tushanshu | 07 § video

You know what I want? A pizza. For those of you who are familiar with it, I just realized how long it's been since I've actually had a good pizza, and it's almost criminal. For the rest of you, you don't know what you're missing.

You think we can get a pizzeria started somewhere?

And while I'm thinking here, is anyone really that uncomfortable? It's not so bad once you figure out the secret to it.

[The smile he puts on is deliberate and smug. It's the kind of expression he gives when he knows someone else wants him to have a bad day just so he can ruin their plans. Or maybe he's just trying to piss someone else off. Who knows?]

Want a hint? Here's a hint: When is a door not a door?

[Locked; encrypted 30%]

"Ajar" doesn't sound like "a jar".

[Locked; encrypted 50%]

That's not even the answer I'm looking for. But this is the next clue.

[Locked; encrypted 80%]

M must be for marshmallow. And we all know that marshmallows aren't that intimidating.

The answer is adaptation. The riddle was just for fun. Also it's when it's ajar. [No it wasn't. It was "code" or "back door".]

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[He seems to be following well enough. Tony smirks at Bucky, not even trying to hide his intentions.]

He can't find forever. Don't you want to know what we can catch?

[Well, shit. Tony you're sounding a little nuts there. Bucky takes another bite of pizza, chewing while he thinks over what to say to that.]

You sure that's a good idea? I mean, do you have any idea how to kick this thing's ass if it shows up? Cause I'm all for a fight, but not one I can't win.

What makes you think we can't win?

[Okay, maybe just a little crazy. But, really, it makes sense in his head!]

He's manipulating the consoles and trying to corrupt Asti, but so far he hasn't really done anything we couldn't stop. Who says we can't beat him if he shows his hand?

I'm not sayin' we can't. I'm sayin' we don't know what he's capable of.

I mean, yeah we've stopped a bunch of shit, but I'd feel better about this plan if we actually knew what the hell this thing is. And whether or not I can shoot it, knife it, or strangle it.

Right. We don't know. [Tony looks over calmly. What did I say?]

The best way to find out is to see him head on, right? I mean, there has to be a reason he's been hiding. If he really is as big and bad as he wants us to believe, you'd think he'd have shown that by now. He's waiting. Waiting for us to make a mistake.

Does baiting him count as a mistake? [He'll be over here wishing he'd brought his tommy gun on this visit. He's down to the handgun from the old Emperor and the Atlantean knife in his boot and suddenly feeling a little naked.]

I guess you gotta point. So what happens if it does show up? And were you going to do this on your own, seriously?

Only if he catches me at it.

[The smirk turns just a little bashful, but there's still some devil may care in the expression. He's confident that things won't turn out badly, even if it is a risk. He's been weighing the odds.]

I'd ask him what his end game is. Why Asti? And it would give me some information I need to work on a counterstrike. I've got a few tricks in reserve.

[He doesn't think to answer that last question. Or maybe he does think about it, but that doesn't show on his face.]

[He can't even scold for that. The comment is just so... well, it's just like Bucky, really, and he's not sure if that's a good or a bad thing here, but it makes him smile slightly.]

Maybe it just hates turtles. I got bit by a snapping turtle as a kid, can't stand the little bastards. [Okay that's mostly a joke.] And I can't believe you weren't even gonna invite me to the dumb reckless plan party.

[Tony grins when Bucky smiles. It's probably a bad idea to be encouraging him, since Tony has been known to do what he wants once he thinks he has a good argument.]

Maybe he does. And maybe he goes through technology to get what he wants. If that's true, then there are ways of isolating data and containing it if you have the right tools.

And it just so happens that I'm an expert in this area.

[As for the invitation, he just shrugs.]

Didn't want to catch anyone in the crossfire if it got messy.

I didn't understand a word of that. [He's really not very good at technological stuff. But he doesn't figure he needs to be since that's Tony's bag - Bucky can sit around with his pretty knife and wait for something he can stab.]

I'm hurt. What kinda pal leaves a pal out when it comes to tryin' to catch a big bad boogeyman? Sounds like a fun Saturday night to me.

You're right. It was thoughtless of me and I apologize. I'm a terrible friend.

[So much truth, but Bucky doesn't really need to know how close he is to that.]

Next time I go fishing, I'll invite you along. I wasn't even sure he would respond, to be honest. It was a chance. And since he's spent so much time in the background, there's still a chance he can't physically appear here.

A chance. I mean, I'm hoping for physical personally. Physical you can put a bullet in. [He shrugs lightly, leans back in the chair.]

You might need better bait. I mean, how many times has this thing appeared on the network anyway? Not a whole lot.

That would make things a whole lot easier. We won't know until we catch him, though.

[Which is why he's been trying to lure him out.]

Not a lot. But we know he can connect with it, so we should try to figure out the limit to what he can do. Maybe we can secure the network while we're at it.

Better bait, huh? Like what?

07 § video

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