer if I have too," he said, deliberately making his voice into a mock whine, causing Wanda and Peter to smile at their banter. Maybe they would think no more about it.
A noise from outside diverted their attention back to the main room. T'Challa and Bruce were back. Each was carrying a heavy duty metal briefcase, the outer casing probably protected by Vibranium, but that was not the focus of their attention. The large once empty room was now a computer lab. A Wakandan computer lab, a replica of Shuri's. Bucky had been there often enough to recognize it. Wakandan computers were inset along the wall, the clear dividing glass between each one, the blue lights, the scanners, the dazzling technology, with a main station at the center. It even sounded the same, the gentle hum of energy wafted through the air around them.
"What the hell? " Bucky asked. He and Wanda examined the tables, the computer, the monitors. "Is it the same material?" He asked her.
Once again the tiny sparks and once again a nod of the head. "Yes. They can form and reform it to create whatever they wish, even things so intricate as the computers in this laboratory. They can manipulate matter."
Bruce pulled himself out of his temporary state of astonishment long enough to put his case down on a table. He entered a few numbers on the lock, popped it open. "Weird being down there. No one moving, like walking through a wax museum, but I think we got everything we needed."
"I did as you asked, Captain," T'Challa said, following Bruce's lead by opening his own case. "This solves the question we had if our systems would be compatible. The sooner we can give them this information, the sooner we can go home. I have one thing to do first, White Wolf." He motioned Bucky over. Inside the case, alongside the information storing devices unique to Wakanda, was a set of small instruments. Bucky held up his arm and T'Challa made adjustments. Bucky watched carefully as he enabled the applications. The rest of the group looked on with questions on their face.
"Maintenance," he said. "The thing is a machine, can't let things go too long without a check-up." He hoped the mysterious watchers believed him. He had no idea how much these aliens knew about him. The process didn't take long and if Regina and Regulus objected, they made no appearance.
"I hope this does what you want, and hurts no one," T'Challa whispered. "The controls are the small indentations on your palm. Shock only. What it will do to these people, I have no idea."
"Neither do I" Bucky murmured back. He wished he had a place to train but for now, that wasn't possible. "I just feel a little safer knowing I can defend myself."
"And now, seeing all this, so do I." He surveyed the room. "All we can do is what they ask and hope that is enough.."
"And hope they don't have any ulterior motives."
"We have rooms!" Peter said, pointing to the hallway. "With running water and …" his voice trailed off as he wandered back to their temporary quarters. They heard him opening and shutting doors.
"That was nice of them," Bruce said. "Although to be honest, I wish I could see one of those plague victims but I guess that's out of the question."
"Hey, guys! Guys! There's a computer in here... and a gaming system like mine back home!" Peter's voice carried over from the far end of the hallway.
"Good, that should keep him busy. Check on him, would you Wanda?" Steve asked. She nodded but before she could join Peter, he came out, carrying a tray.
'Guys! Look!" Peter slammed the tray down on a nearby table. It was overflowing with donuts. Plain, chocolate, glazed. He picked one up. The pastry was inches from his mouth before Wanda's red energy pulled it back. She floated it over to her own hand and allowed the red sparks to enter
"It seems to be just what it appears to be. A donut," she said.
"The same weird material everything else is?" Bucky asked.
"Flour, sugar, shortening... salt…butter..."
"So they were watching us so closely they could figure out a donut recipe. How about a beer, one that can get us drunk because that would be better…" Bucky yelled at the ceiling
"Buck, calm down," Steve said. "We don't want to antagonize these people."
"Actually, I do," Bucky said, his volume lowered. "One of us should be uncooperative. Might as well be me."
"I'll be the guinea pig for this," Bruce said. He picked a donut up off the tray and took a bite. "Less chance of it killing me." They waited for a few minutes and nothing happened. "I suppose it could be a drug or something... to knock us out…"
"Maybe they want to steal our DNA?" Peter suggested. "They seemed interested in us because we're all enhanced."
"They could have just put us in a state of suspended animation and do what they wanted," Bucky said. The whole idea was distasteful to him.
"Or they are trying to convince us they are the good guys, all the while deceiving us," Wanda said. She met Bucky's eyes for a brief second and then looked away. She was referring to her own childhood. "For years, I thought I was doing the right thing only to find out they had manipulated me…"
"Everything is a possibility, but we can't let our imaginations run away with us," Steve said. He was back into Team Leader mode. "If we do that, we just tie ourselves up in knots and be right back where we started."
A few more minutes passed with Bruce suffering no outward ill effects. "I'd say they're safe to eat unless you're celiac or diabetic."
Peter reached for one but waited until Steve nodded to stuff a glazed one in his mouth. "Wanda, you want to come and see this system? Maybe play a game? I mean, nothing much to do here and while it's interesting…."
"Might as well. I must warn you I have an unfair advantage.." Wanda said.
"That's alright. So do I. So let's see whose unfair advantage is better! Oh, Cap, one room is full of books and what looks like art stuff. I guess that's yours."
"Art. That's downright scary, " Bucky said.
"What's that about?" Bruce asked.
"That's how we met, in Art School. James Buchanan Barnes and little skinny sickly Steve Rogers…" Bucky said. "At least, that's how I grew up."
"Me too. Might as well check it out. Not much to do here but wait. You'll let us know if anything changes," Steve said. T'Challa nodded. Bucky couldn't help but think they had some kind of secret signal between them.
T'Challa entered information into a computer. The whole lab lit up. A hologram appeared in the space above them. Stars and constellations spun around, casting out a light. Something divided the display in two, with a large dark area in between.
"It's closing," Bruce said. "I hope we can find what they need before it snaps shut."
The room went dark, the now familiar glow appeared. Regina emerged from the darkness a smile on her face.
"We have your information, thank you. If we learn anything new, we will let you know. Please, make yourselves comfortable. I will talk to you... again, soon."
The room darkened, the light returned, and she was gone before any of them could say a word.