Neither one of them slept much. Bucky would drift off but after a few minutes his body would tighten and he would sit up. Steve spent most of his waking hours talking to him, in quiet whispers, telling him things would be all right. When the gray dawn reached the interior of the tent, Steve noticed a faint outline of him wiping his eyes.
As the light continued to dispel the surrounding darkness, Bucky got up and rummaged around in his pack.
"Good morning," Steve said. He sat up and stretched. "How are you doing?"
"Ok, I guess, all things considered. I realized if we can't drink the water…" He pulled out a bottle and shook it. It sounded half empty. Tipping it up, he took a drink.
"I'd assume that would be a problem downstream. It's probably ok, above the falls. We can probably find a way up there."
"You're right. I'll go look…"
"Buck! You can't go out there alone! Remember, one arm, unknown territory?" Once again, Steve hated himself for being grateful for his disability.
Bucky stared down at the bottle, then let out a little laugh. "For a few seconds, I almost forgot. I don't know if that's a good thing or not!"
"It's a good way to get yourself hurt. After we eat, we'll take a walk up there, see what we can find."
"Why not, as there doesn't seem to be much else to do around here," Bucky said. He pulled out some prepacked energy bars and threw some at Steve. "We aren't eating to our caloric level and we will get hungry. I don't want to hunt anything out here if I can help it but.."
"Maybe we can ask Vision to pick up something for us, I mean, if he can go incognito here…"
"Vision, reduced to a delivery boy. I hope to hell he takes that thing out and they resolve things back at the Palace. Now that we've found this, I want to go home."
"We both do," Steve said. He and Bucky tore into their meager meals and ate in silence, then Steve emptied his pack, refilling it with empty bottles.
Coming out of the tent, the clear sky and the aroma of the scented plants and the faint metallic smell of the water blended together, creating a mental picture in Steve's mind of a flower garden planted by a garage. Not a bad smell but still unusual. There was a path extending to the edge of the waterfall but after pushing back trees, Steve found what looked like the remains of the rest of the trail.
"Someone went to the trouble of making stepping stones," he said, taking the first step upward. "I guess this means there's something up there that's worth making this climb." The only obstacles were low hanging tree branches and bushes growing close to the trail. He held onto them, waiting for Bucky to join him before letting go so they wouldn't hit him in the face. Another step, more branches. He didn't like Bucky being behind him, but he didn't know if the disused trail might reach a place where they would have to climb. The roaring of the falls was louder and from time to time he could see quick views of the surrounding countryside through the parted leaves. All he could see was more forest.
After about fifteen minutes, it ended in a flat plain above the falls. The river moved swiftly here, then formed a clear glass-like surface before plunging over the edge. Steve kneeled down and scooped up a handful of water.
"None of those plants up here," He said "And it doesn't smell like metal. I'd say it's safe."
"Let me go first," Bucky said, kneeling down beside him. "As far as I know, I'm not sharing memories with anyone." He took a small drink. He sat still for a moment, then motioned for Steve who set his pack down beside him. Together they filled the bottles, Bucky deftly flipping the tops off with his fingers. Steve didn't know he could do that.
"How long did it take for me… to… change?" Steve asked.
"Almost right away. You…" He turned to look at Steve but stopped short. His eyes registered surprise.
"Buck, what is it? You ok?" Steve asked, the fear rising to the surface. I can't lose him again, not this way!
Bucky said nothing, instead, he pointed toward the woods behind Steve. Turning around a wave of sheer surprise wash over him. There, back among the trees, hidden in the foliage, was a large white building.
"What the hell is that?" Bucky asked.
"I don't know," Steve replied. It shocked his system to see civilization tucked away in the middle of a forest. "It looks abandoned. We should go look."
"I don't know, considering what happened the last time we had a run in with an abandoned building," Bucky said, directing his eyes toward his missing arm. "But, yeah. We kind of have to." He stuffed the rest of the bottles into the pack and handed it to Steve, who swung it back around his shoulders.
"Hello!" Steve called out. Nothing answered but the whispering of leaves and the occasional sound of an insect. Somewhere far away a bird called. Coming closer they could see it was two stories, and long, extending back into the trees, the exterior a thick white plaster.
"It looks empty, but not derelict, if that makes any sense," Steve said.
"Please don't be magic, please don't be magic," Bucky's voice was a monotone chant like a Catholic Latin prayer or a mantra making Steve laugh despite the situation.
The large double doors were locked, but Steve forced them open with the strength he took for granted. Rays of light pierced through large windows on each side revealing a large open room.
"Almost like a church," Bucky's voice came from behind him. Steve opened the doors wider so more light could pour in. Along each wall were long tables covered in long thin boxes. The room appeared clean, no one had vandalized it. He walked over to one table and peered inside a box.
"If I had to make a guess, I think this was the place where people worked who planted that garden at the foot of the falls. I don't know a lot about it, but I doubt any of those plants are native to Wakanda."
Bucky approached another table and moved some boxes around. "These are things for starting seeds," he said. He reached behind one and pulled up a trowel, laid it down then picked up a small shovel.
"Gardening tools," he said.
"Now you're the expert?" Steve asked.
"Hey, I've learned a thing or two since I've been down on the farm." Bucky joked. His face went serious. "Did you ever hear about the heart-shaped herb?"
"I know it's Wakanda's version of the super serum. Gives The Black Panther his powers."
"I wonder if someone thought they could do that with other plants, infuse them with Vibranium and make more super drugs."
"Makes sense that they would try. And something went wrong…" Steve surmised.
"Something always goes wrong."
"And they abandoned it."
"I told you, it was like Thor said. Forbidden places are forbidden for a reason. This is the reason. I saw what it did to you, I wonder what it does to… normal people."
"Nothing good, if they didn't continue the research, but I suppose T'Challa thought it could help us. If we can bring the others here, or take samples of it back home, maybe Bruce can analyze it and recreate it. This is it. This could be the thing we need…"
"But they will still have to make a choice," Bucky said. He threw the tool back on the table. "And maybe Bruce should probably come here, away from everyone."
"Probably," Steve said. He picked up a small clear container and looked at the contents. A loud shrill sound pierced the air.
"That damn drone!" Bucky said. Together they went for the door, closing it and jamming it shut to where it wouldn't open on the outside and then raced to the window facing their camp. They could see it, a small silver craft darting around the tops of the trees.
"I think it's found the camp," Steve said. "But with everything closed up… maybe…"
At that moment Vision appeared, in his familiar red and gold visage. A stream of light emitted from his forehead answered by the drone. Vision could dart away from it, the blast from the drone dissipating into the air. Another blast from Vision, then the drone answered. Vision darted again, this time it hit a tree, splitting off a branch. Sometimes they both dipped out of sight and the only evidence they had that a fight was going on was the sounds. Then Vision rose high above the trees, higher than they had ever seen him go, forcing himself up and the drone followed him. He became a dot in the sky.
"What the hell is he doing?" Bucky asked. Once again they exchanged blasts but now, they were both fell to earth in tandem. Vision appeared to have no control over himself.
"We have to get down there!" Steve said and opened the door again. He half ran down to the path, conscience of Bucky's running steps right behind him. He scrambled down the path and at one point, Bucky lost his balance, Steve turned around to see him holding onto a vine. Given time, he could have pulled himself up but time was something they didn't have. Taking a moment to help him to his feet, he renewed his pursuit.
They found them by the campsite. The broken drone and Vision were lying on the ground. Steve feared the worse but heard a slight groan from the Android as they approached. "Vision!" he said.
The Android raised his head. "The drone was smart, but could not escape the laws of physics. It is broken and so am I, It was persistent and that was the only way to stop it."
"What do you need?" Buck asked.
"I need to shut myself off and save my energy. Your… device," he said to Bucky who immediately ran into the tent and returned within moments. He turned it on and held it in front of Vision whose light surrounded it, then it stopped and he lay back on the ground.
"I shared what information I have but I did not transmit it. You must get away from here," he said. "We must assume a break in transmission would have sent a signal to the infiltrators, perhaps even informing them of this location and they will ignore any locale restrictions. You need to go, and take a physical sample of the water back to the Complex."
"We'll take you with us, we can rig up a travois or something…" Steve said.
"No. I will slow you down and you have enough to worry about, what with Bucky's present circumstance. Leave me and go," Vision said.
"We can't do that…" Bucky began. "If the infiltrators find you… " Steve didn't like leaving him but they couldn't stay and Vision was right. He had to look out for Bucky. His eyes went over the area, looking for answers when they stopped on the tent giving Steve had an idea.
"The tent, it comes apart," he interrupted. "It can break down into smaller tents. We can leave one here, with him tucked away inside. It's made with Vibranium. Nothing will bother him until we can get back to him," Steve said.
"That is an option I would prefer rather than being out here in the elements," Vision said. "And as a way to hide from the infiltrators."
They took no time at all to pack and take down the tent, doing as Steve suggested. They set one compartment up by itself as a small tent, locating it away from the main campsite, hiding it in the brush and together they pulled their friend inside it.
"Wait until we are outside before you close it and shut yourself off. After you do that, nothing can get inside," Bucky said.
"I know. I trust you. And take what's left of the drone. They will wish to study it… but go. It will take time for the infiltrators to get here, but you must be far away when they do. I suggest you use your enhanced abilities to get away. Tell Wanda…"
"You can tell her yourself. We'll see you soon," Steve said.
Together they stepped out of the tent and watched as Vision closed the flap and heard as he sealed it shut. They turned to the business of getting ready, Steve folding up the tent and Bucky filled up a bright red bottle with the medicated water then packed it in a separate place from the others. Together they disassembled and packed away the broken drone and were back on the trail, running as fast as they could through the brush and not stopping until they could no longer hear the sounds of the waterfall.