1964-03-21 - Being Replaced
Summary: Peggy receives a call from an old "friend" who has information about Sousa's location.
Related: None
Theme Song: None
peggy bravo 


It's been a few days since Sousa's disappearance. With torturously few leads, between witnesses not being very helpful and no real direction for the search teams to look in, it seems like he's simply vanished. The only real clue anyone has had is that a number of men were seen dragging Sousa out of Grand Central Station, into a tan van with no license plates, and driving off. Beyond that… nothing.

Which may explain why, while Peggy has been in her office, a very eager voice comes in through the intercomm in her room. "Uh! Mrs. Carter! You, uh… you have a phone call on the line. He's… he's requesting you specifically. He says he's got something crucial to tell you."

*

Of course, the moment Peggy realized Sousa was missing, she went into action. She's been working tirelessly through the weekend — after having handed her daughter off to relatives upstate. It's safer that Mickey is no where near the city now and two agents are now put on guarding THAT house, even. Otherwise, she's living at the office now. Yes, ridiculously pregnant. Yes, exhausted. But he's her husband, so she simply doesn't care.

So, when the call comes through, while she's cranky about it and completely skeptical, she barks to the agent on the phone, "Well, then put the person through. Bloody hell, do you think I'm sitting in here for my own damn good?" Peggy hisses, waiting for the line to be patched through. She'd rather be in the field. Her ankles disagree. So, she's in her office. Waiting and coordinating.

*

"Ah, y-yes ma'am!" The agent stammers back before pushing the line to her desk phone. Once picked up and acknowledged, for a moment, there's no response. But then, a voice speaks up… and it's one that Peggy should know exceptionally well, albeit it, many years ago. During the second war, as a matter of fact. "Hello, Agent Carter. I hear the weather in Leeds is nice this time of year."

For anyone else, this would be a strange way to start a conversation. But for Peggy, it might trigger some muscle memory in her. It's an old call sign, a signal used by the SSR back when it was still the SSR. Only high ranking agents would use this. But there is something slightly off with it. Normally, it should be Wales, not Leeds. Matter of fact, only one agent ever used Leeds for the call sign. It was how anyone knew it was truly him…

*

Things like this, Peggy never forgets. People, places, old habits. It's a part of her genius, a part of what makes her one of the sharpest agents around even now that she's in the upper tiers of bureaucracy. She straightens as she hears that call sign, the code line… and the change of the town. Peggy blinks twice. "…Bravo? You… You're listed MIA. You were MIA a long time ago… Who is this?" Part of her suspected it was him. Part was far too skeptical.

*

The voice on the other end chuckles a bit into the phone. A refined kind of laugh. One that finds more enjoyment in something than he lets on. "I knew you'd remember. Glad to see I haven't been completely forgotten." A pause on the other end, before he speaks again. "…it's me, Peggy. You didn't think a blast like that could put me down that easy, did you? I'm a little hurt you didn't come get me, though… I was right there, after all."

*

Hearing that laugh, she exhales slowly, more recognition sinking into her bones with every passing moment. Recognition and a strange, uncomfortable feeling. Something is very off here. Her hunches are screaming at her. "…Richard… I did come for you. We sent search teams. We looked for days. You were no where to be found. What happened? You never came back, no report…Nothing." Peggy's clipped accent states with a tone of deep concern. Concern on many levels.

*

"I'm not sure myself. I recall seeing you all… calling out… but you never answered… never acknowledged." He sounds genuine. As if he was there, but… invisible or something. "Either way… I've spent years trying to get back home… only to find you- the whole world had moved on without me. Sad, really… once the shining symbol of a war effort. Replaced by a younger 'model'. Finally, just fading into obscurity." He's moved on to despondence. He goes quiet for a little while, before speaking up again. "Anyways… how's Mickey?"

*

How's Mickey. That phrase makes Peggy stiffen even more, this man she's not seen in ages, even if he had been a nice fling, asking about her daughter. "…How do you know about Michaela? Look, Richard, I'm sorry. We genuinely did not see you. It's possible you were affected by some strange HYDRA technology, or something. We didn't understand all of what they were experimenting with back then, you and I both know this. Just… tell me where you are and I can send some agents to meet you. We can get you checked out now. Get you some help."

*

The line is silent for a while, almost like he's hung up. Finally, though, he speaks, the smile evident in his voice. "I should hope I know about her. If I intend to be a part of her life." …what does he mean by that? "What's happened has happened. Nothing to be done about it now, but to get things back on track." At the mentioning of getting him checked out, Bravo laughed loudly. "Hah! I've never been better! I'm stronger! Faster! Smarter! I feel like a new man, better than I have for such a long time… and now, I can finally get back in the world."

*

While the woman had been leaning back in her chair, as she hears that exclamation, she sits suddenly straight. "…What do you mean to be a part of her life? Richard, I haven't seen you in twenty years. I…I just want to help you. The SSR isn't around any more. You need to come here, to SHIELD, for a physical, then we can talk about it more. Alright? You can explain to me just what is going on and we can get you looked over." Peggy's trying to keep her voice calm and reasonable, even if her stomach has dropped into her shoes.

*

The smile widens in his voice as he speaks. "…twenty years. We… we have so much to catch up on. So much lost time. Don't you agree, Peggy?" He remains quiet a moment, but when he speaks again, the smile is gone in his voice. It's sterner now. "…replaced SSR with this… SHIELD, did they? Just like they replaced me… just like you replaced-" He catches himself, stopping himself for a moment. "That's not important. Not your fault. I understand, of course. I'm afraid I can't join you yet, Peggy. Not yet… there are still a few things I need to take care of. A few points of history I must correct. A few friends I must ensure can have the same future I do."

*

Finally, tired of dancing around these strange intimations and the creepy, almost clingy tone of his voice, Peggy mutters into the phone. "Richard… Do you know anything about my husband's disappearance? Yes. It's been twenty years. I have a life now and a husband who I very much need at my side. I am willing to help you. But… I need to know what you know about my husband." She cannot entirely keep the threat out of her voice.

*

"I do." The response is simple and quick. To the point. Just like he was. "He is one of those… pieces of history I need to correct. Nothing personal. Matter of fact, were it under different circumstances, I think he and I could've been good friends. Knows how to pull himself up by his bootstraps, he does." It seems clear at this point what Bravo is insinuating. "But… he has what should be mine. A hero's welcome… a loving wife… beautiful child, with another on the way… a home… and family… all things that should be mine. That I fought for. Nearly died for. He… has my life, Peggy… and I aim to take it back."

*

"Richard… don't do this. You are better than this. We… we can talk about it. We can make you a life again. But… hurting an innocent man isn't the way to do that. Please, tell me where you are. Tell me where *HE* is… and we can… we can help you both. I promise. I…I'll take care of you, Richard, but you have to talk to me. You have to meet me. You can't do anything… irreversable, or… or I won't be able to help you. to be with you. So… let me know where he is and you… You and I can… pick things up." Peggy's mind is running only slightly faster than her mouth and her temper, managing not to completely lose her head on him as she tries to do what she can to manipulate his clear insanity.

*

"I'm sure this all sounds… quite insane. Doesn't it? That removing him will somehow put everything right? That I can just walk in and take his place?" He paused, a chuckle as he did. "I can tell. You're mad. He suspected you would be. I suspected you would be. You believe me to be insane right now, yes? Attempting to pull me into a game? Trying to play to this… 'fantasy'?" Perhaps he's not THAT crazy… yet.

Bravo went quiet for a little bit, leaning back in whatever chair he was in and sighing. "If you're concerned for Sousa, I assure you, he's perfectly fine. I'm not a monster. I've even spoken with a friend of mine. Dr. Bevl. And before you start ordering your agents to dig up any references on him, don't bother. I've already tried. You know how thorough I am with my allies. The man is a blank slate, as far as history is concerned. But he's… made me stronger. Made all of us stronger. Stronger, in fact, than your dear friend Mr. Rogers. The so-called 'Star Spangled Man with a Plan'… such a joke, that project." He went quiet a moment. "Tell me, Peggy… did you ever wonder why they called it 'Project: Rebirth?'"

*

"Then why take him? If he's perfectly fine? Why…why did you take him? What are you planning? Of course I am concerned for him, he is my husband. And I'm concerned for YOU. You are my *friend*. I…I want to help both of you. But… you have to let me help you. You have to give me a hint, some sort of… lead. Where are you? I'll come alone, if you insist… Whatever you want. But talking on a phone is doing none of us good. And I know why they called it Project Rebirth. I was one of the first on the damn project."

*

The line goes quiet. For a long time, nothing is said. For a couple moments, one could be forgiven for thinking he's hung up. But finally… he laughs. He just laughs for a short while, not saying anything beyond his bellows. "Oh, Peggy… do you really think I'm that stupid? That I would just give myself away? No… I need him alive and well, because you want him alive and well. And, provided you do as I say, he will stay that way. I hate to do things this way. I do wish it were so easy as to simply remove him from the picture and take his place. But you won't permit that. I know you won't. So… we'll have him safe. We make with the charade. We pretend. We pretend this is how it should be… until it IS how it should be. Natural. Normal. Routine."
He spins in his chair, tapping the phone a bit and humming to himself, as if in thought. Or, trying to sound like it. "…but you want a hint. You want me to give you some clue to his whereabouts, or mine. So that you can swoop in and foil my plans? Am I presuming correctly?" He paused, as if genuinely considering the notion a bit. "…I suppose that would be the sporting thing to do, yes? Tell me… have you heard that The Russian is in town?"

*

A slightly shaky breath escapes Peggy's lips as Agent Bravo spills his scheme. Well, that was unnerving. Still, it also implied that she would get to see him soon enough. That she would have a chance to protect Daniel. So, she forces herself to breathe in, deep, calming, trying to cool her pulse as she listens to the madman on the other side of the phone. Maybe she could have Tony invent phone traces. Or someone up front could trace where that line came from, at least. The exchange.
"…Look, Richard. I just want to help you. Yes. I want to see my husband, but as long as he's safe…Clearly the SSR failed you. So I want to make up for that. and… no, I have not heard the Russian is in town. Should this concern me?"

*

"Not just me, Peggy… all of us, in the Forgotten Battalion. Men, women, brave on all sides, cast aside by the very nations we sought to protect. Called MIA, KIA, what have you… lost to time, when we should've been hailed as heroes. For all our sacrifice… our service." Bravo sighed, before he let out a chuckle. "It should… we are working for the same side. More or less, anyways. He's going after some poor sap of a mechanic in East Village. Fellow named… Ford'? Yes, just like the car… anyways, not sure what the fellow has done to warrant The Russian's involvement, but either way… he just might be heading back to meet up with us afterwards. Perhaps. If he knows where we are… and he's stupid. I cannot guarantee… but it's the most I will give you."

*

"There are statues… Memorials, to all of you, you know that? I put your name on one, Richard. But, if you can be found… Brought back, I'd rather do that too! I want to help you. I do… All of you. So, tell me how to help you. How to find you. We can't just keep helping each other over a phone!" Peggy half begs, her voice edging on desperate now, even as she writes note the information about the Russian. And this other fellow. She tries not to sound too annoyed, but her voice absolutely is. "These… strange games, Richard. You are better than it. If someone is in trouble, we'll help them too, but you don't need to lead us on some sort of scavenger hunt!"

*

"Very true. I don't. But I also cannot simply tell you where I am or what I'm planning. I know you, Peggy. You're sharp. Already deducing a miriad of ways to track me out of this." Bravo sounds like a mixture of irritated and sad. As if he hated having to do all of this… yet seeing no other way. For another long pause, he goes quiet. But finally, when he speaks again, it sounds… a bit sad. "…it's hard to explain. Impossible, really. There simply… is no other way. This all must be done. Played out. Not because I want it to. It's… the only way to make sense of things anymore." He stopped a moment, sighing. "…I realize that makes no sense."

*

"It doesn't. And you've hurt a little girl very much already, you know? You've taken away her dad… She has no clue where Daniel is, and I'm quite worried. You've already caused a lot of trouble, Richard. It's not time to cause more. Please…I implore you… Drop this little game. Tell me where he is." Peggy sighs tiredly, dragging one hand across her face, "At least let me talk to him. Know he's alright."

"…Peggy…" Bravo starts again, sounding hurt. Almost like a broken man. As if, for a moment, he's going to surrender. But then… his tone changes drastically. Firm. Stern. "No. He is perfectly fine. They all are.""They"… he had more? "This is no game. This is reality. Straight forward. We'll keep this charade up. Keep it up until it's normal. You loved me once, Peggy. I'm sure you can learn to do it again. Follow The Russian. That is the only hint you will get from me. …oh. And tell Mr. Rogers, that 'star spangled twat in a ridiculous hat' that he is next on my list of things to correct. Farewell."

*

"Wait, Richard, don't hang-…" But it's too late. Peggy has a dead line. SHe swears. Very, very loudly, slamming her phone several times into the cradle angrily. She hisses out a curse and finally pushes the buzzer to outside. "Staff meeting. NOW."

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