13803/Catching Up at the Gym

Catching Up at the Gym
Date of Scene:	10 September 2021
Location:	Gymnasium, The Triskelion
Synopsis:	Nat & Skye catch up. Time to talk to Bucky!
Cast of Characters:	Black Widow (Romanoff), Quake

---

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The workout had been good. Taking time to stretch first then a few exercises with the speed-bag then the heavy. Just a normal day really but for some reason it had been most satisfying. She'd even given in to a few challengers and gotten into the ring.

Now she was sitting on a bench with a towel around her neck, having wiped most of the sweat off her face. A bottle of water was in her hand, room temperature which wasn't really that bad considering how cool they kept the gym. She took another long swig.

Quake has posed:
Skye was just hitting the gym when Natasha was done. "Hey, there's a face I have seen in a while!"

Of course, Skye was just changing over to her gym clothes. "As this time it's deserted." Of course, it was the main mea, in the cafeteria. D'uh. "How are you?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Natasha glanced over at the voice, giving a smile in greeting to Skye. "Been busy. As usual. Various things here or there. Helped WAND looking into that weird Kellogg thing. It was even weirder than we thought."

She shook her head and took another sip of water before setting the bottle down on the bench beside her. "How've things been for you?"

Quake has posed:
"Boring, really." Skye shrugs. "Well, except James and I brung in a man, and his head exploded. Like literally. I left him with James, and things were going okay, when he started to stutter, and then.. *boom*. And it wasn't James' fault. I don't know how he - the prisoner - did it, but you should have seen the mess."

Other than that? Booooring.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"That's weird. Did we figure out the source? Was there something planted in his head? Something magical? Any traces?"

Natasha immediately is trying to find the answer, although obviously Skye knows what she's doing and would've already done all those things. But she's curious what the results were to the investigation. As for the mess? She could imagine

Quake has posed:
"Well, we think it's one of two things. A probe into his brain that was triggered by certain phrases, or someone on the outside using ESP and watching him. I figure the former, not the later. I mean why would you let him be imprisoned if you were watching him? It makes zero sense."

Skye frowns.

Of course, maybe someone wanted to get more detailed on the insides of SHIELD's prisons. Either way he's dead now.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Autopsy reveal any signs of something mechanical in what was left? A scrap of anything?" Since there wouldn't be a head at this point but there might be scraps of explosives or parts in the mess that was cleaned up.

Natasha considers a moment as she finishes off her water before tossing the empty plastic bottle into a nearby recycling bin. Two points.

"What did you all bring him in for originally?"

Quake has posed:
Skye makes a face. "They're still figuring it out yet. It's James' mission. So who knows. He might figure to include me, or not."

As she undresses, and redresses.. "He was HYDRA, deep in the heart of our DEA. James' figures he was relatively high up in the chain in HYDRA. Oh, I may have given his money to a couple of mutant friendly charities. You know, like 'Ooops did I do that?'"

She did not look repentant at all.

"New Moon got a hefty chunk."

Yeah, no remorse at all.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"HYDRA. That explains a lot while not answering a thing. Especially if he was in a position that had a lot of knowledge," Natasha adds as she stretches a little before relaxing back.

"They'd rather die than give up secrets. Could be he even activated the device himself, if it was a device."

Quake has posed:
Now Skye nods.

"Exactly. So far I've been out of the loop. Unless, the scientists have no definitive answers. I should bump into James and see if he has more answers than I do."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Unless it's something he just wants to handle on his own," Natasha says, exchanging one of those knowing looks with Skye. They both know had they, as agents, sometimes need to handle things on their own. For whatever reasons. So it wouldn't be a stretch to think that might be the case now.

But Hydra being around Bucky was a bit of a concern from Natasha's point of view too. So she'd rather he have backup of some sort.

Quake has posed:
Hey, Skya still had some grudges to take out herself. After all they were single handedly responsible for her turning into Quake.

"We could keep an eye on him, off the books." It wasn't a question.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Definitely off the books. And the radar, if at all possible. With him? That's near impossible but we can try," Natasha says.

She considrers again. "Unless you think just be open with him? He listen to you at all? I know he listens to Steve, to a point."

Quake has posed:
"Maybe a little of both?" Skye is suggesting they offer to go under the radar, while keeping an eye on him. There might be a circumstance where SHIELD might be necessary. "I suggest being upfront with him."

After all, Bucky does NOT give his trust easily. They shouldn't be taking it for granted.

"What do you think?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Yeah, better to let him know upfront. Otherwise he might put a bullet through our head at two miles with a sniper rifle."

If only she was exaggerating. Natasha was not. Bucky was just that scary.

Quake has posed:
Skye laughs but not for long.

"No kidding." She stands up off of the bench she was getting ready on. "Right. We'll tell him as our first steps. Who knows he may be thankful for the back up."

And knowing Nat, (and Skye herself), she would be glad of getting her hands dirty on HYDRA in an unofficial capacity.

"Let me try a friend. They may ..helpful." Oh yes, Barbara may be a vital person if they didn't want SHIELD being in the forefront. "Let me check." Besides, Skye hadn't seen Barbara for a long time.

Two birds, one stone.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Always room for another friend," Natasha agreed. She had no idea who Skye might mean but she knew Skye wouldn't lead them astray either. If it was someone who could help, that was good enough for her.

She stood and opened the locker in front of her. She put the shoes she had taken off into the locker.

"And if he doesn't want help, he has fair warning that--knowing us as he does--we'll still be watching over him."

Quake has posed:
Skye didn't reply, but she does tap her nose with her index finger. And she was off to beat up a punching bag.