nerves_of_ice | [oom] a shadow in pursuit

"You infiltrated--" He breaks off there, thinking quickly as a number of possibilities become clear.

Something else does, as well. "Goddamn it." Now he sounds exasperated. "I'm here to apologize for the Task Force's failure to retrieve the plans and prototype."

"I wouldn't feel too bad about it," Sharon says. "We planned it that way."

She glances at them as they head back over the hill towards the Citadel. "I didn't think you saw me."

"You never were able to run that fast in heels." Ross glances back over at her as they come up the slope side by side. "I made you as you slipped through the door. After you dropped back to take that guy down before he could do the same to me."

He turns back toward the Citadel, his expression grim. "That's the other reason I'm here, by the way. To apologize for my rogue agent. What the fuck, Carter."

"I'm not your rogue agent," she says, stiffly. "I'm not an agent at all, not now that I'm on the CIA's watch list."

An escort of Dora wait for them near the launch pad, silent and stoic. Sharon eyes them as she continues. "And I don't have anything to apologize for, so you can take that off your to-do list."

"If you're not my agent, you sure as hell don't get to tell me how to do my job," Ross informs her, and joins her in eyeing the Dora Milaje, who split in half as they approach to escort them from either side.

"No?"

This is going great. "Maybe you can think of me as a kind of freelance consultant. At least until you try to put me behind bars."

He gives her an exasperated look and doesn't bother dignifying that with an answer.

Fortunately for all concerned, it's not very far to the council room where T'Challa's waiting. Ross waits until the Dora escort withdraws, leaving them under Okoye and Ayo's watchful eyes, then takes half a step forward and nods to T'Challa and Nakia, who's standing a little to the side.

"Your highness. Nakia. Good to see you again."

"Agent Ross," T'Challa says. It's warm but Sharon can spot a telltale tightness around his eyes that means he's probably fighting off a fiendish headache.

Honestly, same.

Nakia nods at a nearby attendant, who comes quietly up and offers Ross the ibuprofen and a small cup of water, then begins wrapping up his wrist as T'Challa continues. "I did not expect to see you back here in Wakanda so soon."

"I felt the need to apologize in person," Ross says, submitting to the medic's administrations without even token resistance. It's not the miracle Shuri had worked on him - thankfully, there's no need for that - but he can tell from the subtle shiver of the bandage that it's doing something that would stun the rest of the world.

"For my failure, and that of the Task Force, in Prague. I have to say I wasn't expecting this particular surprise, though," he concludes, cutting a fast glance at Carter before holding T'Challa's gaze, his chin lifted slightly and his shoulders set.

The medic infuses the bandage with the cold pack, then steps back and bows to T'Challa once finished. He nods back and turns to Ross, noting as he does that Sharon Carter appears to be only just barely refraining from rolling her eyes.

He doesn't sigh, though he's sorely tempted. "There is no need to apologize," he says, mild. "You performed admirably in Prague. I am sorry for our deception, but I think you can see why we had to keep our operative's identity a secret."

He nods at Sharon Carter, who nods back, her expression now carefully set. "I could not risk you attempting to apprehend your one-time agent after I had promised her safety."

"You promised," he repeats, slowly. "Your highness, Sharon Carter has been named an enemy of the state by the United States of America."

Tension is rising in him as he speaks, and he throttles it back as best he can. "You have to realize what that means."

T'Challa considers him for a long moment, then clasps his hands behind his back and strolls slowly to the window, looking out over the Wakandan plains.

(He does not see the White Wolf out there, but he knows that means nothing.)

"Sharon Carter requested and was granted asylum here in Wakanda," he says, apparently to the view. It's a moment more before he turns again and gazes steadily at Everett Ross. "To take an action against her is to take an action against me. I hope we can come to some sort of understanding before such a thing becomes necessary."

Ross pinches the bridge of his nose with his left hand, then lets it drop.

"You know I'm on your side," he says. "I have been since Busan. But I wouldn't be doing you any favors if I didn't warn you how this will look if it gets out."

Wait, what?

Sharon glances at him in surprise, but T'Challa only looks thoughtful. "I always value your advice, Agent Ross," he says. "I have no desire to position Wakanda against your government. And yet I know you have an oath and a duty to report Ms. Carter's presence here. So."

He nods to the Dora, who bow and file out, leaving the four of them alone in the room as T'Challa takes a seat and gestures to two empty chairs for Sharon and Ross.

"What shall we do about it?"

"Hell of a good question," he says, sinking into one of the chairs indicated. Ross gives her an exasperated look. "You don't do anything small, do you?"

"You used to like that about me," she points out, taking the other seat.

"But it really didn't seem like the kind of situation where 'small' would get it done."

"I liked it a lot better when our goals were aligned," Ross tells her, point-blank. "But no, you had to go and violate the Sokovia Accords --"

He turns to T'Challa. "-- the very Accords that Wakanda was instrumental in making a reality --"

Ross turns back to Carter. "-- and top it off with theft of irreplaceable government property, among other things."

Her mouth thins. It's all true, of course. She can tell herself she did the right thing all day long; it doesn't make her less of a criminal in the eyes of her government.

"If I were really a traitor, do you think I would have saved your ass in Prague?" she asks. "Our goals are aligned, I hope, even if I chose a different method. I threw my hat in with Captain Rogers because it was the right thing to do, Accords or no Accords."

"That just pisses me off even more, Carter, you ought to know that," he snaps. "Because of course they are."

"Then help me," she says, frustrated and stung and knowing it's because she still hasn't managed to square it all with herself. Loyalty, duty, honor: she'd acted in defense of all of them and it cost her everything.

"I'm no more an enemy of the state than you are. Help me clear my name."

Ross rubs his right temple, not even realizing that his right wrist has ceased to ache, then looks from Carter to T'Challa to Nakia - who gives him the tiniest of shrugs.

No help there, then. He turns back to Carter, frowning.

"We could probably make a case for your actions, given your previous role at SHIELD and Rogers' influence. Add the weight of you helping out with the business in Prague, some kind of probationary supervision or something, and we can find a way to make it right. I don't suppose you're still in touch with Rogers? Any chance you could talk him in, get him to do the right thing?"

Whatever hope she'd started to feel is dashed on the rocks by what he says last. "If I were, I wouldn't," she tells him expression turning flatly neutral.

"I wouldn't give him up to save my own skin. Thanks anyway."

She looks at T'Challa, suddenly desperate to get out of here, this room, this conversation, this wreckage of what used to be her life and her career. "I should go make sure the White Wolf isn't prowling around the Citadel," she tells him. It's a threadbare excuse, but he's come to know her; she hopes he'll let her go.

"Will you let me know what you decide?"

"For the love of--"

He's on his feet and in between her and the door before T'Challa can speak, not wanting to continue the diplomatic disaster happening here by interrupting the king of Wakanda.

"Carter, would you just listen for a second? Jesus, it's like you never knew me at all! I'm not expecting you'd trade him for yourself, but a line of communication with Rogers could help us find a way to navigate this whole mess!"

She's on her feet, too, facing him down, and, god, it feels like any other time they'd butted heads on some matter of security or method.

She does know him. That's the problem. Just seeing him again brings back everything: the sense of accomplishment and certainty. Stability. Doing a job she loved and doing it well.

His gun is a sharp weight at the small of her back as she watches him, suspicious and hating herself for it. He's the last person she should fear, isn't he? "Fine," she says, short.

"I might be able to open communications with Captain Rogers. At the very least, I can pass a message along."

He breathes out as a rush of relief washes through him. Finally, they might have some options. At least one options. Or a chance of one.

(He's very aware of T'Challa watching all this in silence. Why had he agreed to grant her asylum in the first place?)

"Fine. Good. Now we're getting somewhere." Ross stands easy with both hands at his sides, considering her. "Tell him the Task Force would like to open negotiations to find a way for the scattered Avengers to return."

He grimaces, a little. "The Secretary of State might take some work, but no one likes the way things are now."

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject