[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

[nerves_of_ice]

"You have me," he whispers, the faintest hint of desperation underlying his words. "I'm yours. For as long as you want me."

[from_the_outside]

The strain in his voice tangles for the echoing one in her chest, and she reaches beneath the table to tangle her fingers with his, a little harder than she'd meant.

"I can't ask you to stay just for me," she says, anguish clawing at the inside of her chest. They can't talk about this, here and now, but she can't stop herself. "If Tony can do it – if he can – you have to try."

[nerves_of_ice]

"If I do - if I go, if I -- I'll come back," he swears. "It'll be like before, when I was scouting targets. If I go, I'll come back, Sharon, I will. I don't w--"

He chokes, swallows it back, his breathing a little ragged, and works on making sure the near miss doesn't show.

[from_the_outside]

Beneath the table, her fingers tighten so hard in his that her knuckles go white.

"I know," she whispers. "You have me, too. I won't let go."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, holding on to her hand in his, lacing his fingers with hers.

"Is Ross-- Is he." A slow, careful breath. "The investigation. Are you--"

He doesn't know how to say it, how to ask.

[from_the_outside]

"Ongoing," she murmurs, and looks wry. "Ross promised he'll fast track it, but for now..."

She glances tellingly at Riley. "I've got a chaperone everywhere I go in the building."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, slow and deliberate. "Okay."

Bucky glances at her. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to make this easier. Any of it."

[from_the_outside]

"Same."

She runs her thumb over his knuckles, gentle. "We'll just have to muddle through somehow."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, and draws another careful breath.

"Riley seems to be getting along well with the others," he says, in a more normal tone. "You were right about the angle."

[from_the_outside]

"He's one of our more personable agents," she admits.

"This is a lot of good exposure for him. Ross hadn't known him that well before."

[nerves_of_ice]

"He's very enthusiastic," Bucky observes.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon huffs a small laugh and nods. "He definitely is that."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I wonder if--"

That's as far as he gets before a commotion further down the hall draws his attention. "I suggest that you have a good long think about it before you test me again," a deep voice suggests. "Now where are they?"

Tony whirls toward the door, dismay written plain on his features. "Damn it all to hell, I thought I'd talked him out of it."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon lets go of Bucky's hand like it was a snake that bit her, though not without an apologetic glance as she stands up and faces the door.

It can't be.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky gets to his feet and moves to the side, by the wall and out of the immediate line of sight from the door, carefully distancing himself from everyone and assuming a neutral expression as the speaker approaches. As soon as the man walks in, he's deeply grateful that he has.

Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross, the Secretary of State, glares around the room. His gaze settles first on Steve and hardens. "Captain Rogers. What exactly are you doing here?"

"He's visiting," Tony breaks in before Steve can answer. "Like you are. Why are you here, by the way? I thought I told you we had it covered."

"And I decided I'd rather see for myself," Ross informs him. As he looks around, his glance falls on Bucky and abruptly narrows.

[from_the_outside]

She doesn't like the impatient entitlement in his voice, and she likes the way he looks at Bucky even less.

"If you're looking for Deputy Commander Ross, sir," she says, hoping to distract him, "he's currently mid-interrogation. Agent Riley here and I would be happy to show you to his office in the meantime."

[marvel_npc]

"Zemo, I assume," he says, giving her a flat look.

"Since I can't think of another reason he wouldn't be interrogating a known terrorist currently in the joint custody of the Task Force and the Avengers. At least I assume that's why this man is in this room and not in a cell where he belongs."

[marvel_npc]

"Now hold on a second – " starts Steve, who is clearly seeing red, only to stop as Tony's warning hand lands on his shoulder.

"Uh, actually, not in custody," Tony says, blithely. "Also, turns out, not a terrorist. Honestly, it's like you didn't listen to any of the messages I told FRIDAY to send you so we wouldn't have to have this conversation, the one we're currently having right here, right now."

[nerves_of_ice]

He spares an instant's thought to hope Riley keeps his mouth shut and keeps himself out of the line of fire, much like Sam's doing - at least for the moment. Bucky himself does his best to not react at all.

He knows how this works, all too well. He tries to remember every bit of information he'd gleaned about Ross previously, deeply certain he's about to need it, as the man tells Tony,

"I heard them. I was surprised to hear them. I'll give you a chance to reconsider. The Winter Soldier's responsible for over a double-handful of assassinations--"

Bucky manages to hold back a disgusted snort. Many more, as much as he hates it. Looks like their intelligence isn't as good as it could be.

"-- and various other crimes that I don't have time to list. Are you trying to tell me that this man isn't the Winter Soldier? Because I don't have time for games, either."

[marvel_npc]

"If that's the case, then you probably shouldn't be hanging out in a room with him, huh?"

He might have listened to Ross – begrudgingly – about the Accords, but Tony's patience with the Secretary of State begins and ends there. "I'm telling this man – Sergeant Barnes – was a prisoner of HYDRA all those years and forced into compliance against his will."

He hopes like hell Steve doesn't lose his head and mention something about the activation sequence – the fewer people who know about that, especially in positions of power within the government – the better.

[marvel_npc]

"Either he's a criminal I shouldn't be around and he's in your custody, or he's not and I'm supposed to be safe in the same room with him. Which is it, Tony? You can't have it both ways."

Ross turns to inspect Barnes closely. "Or perhaps I should be asking you, soldier. Doesn't look like anyone's twisting your arm now, are they?"

"Not anymore," Barnes tells him, with a dark, empty stare, and says nothing else.

[marvel_npc]

"He's not a criminal," Steve interjects, unable to keep quiet anymore.

"And he cooperated to assist the Task Force in hunting down the man who bombed the UN. You're barking up the wrong tree, Mister Secretary."

[marvel_npc]

"He's not exactly innocent, either, now is he?"

Ross moves to a seat at the end of the table where he can see all of them, makes it his own, and leans back in his chair.

"But fine, I'm all ears."

[marvel_npc]

"Feels like you should be more interested in the guy who bombed the U.N. – during the signing of the Accords, which you championed – than the one who helped catch him," Tony says, exasperated.

"Your priorities seem askew."

[marvel_npc]

"Oh, I am," Ross informs him. "But Everett's talking with him now, remember? I'm content to wait until he's finished to find out what he's learned."