Snarky ColdWinter #2

[fist_of_hydra]

The team had been arguing for a while now, and getting nowhere. They'd narrowed Savage's location down to Italy in September of 1944, but couldn't get any farther than that. James thought he had a pretty good guess what Savage wanted - this was where HYDRA had most of their facilities, and the Red Skull would be the perfect ally to Savage.

The only people who would have any further intelligence about Savage's possible movements were the Allied or Axis forces. Neither were going to hand the information over to a bunch of strangers. Ray wanted to play dress up and march in, pretend to be an officer and demand the information. Sara wanted to go in at night and steal it. There were half a dozen other ideas floating around, and all of them were bad. Quite a few of them were likely to get them shot at.

Ray might be onto something, though. At least, if you turned your head and looked at the idea sideways. Trying to march in and claim to be an officer nobody in the camp had ever seen was asking for a swift visit from the MPs.

Marching in and claiming to be an officer everyone in the camp had seen was another matter.

James had been lurking by the doorway, as was his habit, rather than sitting around the table with the others. He hadn't been contributing, so he was able to slip out without inciting comment. Once in the hall, he strode toward the fabrication room. "Gideon. Do you have any footage or photos of me in uniform in this time period?"

"Of course, Mr. Barnes."

"Good. I need a copy made, and make sure it looks worn and used. Can you do that?"

"Certainly."

"Then do it." James strode into the fabrication area, where a uniform was already synthesizing. He paused, looking at it, and rubbed a hand over the scruff on his chin.

Five minutes later he strode back toward the main room. It felt odd to be back in this uniform. Gideon had even managed to make it smell right - which was to say, like blood and gunpowder and harsh lye soap. Even stranger was not feeling his hair brushing against his cheeks and neck. He hadn't had short hair since HYDRA took him, and he found he already missed it long.

This wasn't him, anymore. It felt like the ghost of Bucky Barnes was riding his shoulders, and the weight was pressing him down.

"...are we supposed to do, walk in and ask them nicely?" Sara was saying, her tone full of exasperation as she threw her hands up at Ray.

"That's exactly what we're gonna do." James rose his voice enough to cut through the babble. Everyone turned to look at him, and most of them did a wide-eyed double-take. He raised an eyebrow at them. "It's just a matter of the right person doing the asking."

Comments

[fist_of_hydra]

James had his gun out at the first gasp, the draw gesture so reflexive he hardly even registered carrying it out. As he spun and drew a bead on their spy, his eyes went cold and calculating. A killer's gaze; soulless, remorseless.

When he saw who it was, his teeth ground again. He lowered the gun enough to not be pointing directly at her, but he could bring it up again in an instant. At the same time he flung his arm out to block the men behind him and tell them not to act against her.

"Damn it, Carter," he growled, the ice still in his eyes. "Couldn't you for once not have poked your nose into it?"

[coldlenny]

Peggy's gun didn't waver. Though she covered James most directly, her eyes flicked to the other three men, and Len felt that if any of them made a move, she would easily be able to shoot them.

"If you knew me, then you'd know that's not in my nature," she said, and jerked the muzzle of the gun. "Answer my question."

Ray had his hands up at shoulder height. He stepped forward just a bit, hands coming up even more as the gun swung to point at him. "Hey, hey, let's talk about this, okay? I know this is pretty confusing, but we're all on the same side, here, I promise. All we want is to stop Savage."

"You lied to me once," Peggy snapped. "Why should I believe you, now?"

[fist_of_hydra]

"Because we only did it to get the info we needed without causing a scene like this," James growled. "We didn't have time to march in openly and try to convince Phillips to give us what we need. I wouldn't be doing this if we'd had any other way. You don't want Savage allying with the Skull. We want him dead. Simple solution."

Except it wasn't, really, and that was the whole problem. Sighing, James holstered his gun again, using slow movements so Carter would see what he intended. He could stop her bullets with his arm if necessary, he'd done it before, and it was clear he was going to have to stand down first.

"Think of us like the Commandos, only without official Army backing." He stressed the official to make her conclude they were perhaps an unofficial group running under the radar. "You can't hope to take all four of us by yourself, let alone our teammates inside. Leave now and we won't try to stop you."

It wouldn't matter if she made a full report to Phillips. The Waverider would be gone before any squads could make it out here, and by the time the information got to someone who could do something about it - like Steve - they'd either have succeeded in killing Savage or failed once again and moved on to the next possible point in the timeline.

[coldlenny]

Peggy didn't lower the gun. Her eyes flicked suspiciously towards Ray, and then back to James. "None of that explains why you look so much like Sergeant Barnes. Nor does it tell me how a ship like that can even exist."

It really didn't appear that she was planning on leaving. Len was half inclined to just take her inside and see if Gideon could erase her memory, but he had a feeling that that wasn't possible.

[fist_of_hydra]

Damn it, this was a nightmare. James drew in a deep breath, considering all his options. If even half of what he remembered about this woman was true, she was not going to drop it until everything made sense to her.

Could he claim to be some kind of clone, made while his younger self was held captive? No, that would make him HYDRA. She'd shoot him on the spot, and never mind the fact that his friends would then take her out.

Half turning, though he kept an eye on her gun, he shoved the folder at Palmer. He'd rather have given it to Len, but his lover was too far away. "Get this to Hunter, hopefully it'll be enough for Gideon to give us a guess at where he is," he growled. "I'll deal with Carter."

Glancing back at her, he added, "If you want any explanations, it's gonna be you and me, and you're gonna let them go do their jobs. We don't have time for any more delays."

[coldlenny]

Ray took the folder and hesitated. "You sure you can--"

"Go Raymond," Len snapped. Ray jumped and turned to go.

"Hey wait! I didn't say you could go!" Peggy exclaimed, but she didn't try to stop Ray as he headed quickly into the ship with the folder. She didn't have a good angle to try to shoot at Ray, and to move the gun would only prevent her from covering James, who even she seemed to understand was the biggest threat here.

Mick growled at Peggy. "We're not your enemy, lady. If we were, then you shouldn't have come out here all on your lonesome, following three big, armed men out into the forest."

Peggy frowned. "There were four of you."

Mick shrugged. "Pretty-boy doesn't count."

[fist_of_hydra]

Despite himself James snorted with amusement at the jibe. He and Rory had reached an uneasy equilibrium, which was a damn good thing since they had to live in a cramped ship together. One thing they did agree on, however, was annoyance with Palmer.

"She could probably take at least two of us," he told Rory, lips twitching with something that almost managed to be a smile for the briefest instant. Then he jerked his head at the ship. "Go. I'll handle it."

He flicked his gaze to Len, including him in the command but silently asking his lover to not go too far. He was going to need the support when this was all over.

And, just is case something went very wrong, Len was the only one he trusted to jump in and be able to handle it, without hurting Carter too badly. And if that meant Len lurked close enough to eavesdrop, at least James wouldn't have to recount it all, later.

[coldlenny]

Len returned the look, mutinous for a moment. He didn't want to leave James alone, especially because he sensed in James' gaze that he didn't want him to leave.

However, he turned and walked back towards the ship with Mick. He sent Mick into the ship with a soft word, and then ducked around it, while Peggy was focused on James. He was pretty sure she'd been distracted enough that she didn't realize he'd turned aside at the last moment. He pressed himself behind one of the front struts, and listened.

"Well," Peggy said impatiently. "Now that you've gotten rid of all of your pals, what say you tell me who you are, hmm?"

[fist_of_hydra]

Searching her eyes, James tried to determine whether it was worth asking her to lower the gun. Probably not. She'd refuse; she had good reason to be nervous of him, and if the gun made her feel better, maybe it would also make her more receptive.

"The answer to both of your questions - why I look like Barnes, and what our ship is - are the same. And you're not going to believe it if I tell you." He kept his gaze square on hers. He couldn't make her trust him, but maybe he could at least show his sincerity. She had to be good at reading people, right?

"But I know that's not gonna be enough for you. So let me put it this way. When I do tell you, and when you do finally believe me, you're going to be on our side. You're going to understand how important what we're doing is, and you're going to be willing to help us, I promise you that. And that is going to require lying. Not just lying to Phillips. Lying to Rogers. For the rest of your lives, because if he ever finds out you lied to him about this, he'll never forgive you. Are you willing to risk that? When we'd let you walk away right now, and that alone should tell you that we're not the enemy?"

[coldlenny]

To her credit, Peggy's eyes flicked away and then back, hardening. "If what you're saying is true, then I'll have a very good reason to lie to Steve. It must be because I care very deeply for him, and for no other reason. Do I have that right?"

[fist_of_hydra]

With a dark smile that had nothing to do with amusement, James shook his head. "No. It'll be because as much as you love him, you love the free world more. I swear to you it'll be the hardest secret you ever have to keep. Everything else will fucking pale in comparison, and there will never be a moment you don't regret being forced not to tell him the truth. But if you do, the Skull will win this war. He'll wipe the capitols of every country off the map, and HYDRA will take over."

[coldlenny]

There was doubt in her eyes, but it was only doubt that he really could convince her that something like that could happen, that somehow this secret would save the free world and yet Steve couldn't know about it.

But it sure was a better reason to keep a secret than because of her love. That was the sort of thing that people would think was the sort of reason that would appeal to a woman.

"Very well," she said. "Tell me."

[fist_of_hydra]

James hadn't truly believed he could scare her off, but he'd hoped. "Don't say I didn't warn you. I look like Barnes because I am Barnes. And the ship can do what it does because we have tech you won't have access to for years. Stark would give up women forever to have half an hour in our engine room. It's a time ship. Our team was sent back to stop Savage at a point when he's still weak enough to be taken. Otherwise, he ends up a bigger threat than the Skull, and that's saying something."

[coldlenny]

Peggy frowned. The truth was, she did think he was Barnes. At least, it seemed impossible that someone could look and seem so much like him, even with the strangeness.

She lowered the gun, her eyes softening slightly, though there was still a lot of wariness. "Prove it."

[fist_of_hydra]

The simplest way to do that would be to give her the tour that would have Stark wetting his pants with joy. Carter knew enough science to recognize something too far beyond their time.

Instead, he dropped his gaze for a long moment. When he looked up again there was a hint of his old animation in his expression, and his eyes were soft with memories.

"That red dress you had on... damn, you looked good. If you'd taken me up on that invite to dance, I dunno how different history would be. But I was glad you didn't. Still am. You were the first dame that ever gave Steve a second look, finally saw what I always did. You both deserve the right partner."

[coldlenny]

She sighed, and slipped the gun into her holster. There was little hint of her doubt remaining, but she still didn't seem fully convinced. "Bucky... show me. It's the only way I can be sure. You're asking me to lie to Steve for the rest of my life, and you still haven't told me what would be so damaging about him finding out about this. He's not stupid. He's as capable of understanding about not changing the future as I am, and all you've said is that you're from the future, and you need to kill Savage or HYDRA will take over the world. That's not enough."

[fist_of_hydra]

With the gun away he was able to relax marginally. Even though he knew he could handle it if she had fired on him, there was still always that edge of uncertainty.

Instead of taking her onto the ship, he unbuttoned his dark jacket and shrugged it off, then yanked the shirt beneath over his head. With his torso bare, the metal arm gleamed bright in the sun. The massive scarring around his shoulder was equally obvious, as ugly as the arm itself was beautiful, in a deadly way.

"Take a look," he invited her, unwinding the bandages from around his hand. "You know damn well we couldn't build anything like this. Not even Stark is anywhere near this kind of tech. I lose the arm a couple months from now. Thing is, at the time, everyone assumed I died. Now you know I didn't. And that's what you're gonna have to lie to Steve about."

He watched her closely, his jaw tight, shoulders tense, flexing his metal fingers in an absent gesture. "You're gonna have to look him in the eye when he's devastated and anguished. You're gonna know I'm out there, alive and bleeding out from a mangled arm. You're gonna know that HYDRA will find me. And you won't tell him. Because if you do, if he has even the slightest hope that I'm not dead, he'll go out there looking for me. You know he will. He won't let anything stop him. If he takes so much as thirty seconds longer to go after the Skull's final base, he'll miss getting on that plane and the Skull will get his bombs out to the world. And we will lose this war."

[coldlenny]

And now she knew. The horror dawned in her eyes as she looked at the metal arm and finally believed. She stepped closer, reached out with trembling fingers to touch the arm, as if needing to be sure that it was real.

"...Bucky... You're telling the truth." She bit her lip, looking up at him. "Very well. I understand."

[fist_of_hydra]

James let her close, let her run her fingers over the hard surface, even though he'd never before voluntarily allowed anyone but Len to touch it. He knew she needed the contact to believe it was real.

"James," he corrected her, his voice taking on a rough note. "It's James, now. Bucky Barnes died in 1944. Don't get any ideas about saving me, either. Don't try to stop me, and don't ever go looking for me. Understand? If I wanted to change what happened to me, all I'd need to do is go break his legs, keep him - me - from going on that mission. I had a rough time of it, but if I don't go through that, I won't get to where I am now. And I want to be here."

[coldlenny]

Len came out from hiding and walked towards them, hands in his pockets, deceptively casual. He looked down at the hand on James' hand, and then up at her again. Peggy's eyes shifted to his, a little furrow appearing between her brows.

"James, then," she said, and offered her hand to Len. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure."

He clasped it, fingers cool against hers. "Leonard," he said simply, and glanced up at James. "He's never mentioned you," he added coolly, returning his gaze to hers. "You're going to keep this quiet, aren't you?"

She sighed, withdrawing her hand with a look of distaste, and casting a confused look at James before answering. "Yes, of course I will. I understand - there's no way Steve wouldn't go after you. But James, are you sure? If I try to find you, after the Skull is taken care of..."

[fist_of_hydra]

"No." That came out harsher than he'd meant it to. Taking a deep breath, James let it back out and tried to release some of his tension along with it. "I told you. If anything changes, I won't end up here. This is where I want to be."

He shifted his eyes to his lover as he said the next words, his gaze intense. "As hellish as it was - and there were times I was pretty sure I had to be in Hell - it was worth it. All of it."

Then he elbowed Len sharply in the midsection. With his metal arm, which had a very solid, pointy elbow. "Thanks for making it sound like she wasn't important enough for me to bother mentioning. I haven't mentioned any of the other Commandos either, asshole."

[coldlenny]

Len 'oof'ed a bit when James elbowed him, and took a step back, rubbing his stomach, but still smirking. "Just having a little fun."

Peggy looked baffled, but nodded. "I'll respect your wishes, James."

[fist_of_hydra]

There were so many more things James wanted to say to her. First and foremost, 'Stop fucking around and screw him already, you'll regret every wasted moment later'. The problem was finding a way to do it that wouldn't warn her of Steve's 'death'.

She might be willing to let him 'die', but Steve? He wasn't sure she could resist preventing Steve from dying. And if she did find a way, the world would be lost to, of all things, aliens, because Steve wouldn't be fresh from the ice and still and full fighting strength to stop them.

Or to stop Insight, or... yeah, there was no way to get around the need for Steve Rogers to sleep for seventy years. Much as Steve might resent it when he found out James could have changed things for him.

"Don't waste time, Peggy," he finally settled on. "There's never enough of it. The things you put off for 'later' turn into 'too late' way too fucking fast. Whether you've got one year left or a hundred, that's always true."

After a brief moment's pause, he asked, "What gave me away, anyhow? I thought I played it pretty well. What'd I miss?"

[coldlenny]

Len could tell Peggy didn't like him, and he was fine with that. He'd have grabbed James and PDA'd the shit out of him, just to stake his claim, but he wasn't sure how that'd go over in this time period for the real Bucky Barnes, so he had instead settled for just being a bit of a jerk.

But he sort of regretted it now, seeing the gentle look of caring on her face as she looked up at James and considered the answer to his question. She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You didn't flirt with me, at all," she said.

[fist_of_hydra]

"Flirt with you?" He stared at her, the look on his face somewhere between offense and distaste. No matter how he tried to wrap his brain around the sentence, he couldn't force it to make sense.

Oh, he knew he'd been quite the ladies' man back then. He vaguely remembered taking a different girl out every weekend, and taking quite a few of them home for the night after, too. None of them had left a strong enough impression for him to recall specifics, not without something to prompt him.

Carter was different. "You were Steve's girl. I poached on my best friend's girl? I was the kind of guy who could do that?" And here he'd thought all this time that Bucky was the decent half of him.