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It's not Christmas….but it is a kind of present. A certain Sorcerer popped in, deposited the Soldier right back in his original cell, pointed accusingly at the camera, and then portaled right out again. So now there's an unconscious James Barnes on the floor. Much the same as he was when he was stolen nearly a week ago. His clothes are different - t-shirt, old jeans, jump boots. No weaponry…..no obvious weaponry, at least. And out like a light, as the SHIELD agents come swarming in to restrain him.
*
Carol leads the SHIELD agents in, as well… if a Loki-type character tries to break him out again, it makes sense to have one of the most powerful agents on hand to keep that from happening. She nods, "Just make sure he has no weapons on him, and then I'll take care of him. And bring in some damn coffee, or whatever constitutes that here in the office!" She apparently knows how bad office coffee can be, at least, as she looks down at Bucky without any visible emotion.
*
There go the boots - turns out each of them had a knife in it. The patdown is very thorough…..but after a little, the tide of agents washes out again, leaving Bucky more or less straitjacketed. No mere cuffs this time. It's her and the Soldier alone in the cell, and he's a limp bundle. Breathing, at least, and with a steady heartbeat. Between one instant and the next, he's awake…..awake and terrified, scrambling back by kicking his feet alone until he's backed into a corner.
*
Carol stays in the cell, completely unafraid as she takes a seat in the cell, not approaching Bucky as she drinks coffee out of a stryofoam cup. "Welcome back. Talked to your friend and his boyfriend. Interesting pair." She tries to hide her sympathy for Bucky, and doesn't /entirely/ succeed as she sees him scramble backwards.
*
His gaze is flickering around the cell, desperately. Same one. Same chips in the paint he made. Same cracks in the ceiling (not his fault, those). But …..how did he get here from his hide in the subway? His throat works, but it takes him a few tries to speak. "They….it wasn't their fault. They didn't understand," His voice is a rasp - and there are distinctly the marks of fingers on his throat. Someone's tried to throttle him barehanded recently.
*
Carol nods. "That's what I figured. But I still punched that one that broke you out, for starting this whole mess. No one gets to threaten to murder my friends without paying a cost." She smiles faintly, "So. What happened? Do you remember?"
*
Winter's cold and controlled, the Russian murderbot. James….he may be Public Enemy #1, but….his face crumples, body still shoved into the corner. And for a moment, he's neither the assassin or the commando he was before, but the scared young man who shipped out. "I almost killed Steve," he says, and his voice breaks on that name. "But….the bombs, I didn't do that. My hand to God, it wasn't me. I saw the papers. I don't know who those guys were."
*
Carol's eyes go wide with that, and as much as she might want to comfort him… well, she calls on the military training, keeping disciplined, though it's a hard thing, "Do you know anything about them at all?" She tries to keep her voice level, and it's close.
*
Bucky shakes his head. He's pale and sweating - whatever the wizard did, it was quite a jolt. "No. No idea," he says, in that low voice. "I….when….when I worked, I was precise, and deniable. Never anything to make a big public splash. And the stuff they used - no idea. None at all. I don't think it was the guys I…used to work for." There's strain in his voice. Some part of him still works for them.
*
Carol nods, "That still can help. I don't think the KGB would do something that blatant. It goes against the rules." She hmms, "But that doesn't mean there aren't people that would profit from the chaos on both sides. We just need to figure out who." And she says that we purposefully, including Bucky in on this.
*
He doesn't smile. There's a moment where it looks as if he will, the way the eyes and the corner of his lips lift….and then the light goes out again. "It's not their style, no," he agrees, quietly. "They'll be coming for me in earnest. Because ….they think I can burn them. I already have, by fucking up with Steve. Out in the open. And if the US succeeds in hanging the bombings around my neck, with me linked to them….that's all the casus belli anyone needs for Armageddon." Then he's eyeing her for a moment, head leaned back into thecorner. He's shown no indication at all he wants to actually get up….there are residual tremors from that magical shock. "They're not going to let SHIELD keep me," he adds, softly. The shadow of the noose is already in his eyes.
*
Carol looks at Bucky, "They aren't going to get you. Not while I'm around." She smiles a bit, "And that isn't just bragging. I'm pretty sure they can't deal with me all that easily." She looks pretty confident about that, "And if you think I'm letting you out of my sight until this is all settled, you're crazier than I thought."
*
He lets his eyes go half-lidded, shakes his head. "I don't mean the Russians, or whomever it was I belonged to. I mean….here. SHIELD may be top, top secret…..but it still answers to the US government. I was taken from SHIELD custody already. Even odds I'm on my way to whatever equivalent of Leavenworth they have for the powered in fortyeight hours or less."