13319/Last Second Visit

Last Second Visit
Date of Scene:	18 May 2021
Location:	5A 51st Floor, Four Freedoms Plaza
Synopsis:	Bucky swings by to give Nick an update, and asks for a referral
Cast of Characters:	Phantasm (Drago), Winter Soldier
Tinyplot:	Digging Up The Past

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Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
It's interesting how things can quickly change isn't it?

With the evening hours in place, the sleepy halllway of one of Four Freedom's newer residents has started to wake up with neighbors coming home, ordering in food, going to do laundry, and all the other chores they had intended to do over the weekend but never gotten around to.

Nick also had plans. The escrima and drum stick ladden bookbag was out and prepped. But any plans he had got canceled with a phone call. Kicking the bag back under the bed, the entertainer sets to make the apartment 'presentable'. An extra chair is unfolded for the the kitchen table and the kettle is already heating up on the stovetop.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    As if Bucky would give a shit or a shingle about 'presentable'. He wasn't lying when he said he'd 'be there soon'. He was either really really close or he drove really really really fast. He'll knock once and announcing, "It's James!" before trying the knob. He'll either open the door or... not. Either way, he's typical Bucky. Comfy jeans, hoodie, boots, gloves and that damned leather jacket. He really needs a new look.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The kettle hasn't quite reached heat yet so James's knock and announcement can be heard. Nick finishes swiping up the contents of an Itinerary packet into a folder, sliding it over to edge of the table closest to the wall. "Yeah, one sec." He calls back, leaving the mostly cleared table to do the two strides to the door.

The cover to the peephole is slid aside as Nick glances through before undoing the locks.

Thunk!

Clunk!

Rattle!

Click.

The door opens, giving a glimpse to the very dressed down, and kind of tired looking Nick. There you go Bucky. You're the better dressed one at the moment. "Hey James." Nick greets, "Come on in. Water's still heating up."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Bucky makes no mention of the extra lock. You're not paranoid if they're really out to get you. He did, however, have his eye right up to the peephole when Nick looked out. It's almost like he's trying to be funny? "Well don't you look like shit," he announces before stepping inside. "Call me Bucky," he adds. He's dragging 'Buckylevel' friends into this mess and asking them to risk everything, must mean Nick warrants Buckylevel now too? "I got us a hacker." Right to the point. "She's good, her place is secure and safe. If there's anything outside the official to be found, she'll probably find it."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick gives Bucky another look as the correction to the name to use. The door closes behind him and he reaches over to turn one lock. "Bucky it is then," Nick accepts. "Sorry it's been a mix of work and -" He pauses, considering the subway incident, "A non-paying type of work. Crazy times..."

The head tilts at the mention of getting a hacker. "Hacker? W-" He pauses, wincing as memory stirs and he's left to realize the stupidity of the response "Oh - The guy in the photo?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Yup," Bucky replies simply. He back tracks to, "Non-paying kind is typically more a pain in the ass." It's a teasing little jab at the current situation. He's sitting leaning against a kitchen counter before he speaks again. "Like I said, she's good. But she's ... human good. She's all I got that I know I can trust though." His tone definitely implies that it would be nice to have someone a little beyond 'human good'. He rubs at his jawline with one gloved hand, habit nothing more. "Things been quiet though?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As Bucky has opted to lean against the counter again, Nick wanders over to the section of counterspace almost across from him in the U formation. (Honestly why does he keep setting out an extra chair for him each time?) His positioning is closer to the mugs and tea and medicine cabinet though. The musician is quiet as he lisens to Bucky describe the hacker.

If there's one thing Perfomers should be good at, it is reading a crowd. Individual people is a bit harder but even that tone registers to Nick. Something. Lacking. Needing more?

"Hmm. I don't know their name but, about a year ago we had an issue where a bunch of teens got abducted. Taken to a camp. Heavy on the security. We had some help on the tech side. Don't know if they're beyond human good or not but they were damn helpful getting the group in alright."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Bucky's just more comfortable holding up the walls. Nick'll get used to it eventually, but by then Bucky will likely be comfortable enough to sit? "Can you get a name?" he asks. "Increases the odds that we find what we need." A beat, two, three... a voice lowered out of some sense of wanting to maybe soften the blow if it is actually a blow and he adds, "I think I'm going to pay your father a visit."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick gives a nod. "I think I can. Or at least get something in motion to where they contact you. I assume she still has a means of contacting them."

Hearing the kettle start to give a bit of a whistle, he turns, tugging open the door to the tea/medicine cabinet to grab a box with one hand. At the mention of the planned visit, Nick looks back to Bucky brefily before the rattling sound coming out of the cabinet draws his attention again. He turns, bringing the arm furthest from the cabinet over to catch the narrow orange bottle. Fingers wrapped around tightly. "...I guess he's settled down somewhere?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Yeah," Bucky confirms. "...and I didn't want to go without telling you." Because a friend wouldn't do that. "I'm going to talk to his DEA handler too," he adds just as carefully. "I just think maybe they're our best bet at getting people that had any involvement Groundbreaker to talk." He pauses briefly, letting the silence lay so Nick can come to terms with the possibility of Bucky actually being in the same room with MIA daddy. "...yeah, yeah... see if you can make contact. Two heads are better than one, I guess that applies to computer hacking too?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick looks to the bottle before lifting his arm up to set it back inside the cabinet. The door paps shut. "Thanks... for the heads up." The younger man frowns in thought. "Yeah. I don't even know what he looks like now. So..""

He shakes his head, brows raising as he considers the reminder, "Uh, is there a certain number you want them to contact if they can be contacted?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "The one you got, it's a burner," Bucky replies. He tilts his head slightly and Nick, for a moment or two, will find himself under the weight of Bucky's Stare(tm). Man that's an intense thing. "I could take a picture," he offers and he's only half joking. "Look, if I thought it was safe, I'd bring you with me," he adds quickly.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick turns to grab a couple of mugs. Busying himself with the tea bags. But the Bucky Stare, it comes with that intensity that can be felt even without the visual confirmation. Nick sighs, "It's probably better that way anyways. Right now I don't know what I'd say to him."

As the kettle's whistle grows louder, Nick cuts the heat off and reaches for a pot holder. "Honestly, It was easier when I could hate him."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "I get it," Bucky murmurs. And he does, kind of. He knows what it means for it to be easier to hate something or someone anyway. ...and what it's like to miss family. "...Hey, maybe you'll see him again soon? If we get all this mess sorted." It's a small comfort offered because he knows that any time someone says 'it's probably better that way', well, it really isn't. "Y'know, I'd have been fine with a beer or a soda..." Instead of all that work.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick glances over to the bulky envelope on the table. "Yeah. Maybe. Tour's eventually going to have to get near him at some point, right?

He looks to Bucky as the potholder is reached over to flick open the spout. "You got a preference for next time?" He asks as he goes back to preparing TWO cups of tea, "I'm restocking the fridge tomorrow."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Beer," he just likes the taste honestly. Actually getting drunk is hard to do, if not downright impossible for him. "...or you just up and go when you can because you need to," Bucky points out with a shrug of both shoulders upward. "Seriously kid, if it's something you'll regret not doing if you end up never getting a chance to, don't put it off, yeah? Go as soon as you can, everything else be damned." ...and now Bucky has made it his personal mission to make sure the day comes when Nick can visit is father and put the past to bed, heal lingering wounds, be it with a relationship with his dad or just closure with the man.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Beer it is." Nick acknowledges, nodding to a shopping list off to the edge of the counter near the fridge. Top item. He hands over a mug to Bucky. NOT BEER. NOT SORRY. Give more notice next time!

"I'm not saying it won't happen." Nick clarifies, settling back to his side of the kitchen area go get his own mug "...But being I still don't know where the fuck he is and the last theory you presented involved using me to get to him. And I've got about what-" He pauses, "24... 25 years of false narrative about him to get out of my head first? I agree that it's not happening right NOW."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Bucky takes the mug and stares into it for a moment or two, just a stare mind you, not BuckyStare, there is a difference. He frowns just a little and sets the mug down on the counter. "I really should be going, Nick. Still got that pesky paying job that needs tending to more often than I like." Shithead! All that trouble gone through for tea and he abandons it? "Let me know what's going on with that other hacker, yeah?" He pushes off the counter and heads for the door, tossing a, "Thanks for the tea," over his shoulder.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As Bucky does the offbrand Bucky stare. Nick looks to his tea. But the twist to the side of his lip betrays amusement. That is until the tea gets abandoned upon the counter. "Alright. Thanks for coming. I'll check on that other guy." Looking to the untouched mug, he walks over, picking it up and taking both mugs over to the table, setting them down before turning to undo the one lock. Opening the door for the friend. "I got to deal with my paying one as well. Night Bucky."