Bucky hadn't been in town long. The place gave him the creeps. It was too...perfect. On the surface. He saw missing person posters everywhere, and they were all kids, but there was no police presence, not really. No search parties or frantic parents running all over town. It was like no on was really looking. Like they were hiding it, ignoring it. And he supposed they were. He knew the stories, knew at least a little bit about what was here, but he'd never felt anything like it, and he wasn't a fan.
He had just come through to pawn off some jewelry he'd had stashed away, things he'd bought the last time he could use his dad's money. He'd definitely not gotten what any of it was worth from the pawn shop, but it was enough. He just wanted to get away for a little while; to take Steph somewhere with fresh air and sunshine and spend some time with her. But not here, he had to go farther. He wouldn't let her stay here for any longer than the time it took to get out.
He was walking down the main road. Pocket lighter but wallet heavier when someone slammed in to him. He was sturdy enough that he didn't fall but out of shape enough that he took a few wobbly steps back. He glanced back the way she'd run from and didn't see anything. But he knew enough. He'd grown up on the station and Bill and his friends had been in his shop often enough. He never purposefully eavesdropped, but they were never very good at keeping their voices down.
He grabbed the girl's hand and started running with her. He'd explored a little bit on his way in, "Over here, I think this will be safe." He pulled her in to a small used clothing store. There were enough people inside that they got a few looks bursting in, but it would do.
"Try to blend in." he told the teenager. He knew it wouldn't really do shit, if the clown wanted her, and she was afraid enough, it would keep coming, but if she believed she was safe, she would be.