12378/Iced Lotus, no salad. A hunt begins.

Iced Lotus, no salad. A hunt begins.
Date of Scene:	25 October 2020
Location:	Skye's Brownstone, Greenwich Village
Synopsis:	Plots are hatched, pizza is consumed, someone is doomed for a rude awakening...
Cast of Characters:	Hawkeye (Barton), Winter Soldier, Quake

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Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
It's late at night at Skye's appartment. The AARs reports from the last operation at the Russian mob warehouse are not finalized. Some details need to be ironed out like the possible involvment of the cyber criminal IcedLotus.

The next move is to actually locate her last position and for that, Skye is the best in the world. And since locating won't be enough, but intervention will be also required, Winter Soldier has been invited to join her and Clint to discuss strategy.

Right now, Clint is in the kitchen checking satellite reports and other information on a laptop.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    How do you respond to an invitation to another agent's personal address? Purely business? In Bucky's case that might be misunderstood. Jovially? Same again, with the added terror of the uncanny and unfamiliar. In the end, James Barnes decided to ... well... let the camera pan away from him striding up the external stairs and instead transition to the inside of the entrance hall.

    There is a knocking without.

    An actual knock, knuckles on wood, as if the invention of the door bell is too recent for the walking anachronism.

Quake has posed:
"You know, we really should have started in the living room. The cats are not impressed." And indeed, they sat on the edge of the kitchen tile and stared. Where were their bedtime pets, huh? "See?"

With the knock at the door, "Your turn? Or?" Skye expected him to use 'rock, paper, scissors, spock' to determine *who* got the door.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Among the information that Clint was browsing, the building security cameras was among them. The identity of the visitor is well known to the archer. "I'll get it, just make sure the cats don't attack him right away!" he replies to Skye as he walks to the door, and let Winter Soldier step in.

Clint is wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt, his battle attire resting on the back of one of the numerous couches.

"Hey Winty, welcome. Come in," he invites their fellow agent.

As he walks back to the kitchen, he explains, "We're still working on the fuckin' reports, but I think we need to... hrm, coordinate them. Like, what do we say about this IcedBitch?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    With the smile that's occasionally been appearing on his face when off the clock, Bucky enters the den of opulence he used to visit far more often. These days he can step over the treshold without making mental comments about not knowing that the Tsar had a Spring Palace in New York, can even stop himself from commenting on the fact that three families could live quite comfortably in a house this size where it not for the cruelty of the free market, and even remember to bring pizza. As a peace offering, it seems... and because he seemed to recall a good place that was there last century and wanted to know if it was still open.

    Spoiler alert, it wasn't.

    With his cargo of half a dozen pizza boxes balanced on his hand, Bucky follows Clint into the kitchen, carefully side stepping the cats, who may recognise a dog person on sight.

    "My personal recommendation is to mention that one only as part of why the mission profile was changed on the fly and we reverted to the backup protocol of maximum damage rather than stealthy infiltration. Anything else... we can figure out among ourselves."

Quake has posed:
"Make sure he knows next time just open the door. We lock it if we don't want somebody dropping in. " Like bedtimes!

Skye had a reaction to Clint's 'IcedBitch', rolling her eyes. "Just don't put that in the report." Even if she would do it herself. "Hi James. Pull up a chair, and don't get roped in by the cats." Ha! Like he can't! "Fury at least knows her."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint hurriedly make room for the half dozen pizza boxes on the counter by the sink.

"Dang man, you plan on stayin' over for a week?" As he jokes about it, he's already opening one box that he places on the table and returns to grab plates which he places next on the table.

"As the lady says, you can enter anytime the door ain't locked."

He too grabs a chair, turns it around with its back against the table, and straddles it. Now the look on his face becomes more serious.

"I agree with you both," he says, "Not calling her by her proper nickname. And taking care of her by ourselves. By what you said, Skye, she's either after you or myself. Either way, we'll stop her. First thing, we need to locate her or someone close to her.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    With a shrug, Bucky starts to open drawers and cabinets, to set the table properly for the feast he's brought with him. "Always forget how much people normally eat. I'm used to catering for just myself." Super soldier metabolism... there's drawbacks.

    Places are set at the table in front of people, with quiet, dignified efficiency, and the speed of someone who got asked to set the table a lot when he was younger, while being used to a lot of guests. Like a proper human, he loads up a plate or two, sets it in the center of the table, and then sits down for his own meal, complete with napkin. Manners maketh man.

    It's therefore unfortunate that he starts to mix business with meals, and flicks open an old-fashioned note book to re-read his own AAR. "That does seem to work out. Security was tight, but sloppier than I'd have expected if they knew all three of us would be coming. That does narrow down the identity of the mole inside SHIELD a bit." Seems he's taking that much for granted.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
For a moment, Clint watches Winty set the table. By the look on his face, the archer is a little bit surprised by this display of household manners from the veteran soldier. Who would have tought? Wonders won't cease.

"Right. Low security, sloppy defense. It /looked/ like a trap, but with that IcedLotus at the end of the trail, this looks more to me like a teaser. She wants something, and whatever it is, I ain't giving it to her. Skye has been trying to locate her all day."
And with that, Clint stands to go to the fridge, returning with a couple sodas and beers. Sitting back down, he grabs a plate and proceeds to eat, without using the cutlery of course.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "We've also got at least two moles in SHIELD now, considering the incident in the gym a few weeks back. Different MO, likely different person. Better and worse at the same time, if you think about it." Bucky flips through a few pages of his note book to check some details, and the keen eyed might notice that there are some rather detailed sketches on some of the pages in between, before the little black book is snapped shut and replaced in a pocket.

    James doesn't comment when a cat jumps on his lap and claims it, accepting that this has happened and moving on, helping himself to a few slices. Even he doesn't touch the cutlery, but it would have been against nature not to lay it. "The objective might have been as simple as letting you all know she's still around, and active. Possibly expects us to start hunting her now, which could have been the point. Raises the question as to whether the site was compromised after SHIELD took an interest for that very purpose, or if someone is far enough up in the Trisk to send agents into prepared traps disguised as genuine mission targets."

Quake has posed:
"You know," Skye says as she loads up on double cheese, double pepperoni, "It's not like she's going to be sitting out there waiting. I mean, yes, she will dangle her presence out there, but it won't be where she is. Too bad Natasha isn't here." Oh well, she's working elsewhere.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Even with keen eyes, Clint didn't have time to look at the sketches on Winty's black book. And even so, he's not out spying on Winter Soldier. Reaching for a can of soda, he opens it, smells it, then passes it over at Skye.

"Another can of poison, it's yours," he says, grinning briefly before the serious look returns.

"There's one thing I'd like to make clear," Clint starts, looking straight at Winty. "IcedLotus has a beef with Skye or myself. You /don't/ have to be part of this, if you'd rather not. At some point, we might have to /borrow/ some SHIELD equipment, y'know what I mean. I don't want you to get in trouble."

That said, he looks back at Skye, eyebrow raised.

"Right, she moves. But what about her family? Can you find out if she has any relative, an associate, former partner?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Wouldn't be the first time I don't pass by the bean counters before checking out some equipment." is Winter's response to that, with a completely different kind of smile on his face. "Maybe not all of it got back on the shelves either."

    Fingers idly pet the cat on his lap, but being used to dogs, Bucky is not showing the correct amount of deference to their feline superiority, failing to focus all of his attention on this act of pet worship. "And if you think I'll just walk away knowing someone is out for two of my friends? Not happening, Barton."

    And then his eyebrow raises at the invocation of Natasha, before his eyes narrow just slightly for a second. "I can't help you find someone who hides in computers, but I'll help you deal with her once you do. That's a promise."

Quake has posed:
"Oh she's out for me. Whether she takes out on Clint doesn't matter, she will do it. In fact, I think me? She can sit in another country in and fuck me up digitally. But Clint? That I'd notice."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
When Winty's hand starts to pet the cat elsewhere that where is felinely acceptable, a clawed paw scratches his hand and in a moment, the hissing cat is gone. "That was Grant," Clint says, "A lil' skittish. Ward will probably come to check you. They always do that."

Done with his slice of pizza, the archer helps himself with another one. He'll have to ask Winty where he got these pizzas!

"Thanks, man, I really appreciate it," Clint says, "And I'm not talking about pizza here."

Then he's lost in toughts for a moment, frowning as he stares at the pizza. The arrangement of the toppings reminds him of a doted line, a kind of treasure map.

"You're right, Skye, and that's exactly because she's out for you, that we need to find her, and quickly. You know, the only lead we have right now, is actually the starting point. That warehouse, and the Russian mob. In some way, she's linked with them. Maybe we should start by roughing up some of these mobsters for intel?" He then smiles widely, looking at Winty. "You'd be up for some ol' fashion roughing up?"

Quake has posed:
"Grant is not skittish! He loves me! Just because he is a little abit jealous of you." But the rest? He's bang on. Skye likes the way he thinks!

Winter Soldier has posed:
    There is a blink of surprise when cat claws scratch his hand, and Bucky looks down at the rapidly retreating feline. The look of startled offense is real... he is, as mentioned before, not a cat person, and fundamentally misunderstood the dynamic. This was not a meeting of two equals, but a demand for worship from the lords of the house. "At least I got one to sit on my lap for a change."

    Flexing his fingers, he shrugs and goes back to eating, letting the other agents hash out how they're going to find the target. Because that's how he's started to think of IcedLotus... a target. It's a dangerous category to fall into, and one few ever leave without significant incident.

    "Clint, would I mind roughing up Russian mobsters? Does Baba Yaga's house walk?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Somehow, I knew you'd love the idea," Clint chuckles at Winty's answer.

Turning to Skye, he adds.

"Let's go for the top. SHIELD always keep an eye on the boss, can you collect all the info on him? Residence, office, all main warehouses?"

The plan is definitely taking form, they are going somewhere.

"What about... we corner him, neutralize his bodyguards, put our hands on his computer. While Skye works her magic with the computer, we can /interrogate/ him. What'd you think?"

Obviously, Clint values the Winter Soldier's input, he has a lot more experience, legal or not.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "These kinds of jobs I prefer to do at night." Bucky comments, eyeing another slice but realising that he's eaten his way through an entire pizza by himself and he wants to leave some for Clint and Skye. With the conversation more on grounds that he's familiar with, his expression goes thoughtful.

    "Find out where he lives, watch it covertly for a day or two, establish the routines. Then go in at night, neutralise the close protection, get working on his personal equipment." He nods to Skye.

    Then he grins to Clint. "Then we can wake him up, tied to his own bed, and threaten to go to work on his personal equipment. He'll sing, they always do."

Quake has posed:
"Well, that seems to be that!" Skye munches on the crust as she thinks. "How are you gonna do it?"

"Sorry. The cats have been difficult with Clint and I sorting things out." Not that there was much to sort out, except every now and then Clint stayed in his own apartment. They really didn't know what to do.

Skye slips the last pizza over to James. After all, there's more where this came from.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
There's a mock painful grin on Clint's face, "Right, his equipment. Shit, he won't stop talking!"

He helps himself with another slice of pizza, opening another can of soda for himself. Cola, way better than the pineapple and strawberry that he opened for Skye earlier. He grins at Skye, "The cats will get over it, don't worry."

Back to the plan that they are working on, he thinks for a moment.

"We'll need amnesia gas," he adds, "And make sure we leave no trace of our visit. IcedLotus must not know that we're on the trail. And even if she finds out, we don't want SHIELD to be aware of our lil' shenanigans."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    With a nod and a smile, Bucky accepts the pizza from Skye and takes another swig from his beer. No soda for him, but the effect is pretty much the same regardless. He hadn't been drunk in decades.

    "No gas, I think Clint. Too many variables. I recommend giving the goons our personal attention. Percussion work, probably. Quieter and less of a smell afterwards. And if you're not too worried about the mob boss, I can guarantee you he won't tell anyone we were there. He'll just disappear."

Quake has posed:
"Yep." Skye kisses Clint's cheek."And I'll keep her engaged while you do it." She lets them iron out the details between them.