tushanshu | [video]

[ In the flickering lights of her suite in the Fire Sector, Natasha's looking tired and worn, in that very controlled, almost blank-faced superspy way. She's also dead serious, and dressed in her SHIELD uniform - those of you who've met "Nicole", this is by no means the same woman, never mind that the face and hair haven't changed. ]

Commander Evandau. I hate to break it to you, but things are less under control than you know. I understand I don't have the authority to do this any longer - you're welcome to come and arrest me afterwards, if you like.

[ There's the barest hint of a smile, a silent good luck, if he wants to try, and then her position shifts a little, straightens into a quiet air of command, and she goes on. ]

I've spent the last week following a gang calling themselves the Black Kirin. They were responsible for the attempted assassination at the festival last month, and tonight they're planning to sever one of the turtle's flippers with explosives. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't want to find out what happens when the only thing keeping us above the water gets hurt... or killed.

We have four hours until the bombs go off - anyone who wants to help me stop this, meet me at FI-1A [ yeah, Steve, she's volunteering your place ] as soon as you can get there, and I'll tell you everything I know. Anyone with any military or martial arts training, experience with explosives... even strong swimmers would be of use. This isn't going to be easy.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ While Cap's busy sorting out who can do what and who should go where, Natasha slips quietly through the crowd and seems to materialize at Bucky's side, arms folded like she's been there for ages. No, this is not weird at all. ]

Sergeant Barnes. [ A little nod of greeting. ] I understand you're friends with the captain, but I'd like to have you with my team taking the gang headquarters.

Ma'am. [There's a lot of authority, both in her voice and her demeanor - he'd have trouble not responding to that, even in a simple confirmation.

But then his eyes crinkle.]

I thought you weren't the world-saving type.

[ Her lips twist a little, like she's trying not to smile. ] I'm not. There've been... special circumstances lately.

[ A pause. ] It's Natasha Romanoff, by the way. Not Nicole. If I'd known you knew Cap, I wouldn't have bothered with the cover ID - it wouldn't have lasted long around him anyway.

Yu-huh...

[Small nod, even as his eyebrows rise at the frank way in which she takes care of the deception. Something to think about - and something he can't avoid respecting her for. Which flashes in his eyes.] My pleasure, ma'am.

[Beat, and an actual smile, if a quick one, considering the circumstances.] You might be the first one yet who knows Steve and didn't recognize my name on hearing it. Gotta say it's a bit of a relief, some of us just aren't properly suited for the spotlight.

[Especially if he was famous for being Steve's friend who... died.]

[ She shrugs. ] He might be a legend, but we didn't all grow up hearing the stories. [ A thin smile. ] I think you probably came up in his file, but it wasn't exactly relevant at the time.

[ And there hadn't been a picture, or she would have had plenty of legitimate questions long before running into him here. ]

[It takes him a little bit to decipher that statement (oh. Not American), but he nods, adding that to her name.] Russian?

[Asked with the distinct lack of anything related to Cold War prejudice. Soviets got screwed up by the Axis even worse than the US, Bucky's heard this and that about what happened there, snatched in scraps of broken language, and that's been a side of the war that he's been glad not to have seen for himself.]

That's all right, I don't really mind. People knowing my future? Kind of still feels strange.

[Not necessarily bad. Just strange. (Little does he know.)]

[ She pauses for a moment, watching his face with an inscrutable expression before nodding. ] Originally, at least.

[ Aaaand that comment about knowing his future gets a soft, breathy laugh from her, her eyes skittering away from his face. ] I can imagine. Trust me, I have enough on my hands bringing Tony Stark up to speed - even if I did know your future, I'm not looking to add another project on top of that.

[ Hah. Hah. Haaaaah. ]

Got it.

[And he squints at her face, something in the way she puts it - it looks easy and natural and reasonable, what she says, but he thinks there might be more.

But he doesn't press.]

Any relation to Howard Stark?

[Then he sort of shakes himself.]

Never mind, we can work through that later. What do we have here?

His son. From everything I've heard about the elder Stark, you won't be surprised when you meet him.

[ And she is just going to save time by handing Bucky the notes she gave Cap when she first got here. ]

I think we'll have enough firepower on our side to keep the gang from taking the streets the way they're planning to, but if even one of the leaders gets away, this whole thing could repeat itself before long. I'd rather avoid that if at all possible.

[... it has a surprising sting, the simple statement. Howard had a son. An alternative version of himself had a granddaughter. Steve is up and about to help train that granddaughter. And Bucky... fell from a train. But he swallows that down, managing a brief, but real smile at Natasha.] Thanks for that heads-up. Definitely appreciated.

[Because unwarned-for Stark is something entirely else.

He scans the note, amusement draining from his face as he focuses completely, the words and numbers on the page turning into situations and small plans in his head. He swears quietly (trying for too-quietly-for-her-to-distinguish).]

This would have been much easier if I had proper ammo. [He's a good shot. Good sniper. And he knows it. He could have taken out targets before they even had a chance to become aware of the danger. Not possible. So he straightens.] But will make do with what I have.

[video]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject