Okkkaaayyyy...
So, the exciting stuff winds down, and its boring babbling and touchy feely stuff...ugh.
But, you can't make a good story without some of that stuff, right? And holy hell, this chapter is a bit longer than I thought! Whoops...
Anywho...many thanks to Mayakramer5, Lost it Never Had it, xuanny, maryb1439, Piper and Snippy, Werefoxz, UmbreonGurl, and Mad Matryoshka for joining the journey.
And also to all my reviewers, thanks guys.
Just on a side note, for reviewers, I love hearing from you guys, so thanks for that, but generally, if you're asking questions about future storyline/plot etc, I'm not going to answer it. Sorry, not sorry :P
Enjoy
xo
Chapter 20
Next Steps
Lex fought her way over to Shuri and Nakia, knocking away and disarming Border Tribesman with ease, but she could feel her energy beginning to wane as her continued blood loss took its toll.
A Border Tribesman attacked her with his scimitar, causing her to duck, but his quick kick to her knee caught her unguarded and she collapsed to the ground. Her only saving grace was M'Baku appearing before her and knocking the tribesman away easily, sending him flying through the air and into some of his comrades.
M'Baku turned to look at her, bending down to analyse her face as he helped her to her feet again. "You are very pale." She narrowed her eyes at him, considering whether she should let her smart mouth loose on him. "More so than usual, that is."
She sighed as she pulled the arm he held away from, taking a step away to distance herself from him. "I'll be fine." He turned and knocked away another Tribesman as Lex raised her guard for another that charged at her. She had barely disarmed him and knocked him away when there was the sound of thundering hooves.
Both Lex and M'Baku turned towards the sound to see another war rhino, charging straight for M'Baku. Atop its back, was W'kabi, the Border Tribe's leader.
"M'Baku!" Lex shouted, calling his attention from the impending attack. She grabbed his arm. "Give me a leg up!"
"What?"
"Just do it!" If she could get W'Kabi on the ground, she could at least put a stop to the Border Tribe. M'Baku quickly turned to face her as she took a few quick steps back for a run up. "As soon as I'm up, run."
"The Jabari never run."
"Suit yourself, flattened by a rhino will look great on a headstone," she retorted before sprinting straight towards him. She launched herself into the air when she was a few feet away and he caught her foot easily, thrusting her backwards again.
She turned in the air, to face the direction of the rhino, her stave in hand and ready as she soared upwards, over the rhino's sharp horn.
W'Kabi tried to pull his scimitar from its sheath, but it was too late, as Lex brought her stave down to knock him from his mount. She landed with a roll, before quickly turning to see W'Kabi falling to the ground heavily and rolling several times.
Lex looked towards the charging rhino, to see M'Baku hadn't taken her advice and ran out of the rhinos charge. He stood, ready to try and take on the rhino. "Move, M'Baku!"
When the rhino was barely a few metres away from hitting M'Baku, Okoye appeared in front of the Jabari leader, causing the rhino to skid to a stop, halting only centimetres from her face. Lex watched in utter astonishment as it then licked the Dora Milaje general's cheek. Lex cringed at the action. "Ew."
She turned her attention back to W'Kabi, glaring at her and moving to get back to his feet, his hand moving to his scimitar. Lex hurriedly stumbled to her feet, her sight becoming blurry as she fought against the urge to succumb to her blood loss.
He drew his scimitar as Lex moved towards him, slashing it across her, but it glanced harmlessly off of her armour. She hit his sword arm with her stave, causing him to withdraw it, only for him to try and strike at her again. She blocked it with her stave again, this time kicking out at him, forcing him backwards and flicking the end of her stave upwards at the scimitar, knocking it out of his hand.
She held her stave at his throat, the blue Vibranium beam just centimetres from his skin. She could barely see the Wakandan now, just making out the outline of him, her vision completely blurred as she squinted and panted heavily at the effort to stay conscious.
In her ear, she heard Ross over the comms. "We did it!"
"Great, now get out of there!" Shuri ordered him over the comms.
Lex tried to focus on W'Kabi in front of her. "Drop your weapon," she ordered gravely, looking at him pointedly.
W'Kabi glared at her, before his gaze shifted to Lex's left, his glare softening. "Would you kill me, my love?" She was confused for a moment, before Okoye appeared beside her, moving to stand in front of Lex. She gently pushed Lex's stave out of the way with her own spear, not taking her eyes from W'Kabi.
"For Wakanda?" She raised her spear at him, the pointed end of the weapon at him, a fierce look on her face. "Without question."
Lex released a sigh of relief as W'Kabi raised his hands in the air, showing his surrender. She retracted her weapon, attaching the now deactivated stave to the magnet on the back of her armour, before turning to walk away.
She had barely taken a step, when everything went black.
Lex's eyes slowly flicked open, the bright lights blinding her for a moment. She blinked a few times, to try and clear her vision and get used to the light. Eventually her vision returned and she was able to see her surrounds. She was in the medical wing of Shuri's lab, again. She sighed and shook her head slightly, which apparently was a poor decision.
Pain shot through her neck and she hissed, wincing and lying still again as she waited for the pain to subside, before groaning.
"Damn it, you shouldn't be awake yet," came Shuri's voice. Lex shifted her eyes sideways, careful not to move her head, to see Shuri hurrying over. "I hate how your body burns through drugs so much faster than the normal person."
"Well, gees, sorry for being awesome," Lex murmured as Shuri began to check her over. Shuri began checking her neck, moving bandages and pressing buttons on the healing table. "How long have I been out?"
"Not long enough," Shuri replied, continuing to fiddle with Lex's bandages. Lex glanced sideways at her pointedly. "It's been a few hours."
"Killmonger?"
Shuri sighed, her face showing signs of regret mixed with relief. "Dealt with."
Lex gave the teen a sympathetic smile, before looking around the lab. "Where is everyone?"
"Trying to clean up the mess, M'Baku and his tribe returned to the mountains, although he did ask of you before he left," Shuri answered, a sly smirk appearing on her face. Lex raised an expectant eyebrow. "I think he likes you."
Lex tried to show her disgust, but even the act of scowling hurt. "Ugh, seriously?"
Shuri laughed heartedly, before moving to walk away. "You need at least another two hours on the table. You can either sleep or I'll put you under, it's your choice."
Lex tried to move different parts of her body, tensing muscles to see how fatigued or injured they were. She winced again, realising Shuri was most likely right. "A nap sounds good."
It took her no more than twenty four hours to recover, thanks to her super soldier serum advancements and Shuri's healing table. She was now seated in the lab, letting Shuri draw blood again, as well as doing a final check over of her injuries.
"I hope you don't mind, but I took some blood immediately after the battle to see if I could analyse the changes in your body when in battle," Shuri murmured as she worked. "I'll analyse the data recorded on your Kimoyo beads too."
"That ought to be interesting," Lex replied with a mock yawn, earning a glare from Shuri. She was well over trying to find out how she differed from the others, but the teen was curious, so she had no qualms letting her do what she wanted.
"I went over the material you brought back while you were recovering too," Shuri began as she finished up taking her blood.
"Ah, yes," Lex replied with a sigh. Nakia had been kind enough to lead a small contingent of men to gather her things from the downed jet outside the city. "I'm guessing you found it about as useful as I did?"
"It was interesting, to say the least," Shuri replied as she carefully labelled the vials of blood. "But as for usefulness to your situation, you're right, there really isn't much. The information about Sergeant Barnes could be useful though. I think I can finally take steps to help him now," Shuri said thoughtfully, sitting down on a stool on the opposite side of the work bench to Lex. "There is plenty of information about how the doctor made Sergeant Barnes compliant, his methods and procedures, so I'll put together a program to restart his brain without compromising him."
Lex was thoughtful for a moment, considering how Bucky's brainwashing was activated. "What about the words?"
"You mean the words that trigger him? Yes, they're in there too. I'll have to work on my Russian," Shuri said thoughtfully, looking thoughtful for a moment.
"I can help with that, but it's dangerous, Shuri. When he gets triggered, it can take me and Steve to subdue him. You can't be doing it willy nilly," Lex warned.
"Of course, I'll make sure the proper precautions are taken."
Lex considered the teen for a moment, before looking thoughtfully out the window of the lab. "Well, that's something at least," Lex replied with another sigh. She was strangely relieved that the information she had found on Bucky's transformation to the Winter Soldier was proving useful. It was like she was overwhelmed with a sense of satisfaction. It confused her momentarily but she pushed it to the back of her mind.
"Perhaps we should look for more information, elsewhere? Maybe we can find a HYDRA base that is holding that information that's missing?" Shuri suggested, looking hopefully at Lex. She had misread Lex's expression as dismay.
Lex shook her head ruefully. "No, kid, finding out what they put in me isn't going to change anything. We know that whatever it is made me stronger and angrier, but it's not going to change anything. If anything, perhaps it's better left unknown?" If Shuri figured it out, and somehow that information fell into the wrong hands, it would be the Winter Project all over again, and that wasn't a thought that Lex welcomed.
Shuri looked apologetically at Lex, before nodding in understanding. "That is true, I suppose, still, I can start working to help Sergeant Barnes, there was other useful information on the projector you brought back."
"Glad to hear it."
Shuri gave Lex an appreciative smile, before picking up the vials and leaving Lex to her own devices. Lex considered her own words to Shuri. It really wouldn't change anything, and if someone were able to get their hands on that information, the world could be in a lot of trouble.
She moved to leave the lab, but found T'challa standing before her, looking down thoughtfully at her. "Isn't there a saying in your country where if you keep pulling faces like that the wind will change and it will be stuck like that?"
Lex narrowed her eyes and scowled. "What?"
T'challa chuckled before looking at her seriously. "My sister tells me the information you brought back was less than enlightening for you."
It was a statement, not a question, so she nodded. "True, but it will help Shuri with Bucky's treatment, so it's not all bad, I suppose."
"So what will you do now?" He asked curiously, folding his arms across his chest.
She looked at him through narrowed eyes. She sensed he wanted to ask a different question. "What do you want, T'challa?"
He raised an eyebrow before grimacing slightly. "Is it so bad to be curious?"
"Curiosity killed the cat..." she began to smirk slyly, causing T'challa to frown at her, the underlying pun not lost on him, clearly. "What do you want?"
He looked at her pointedly. "You are welcome to stay. You can live here without fear of persecution. I plan on offering the same to Sergeant Barnes." Lex screwed up her face as she considered his offer. While it was tempting, there was much to consider.
T'Challa had just returned from meeting with the UN, announcing that Wakanda would finally open its borders to trade, which meant all eyes would now be on Wakanda. While it wouldn't be hard to hide in the plains surrounding the major city, it would still hold an element of risk, all eyes would be on Wakanda in the coming months.
On top of that, she had spent so many years under the radar, moving from city to city, country to country, she itched to move on. Particularly after Bucharest, she had risked staying there longer than a year, and it had been the major reason she had ended up in Wakanda to begin with.
"Thank you, T'challa, but I can't risk hanging around too much longer." She bowed her head slightly in thanks. "I'll stay to help Shuri with the initial stages of Bucky's treatment, but then I'll probably head out again, it's been long enough since my last run in with the law." She winked and grinned at the Wakandan King, who returned the smile in kind.
"You'll always be welcome back," he replied, before a sly grin appeared on his face. "Especially in the mountains, from what I hear."
She narrowed her eyes and flared her nostrils slightly at the thought of the Jabari leader who had caught her in his arms after she had leapt from the back of a war rhino. Shuri had also mentioned that he seemed to have taken a shining to her.
"Seems like even more reason to leave, to me."
T'challa chortled as he began to walk away, leaving her to stew in embarrassment.
Lex sat on the edge of the mine's landing bay, watching out over the plains of Wakanda. It was hard to believe that less than a month ago, there was a battle there.
She had survived through times of war before, but she had never actually fought in a battle herself, often avoiding all conflicts during her time. She had lived through the First World War, and the second, as well as countless civil wars. However, in all those times of conflicts, she kept her distance far and away from any battlefronts.
While wars raged on in Europe and the Middle East, she had resided in the US and Asia. When it reached Asia, she shifted to South America, constantly keeping ahead of the conflict. It was certainly strange, to think that humans would take each other's life over such simple ideals, or because someone told them to. And now, where many had fought and fallen, there was nothing, no sign of conflict. Just a vast open space.
Lex sighed, watching as a breeze made the long grass of the plains seem to shimmer and ripple.
She needed to consider her next steps, where could she go and what could she do. It was going to be hard to slip back into the outside world again. Whether that was because now she had more people looking for her, or because she had been given a taste of her days of old, she wasn't sure. Or perhaps, it was because she had found some people who accepted her for what she was, where she didn't need to hide her true identity or personality.
"Got to do, what I do," she murmured, wrapping her arms around her legs.
Behind her, Lex heard the laboratory door swing open, small and light footsteps creeping along the metal path towards her.
"Yes, Shuri?"
"Eh, how did you know it was me?" she demanded, appearing beside Lex.
"You're the only one dumb enough to try and sneak up on me," Lex retorted, earning her a scowl from the Wakandan princess. "So what do you want?"
"I just thought I would come and see how you're going, T'challa told me you're going to leave?" Lex smirked slightly, as she glanced sideways at the teen. Is that what puppy dog eyes look like? "But, why?"
"Um, because being a lab rat is only fun for so long. And, aren't you going to the US soon anyway?" Lex asked pointedly. Shuri seemed to pout as she looked away. "I can't stay in one spot too long, kid, I've been moving from spot to spot since I was your age."
"Are you ever going to tell me what it was like?" Shuri asked curiously. The teen was still hung up in knowing about Lex's past, but there was no way she could bring herself to tell the teen.
"Nope."
Shuri rolled her eyes and sighed in annoyance. "Well, I thought I should tell you, I think I finally figured out a rehabilitation program to help Sergeant Barnes."
Lex turned and looked Shuri dead in the eye. "Yeah?"
Shuri nodded. "It will take some time, but I think I can get started with the information you brought back. The initial weeks will be the hard work, including testing those words they used. After that, it should be a little easier."
Lex pressed her lips into a thin line before nodding, feeling a strange sense of excitement. It was baffling for her, to feel such excitement over something that really had no real affect on her personally. "Alright, I guess we should wake up sleeping beauty soon then?"
"I'll need at least a week to prepare the material necessary, among other things, and we need to call Captain Rogers."
"Oh yes, the boyfriend." Lex grinned mischievously as Shuri chuckled heartily. "I'll call him, you can start preparing what you need. We should tell your brother too." Shuri nodded, before standing up and walking back towards her lab.
Lex looked back out over the plains, as the sun was beginning to set beneath the mountains on the horizon, her thoughts drifting back to her first encounter with Bucky in Bucharest. Seeing the fear in his eyes back then, reminded her of her own fears of so many years. It had taken a long time to get past them, and feel comfortable with herself. The events of the last few months had complicated things, but perhaps it was for the best.
She scoffed lightly, before getting to her feet, turning her back on the sunset and returning to the lab.
As expected, once Shuri was ready to wake Bucky, and Lex called Steve, it didn't take him long to return to Wakanda. It was only a matter of hours, as opposed to days, much to Shuri's chagrin as she handed over money to Lex while they watched Steve disembark his Quinjet.
"Captain Rogers, welcome back," T'challa greeted.
"Thanks, it's good to be back," he replied coming to a stop in front of the Wakandan King and shaking his hand, before sliding his gaze over to look at Lex. "Lex."
"Rogers." She gave the smallest of smiles, before cocking her head to one side and looking into the back of the Quinjet. She furrowed her brow. "Where are the others?"
"In hiding. Figured it was best if I come alone," Steve replied honestly. Lex frowned slightly before shrugging. Steve appeared to have let himself go in the appearance department. His hair was longer and he obviously hadn't shaved in awhile. A small beard that seemed so out of place on the usually clean cut super soldier adorned his face. Other than that, his sense of fashion still seemed stuck in the forties. "I like the hair," he commented, motioning to her with his hand. She raised an eyebrow but didn't respond, noting he still seemed somewhat nervous around her.
Steve looked to Shuri next. "So, you think you can do it?"
"Yes, thanks to Lex's discoveries, I have found how Doctor Arnim Zola was able to control Sergeant Barnes and now I'll be able to reverse the process," Shuri answered matter-of-factly, her excitement evident in her voice.
Over the last month, Lex had seen Shuri get more and more excited and motivated in her research of Bucky's cerebral calibration reset. At times, the teen would ramble on for hours to her, although Lex was never actually listening to most of it. She would just nod occasionally as required.
"Lex's discoveries?" Steve asked in confusion, looking from Shuri back to his fellow super soldier.
"We should perhaps head inside to discuss these matters?" T'challa interjected quickly, motioning towards the lab entry. Shuri led the way inside and she, along with T'challa began to quickly explain to Steve what had happened after he left.
Steve looked at Lex severely. "You left the safety of Wakanda?"
Lex was taken aback by the tone Steve used, but was quick to respond in kind. "Don't take that tone with me, Steve. Unlike you, I'm very adept at going under the radar, and I got the job done."
Steve narrowed his eyes at her, but T'challa spoke before the Captain could continue reprimanding her. "If it wasn't for Lex's skills at espionage and infiltration, finding a way to help Sergeant Barnes recover may have taken much longer."
Steve considered T'challa for a moment, before looking apologetically at Lex. "Fair enough, I suppose. But you really should stay here; it's far too risky to be out there right now. Bucky would be annoyed if anything had happened to you."
Lex raised an eyebrow at Steve's change of tact, and pulled a face. "He'll have to get over it. I'll do as I please, when I want. Don't be mistaken for thinking that because I got involved in your little spat with Stark that I'm suddenly a subordinate, Steve. Far from it, in fact." She was quickly growing annoyed at the Captain's strange urge to be over protective of her. It was severely misplaced, and most importantly, unwanted.
Steve furrowed his brow but replied in resignation. "I see."
"Uh," Shuri spoke up, moving to stand between the two super soldiers, clearly trying to ease the tension between them. "If I may, I'll explain the treatment I have planned?"
"Sure," Steve said, looking away from Lex and at the teen expectantly.
Lex stood watching the sunset over the Wakandan Mountains from the landing bay of the labs, it's orange glow bathing the flat plains and giving it a mystical aura.
She folded her arms across her chest and sighed. She'd made her plans to leave in the coming couple of weeks. She was returning to Australia for the first time since she was a child, it was the least likely place that she would be recognised now. It also held some painful memories for her, but it was now or never. She had to face them one day, and after the last few months of self discovery, now seemed like the perfect time.
She heard heavy footfalls behind her, turning her head slightly. "Steve."
"Lex." He stopped beside her, watching as the sun dipped further behind the mountains. "So, T'challa tells me you're planning on leaving after Bucky is out?"
"Yep."
"Don't you...don't you think you should stay and help him?" Steve asked tentatively.
Lex furrowed her brow and gave Steve a sideways glance, noting the slightly nervous look on his face, his cheeks even seemed slightly pink under his beard. She furrowed her brow in confusion slightly before answering. "How the hell can I help him? This whole thing is on him and Shuri. Besides," she looked back over the plains. "I've got my own treatment to get to."
She saw Steve's eyebrows rise slightly in the corner of her eye, but didn't continue. It wasn't any of his business and she suspected if she told him where she was going he might make an unannounced visit. That was the last thing she needed. "Well, if you ever need help, you know you can call me. We'll come and help you."
"Thanks, but I'll be fine. Not my first rodeo."
Steve nodded. "Of course." He seemed to want to say something, but was hesitant. Lex turned to look at him expectantly, nodding for him to continue. "I want to thank you, for helping get that information. Shuri told me you were looking for information on your own injection, but..." he trailed off, appearing apologetic.
Lex shrugged. "Don't worry about it. It's better this way." She thought about her conversation with Shuri again. "For everyone."
Steve scratched the back of his head and Lex couldn't help but smirk. She made Steve nervous and she knew it, and that was just one of his little tells. She'd seen him do it when they had met up with Sharon Carter in Berlin too.
"Still, you know who to call."
She sighed, nodding. "Likewise, buddy." And then she grinned malevolently. "Especially if there's a fight to be had. I've thoroughly enjoyed stretching my muscles again lately."
"Okay, reel it in, Lex."
"What?" She winked and looked back over the plains again. "Oh yeah, Nick Fury says hello. He also said you're off the Christmas card list for not telling me about him."
"Heh, I wondered when he was going to show his face again." Steve shook his head, laughing lightly and patted her on the shoulder before turning and leaving her to watch as the last sliver of sun disappeared behind the mountains.
Can't have a chapter without a little bit of Lex's crazy showing...right?
xo
Krayzee