The Pen is Mightier! (penismightier) wrote in chaotic_library, @ 2014-12-04 16:39:00 |
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Entry tags: | bucky barnes, maria hill, marvel, multi-parter, natasha romanov, novel, r-rated, sharon carter, steve rogers, tony stark, yuuo, yuuo: marvel |
[Bucky Barnes, Cast; R] In Derelict Sidings The Poppies Entwine
Character/Series: Bucky Barnes, Cast; Marvel Cinematic Universe
Rating: R
Notes: Didja catch the Tour Of Duty easter egg? :D? Also, see, this is where I start taking a lot of liberties. I actually tracked down the MP division at Fort Meade and sent them a message, asking for what the stockade rooms looked like, and what kind of cafeteria it had, etc. Surprisingly, they don't want some random person on the internet knowing what their prison looks like and how it works. Who'da thunk?
Title: In Derelict Sidings The Poppies Entwine: Chapter 16
Author: yuuo
Word Count: 3621
Summary: Bucky had had it with the damn flashbacks.
Bucky had had it with the damn flashbacks.
This one wasn't affecting him like others had, it was just annoying, as he sat in an interrogation room, Steve sitting next to him, with armed guards around them. The whole Steve thing was new, but being considered too dangerous to be left without a ton of guns ready to be pointed at him at a moment's notice was old hat, and it grated on his nerves a bit.
But it was a minor quibble, all told, and not very surprising.
It was taking a long time for someone to come talk to them; he and Steve were probably above the pay grade of everyone on that base, if not everyone in the damn Army. It was rather amusing, in a distant sort of way, but Bucky was on a mission, and Bucky on a mission was a Bucky that didn't overthink little things that were inconsequential. It distracted from his focus, and right now, he needed to be focused.
Steve had thrown around the weight of his name to keep them from getting separated, reminding the MPs that they probably didn't want to upset Captain America. There were political consequences that they didn't want to deal with, and the MPs had quickly agreed, though not through words as much as just letting Steve do whatever the hell he wanted and didn't argue when Steve chose to stay with Bucky and all but act as his lawyer in the case.
Bucky mentally ticked away seconds, staying silent, as still and patient as a sniper, waiting for a target. Someone would have to take the armed grenade he represented, even if it was long enough to decide to stick him in a holding cell until someone higher could make a decision. Which would probably be better than sitting in an interrogation room with a couple armed MPs. The only problem would be if Steve's name couldn't carry enough weight to keep them from getting separated in the stockade.
The door opened, and Bucky flicked his gaze over without moving his head, hiding back in that mindset that made everything seem much less frightening than it actually was. The man that entered was an officer, with a uniform that marked him as a lieutenant colonel. He looked to be in his early fifties, grey just starting to show at his temples, perhaps a bit premature, with eyes that were a startling shade of blue, pale enough that they almost looked white upon first glance. Unusual, but it obviously wasn't a condition that interfered with his work.
The lieutenant colonel studied them, a file in hand that Bucky instantly recognized. Good, they'd found that when they were inspecting his and Steve's bags. That made things easier. The officer dropped the file onto the table, the file making a slapping sound as it landed, and took a seat. He took in a deep breath, occasionally glancing down at the file, but mostly watching Steve and Bucky like he wasn't sure if talking might get him choked or not. With Bucky's reputation, that was probably a valid fear.
"How much of that is true?" he finally asked, motioning to the file.
"All of it," Bucky said, without further elaboration.
The officer made a thoughtful noise. "At the press conference, the president said you told him that you didn't remember what happened."
"I said I didn't remember much," Bucky said. "There wasn't much to remember."
The officer snorted. "A distinction worthy of a soldier." He opened the file, looking over it. "According to this, you had your memory taken away."
"My last target was Captain America," Bucky said. "I put him in the hospital."
"Assuming that's true, then I can believe the extent of the brainwashing," the officer said, sounding as neutral as he'd been from the start. He looked at Steve. "I'm hoping Captain America isn't going to lie on this matter."
"It's true," Steve said. "And I never lied to the president either. I told him I couldn't say anything more. I'd be surprised if he didn't know that meant I knew more than I was telling. He let us get away with it."
The officer frowned. "You were both trained too well for your own good."
"Thank you, sir," they somehow managed to say at the same time.
Get out of my head, Charles, Bucky thought, half-expecting Steve to reply 'no'.
"Why didn't you turn this in earlier?" the officer asked.
Bucky had braced himself for that question. "If you only barely knew who you were, would you turn in information like that?" Really, the answer was 'fuck you, I didn't want to,' but he felt that would not be in his best interests to say.
The officer frowned. "Not wanting to doesn't remove the obligation to."
"I don't get the insanity plea?" Bucky asked. "Name one rational person who would turn in something like that to a government institution after being controlled by one for decades."
"And after you started to remember?"
"I again ask who would go to a government agency to be locked up after being controlled by another one for decades," Bucky said. "And tell me I should've trusted the Army to not turn me into a lab rat to see what Hydra did. I'm in the public eye now, good luck pulling that off."
The officer looked on the verge of breaking his stoic poker face, the hints of frustration peeking through. "The Army isn't interested in human experimentation," he said.
Bucky pointed to Steve. "Then explain him."
"Sergeant Barnes, that was a different era-"
Bucky knew he was pushing things, but he wasn't about to let military politics swarm him under. "You're going to tell me that the military is so much more moral than it used to be? That Islam prisoners weren't really tortured in Gitmo? That civilians aren't targeted with prejudice in Afghanistan? What about the use of Agent Orange back in Vietnam? And the My Lai Massacre? Or were those flukes?"
Before the officer could cut in, Steve put a hand on Bucky's shoulder. "Bucky-"
Bucky ignored him. "I saw the Cold War. I helped start the Cold War. I kept it going. I know what happened and it wasn't just the Soviets that did things that shouldn't have been done, so don't try to pull a morality act on me, sir, because it won't work. So I will ask, why the hell should I have trusted any agency of the United States government to handle that paperwork without the public knowing to hold them accountable?"
The lieutenant colonel drew in a deep breath, sitting back, and Bucky wasn't entirely sure if he was pissed, impressed, or seriously considering what Bucky said, or some combination, maybe. Either way, Bucky was probably about to find himself in Leavenworth if he didn't shut his mouth.
"We're waiting on word from Washington about your AWOL charges," the officer said, switching topics. "In the meantime, we're investigating the matter of these assassinations that have been credited to you. I trust we can get your cooperation?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Bucky saw Steve looking at him, silently begging him to stop being stupid. He had a feeling that Steve was internally applauding him, but Bucky's method of handling things probably wasn't doing him any favors. So Bucky settled his gaze on the lieutenant colonel questioning him. "What do you want to know?"
The officer pulled a sheet of paper out of the file, one that hadn't been in there before, and slid it over to Bucky. "This is the list of victims that's come out since the news first broke of your identity."
Bucky picked up the paper, studying the names. The only ones that looked familiar were the Starks and Nick Fury. He put the paper back down and pushed it back over. "I only recognize two of those names. I was never told my targets' names. I'll need pictures to help you."
The officer nodded once, but he didn't look annoyed anymore. "Who all knew about these targets?" he asked, taking the paper back.
"Hydra," Bucky said. "There were rumors here and there, but most people didn't believe I existed." He shook his head. "I don't have any idea which ones were rumored and which ones nobody knew about, except the Starks. The only ones who could've known about that is Hydra themselves." He raised an eyebrow. "You realize that means that Hydra has to be the one releasing this? What are you planning on doing with that?"
"I plan on doing nothing, Sergeant," the officer said. "I'm not in charge of dealing with you. You're above my pay grade. We're waiting on word from Washington. I'm just here to gather information so they can conduct a thorough investigation."
Bucky narrowed his eyes. "In other words, the Army plans to try to bury this completely."
The officer smiled, and it was completely unpleasant. "As you said, Sergeant Barnes, wish us good luck with that."
Bucky swallowed tightly, jaw clenched, staring at the officer as if he were on the other end of a scope. He wasn't actually afraid, or even that angry- Sharon had the information, the Army couldn't cover it up and pretend nothing happened, even if they wanted to. It wasn't even that things would be more annoying to deal with with that plan. It was for show. Let the officer think he held the only copy of those records. Let him think that the Army, that the government, were the ones in control.
If Bucky had to be executed, it'd be on the block of public opinion, not in the government's shadows. It wouldn't be the government that got him. He'd make damn sure of that, even if he had to take them all with him.
The officer tucked the sheet with the target names back into the file. "I will arrange for those photographs, Sergeant," he said. "We thank you for your cooperation on the matter. In the meantime, you will be shown to a holding cell here in the guardhouse. You will not be locked in, but you will be under watch every step you take. I would much rather have better security measures than that, but," he paused, cracking a smile that wasn't as unpleasant as the last one, but looked rather amused in a sick sort of way, "Washington has warned us not to give you a tight leash, lest you decide to break it. I highly doubt that even Leavenworth could hold you." He looked at Steve. "I would ask you to stay as a guest of the base, and not as a prisoner, but I have a feeling you won't."
Steve chuckled. "You want him to stick around, you're going to have to have me underfoot. We served together. You're a soldier, you should know you don't leave each other behind."
Something, something very faint, softened in the lieutenant colonel's expression. Maybe personal experience, a former comrade, or maybe just a soldier's creed that'd been ingrained into them from day one of boot. Although he was an officer, he probably got it drilled in at West Point.
But whatever the reason, that hard edge in his expression disappeared. "Then I will make sure there is room for you both. The holding rooms, unfortunately, are not built for two. But you will not be far apart."
"That's all we ask," Steve said.
"It's a simple request," the officer said, standing. He looked at the armed MPs. "Show these two to their holding rooms. Make sure they are nearby to each other. Lieutenant Goldman will see you shortly with rotation." He looked at Steve and Bucky. "Thank you, Captain, Sergeant."
Something popped into Bucky's head, and for better or worse, it was coming out his mouth before he could second-guess himself. "Hey, do I get a phone call? Or is that only for the civvies?"
The officer stopped at the door and looked back at him. "That depends on who you wish to call."
"My brother," Bucky said. "Former Navy officer, lives in Annapolis. He'll want to know I'm not dead." He paused. "Again."
The officer considered a moment, then nodded once. "I will see to it that you get your call." Then he left.
Bucky looked over at Steve. "That went better than I thought."
"Could've gone worse with your mouth," Steve told him.
The MPs moved into position to escort them, so they obediently rose from their seats, and followed one of the guards out, the other taking up position behind them. They'd have to get used to being flanked like that for awhile. The lieutenant colonel- who was probably at the top of the MP food chain around here -had granted them run of the building, so they wouldn't be locked in their cells, but they would be under watch, he'd said.
Bucky glanced back at Steve. "Eh, it was fun. I've never gotten to mouth off to an officer and live."
Steve gave him an incredulous look. "The hell you haven't," he said. "Or did you forget that I'm an officer?"
"You don't count," Bucky said. "I mean a real officer."
Bucky heard one of their guards smother a laugh just as Steve's hand connected with the back of his head. He rubbed the back of his head, looking back at Steve.
Steve was giving him a dirty look. "You're a jerk, Bucky."
"And things are back to normal," Bucky said.
"Except that we're in jail," Steve said. He glanced at the MPs, who stopped at a desk. One kept watch on them while the other spoke to his fellow MPs behind the desk, getting confinement room orders for Steve and Bucky.
Bucky looked over at him. "Jail wouldn't be half so nice. We're practically guests of honor."
Steve looked like he wanted to say something more, but was keeping his teeth firmly biting down on his tongue. Good. They were going to have to rely on silent communication at this point. Steve would better be able to get ahold of Sharon if the Army dragged its heels too long, and Bucky was the one making the call on how long that was. So anything Steve wanted to say about this plan would have to stay behind a zipped set of lips.
Besides, Bucky already knew Steve hated it.
There was some shuffling around of papers, a bit of confusion, then finally the MP escorts took Steve and Bucky to side-by-side rooms, decently sized, for being holding rooms in an ICF. Which didn't mean much, but at least they were bigger than the train room had been.
The MPs didn't close the doors behind Steve and Bucky, which made the rooms seem rather pointless, but they needed a place to sleep, if nothing else. Bucky sat down on his bed. The couch bed at Natasha's had been more comfortable, but it was passable, and he didn't have to share with anyone.
"Hey," he said, walking over to the doorway. "When do I get my phone call?"
"When we get notice of authorization," one of the MPs standing guard outside their doors replied.
Which meant waiting.
Bucky frowned, then stepped around the corner, grabbing the edge of Steve's room's doorway and leaning forward to poke his head in. "Yours is nicer," he said, completely deadpan.
Steve was already sitting on his bed, one heel balanced precariously on the edge, looking like he was getting bored about thirty seconds into imprisonment. "They're the same, Bucky," he said.
Bucky made a point of leaning back to look into his room, then back into Steve's. "No, yours is nicer." He looked back at the guards, who seemed very uncertain of how to handle a situation where the prisoners got to move around like they weren't prisoners at all. "Hey, what're we supposed to do while we wait for Washington to figure out what to do?"
One of the MPs, a woman with ginger hair that reminded Bucky vaguely of Mama back in Washington, quirked an eyebrow. "I'd say you can sit down and shut up, but something tells me that suggestion will get ignored."
Bucky snorted, stifling a laugh, then looked back in at Steve, sticking his thumb out at the MP, whose uniform listed her name as 'Kovanda'. "I think I like this one. Better than any other prison guard I've ever had."
Steve sighed and looked at Kovanda. "I am so sorry for him," he said. "I think he hit his head. Be careful about interacting with him, he has a thing for redheads."
Before Kovanda could do more than sigh audibly, Bucky turned to look at her. "Don't worry, I don't date inside the service. You're safe."
"It wasn't my safety I was worried about," she said, and something about the way she said that and the not quite there smile reminded him vaguely of Natasha, but less annoying.
He stared at her, then looked in at Steve, then back at the soldier. "Can you retire?"
Kovanda gave him a level look. "Go back to your room and be quiet."
Bucky frowned, then turned back to Steve. "I'm out of practice?"
Steve nodded. "You're out of practice."
"Mm." Bucky made a face. "I'm out of practice." Then he shrugged and headed back into his room.
"You know," Steve said from the room next to him, "for someone who's in prison for several assassinations, you're in a better mood than you have right to be."
Bucky flopped back on his bed, leaning against the wall behind him. "They gave me a pretty guard. I take the joy where I can." He went quiet for a few minutes, ticking off time. "Hey, do we get the stuff from our bags?" he asked, getting back up and walking over to his door. "I had a book in mine I was reading."
Kovanda already looked sick of him. "We'll put in a request, Sergeant." She exchanged a look with her partner and then looked in at Steve. "Is there anything we can put in for you, Captain?"
"Hm?" Steve sounded like he'd been trying to tune them out. "Oh. Wouldn't mind my sketchbook and pencils."
The other MP, a black man named 'Jordan' who reminded Bucky vaguely of Derrick, but shaved and showered recently, looked wary. "We don't allow any objects that can be used as a weapon."
"What, my pencils?" Steve asked, sounding incredulous. "That's him that does that. I use them properly."
Bucky poked his head back around the corner. "You gave me that pen!" he snapped.
"If it will shut you both up, I will put in for the book and the drawing supplies," Kovanda said. "Now go sit down, Sergeant, for the love of sanity."
"You're in the Army and you're worried about sanity?" he asked, then shrugged and headed back for his room.
He'd been seated on his bed for all of a minute before Kovanda spoke up again. "Barnes, you got your phone call."
"You couldn't announce this a minute ago?" he asked, getting back up and walking out to the hall.
There was a third MP waiting, a woman that Bucky assumed was of Vietnamese descent, with her uniform displaying a last name of 'Nguyen.' "This way," she said, moving to direct him without putting her back to him.
Smart woman.
Bucky walked along with her, his good mood sombering some. Peter was going to have a conniption fit at him, and rightfully so. He didn't know if his status as AWOL was public or not, he hadn't seen the news, but his crimes were public, and while he knew Peter wouldn't believe them, Bucky couldn't exactly deny them, either. This was not going to be a fun conversation, but Peter deserved to know that Bucky was alive and okay.
He had to have the woman behind the desk look up Peter's number for him, he only knew Peter's address. It didn't take long before he was on the phone, listening to it ring and waiting for Peter to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Miss me yet, little brother?" Bucky said, making himself sound more upbeat than he actually felt.
"Bucky, where the hell have you been?" Peter demanded, every inch a concerned Barnes trying to be angry when he really wasn't.
Bucky had to resist the urge to wince. "Around. My disappearance must've been in the news."
"Along with a lot of bullshit accusations," Peter said. "Where are you?"
"I'm in the stockade at Fort Meade," Bucky said. "I can't tell you what's going on right now, but I figured you should know I'm still alive and causing trouble."
"Damnit, Bucky, this is why Mom took the switch to you so often. You pull stupid shit like this." Peter sighed. "You've already cut off half the questions I want to ask, so I'll ask this, instead. Are you okay and are you going to continue to be so?"
Bucky couldn't help the smile that Peter couldn't see. "I'm fine. I'll be fine. Just keep an eye on the news. If the news doesn't say anything, I'll try to get ahold of you again and explain. I promise."
Peter didn't say anything for a pregnant three seconds. "You'd better," he said. "Anything else to report?"
"Don't sound military at me," Bucky griped. "I'm surrounded by people who outrank me right now. But no, nothing else." He paused. "Love you, Peter. Stay safe."
"Love you, too, Bucky," Peter said. "Keep me posted."
Bucky said goodbye, then hung up and let himself be escorted back to his room.