13209/ADVENTURE!

ADVENTURE!
Date of Scene:	06 May 2021
Location:	Tristan da Cunha
Synopsis:	Three SHIELD agents are accosted by Hermes and deal with his obnoxiousness.
Cast of Characters:	Phobos, Winter Soldier, Black Widow (Romanoff)

---

Phobos has posed:
    The island chain of Tristan Da Cunha is the most isolated piece of land in the Atlantic and barely ever registers on peoples' radar, let alone on long distance sensors the likes of which SHIELD uses to keep track across the world. There had been a listening post there back in the 50s and 60s but even then the cold war didn't choose to involve the small collection of three islands.
    It wasn't until the warnings flickered across the monitoring systems in the Triskelion that it gained at least some small measure of prominence. For abruptly, out of nowhere, three transponders blinked into life upon the air traffic control board for SHIELD's Quinjets and deployment efforts. Three transponders all flashing in time, all listing the callsigns and designations of three Quinjets that had been lost during the course of active duty over the last four years. Suddenly they were awake, alive, and sending back data all on this small island chain...
    Of Tristan da Cunha.
    People rushed back and forth from monitor to monitor. They were able to triangulate the signals, get closer, delve and narrowed it down to the second largest island in the chain. The ominously named, 'Inaccessible Island.' It was there the Quinjets were recognized...
    And it was there the first response team was sent.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "I never get to fly anymore," Bucky grouses, but it's a relatively good natured grouse for him. His face doesn't seem to be stuck in resting glower mode for the moment. That'll probably change before the hour's up. He snorts in a breath through his nose and asks, "What do you think the odds are that we become the fourth missing Quinjet?" The question is obviously rhetorical. "Did the first three even have a flight plan that included this area?" Weren't these all questions he should have asked BEFORE they left? He must have missed the meeting. "...we know anything about the local fauna? What if there's man eating plants? ... or Yeti." A beat. "So what's the plan, other than access the inaccessible?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Yeti are in the arctic, not here," comes the flat answer from Natasha, as though this was a real thing. She arches a brow at Bucky's rapid fire questions as she rises from her seat to walk toward the front of the quinjet, in order to peek out the front viewscreen as the pilot handles the craft expertly.

"None of us get to fly anymore. Except Agent Jones here." She gave the man a smile then headed for the back again with the rest of the Tactical Response Team.

"Access the inaccessible. Assess the situation. Hopefully all the personnel returned with the Quinjets and we can get them home for answers to those questions."

Phobos has posed:
    During the briefing there had been tidbits and nuggets of intel. Inaccessible Island had curious rock formations all around it that looked like boulders just sticking up out of the water. It was a dormant volcano that had been formed millions of years ago and in the last ten thousand petered out. There were some indigenous birds, some reptiles, many turtles, but not much of a predator prey system in place since everything seemed to indulge in eating fish.
    Some of these data points were visible on the display screen on the side of the jet's ready area where the Tactical Response Team sat all severe looking in their black armor and full helmets. They were here to aid the higher level operatives on their task and their current task? Find out what the hell happened.
    A voice lifted, electronically modulated behind the helmet to answer Agent Barnes' questions. "One of the jets went missing four years ago from an operation in Dubai." The TRT soldier scrolls the display he holds in his hand, "One was two years ago during the New Asgard crisis traveling to Sabha in Algeria. The third was last year traveling to get a refit in El Segundo, California."
    But after he says that the mirrored visor that covers his face shifts back down as he scrolls through the docs again.
    The engines whir as the Quinjet shifts, its VTOL components making a low mechanical hum as hey shift and the wings bend subtly. The yellow ready light flickers on near the gantry door signaling for personnel to get ready while the lights in the cabin shift from normal to red.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Okay, well there could be Sasquatch then," Bucky counters just as deadpan. "This doesn't feel like a setup AT ALL," he adds as he pushes himself to his feet. "I guess it's about that time." He rolls his shoulders and cracks his neck from side to side. "I don't like this Nat. I think we need to go in more ready for trouble than we're thinking we should." It's not often that James Barnes gets a case of the tinglies and danger sense, but c'mon. "We lose three aircraft from different areas over four years time and suddenly they're all blipping here, just all the sudden, all at once..." He shakes his head. "Nah, I think I should go in from the air, get eyes and feet on the ground quiet like. Just to see what's down there. Then you can follow with the team after I make sure we're not going to be eaten by giant mutated venus flytraps or something."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
This is where things got interesting. They had no idea where the Quinjets had been. They had no idea if they were occupied and that state of those people who had been onboard. They were going in mostly blind. They could run into anything. Literally.

Hopefully it would just be a rescue operation. There had been no readings indicating there was a threat. Course, they all know that didn't necessarily mean anything. Just because they couldn't see it on satellites didn't mean it wasn't there.

As the trajectory of the ship changed, she adjusted her balance unconsciously to compensate then walked toward the back of the ship as the yellow light came on.

At the input from Bucky, she glances his direction. "Agent Jones, take us down," she tells the pilot. Her voice is lowered as she speaks to Bucky. "I know that you're more used to working alone but I've learned something. Everyone needs backup sometimes. If things go sideways, I'd rather there be more than one of us out there."

And with that she slaps her hand on the red button by the door to open it.

Phobos has posed:
    The moment that door starts to whir to life and open, the sound in the ready bay suddenly grows much louder as the wind rushes by and an exit alarm sounds. The engines whine louder, shifting their power to slow the vehicle's descent even as the rush of water far below can be seen with the moon casting a brilliant reflection from the night sky.
    he light shifts and the TRT readies up, slinging weapons and taking a moment for each operative to check the pack of the soldier nearest them with one turning to face away, then the other when it's their turn.
    "Twenty seconds, no radio traffic, not being lit up by anything. Looks dead." Agent Jones says in his typical Southern twang as he brings the Quinjet turning sloooowly to the side. Suddenly the dirt and rocks of the island flash past as ocean gives way to land, exposing the barren ground to their view as the jet rushes over it.
    The engines growl and there's a sharp pitch upwards as the vehicle decelerates the last. The jet sets down with the sound of rubber scraping faintly and the hydraulics hissing to absorb the speed. The rear door finally comes down fully and with that the team heads out in a two by two overwatch formation.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Bucky's voice is pitched low as well, pretty much for Nat's ears only when he says, "Wasn't talking about no back-up and playin' lone soldier. I was talking about some stealth recon." But it's too late now, they're already descending and likely to have already been seen by anything intelligent and dangerous that's waiting below. "How far are we from the signals now and in which direction?" The hair on the back of his neck stands on end. He follows the team out. The first thing he does, of course, is just a quick assessment of the area with trained, naked eyes. Next he'll 'sneaky neenja' his way up toward the top of the rise they've landed behind and take a peek in the direction they need to go with the aid of some high power tech binoculars or whatnot.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
As the pairs exit the Quinjet, everyone is on alert. Natasha doesn't have a weapon in hand at the moment. Doesn't mean she isn't armed as her Glocks are in their holsters and wristbands in place on her arms. She takes a quick glance around, not following Bucky and allowing him to get them eyes on target.

Her own 'tasha tingle is not going off for some reason. Doesn't mean there isn't something bad going to happen, just that she isn't picking up anything specific. Her mind is on the review of the quinjets and their personnel they'd gotten in the briefing, how many missing agents they might be talking. If they were even with the ships. If this was a dumping ground for the aircraft, why did they all activate now though?

She touched the comm link that was in her ear, more to be sure it was still working than because she had anything to say.

Phobos has posed:
    It's quiet there on the twisted dormant volcano. Then the roar of the VTOL is heard as its engines power back up and push itself into the air, leaning over to the opposite side almost languidly as it builds up power and then starts to evac from the drop zone heading off in a different direction than the one it used to arrive.
    Agent Barnes climbs up the rise in the rocky terrain, silent... perfectly at ease in that lethal precision that lets him climb over rock and boulder and sand... and yet barely displace any of it. He reaches that rise and across the large open field of what had once been the mouth of the volcano there is no sign of life. No hint of a living thing save perhaps the distant cry of some seaborne avian.
    Yet what likely draws the eye... is when he sees those three Quinjets. One is set on its landing gear, a dark silhouette against the skyline but bright and green when one views it through night vision. But the other two are sticking up straight in the air, one resting almost impossibly on its tail and seeming to balance perfectly. While the other is face-planted into the ground perfectly straight up and down as well, only with its nose dug into the dirt.
    Nothing moves out around the Quinjets, and there's little movement around the SHIELD agents save for as the Tactical Response Team follows in the wake of the higher ranked agents. No sign of the eleven missing SHIELD agents from those three jets, and no sign of how they got there.
    Across the comms Natasha's keys in with that faint /click-click/ which is answered with like by the Quinjet pilot.

Winter Soldier has posed:
James Buchanan Barnes has seen A LOT in his lifetime, both as Bucky and as the Winter Soldier. So, when he lets out a quiet, "Huh," over the commlink that's followed by, "I have no idea what I'm looking at," that's really saying something about how bizarre he's finding the situation. It's the target, he knows THAT much but... "They're there, I see'm, all three. No signs of anything or anyone living. I..." Just a beat coupled with a little snuff of a breath through his nose and Bucky finally just says, "You just gotta see this." Because he knows he could describe it all and still never really make what he's seeing make a lick of sense.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
<Any sign of life?> Natasha asks on the comms. She motions to the Response Team to start heading in the direction where the Quinjets should be then rushes to join Bucky, though she does make sure not to leave any trace of her passage as she reaches the top of that slope. She brings out her own scope from one of the pouches on her belt to get a look.

Then sits there a moment. A moment more. "That's... different."

She taps the comm to relay the information about the status of the Quinjets to the team on the ground. Then she glances to the man beside her. "Shall we move in and get a closer look? Keep the team in reserve?"

Phobos has posed:
    At the sign from the Black Widow, she gets a nod back from one of the response team and then the four other operatives split to take the other way around the rise and fan out to provide cover from the distance. It leaves the two other agents there to consider the Quinjets in their seemingly precarious position.
    There's wind that occasionally causes some of the dust and sand to blow very lightly, but the breeze doesn't seem to influence the way those two jets seemingly balance there so precisely. And as the two formerly Russian operatives move in, they'll see very little that would indicate the vehicles being operational. Until they get closer, within thirty meters... fifteen... closer and then the one that is balanced on its tail, they can likely see the flashing red light from the control panel through the window. Likely its transponder set on endless repeat.
    There is no sound around them, no hint of activity beyond that small flashing red light. Until seemingly out of nowhere comes a voice from a tall blond man that leans against the Quinjet with its nose buried in the ground. He's broad of shoulder, handsome of feature, smiling openly and dressed in blue jeans, tan sandals, a white t-shirt, and a pair of sunglasses.
    "I bid you greetings, good heroes of SHIELD."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Bucky has sights on the man, as in glock sights, before he even speaks. The second Barnes saw the man... his weapon was drawn. He whispers before they're in earshot, "Why didn't his heat signature register?" This is entirely too bizarre of a situation. "Who are you?" he barks out, his tone commanding. He never was one for pleasantries in a situation like this one. Hackles, they're raised even further now.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Natasha has her own Glock in her right hand, aimed at the figure. Her left goes to that commlink. <We have an unknown contact. Maintain distance.> Then she mutters. "More importantly, why didn't we see him before this. Or hear him."

This was uncomfortable and she didn't like it. Now that tingle was full on as she kept her eyes locked on the target. Though, Bucky had him well in sights. So instead she looked around the area, expecting more people to just pop up out of no where.

"Greetings to you as well," she says, raising her voice in a conversational tone. "Maybe you can help us out. Any idea what happened here?" She nods her head in the direction of the Quinjets. "And where the people are from these craft?"

Phobos has posed:
    The blond man with the open smile likely would show up now on heat sensors, several degrees above what one would expect for an individual as his ambient temperature seems to be nearly 104, perhaps 105. Yet he does not seem to be suffering from such a severe fever as he remains there leaning, seemingly unperturbed about the firearm aimed in his direction.
    Across the distance several of the support team can be seen bringing their own weapons up and into line, taking a bead on the man while two others are seen spreading out and breaking left and right to bracket the newly acquired target.
    Yet as this happens the man speaks amiably, "I am Hermes, Son of Zeus. And I bring you these gifts, what was once lost it is now found. Though as for the people within I know not what befell them, for such are the ways of fortune. Fickle as it is. Due homage and tribute given for it has come to mine and Olmypus' attention how those of you in this SHIELD, how they fare."
    The man pushes off of that Quinjet causing it to creak slightly and he steps away, but not moving too quickly nor gesturing too wildly. "How you strive and seek to save a world that honors you not. Thus, I am here."
    He spreads his arms, "I present you this gift, and another. But first, to whom do I speak?" He looks to Bucky and then Widow each in turn with that used car salesman smile.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Something about a Godling speaking of fickleness makes Barnes SNORT. Nuh-uh. No way. Somewhere along the line, Bucky is pretty sure that he's heard that there's power in knowing someone's name. "I'm Rocky and she's Bullwinkle," he snarks back. "What do you want in turn for these 'gifts'," he asks bluntly. He's never spent more on a vehicle than its worth, he's not taking the smarmy car salesman bait.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Hermes. As in Olympian god going by his name and statements. Most people benig confronted by someone claiming to be a god would scoff.

Unfortunately, she worked on a team with Norse god. And she was on good terms with at least three Olympians. Some better than others.

She doesn't correct the names nor glance at Bucky when he gives them. The glance would be a dead giveaway she was surprised by his response. Yet she let him take the lead here.

Save a world that didn't honor them. Why would he care about that?

Phobos has posed:
    "In return? Why nothing, of course." Hermes spreads his hands, "I want to honor you, Rocky!" He smiles pleasantly, "Yourself and the good lady Bullwinkle." Something in his bright blue eyes seem entirely amused and perhaps not entirely unfamiliar with the concept of pop culture. Yet he does not let on too much beyond that oh so charming smile.
    "To think of what you have had to endure." He looks in turn toward Natasha, "To face such challenges and dangers all at the behest of a world that loves you not. While I? I can be almost everywhere and I see such heroism. Truly. And when I learn of something so very interesting..."
    Hermes tilts his head toward Natasha and smiles pleasantly, "Well I rush off to tell Zeus and this is what he bid me do. Yes do."
    He straightens up, "So are you prepared for the other gift? There will be some disorientation. I will take you, Rocky. And you as well Bullwinkle. And perhaps one of the others?"
    A dismissive glance is given over toward the TRT members who are still holding their weapons on the target. And there's a voice that lifts on the comms, modulated electronically. "I have a shot." From one of the team operatives.
    Hermes gestures, "That one? Yes that one, I think."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    It's only because Natasha knows Bucky so well that she'll have one split second, one less than a blink of an eye moment to stop him in some way before he just goes full on attack. He's about to enter total berserker mode! That whole 'disorientation' and the offer of another gift? It ain't happening if he can help it. It's also because she knows him so well and they share a mutual respect that she could stop him with a word or a gesture. If she doesn't? The battle will begin.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"We do not agree to your terms," Natasha says as she tenses. It's a split second but she's hoping that Hermes will be reasonable here. She can either let Bucky attack him, which probably isn't the best thing to do since he's a god. One they don't know the powers of other than wasn't speed on his list of things? Messenger of the gods?

She doesn't touch Bucky but she does shift her stance, taking her a step forward and her hand shifts, a sign he has known from decades of working together.

The sign to stand down.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    The sound Bucky makes at that signal is one of frustration. It's a sharp inhale through his nose that causes nostrils to flare along with a grunt. He shifts his own stance a little and brings his glock more in line with the other man's head. It's there in his expression, in the way his muscles are coiled like agitated snakes... it all says, just one twitch motherfucker, just one twitch, give me a reason.
    But for all the outward aggression, there's a fear churning in Bucky's stomach. He knows (whether it's true or not) that this dude is about to try and fuck with his head and... he's afraid.

Phobos has posed:
    "Ahhh," Hermes says, his hands coming up with his index fingers pointing upwards, and then towards them. "As to that." He says, "It is not my gift alone, but from all of Olympus. Surely you wouldn't spurn the gift of the Gods?"
    The way he says it, it's almost entirely as if he truly did regret the situation. But there's something about his bright blue eyes that gives him away for enthusiasm. Then his voice lifts again, "You there!"
    And before anyone can move, before anyone can see him as anything more then a blurred after image, Hermes is suddenly no longer there, then he's back again. So staggeringly /fast/ and this time holding one of the TRT troopers by the shoulder, causing him to stagger roughly to one side. "You see, a little disorienting."
    Which has that soldier spinning and bringing his weapon up as well. "Now, good heroes. Warriors of such altruism and faith." The tension does rise, and it's almost as if Hermes is /wanting/ something to happen.
    And then he's a blur again.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    That fear is still churning, but it's quickly being squashed back down again by righteous ANGER. Bucky is PISSED. "You son of a bitch," he snarls menacingly. His trigger finger twitches... and again, Natasha has that little half blink in time to intervene. It might be more difficult to stop him now. That anger comes from years and years and years of being messed with, treated like a toy for the amusement and benefit of others. ...and now this asshat is playing with them like they're dolls to be jerked around at will? Oh, hell no!

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
There is no motion to stop him. But there is a movement. A hand sign. Dodge. Bucky is more than welcome to shoot at the man that grabbed one of their team.

The first time Hermes blurred, he stopped by the agent to grab him then blurred again. Which means there might be a moment.

A twist of the wrist and she was counting. 3...2...

At the last second, she leapt to the right away from Bucky and where she suspected the god might appear to grab one of them. In the place she just left was a grenade. One she had activated so it was live the moment she moved her wrist. It was a gamble but worth it hopefully.

...1

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Nat's about to make something go boom. He may be tough but Bucky still doesn't feel like being blown up. That would just totally ruin an already bad day. He gets himself out of the way of the impending explosion but even as he's doing so, he's emptying his clip into what he hopes is that asshat God's head. ... he also realises that, even if he hits, it's unlikely to do much. Even so, he won't stop firing until the gun is empty.

Phobos has posed:
    Suddenly the world twists around them, shifting as if reality had gone akilter, contorting around and in on itself. No mercy granted to Bucky's awareness, no respite given despite his misgivings. But if he perhaps thought he was the only one who had reached such a breaking point with Hermes' antics, then he might well be mistaken. For not only did Natasha /leap/ and leave behind that grenade, but the soldier as well dives to the side with his rifle barking a short burst trying to time the shot as well as the weapon jumps in his arms.
    Even as the after-image of Hermes seems to whirl and wrap around them, as if moving faster. Perhaps hard to hit... and yet with him seeming to be everywhere and yet nowhere... impossible to miss.
    The grenade rolls that small distance further, the fuse seems to key into action. Yet sloooowly. As if it were not a part of the world around them, though it seems about to explode in the next instant...
    Even as the three bullets from the rifle seem to sizzle forward and then sloooow as they reach that blurring arc of the illusory trickster god. All combined with the resonant /CRACK-CRACK-CRACK/ from Bucky's weapon as he fires round after round seems to coalesce in this shared perception of malice aimed square at the Olympian god.
    And then the world goes black. A palpable feeling of nothingness, no voice, no body, no reality. A split second or five hundred years for the mind to contemplate solitude and loneliness inherent in an existence with nothing beyond itself.
    That time passes and reality rushes in unapologetic as it assaults the senses. For it is day now. And the trio lie upon a grassy hillock that overlooks a copse of trees where a herd of sheep gather. In the distance is a city of white with orange-red rooftops, great structures of marble seemingly built in that city, but also carved from stone in the sides of mountains. Great statues stand tall depicting beings of such massive height and regal bearing as to likely be depictions of the gods themselves. Or how those gods see themselves.
    And when the heroes look upon themselves they will see that they too have changed.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Disorienting. That was down right horrifying. It was the nothing. Complete sensory deprivation and no idea when it might stop. It seemed to last forever and no time at all. For years she was there then the next second, she was blinking against the brightness of the sun. She could smell the grass, feel it underneath her hands which were resting on the ground to either side of her.

She sat upright, frowning as she looked around. The surroundings, the sudden daylight, the fact she did not have her guns or wristbands! A glance around, as though they might be laying nearby. Then she realized what she was wearing.

"What the hell..." Because she was now in a peplos, the long style tunic worn in Ancient Greece by women. All flowing material. "Why am I wearing a sheet?" It wasn't actually but being what it was, it was one piece of material folded so it seemed to be two, yet in essence--it was a lot of material.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    It WAS downright horrifying. Bucky isn't unfamiliar with 'nothingness'. He's spent a lot of time with 'nothingness'. Maybe it was a different sort of nothingness, but nonetheless, this type did NOTHING good for his inner demons. At first he doesn't even notice that he's wearing sheets like a skirt. At first, James Buchanan Barnes can't even catch his breath. It takes a lot to completely and utterly terrify him, but that did the trick. He's in a blind panic, frantically trying to scramble to his feet and find a weapon, any old weapon will do.

Phobos has posed:
    As for the Tactical Trooper who accompanied them his gear and clothes have changed into the garb of a Spartan warrior, crimson cloak hanging off of one shoulder, his arms and legs armored by bronze curved plates that hug the body, and in place of the TRT helmet there's the a bronze Corinthian helm with cheek and nose guards in place and the orange crest standing prominent.
    Yet likely what bothers him the most is the way his rifle has suddenly become a long spear, though still held like a modern firearm. He shakes his head and scowls, "What the hell?" He says sharply, and his voice without the electronic modulation sounds a touch younger.
    Yet any reflection is likely interrupted by a masculine shriek as on that hillock and a little ways above them, near one of the upright stones that mark the land, Hermes is hear /yelling/ as one of Bucky's bullets or perhaps a piece of the grenade's shrapnel has torn a furrow in his normally rather beautiful face.
    "You idiots!" He screams, "I'm just the messenger, you don't /SHOOT/ the messenger!?" Even as he rails about that the sky above him twists with hints of ill weather and his hand glows angrily. "I was just doing my job"
    Only for out of nowhere that helmet that the trooper was wearing is thrown across the distance to /CLANG!/ against the stone.
    Which makes Hermes jump a little, "Hey!"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"A message is something you tell a person," Natasha says, climbing to her feet and glaring at the god. Only whens he stood she found she was wearing sandals. Not boots. Sandals, wrapped around her feet and ankles. She paused to lift the skirt to look at the damn things, wiggling her toes and letting out an exasperated sound as she dropped the skirt back into place.

"This is called kidnapping. In my line of work, you /do/ shoot kidnappers! What are you doing? Why did you bring us here?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    That blind panic continues for a long long few moments before Bucky settles into just ragged, deep breaths. Once he's able to breath and focus even the tiniest little bit though, he's ready to go on the attack again. He snarls, he might even be foaming at the mouth a little. He STILL hasn't really paid any mind to his clothes because, right now, the only thing on his mind is murder. He starts at a dead run toward that hillock to attempt to rip a God apart with his bare hands. It might take his old friend actually stepping in front of him to stop him this time.

Phobos has posed:
    "You are heroes!" Hermes says loudly, proclaiming it to the heavens, "What more can you ask for than to be given the chance to be heroic!"
    Yet it likely doesn't seem to affect the SHIELD agents too well nor too positively. As Bucky is /racing/ up that hillock straight toward the Olympian who proceeds... to /flee/ from the WW2 hero.
    Rushing around the stones, the speedster manages to keep a few steps ahead of Agent Barnes though he speaks a little roughly over his shoulder, "Zeus bid I present you this gift, and then I would take up the worthies and bring them hence to this lovely splinter of what once was wonderful about your world!"
    He gestures to the side magnanimously as he takes a moment while Bucky squares up on him again. "You should be grateful!" But when he turns back Alex's spear is thrown straight at him!
    Only for him to blur for a brief moment and slip to the side. "Hey!" Hermes glares at Alexander, the trooper who accompanied them.
    And for Alexander to glare back. "Uncle, take us back. Now. You've broken the agreement."
    "Oh my. Nephew. Such a surprise." Hermes says, deadpan, frowning. But then Bucky's almost caught up to him and he blurs around the back of the stone again. Now unseen he shouts, "Fine! I need to go talk to someone! I'll be back in a little bit. Try and calm down!"
    There's a low muttering grumble from somewhere behind one of the other stones, and then abruptly the voice is gone. Leaving the three agents there in the middle of... someplace else.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The voice stopped. Bucky was still in pursuit so he would know if the god was still around. It gave Natasha a moment to Alex, an arch of a brow, realizing that his secret was now out. Something she had known but Bucky had not. The good news? Bucky was the sort who could keep a secret. Once he knew it was a secret. Which they'd need to have a little talk.

She glanced back the direction Bucky had gone after the god. A faint sigh as he ran her hand through her hair--which had her frowning as she no longer had her pixie cut. Instead if was a carefully coiffed--wig? She snatched it off and threw it on the ground, revealing her short red hair and ruffling it a bit with her fingers.

"You good, Soldier?" she called to Bucky. Then a glance to Alex. "Any idea where we are precisely? Seems to be Greece but not exactly."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Bucky lets out a sound that's half yell and half growl when the object of his blind rage vanishes. His right hand clenches into a fist so tight that his nails leave crescent moon cuts in his palm. A beat, one more, two, three. The red he was seeing starts to bleed away and true colors come rushing back in and then... BING! The lightbulb of realization can almost be seen going off over his head when his brain catches up with what his ears just heard. He spins on Alexander. "You're RELATED to that asshat?! What THE FUCK?" It almost seems like Alexander is going to be the misplaced object of the rage and confusion he couldn't expel by ripping Hermes from limb to limb.
    But then Nat's talking. Her voice is familiar. It sounds like home even if home most of the times they were together was hell. He stops after having taken only one step toward the Godling. "Yeah, I'm fine," he forces out through a clenched jaw and teeth.

Phobos has posed:
    Above them the mid day sun glows, only occasionally obscured by the drift of clouds now seeing to calm down with Hermes' departure... for whatever reason. The place smells nice at the least, there's the scent of something being cooked across the way toward the settlement, the hint of flowers in the air. Yet also a faint hint of... potential.
    As for Alexander, he's standing there beside Natasha, and gives her a sort of look as his lips part to answer... only for Bucky to roar and round on him which draws the youth's attention.
    "Yes, sir." He answers easily with a curious calm to him despite being close to being set upon by the war hero. His pale hazel eyes rest level on Bucky and then he waits a touch longer before he finally answers Natasha's question.
    "I don't know where we are. It feels like Olympus? But it's not, if that makes sense." He adjusts the hang of that cloak and... to be fair it does flatter his physique somewhat. Which might be why he pulls it across his chest and starts to fashion it into a makeshift toga.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Why would he bring us here? He said it was at the order of Zeus, right? To honor us as heroes? Do you think that's true or is he just spouting off lies? Admittedly the fact he left to consult with someone, if that is true, seems to indicate he is just the messenger." Natasha isn't sure it's true. The guy could be just lying and putting some distance between himself and Bucky.

She looks back to her former partner. Yet, she doesn't answer the question he posed. That's for Alexander to do. "Should we head toward the settlement? See about getting some answers if possible? Not like Hermes won't be able to find us, I'm sure."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    He isn't still ready to go murder assassin on Alexander as it appeared he might but still... "I'm watching you," Bucky snarls with an index finger jabbed in the young man's direction. Then he finally, FINALLY notices his clothing. Could this mission BE anymore disturbing? He shifts things around as best he can to cover as much of himself as possible. Awwwww, he's modest! Honestly though, the main thing he seems worried about covering is that left arm.
    "Sure, why the fuck not?" he grouses in Natasha's direction. The constant dropping of the f-bomb is really just an good indicator as to his level of unease and aggravation, it'll slow when he finally settles. He waves a hand to indicate that Alexander should lead the way. "You go first." Apparently he no longer wants the dude at his back. He'll likely get over it, eventually, at some point. But for now he's still a little shocked by the revelation and maybe a little betrayed.

Phobos has posed:
    Alexander's head tilts to the side and he makes a face as he starts to walk a bit, but only a few paces before he's turned partially to the side and awaiting the others. "I could see him telling the truth in some sort of twisted way. You know how they can be."
    Perhaps they do, perhaps they don't.
    The young trooper climbs up the hillock and grabs the spear that he had hurled into the risen stone, picking it up and slinging it over his shoulder as he ponders from that height the distant settlement.
    "But I think he has to observe some forms otherwise he might get in trouble." He looks sidelong towards Bucky, then Natasha and murmurs. "I uh, am sorry about all of this."
    With that said he starts the trek over that hillock and then down a path that seems to lead towards that distant city with its white stone walls and its red roofs.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Nothing to apologize for. You didn't bring us here. You've just been living your life," Natasha says as she walks a few feet away to pick up that helmet Alex had thrown at Hermes. No dents. Interesting. She tucked it under her arm then fell into step behind him.

"This is the Olympians' fault," she says, mainly for Bucky. "Agent Aaron has been living his life away from them. For some reason, they at times feel the need to interfere with his life, even though they had made an agreement not to. Guessing him being in the SHIELD helmet, which covered his face, they can claim plausible deniability. Oh no, we weren't meaning to mess with you, just SHIELD in general. I don't buy it but we can't prove otherwise at this point."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Bucky GLOWERS at Natasha. He snorts, nostrils flaring like a pissed off bull ~ which he kind of is at the moment. Here's to hoping there's no China Shops in town. "Maybe, just maybe, if your PARTNER was aware of who was walking into this with him, it coulda gone different." ... or maybe not, likely not, but even if there's the slightest chance it could have? He takes a deep breath, then another and another. OOOOMMMMM. He's trying to calm down, honest. It works, to a degree.
    "I mean, if I had known about him and this 'agreement' or whatever, maybe I could have told him to take the fucking hat off, yeah, and then there would be no 'plausible deniability." Bucky's anger is rising again so he sucks in another breath, counts to ten in his head and lets it out. "C'mon, Nat, secrets like this are NEVER a good thing to carry into missions," he points out in the calmest voice he's been able to manage since they got here.

Phobos has posed:
    In reply, Alexander says over his shoulder, "Yes, ma'am." Accepting her statement but not perhaps too enthusiastically. Yet he sets foot upon the path easily enough and casually pushes tree branches out of the way while they travel or nudges reaching vines from nearby brush. He travels along letting the others talk while he moves with that spear over his shoulder.
    Though after a bit he glances back and tilts his head slightly, looking from one to the other, then back again. "It is perhaps a selfish act to sort of want to try and make it as you can without relying on lineage I suppose."
    A few more strides as they descend that route, footfalls quiet as they move, though the place feels... almost deceptive in some ways. As if it would be all too easy to lower one's guard and just enjoy the warm Summer day.
    "This likely changes things I imagine."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The stroll is leisurely. As though there is nothing amiss. They haven't just been teleported to a strange land in strange clothes in a strange situation. Although she glances over at Bucky's observations, arching as single eyebrow in question.

When she speaks, there is a hint of amusement in her tone and her lips twist into a smirk. "I see. So there should be no secrets between all the members of a team. Everything should be in the open so everyone around them will be prepared for every situation."

She flicks her gaze to Bucky. "Considering who you and I are, I'm sure you realize how absurd that sounds. Do you really want your entire history exposed to every single agent we work with in the field? From the level nines to the level ones?"

Hopefully he'll start thinking more clearly since he's calming down and realize that isn't really how it works in their lives.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Except, it sort of is with him. "Except... most of them already know mine." It's not like the Winter Soldier is an unknown entity. "But yeah, Nat, if it keeps people safe, let them all know." He means that too. Bucky isn't snarling his words out now, so that's a step in the right direction. He's still wearing his 'grump face' though, that brow of his all furrowed and intense. "Just because the folks around you know the truth of it, don't mean you have to rely on it," he tells Alexander. A beat and he adds, "You wanna make it all better, get us the fuck outa here. This is your turf, kid."

Phobos has posed:
    Which is enough for Alexander to fall quiet for the moment, though he does look thoughtful while they stroll along. Just the way he walks and carries that spear almost leisurely over his shoulder with his head tilted to the side a little.
    The path, in turn, leads them down onto a larger road that has wheel tracks in them as well as some foot traffic distantly down the sandy road leading toward that distant city. A wagon is barely visible off in the distance the opposite way driving away from that city.
    For a moment he kneels beside the furrows marking the wheel's passage and picks up a handful of sand, then dusts his hands off and crinkles his nose. "Our best bet of getting out of here might be discussing it clearly with Hermes when he returns." He looks toward Bucky, "If you're ok with holding off on violence while we do so?"
    That said he turns and moves toward the direction of the city, taking the lead again. "Figure we can at least get something to eat and drink while we wait."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Not everyone knows who the Winter Soldier is. You were a myth until the last few years to most of the espionage world. The boogie man in the night that would kill them in their sleep," Natasha says. "But I will agree to disagree. How many times have we had issues with the Red Room because of my presence? Yet my history is still a secret from the majority of SHIELD and will remain so." She frowns a little. "The Director is aware of Agent Aaron's status. If he feels everyone should know, I'm sure we'll get a memo. Until then, I'd appreciate if you respected his wish to live a normal life." Then her lips twist a little. "Well, as normal as a life with SHIELD ever is."

At the mention of food and drink, she gives a nod. "Although do we have money?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Oh, nononono, nuh-uh, no way," Bucky replies. Before anyone can get up in arms over the fact that he seems to be saying that he isn't going along with 'no violence', he adds, "I'm not eatin' shit in this place, hell to the no." He's shaking his head emphatically to get his point across. There's all sorts of stories out there about traveling fools eating stuff in strange and foreign places and it causing Bad Things. As far as the rest of it, "The discussion better happen straight, minus the bullshit and riddles and runarounds," is all he'll agree to.
    "I'm not spilling his fuckin' secrets, Nat," Bucky grouses... dropping the f-bomb again, anger rising. "But this total blindside could have been avoided the MOMENT we knew we were dealing with Hermes if I'd known and, yeah, that's sticking in my craw right now." It's the sand in his swim trunks and the pebble in his shoe. Now's probably not the best time to try to get him to come around on the matter.

Phobos has posed:
    A small smile touches Alexander's lips as he says over his shoulder. "Could sell the spear. Or the helmet. Should get us some food." Though as he walks he flips the aforementioned weapon forward and starts using it a bit like a walking stick, though he does plink the edge of it with a fingertip, frowning a little to himself for some reason.
    Then his brows rise as he ponders, "Though Agent Barnes has a point in a way, if this is the Underworld then we really shouldn't eat anything here." He scritches his chin thoughtfully as they move down the road, "Though this doesn't seem like any part of the Underworld I'm familiar with." Apparently he's been there.
    "Though that's more due to accepting a gift. We'd technically be alright if we took the food without permission." However that works out.
    But then he stops and turns, "Would you feel better if we sat somewhere and awaited his return, Agent Barnes?" Even as distantly the town's gate is barely visible now.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Valid point." One, she really needs to read up on her mythology. Considering it's kind of important. At least it is becoming more so. Second, Natasha glances down at the helmet she is carrying. "We'll sell or trade the helmet. Keep the weapon." Because she is still her.

As the question is asked, she leaves it to Bucky to make that decision.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "No," he grumps. "Sittin' on my ass waiting will just make me nuts." As if Bucky wasn't already kinda nuts over this situation already. "But I'm not eating anything and I'm not kissing anyone," where did THAT come from? As they get closer, he tries again to rearrange his weird ass clothing to hide his arm because the last thing he wants is to draw unnecessary attention to himself.

Phobos has posed:
    Which causes Alexander to nod, albeit perhaps even smile a little though he hides it.
    Which is when there is a rush of movement, a blur of silhouette, and suddenly Hermes is there once again, standing between them and the city in the middle of the road. He too has seemingly changed as well to fit the background of this realm that so fits his memories of the past. With hands on hips, his loose robe hangs at its ease from his shoulders, looking so terribly casual as he stands there in that Olympian golden glory, entirely pleased with himself.
    "What a line to return to." The kissing anyone line, apparently. "But, I am back. Told you I wouldn't be long. Doesn't surprise me you've wandered off, but I've found you."
    He takes a deep breath, "I have good news, and I have bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
It would be nice to kill him. Or at least hurt him. Natasha glares at Hermes as he appears, fingers itching for a weapon.

"Bad news." Not to get it over with but because Natasha suspected there was no good news this time.

She did manage to not cross her arms, only through years of experience in hiding her body language.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    He shoots Natasha a 'really' kinda look before he levels his intense gaze at the God. "You REALLY want me to go home with the title of God Slayer, don't you?" Bucky snarls at the mere SUGGESTION of bad news. He takes a step toward Hermes and jabs a finger at the God's chest. "The ONLY news you need to be telling us is that you're sending us home right now." One more step closer and he's right up in Herme's business with zero concept of personal space. "I don't negotiate with terrorists." Which is exactly how he sees this guy and whoever's pulling his strings, kidnapping terrorists.
    ...at least he's talking and not punching?

Phobos has posed:
    "Always the bad news," Hermes says, his posture seemingly confident with his hands resting on his hips. "You can't blame me."
    A sigh is given as Bucky takes a step forward while Hermes takes a step back.
    "The bad news, is for young Phobos here. And it is due proclamation time." The speedster god clears his throat and affects a more stern tone. "It is not the responsibility of the gods, Son of Ares, to hide and run and flee from your presence due to some agreement held with father and child. The right to honor hero and act is prime with our kind, and we shall continue to do so. It is your own fault to have extended yourself among the mortals, arrogant to feel yourself above repercussions while moving about the world freely."
    Hermes spreads his arms, "After all, we swore oath only to Ares and Phobos. Nothing protects those they interact with." There's a pause and a glimmer of a smile. "Or their friends and loved ones."
    He quickly steps back in case Bucky is feeling squirrelly again and adds rapidly, "But! You are all to be returned whence you came. Isn't that wonderful?" Apparently that counts as the good news.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Squirrelly? Oh how Bucky would love to grab that pompous son of a bitch by the throat with his LEFT hand and SQUEEZE. He feels it necessary to repeat himself. "We. Don't. Negotiate. With. Terrorists." He jerks a thumb in Alexander's direction. "Fuck with him, you fuck with me." Then in Natasha's. "Fuck with her, you fuck with me." He re-closes the gap between himself and Hermes once again and lowers his voice to a menacing hiss. "...and you do not want to fuck with me." He steps back and says, almost pleasantly, "Keep that in mind when you send us all back."

Phobos has posed:
    For a time Hermes /looks/ at Bucky and there's something in the god's wild eyes that seems he's about to say something else... /do/ something else. His own hand vibrates slightly, which seems to abruptly cause the subtly greyish clouds in the sky to rumble with the hint of thunder. Enough so that one of the civilians that is now walking by looks up and holds his hand out to check for rain.
    "Of course!" Hermes finally says, louder than expected. "Can't have anything that would test our heroes and their tempers!"
    He steps back, "If you would be so kind..." Though whatever he is about to say is lost in that sudden rush of displacement, joined and twinned with the feeling of nothingness that this time seems to last a little less time before the beauty of what could be Olympus...
    Is abruptly replaced with the dark of night on Inaccessible Island. For indeed, the heroes are returned... though their garb is unchanged. Perhaps one last 'oversight' by Hermes.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
As they disappear into that nothing, Natasha tries to take a deep breath. Only to fail completely since there is no air. No body to breathe. Nothing.

A moment later they are back on the island. Only, now she's still stuck in a sheet. Uniform gone. Weapons gone. Wristbands gone. She had spares of course but it was irritating nonetheless.

Her attention goes to her companions. First a glance to Alex then looking at Bucky since he was the one that reacted the worst to the transition last time. "You both okay?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    If anybody can match a God's gaze crazy for crazy, wild for wild, it's James Barnes. He returns Hermes' 'look' with his own, bring it bucko!
     Bucky is prepared for the feeling this time so it doesn't leave him in a complete panic. That isn't to say it makes him all happy joy sunshine and roses, it STILL brings up feelings and demons that he'd rather stay buried. He's shaking but it's hard to say if it's due to bubbling over rage at being toyed with or the result of that ... nothingness again. "Fine," he manages to grit out between clenched teeth.
    At least he wasn't wearing his favorite leather jacket, he'd likely have to go God hunting for his favorite leather jacket. Bucky gestures to the quinjets and adds, "Team needs to get the black boxes out of these (...or the equivalent...), maybe their last moments with crew were recorded, we can give their families some closure." The shaking stops the more he focuses on the relatively mundane task of completing the mission they actually came here to complete.

Phobos has posed:
    It's a strange tableau, the three Quinjets all in their various positions, the three travelers now returned in their curious garb, and the SHIELD agents rushing forward to close the distance wit them. One of the TRT members raises her voice, the tone modulated electronically. "What happened? We saw you blip for a second and then you came back and..."
    And are dressed for cosplay? For a renfest weekend? Something like that.
    Later when they'd check the recordings of the mission they'd see for one instant the three operatives disappear for approximately 3 frames of data. Then they come back almost instantly with that abrupt wardrobe change.
    For his part Alexander is frowning, but he keeps his counsel to himself as he hefts the spear in his hand, then looks to the others. He gives Natasha a nod before he says, "Going to get ready for evac and prep my report. Sir." He says to Bucky, "Ma'am." Then to Nat.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"We still don't know the agents are dead. Still just missing," Natasha says as she waves off the approaching agents. "

Then she watches Alexander heading off. "I don't think there will be any more surprises now. We'll see if the ships still work. If not, retrieve the black boxes as Agent Barnes suggested. We can pilot at least two of them. Set the other on auto and program in a location at the closest SHIELD base. Again, if they even work."

And she heads for the one that is nose down in the sand.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    The one's been missing four years, Bucky's a pragmatist. He doesn't hold out much hope but... he let's Natasha hold on to hers and just lets out a little grunt of agreement along with a nod. "Maybe I'll get to fly back at least." Fitting after his grousing about not being able to fly here. Here's to hoping his silver lining is really there, because he sure could use the alone time to process everything without the company of Alexander. ...the kid that's done pissed him off, but that he's also done went and threatened a God over.