He's coming.
He grew faster than expected. Or maybe I got the date wrong. Time was hard to tell in that place.
I estimated days and hours by glimpses of dates on paperwork and tracking when the doctors came and went. But maybe I miscounted.
Either way, it doesn't matter now.
How am I supposed to get to Madripoor in just a few days? I know the way, but I can't exactly get on a plane.
Shit.
"Ma'am, you okay?" the doctor asked, standing in front of me.
"Yeh, thanks," I said, grabbing my bag, zipping my coat, and heading for the door.
"When it's time, just come here or go to the hospital on the other side of town," he called after me.
He was kind. But I needed to leave. Too close to Hydra. Too close, and I could get caught. I have to move fast.
You can't fly into Madripoor unless you know someone with access to one of the helipads and I don't. So that means a boat. From Malaysia.
Just need to get there. With no money. In like, a day. Easy?
I wandered the streets until I came to a park.
Kids laughed, playing on the swings, running across the jungle gyms. Moms sipped coffee on benches, chatting, watching.
I sat on a nearby bench and watched it all. The colors of the playground stood out. Everything bright, vibrant. It used to all be brown wood. Now, every color of the rainbow.
The city pulsed around me, signs lit up, electronic ads spoke in animated bursts. Engines roared past. Even the houses looked different.
The world had changed while I slept.
It just kept going.
The girls I once danced with onstage, part of Captain America's crew. God, they must all be gone by now.
Aside from me, a sigh escaped me as I rested my head back on the bench
My sweet little boy... I'm alone.
I took out one of the prenatal snacks and started eating.
"I guess I'm going to meet you soon," I whispered, resting a hand on my belly.
Across the park, I noticed a woman who looked vaguely like me, similar age to what i look, same build and height. Black hair though, and not pregnant.
She left her stroller and bag unattended while she followed her kids into the play area.
Well. I've done enough sinning. What's a little more?
I packed my snacks back into my bag, pulled up my hood, and moved quickly. Swiped her large bag off the stroller, slipped away.
Inside a public restroom, I checked what I had: ID, cards, no cash. Baby formula, bottles, diapers made of some weird plastic material.
Diapers sure have changed. I used to make Jamie's out of old clothes.
I took it all and ditched the bag. Backpacks are easier.
Next stop, a drug store. I swiped black hair dye and scissors. In the store bathroom, I cut my hair into a short bob. Best I could, anyway. Found a few twigs tangled in there, too.
Then I dyed it black to match her ID.
No contacts, no allies here. I didn't know any smugglers in this era and not a lot of time. That left me with one option: try the commercial route.
I walked to the airport, it wasn't far. Signs everywhere warned: No firearms or weapons.
Great. I had to ditch my gun.
Wrapped it in one of the weird diapers and tossed it in a nearby trash can.
Then I approached a ticket counter.
"Hello, I need to buy a ticket to Malaysia," I said, smiling as naturally as I could.
"Of course. There's one leaving in two hours from gate B19. How does that sound?"
"Sure, I'll take one."
"That'll be 338,078 KZT. Cash or card?"
I had no idea how much that was, but it sounded like a lot. I handed over one of the stolen cards.
"Thank you. I just need your passport to finalize the booking."
I handed her the stolen ID.
"Oh no, miss, your passport?"
"I... don't have one."
I hate this. I can't do anything in this era.
"I'm sorry," she said, returning the ID and card. "You can't fly without a passport."
I had flown like this a few times with Hydra, but always with a handler. Only under very specific conditions.
I guess they always had passports…
Still, I remembered one thing: under the airport, luggage was routed directly to the planes. I had used that route once.
I found an employee entrance and lingered nearby. When someone unlocked it, I slipped in behind them and headed down the stairs.
Dodged cameras, avoided people. It took forever to get to B19.
When the workers finished loading the cargo, I snuck into the hold just before the doors closed.
It wouldn't be a pleasant ride, thin air, freezing cold, but it was the only option I had.
Nine-hour flight.
I curled up, tried to sleep. I'd need the rest. I had to hit the ground running once I landed.
Cramps woke me now and then, worse than before. I breathed through them, humming that nameless lullaby.
Names. I should think of one.
Albert, my father's name? My face twisted at the thought.
Bucky's real name was James. James Jr? No. It didn't feel right.
I remembered when my mom was pregnant with Jamie. She said the name came the moment she saw her, same with me.
Said babies introduce themselves.
I used to think that was ridiculous. I always planned to pick my kids' names before they were born.
Now... maybe she was right.
Maybe you'll tell me your name when I see you.
"Just give mommy a little more time, okay?" I whispered, watching my belly move. "I'm going to get everything ready for you."
When the plane landed, I waited until it slowed almost to a stop, then pried open the cargo door.
I slipped off before the handlers arrived. I'm sure they'd question the door later, but I'd be long gone.
We landed in Kuala Lumpur.
I walked to the nearest bus stop. Swiped a few wallets along the way. I was good, quick hands, clean lifts.
I bought a bus ticket to Johor Bahru, the closest port city with boats that ferried people to Madripoor.
Hydra had used a man there once. He wasn't one of theirs, just someone desperate enough to smuggle.
I made my way to the docks. The cramps were getting worse. I hoped they were still the "false" ones the doctor had mentioned.
I found him. Same dock. Same boat. Older now, but still recognizable.
I pulled my hood up, zipped my coat to cover my face, and approached.
"Hey, I need a ride!" I yelled.
He turned. Rusty boat, stripped of fishing gear.
"Where to, lady?"
"A place most don't like. A place of sin."
That was always the code. No one said Madripoor aloud.
He glanced at my belly. "You shouldn't be going like that. They'll cut the thing right out of you."
"Let me worry about that. You just worry about getting paid."
I tossed the bundle of cash, ID, and cards, that I had swiped, it landed at his feet.
"I only take cash."
I stepped onto the boat, got in his face. "We give you enough business. You'll take this."
"We?"
I leaned close, whispered: "Hail Hydra."
Disgust curled in my stomach. I hated saying it. But it worked.
His eyes widened. He stepped back, studied me.
"We leave in five. Gotta finish loading cargo."
I nodded and sat on a crate near the bow. Watched him carefully. No calls. Making sure we wouldn't have any guests.
Soon, we were off. He didn't speak again. Just picked up the bundle and went about his business.
The ride took about an hour.
The sea air was nice. Cool against my freshly cut hair. Salty. Peaceful.
Until the smell changed, chemicals, burning plastic.
This was the smell of Madripoor.
The closer we got, the darker the sky. Smog. Pollution. Lowtown always looked like this.
I wasn't going to Hightown. I couldn't afford it, that was a place for the rich elite.
Lowtown was chaos. Factories, drugs, crime, corruption.
When we docked, it was nighttime. That worked to my advantage.
Madripoor came alive at night.
As I walked through the streets, neon signs glowed. Graffiti covered every surface. Drugs sold openly, prostitutes called out in slurred voices, so drugged I doubt they know where they are.
Weapons everywhere, knives, pistols, assault rifles.
But here's the thing: no one asked questions. Even if I was still covered in blood, they wouldn't ask. They might offer me a drink though.
Here... I was safe.
Hydra wouldn't risk putting a bounty on me.
And Madripoor may be a cesspool of criminal low lives but they still lived by the pirate code, they don't turn on their own for outsiders, unless money is involved.
Some might not even do it for money.
The only danger here was other criminals. And I wasn't worried about that.
I knew where every super soldier on Earth was. None of them were here.
We'll be fine here, little one.