IN VIENNA, everyone was getting ready for the conference. The United Nations building was a modern complex of interestingly-shaped high rise buildings, lined up and spanning the street. The walls were made of mainly large pieces of glass circling the parameters. News agents are standing at the base of the building, speaking into the cameras lining the entrance. "At a special United Nations conference 117 countries have come together to ratify the Sokovia Accords." A news anchor said, looking into a camera.
Upstairs, standing near the wall of the high-rise complex, T'Challa is standing, looking out to the sky, taking everything in, Natasha stands just behind him, her eyes looking at the skyline as well. "Excuse me, Miss Romanoff?" A staff member said, causing her to turn around and look at them. They hold a clipboard in their hand.
"Yes?" Natasha said.
"These need your signature." The staffer says, holding out the clipboard. Natasha quickly sighs it and T'Challa looks over at Natasha. "Thank you." They quickly walk away.
"Thanks." Natasha lets the word hang in the air.
"I suppose neither of us is used to the spotlight." T'Challa tells her, his eyes going back to look out the window.
Natasha stands beside him, glancing at the prince. "Oh, well, it's not always so flattering." She admits.
"You seem to be doing alright so far." T'Challa notices. "Considering your last trip to Capitol Hill…" Natasha forces a smile at that. "I wouldn't think you would be particularly comfortable in this company."
"Well, I'm not." Natasha confesses.
"That alone makes me glad you're here, Miss Romanoff." T'Challa tells her.
"Why?" She wonders. "You don't approve of all this?"
"The Accords, yes. The politics, not really." He explains. "Two people in a room can get more done than a hundred."
"Unless you need to move a piano." King T'Chaka says, walking over to them.
T'Challa turns around to face him. "Father." He smiles.
"Son. Miss Romanoff." He greets formally.
"King T'Chaka." Natasha returns. "Please, allow me to apologise for what happened in Nigeria."
"Thank you." T'Chaka replies. "Thank you for agreeing to all this. I'm sad to hear that Captain Rogers will not be joining us today."
"Yes, so am I." Natasha answers, truthfully, she looks down slightly.
"If everyone could please be seated. This assembly is now in session." A man says over the speakers.
"That is the future calling. Such a pleasure." T'Challa said.
"Thank you." Natasha replies before walking away.
T'Chaka looks over at T'Challa. "For a man who disapproves of diplomacy, you're getting quite good at it." T'Chaka mentions to him.
"I'm happy, Father." T'Challa answers.
"Thank you." T'Chaka placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you." T'Challa repeats, giving him a soft nod.
T'Chaka stood at the podium, looking at everyone else that was seated. "When stolen Wakandan vibranium was used to make a terrible weapon, we in Wakanda were forced to question our legacy. Those men and women killed in Nigeria, were part of a goodwill mission from a country too long in the shadows. We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful to the Avengers for supporting this initiative. Wakanda is proud to extend its hand in peace."
T'Challa's eyes widen, noticing something suddenly runs towards his father. "EVERYBODY GET DOWN!" He shouts just as an enormous explosion goes off between two buildings and destroys the conference hall. As the smoke clears, T'Challa finds his father lying on the floor with his eyes closed. He grabs his father's wrist and feels for a pulse, but his father lies still. Devastated T'Challa lies across his father. He lifts him up and rocks him in his arms, tears dripping down from his face, letting out a silent cry of pain.
— — — — —
Sharon and Steve are walking down orange paper walls of a hotel, standing beside each other as they make their way over to where the elevators are stationed near the corner where the walls meet. "My mom tried to talk me out of enlisting, but, um, not Aunt Peggy." Sharon admitted, glancing up at Steve, a smile on her face. "She bought me my first thigh holster."
Steve looks at her. "Very practical." He replies.
"And stylish." Sharon tells him. They stand in front of the elevator, the button pressed to call it, now just waiting for it to come and collect them. They look at each other, facing each other instead of the elevator they're waiting for.
"CIA has you stationed over here now?" Steve said.
"In Berlin," She confirms. "Joint Terrorism Task Force."
"Right." Steve answered. "Right. Sounds fun."
"I know, right?" Sharon says sarcastically.
Steve nods a bit and smiles at Sharon. "I've been meaning to ask you. When you were spying on me from across the hall…" He starts to say.
"You mean when I was doing my job." Sharon reminds him, an eyebrow raised.
"Did Peggy know?" Steve asked her.
"She kept so many secrets." Sharon admits. "I didn't want her to have one from you." She looks away as the elevator arrives, the doors opening as they come in. "Thanks for walking me back."
"Sure." Steve answered as Sam walked over to them as they went down to the ground floor.
"Steve. There's something you gotta see." Sam tells him, showing him a tablet of a news broadcast.
.A bomb hidden in a news van…" The newscaster says on the video"
"Who's coordinating?" Sharon asks, looking back down at the video.
"…ripped through the UN building in Vienna"
"Good." Sharon said. "They're solid. Forensics?"
"More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous HYDRA agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations"
"I have to go to work." Sharon admits as they exit the building. They watch as fire crews continue to hose down the building, red and white medical choppers flying overhead.
"Call MI-6, see if we can get Micro Forensics to hurry this up." Sharon said into her radio. "We need the whole team here in two hours or it's not worth it." She strides through with a man in a green jumpsuit. They pass by T'Challa who is sitting on a bench looking stunned, his eyes cast downwards as he fiddles with an ornate silver ring that was originally on his fathers finger. There's a cut on his head. Natasha comes and sits on the next bench alone.
"I'm very sorry." Natasha says, showing her condolences.
T'Challa looks over at her, the ring still being toyed with between his fingers. "In my culture death is not the end." T'Challa explains. "It's more of a… stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veldt where… you can run forever."
"That sounds very peaceful." Natasha informs him.
"My father thought so." T'Challa replies, sliding the ring onto his finger, looking down again as he does so. "I am not my father."
"T'Challa. Task force will decide who brings in Barnes." She says firmly, trying to reassure him even though it doesn't mean much.
"Don't bother, Miss Romanoff." He replies darkly, clenching his fists. "I'll kill him myself." He stands up and quickly walks away.
Natasha sits back slightly when her phone rings. She quickly picks it up and places it against her ear. "Yeah?" She asks, looking around, her eyes falling on where Steve is standing in a cap and oversized hoodie.
.You alright?" He asks"
"Ah, yeah, thanks. I got lucky." She answers, she frowns slightly as she looks around, then quickly stands back up. "I know how much Barnes means to you. I really do. Stay home. You'll only make this worse. For all of us. Please."
"?Are you saying you'll arrest me"
"No. Someone will." She warns him firmly. "If you interfere. That's how it works now."
".If he's this far gone, Nat, I should be the one to bring him in"
"Why?" She questions.
".Because I'm the one least likely to die trying"
He then hangs up, not even allowing for Natasha to argue at his reasoning. "Shit." Natasha says to herself, looking away from him.
A bit further away, Sam is sitting inside a coffee shop, his head held low. Steve walks up the counter where he is, leaning against it. "She tell you to stay out of it?" He asks, looking at him through his shades. He hesitates a bit before sighing. "Might have a point."
"He'd do it for me." Steve retorts.
"1945, maybe." Sam argues. "I just want to make sure we considered all our options. The people that shoot at you usually wind up shooting at me." He chuckles slightly, his head raising slightly when Sharon walks up to them, one hand in her pocket, the other holding a file.
"Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public." Sharon admits. "Everybody thinks the Winter Soldier goes to their gym. Most of its noise. Except for this." She hands the file over to Steve. "My boss expects a briefing, pretty much now…" She sighs, looking away. "…so that's all the head start you're gonna get."
"Thank you." Steve answers.
"And you're gonna have to hurry." Sharon warns him. "We have orders to shoot on sight."