[Leipzig AU] a means to a necessary end

[nerves_of_ice]

It's a long flight from Berlin to Novosibirsk and the secret location far beyond it, even in a Quinjet. They spend the time planning and coordinating. Bucky describes the structure and security of the facility itself as best he remembers. Tony calls up plans and blueprints from god knows where and throws them into the middle of the plane for all to see. They're not the same as what Bucky remembers, they figure out fairly quickly, but they're better than nothing.

Tony also takes over the back of the plane and snaps at anyone who comes close, doing something that involves shifting screens and models of buildings and wave patterns and a human skull, and the eventually the low humming grind of a machine. Soon after, he stalks back up to the front of the plane and shoves a set of custom-fabricated earplugs at Bucky, who stares at them and then at Tony.

"Noise-cancelling all the way to total sound blackout. Tap the end of the earpiece to deafen yourself," Tony informs him. "Last thing we need's for you to be his puppet." Bucky starts to stammer a thanks, but Tony growls something under his breath and stalks back to the back of the plane again to work on something else. Steve catches Bucky's eye and shakes his head, and Bucky decides to leave well enough alone.

Sam advises everyone to rest in shifts; Bucky knows he's not wrong, but neither he nor Steve can do it, and after a while Sam stops trying to convince them. Natasha sits with him for a while, her eyes dark with concern. They don't say much, but there's no need to.

A Snowcat is parked outside the door of the facility when they land. Bucky's jaw sets in hard lines at the sight of it, and he trades a look with Steve.

They're already here.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"Him? Not aside from going to see him ourselves," Sharon says. "But I do have a Wakandan contact who might be able to help if we need it."

[nerves_of_ice]

"We might as well try," Sam murmurs. "'Cause it's looking like we don't have anything to lose."

Steve nods. "Then let's try."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon turns to Riley. "Do you know where he is?"

The agent nods. "He came back in to interrogate Zemo," he says. "I can bring you all to where he and his team have set up."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Thank you, Agent Riley," Bucky says, low and sincere. He can't help but think of the young agent's outrage at the suggestion that he or someone on his team would align with anyone doing the wrong thing, and Riley's certainly proving it now.

[from_the_outside]

Riley smiles, crooked. "My pleasure, sir," he says, and gestures to the door. "This way."

He leads them out of the dorm room and back towards the main facility, and as he does, Sharon drifts back to walk beside Bucky, though when she glances up at him, she can't find any words to say.

[nerves_of_ice]

The look in his eyes is one of weary resignation, but he gives her a small, wry half-smile. Steve and Sam have fallen in together and are trailing them, which is probably good, he thinks; at least it'll look good to anyone who might share the Secretary's concerns.

Probably. Maybe.

"Your Ross's better than that one," he murmurs.

[from_the_outside]

"I think so, too."

She lets her knuckles brush the back of his hand as she gives him a faint half-smile. "If this doesn't work, we'll figure something out. I promise."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, very slightly. "You have to help me convince Steve," he murmurs. "If it all goes to hell."

[from_the_outside]

She looks at him, her eyes very dark.

"If it all goes to hell," she promises, "I'll do whatever I can."

[nerves_of_ice]

Something about the way she says that --

"Don't worry about me," he says, low and intent. "Worry about Steve. He's the one who has to get out. People need him."

[from_the_outside]

"He needs you."

She looks ahead, staring at Riley's back without seeing him. "And so do I. I'm not throwing you under the bus and neither will he. So please stop asking us to do it."

[nerves_of_ice]

I'm not worth all this. This time he keeps his thoughts to himself. He'll have to figure out what to do about that on his own.

Bucky lapses into silence as they follow Riley the rest of the way through the Center to the conference room that the Wakandans have claimed. It's easy to tell which one as they approach, given the presence of the king's guards outside - two very alert, very attentive guards who watch them with sharp, dangerously intent glances as they draw near.

[from_the_outside]

"Hi again," says Riley, grinning at the two guards. "Crazy morning, huh?"

The two women glance at each other, then back at him. Sharon thinks she can see the faintest twitch of one guard's stern mouth. "What do you want?" she asks, and casts a forbidding glance over them.

Steve steps forward, blue eyes earnest. "We'd like to speak with King T'Challa," he says. "It's urgent."

[nerves_of_ice]

The guard looks them over, weighing and measuring them individually and as a group and appearing unimpressed with what she sees.

"You will wait here," she orders them. She gives a nod to her colleague, then steps into the room and shuts the door behind her.

They don't have the chance to do much of anything - maybe a minute, at most - before she's back.

"His Highness will see you."

[from_the_outside]

Steve leads the way, followed by Sam and Bucky, and Riley and Sharon make up the end of the party as they enter the conference room.

T'Challa, dressed sharply in a tailored suit, is in close conversation with his personal guard. He turns as they enter and nods as the guard from the door crosses her arms over her chest, bows, and turns to leave.

Once the door closes, he looks them over. "Well," he says, in that pleasant voice of his. "Tell me, Captain Rogers. What was so urgent that you required counsel with me?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Your Highness," Steve returns. Bucky does his best to stand perfectly still beside him and Sam and look like someone who isn't an enormous problem by his very existence. He's dismally aware it's a poor effort at best, but he tries anyway.

"We need your help. I have reason to believe that - that someone highly positioned in the United States government wants to use Bucky, Sergeant Barnes, as a weapon against his will."

Mercifully, Steve doesn't mention the Accords, and Bucky breathes a small inward sigh of relief.

[from_the_outside]

"This is very distressing," T'Challa says, calm as he clasps his hands together at the small of his back. "But in what way does it affect Wakanda? Why come to me? We are a small country. We hold no sway over the governments of others."

Sharon narrows her eyes, very slightly. He seems... unsurprised. But there's no way he could have known before they arrived.

[nerves_of_ice]

Sam makes a slight choking sound at that, which draws an irate glare from T'Challa's personal guard. "Okay, sorry," he says, "but come on, man. Your highness," he amends fast, and then subsides as Steve gives him a look.

"What Sam was trying to say," Steve starts, "is that Wakanda may be small, but you're well regarded. Still, I'm not asking you to try to change anyone's mind. I'm asking for sanctuary for my friend until we can get everything sorted out."

The guard's the one who looks at him first, while T'Challa keeps his polite attention on Steve. Bucky meets her gaze without evasion, his own calm, although inwardly he's feeling anything but.

[from_the_outside]

T'Challa considers Steve for a long, silent moment. "You say we are well-regarded, in the outside world," he says, still calmly. "This is flattery. I assume you are referring more to the fact that we have no extradition treaties, with the United States or anyone else. But why should I risk our cordial relationship with your country to shelter this man?"

He looks from Steve to Bucky. "And why would I grant sanctuary to someone who does not ask for himself?"

Despite his arguments, Sharon's not sure he's actually balking at the request. It almost seems more like he's checking boxes off a list.

[nerves_of_ice]

"You shouldn't," Bucky says bluntly, abruptly so weary of it all that he thinks it might be easier just to lie down and stop moving.

He's felt that way before, over the years, and refused to give anyone the satisfaction. But now, at the thought of what this is doing to Steve and Sharon, among others--

He swallows hard and forces himself to keep talking past the bile and bitter self-loathing that rises up to choke him. "I'm nothing good for you or Wakanda. I'm more trouble than I'm worth. But I'm tired of being used to destroy people. Steve deserves better. They all do."

[from_the_outside]

"Bucky, no – " Steve starts, before T'Challa's guard glares him into silence. Her own head is screaming at her to open her mouth, to defend him, to point out that Bucky is one of the reasons they found T'Chaka's killer, but T'Challa lifts a hand to stop anyone else from speaking and steps closer to Bucky, studying him.

"And what will you do," he asks, "if I take your advice? Will you subject to being used again, as you once were? Will you flee? Or will you hope that your friends here can find some other way to protect you, one as yet unclear to you?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He doesn't move as T'Challa draws closer, doesn't flinch from the question or what it means. He meets the Wakandan king's gaze without evasion.

"I'll do what's needed to keep them safe," he says, quiet but clear. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Sam Wilson stiffen, and realizes that impossibly, somehow, he's understood the deeper meaning beneath his words. "And I won't kill any more innocents."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon's heart shudders to a halt in her chest at Bucky's quiet but oh so clear words. Her mind rebels, unwilling to understand, because if she doesn't think it, then he couldn't possibly have meant it.

T'Challa's dark eyes soften in sympathy. "That will not be necessary, Sergeant Barnes," he says, and there is a wealth of understanding in his quiet words.

"Wakanda will not stand by and watch as those who found her king's murderer suffer. Ask. And I will give you the sanctuary you seek."

[nerves_of_ice]

He has to say it, he realizes; for whatever reason, T'Challa needs to hear him say it. He draws a ragged breath.

"Please." It's raw and rough and edged with desperation. He can't look at the others; can't make himself look anywhere but at Wakanda's king, who's already promised to give the answer they need, the hope of which brought them here in the first place.

"Please. Help me not have to hurt them again, or anyone else. Grant me sanctuary in Wakanda so I don't have to. Please."

[marvel_npc]

"My king," murmurs Okoye, but T'Challa lifts his hand to stop her, his gaze fixed on this haunted, wounded man before him.

How he had hated this face, only a few short days ago. How he'd wished for this man to die. Every thought of him had been obsessive poison flooding his veins, driving his every thought and movement.

Until it became clear he had been wrong. And that he, driven mad by grief, had been willing to kill an innocent man.

He doesn't look at Steve Rogers, his shoulders painfully tight, or Agent Carter, who is so pale it looks as though she might falter any second. Both seem fixed in place like paused figures on a television screen.

He looks only at Barnes, this man who has committed so much violence and who wishes to commit no more. He is like a wolf – dangerous, yes, but who wishes only to be left alone instead of being hunted and misunderstood. "Ndothini na ke ukumnikela ekufeni lo mntu?" he asks Okoye, and she subsides as he faces Barnes once more, his shoulders straight, his hands clasped behind him.

"Then I formally grant you sanctuary in our lands," he says. "From this moment, you are under my protection, Sergeant Barnes."