Clark Kent (
stands_for_hope) wrote2014-06-02 11:50 am
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Entry tags:
The Metropolis Dork Squad, Captain America, and the Falcon in... Angst, Death, and Taxes
[continued from here]
The day had arrived. The trap had been set.
They'd gone to Lois's apartment the day before and made their intentions clear, hoping that with a short period of time, the HYDRA forces wouldn't be able to pull together anything that was too hard to handle.
Jim's paycheck had come in, so he'd treated a rather delicious dinner for the three of them, which had been followed up with some surveillance work, a couple of flights over the various buildings to scout for good positions (both to look for snipers and to drop Lois), and a watching of The Incredibles since there weren't any good games on.
Lois hadn't quite gotten Jim into a french braid with flowers, but she had managed to twist up a few smaller braids and tuck the remainder into a pony tail to keep the worst of it out of his face. If Lois was happy about it as much for it's utility as to give Jim a firm, physical reminder of the people who cared about him... well, she wasn't about to say it out loud.
Clark was with them until roughly half an hour before and informed them just before he left that Captain America was on the ground, apparently sketching one of the ruined and as yet unrepaired buildings on a bench nearby with large 'easel case' while the Falcon was half a mile away on a rooftop. Thankfully, while a good portion of the surrounding area had been destroyed during the attack on Metropolis, this neighborhood was semi-functional (if largely empty during the weekend) so he wasn't entirely out of place.
That just left Lois, her HYDRA pin tucked in place at her collar, and Jim in the empty office room, doing their best to psych themselves into believing this would work.
...and Clark going to investigate the singular figure hiding out on one of the higher rooftops nearby.
The day had arrived. The trap had been set.
They'd gone to Lois's apartment the day before and made their intentions clear, hoping that with a short period of time, the HYDRA forces wouldn't be able to pull together anything that was too hard to handle.
Jim's paycheck had come in, so he'd treated a rather delicious dinner for the three of them, which had been followed up with some surveillance work, a couple of flights over the various buildings to scout for good positions (both to look for snipers and to drop Lois), and a watching of The Incredibles since there weren't any good games on.
Lois hadn't quite gotten Jim into a french braid with flowers, but she had managed to twist up a few smaller braids and tuck the remainder into a pony tail to keep the worst of it out of his face. If Lois was happy about it as much for it's utility as to give Jim a firm, physical reminder of the people who cared about him... well, she wasn't about to say it out loud.
Clark was with them until roughly half an hour before and informed them just before he left that Captain America was on the ground, apparently sketching one of the ruined and as yet unrepaired buildings on a bench nearby with large 'easel case' while the Falcon was half a mile away on a rooftop. Thankfully, while a good portion of the surrounding area had been destroyed during the attack on Metropolis, this neighborhood was semi-functional (if largely empty during the weekend) so he wasn't entirely out of place.
That just left Lois, her HYDRA pin tucked in place at her collar, and Jim in the empty office room, doing their best to psych themselves into believing this would work.
...and Clark going to investigate the singular figure hiding out on one of the higher rooftops nearby.
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He landed on the roof, glad that they'd decided to come nice and early.
"You might want to clear off for the moment."
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"What do you think is happening?"
Because he had to know the man wouldn't try to fire at Lois.
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"Can I trust you with Lois's safety?" and he was listening intently to the man's heartbeat. It was one thing to be able to drop her on an empty rooftop, but empty rooftops wouldn't necessarily stay that way. Having someone there who could help her to defend herself was one step better and he was willing to do it given everything he'd taken in about the other man.
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"I wouldn't say no to them," he admitted, though he'd invested in a large quantity of zip ties. That and the first aid kit had been the biggest expenditures.
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"Much appreciated."
Whether he'd been testing if he could get them off regardless or if he just wanted to know if the cuffs were originally intended for him wasn't something he was addressing, but the answers were sort of taken care of.
"You won't be shooting the Winter Soldier either, will you?"
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"If he's triggered, we already have a plan in place."
He floated a little ways away from the roof.
"I know what your heartbeat sounds like now. I'll be listening."
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--
Inside the building, Lois flicked her eyes over to Jim and swallowed before lifting her head and putting on a very good impression of a cold, impenetrable bitch who ruled the world even if you didn't know it yet.
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The Winter Soldier was armed to the teeth, his arm unashamedly bare. The newcomers - five in suits, five in 'casual fatigues' - evaluated the two of them as soon as they rounded the corner and saw the two of them where they waited.
They looked no different from any high-powered businessmen or governmental representatives except for that pin that all of them wore on their lapels. Three men, two women. All skeptical. The Winter Soldier didn't move. He watched as the bodyguards fanned out, taking up strategic locations. Easy enough.
"Miss Lane," said one - a tallish man with blonde hair descending toward grey - in lieu of a greeting.
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"Of course, I know it, but I'm giving you the chance to be polite."
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"Ya preduprezhdayu vas," the Winter Soldier interrupted. "The truth."
"Johan," he corrected, "Briggs, city council president. Margaret Davidson, emergency management. Thomas Andrews, public works. Philip Travis, warden. And Sophia Wren, city attorney."
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"Hail HYDRA," she said in a single smooth breath.
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"I do hope you can understand our skepticism," said the woman who had been introduced as Sophia Wren. "This successorship was never announced."
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"Because the best way to keep something a secret is to let everyone know about it," she said with a dismissive snort.
"Two heads can't exactly grow back if our enemies are waiting outside my door with a mallet, now, can it?"
She looked to Johan.
"Or my supposed 'allies'. Not a fan of Pierce's choice? Or is it just the fact that it's not one of you?"
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"So I really have to ask, not that I'm all that worried
"Did you come here to report in properly... or are we still at the dickwaving portion of the evening? Because I'd love to get past that and straight into what you've done for HYDRA lately."
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"Did you expect a powerpoint presentation?" Thomas snapped - and that was all the cue the Soldier needed. He had a gun drawn and pressed beneath the man's chin in less than a heartbeat.
"Schitayte, chto eto prikaz."
The man looked back and forth between the Soldier and Lois, stonefaced but with panic in his eyes. "I-- I don't understand--"
"It is," he said, in slow and careful English, "an order. Tell her, or there will be another position waiting for a surprise promotion."
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"If any of you actually made one, I might have to have the Soldier here re-educate you on what 'covert' means. But I would like a status report. Metropolis, of all the cities we're working on, has the most potential and I'm not about to let that go to waste because of you people deciding to play games. We have bigger things to deal with, bigger goals and bigger obstacles than your petty egos. So..."
Her eyes were hard as she slammed her hands down on the desk in the room.
"Report."
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The Soldier moved away, taking his position once more, though he didn't holster his firearm. It was a not-so-subtle reminder to behave - but he watched carefully. Even as they all reported, they were getting twitchy. None of them were sure if they trusted the situation, and the men around the edges of the room-- he could see their fingers edging toward their guns' triggers.
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