[video | locked]

[tendnottoweep]

[ 90% encryption, locked to: Tony Stark (both), Bruce Banner, Bucky Barnes (MCU), Peggy Carter, Sharon Carter, Dorian Gray, Dinah Lance, Kyle Rayner, Billy Costigan ]
I'm contacting all of you specifically because I have reason to believe you have the initiative and resources to deal with it, and the sense to keep it from getting out to the general public. Those of you I don't know personally, James Barnes listed your names as people we could trust; do us a favor and don't prove him wrong.

Several months ago, I found a lab under the city, at more or less the same time a group of foreigners found the alleged cloning facilities. There were organs in jars, medical equipment and anatomical charts - ad they had people there, foreigners I recognized from early in our time here.

A couple of them were alive and responsive, but they weren't themselves anymore. There wasn't a person inside them. And another was... [ She presses her lips together, for just a moment, before going on. ] Dissected. Taken apart, like they were studying him. I ran into several kedan there who told me this was normal procedure for them. Someone brings them the bodies, and has been doing so since before any of us arrived, but they don't know who, or how they're selected...

[ She takes a deep breath. ]

This may not be new information to all of you. What is new is that Captain Rogers was investigating it, and now he's gone. We can't afford not to find out what's happening and why. I know that he spoke to Commander Evandau about it, but I don't think we can count on him to have the same... priorities we do, or that he's not involved. I'd like your help taking up where Steve left off.

...I will add that there's a chance this is connected to Malicant. It's certainly... not dissimilar to what my team ran into tracking down one of Evandau's leads. It's also possible that those who know too much about it are the ones targeted to be removed - I know it sounds like a conspiracy theory, but the Emperor seems to believe it too, and I can't say Steve's disappearance isn't connected. If you don't want a part in this, tell me now.

[ 90 % encryption, locked to Evandau ]
I understand Captain Rogers spoke to you about the lab under the city, some time ago. I'd like to know what progress you've made in finding who was behind it.

Comments

[depicted]

[He greets her with a smile in return as he steps in.] Ms. Romanoff. It's a pleasure. Sorry for the extra cloak-and-dagger on this, but call me old fashioned: I'm distrustful of anything that records you.

[tendnottoweep]

That's not old-fashioned, it's common sense. I can promise no one's listening in here, though. What's your idea?

[depicted]

Tracking devices. We should have enough geniuses around to put something together from the salvage and whatever mobile phones we have with us. Embed the tracker under the skin, and we'll know where the body goes the next time one of us goes missing.

[Creepy and a little Orwellian? Yes. But, archindividualist though he is, he isn't too bothered by the idea under these circumstances himself.] Likely, not all of this team will agree, and it isn't exactly planning for the best case scenario, but if we could track just one body to where they take us, we'll have something more to go off of.

[tendnottoweep]

[ Natasha nods thoughtfully, silent for a moment as she considers it. ] They probably won't, no... but I think I know at least one genius who'll be on board. I don't see a way to do it quietly, though, so convincing anyone else to let us could be an issue.

[depicted]

How much do those you've contacted trust you?

[tendnottoweep]

[ She laughs softly. ] Probably not much.

At best, they know another version of me and trust her. At worst, they know exactly what I do and don't trust me because of it.

[ Which she can't blame them for, really, but it makes some things difficult. ]

[depicted]

[That's a shame, but as for Dorian, well. He is accustomed to being doubted. So how to work with that.] At the least, I'll do it, assuming we can make it stick with my body. Would they trust your genius with this?

[tendnottoweep]

That's a start. I think he's probably generally considered more trustworthy than me. Unpredictable, maybe, but not generally... duplicitous. [ Her version of Stark, anyway. She has her suspicions about the other one, but that doesn't matter as much as what people believe he is. ] I'll see if he can convince a few more volunteers.

[depicted]

Let's hope he's successful. [In an idle gesture, he brushes curls of hair away from his eyes.] But that's all from me, so, unless there's anything else, I'll be going. It's good to meet you, Natasha.

[And also to get a sense of her. From the implications of a few of her statements, he can tell why Steve didn't seem entirely fond of her—but his moral boundaries are not set in the same place as Captain Rogers's, and he takes no issue with it.]