13965/Unstoppable: The Liberation of Skye Johnson

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Unstoppable: The Liberation of Skye Johnson
Date of Scene: 18 November 2021
Location: Foot Operations, East Warehouse
Synopsis: Bucky, Yaozu, and Phantasm come to save Skye, but recent discoveries cause an unlikely alliance.
Cast of Characters: Shredder, Winter Soldier, Yaozu Lin, Quake, Phantasm (Drago)
Tinyplot: Unstoppable


Shredder has posed:
    The last couple of weeks have been a hectic one, that's for sure. It's become clear that the investigation that Skye took into the transportation of the materials is not isolated to the Foot. As much presence as they have, the large scale thefts that they are part of is only a piece of the puzzle. The profile on the Shredder would suggest that he's not the type to play the part of a cog in a wheel, but there's certainly something beyond him. The transportation has been going somewhere out to the Pacific Ocean, but Interpol has not been able to identify the materials entering other ports. Anywhere.

    What has been traced was a few gang members that were present. Some interrogation was probably in order to find out what happened to her. While none of them knew the answer to the question, it became clear that she was still in the city. Cross referencing, tugging leads, bribes, and a lot of teeth pulling later, there's a likely location.

    It's just a few miles away, a small apartment building in Manhattan. It doesn't have any tenants recorded there, but it's well kept and has no history of police calls in the last few years, and people have been seen entering and exiting regularly. Very suspicious.

    As for Skye herself, the questions from Shredder have continued occasionally, but she's been fed, and even moved to a location with a bathroom depending on her level of cooperation.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Up until recently, Agents Barnes had no idea that Skye had been investigating something regarding the smuggling of ... things to... somewhere. He's been a bit busy. But a call from Fury, and now he knows more than he did even a few hours before. There's a quiet intensity to the man as he goes through the local gang members like badly cooked chicken, until someone, at some point, comes up with a location. A current location, unless they very much desired to become former.

    Which is why Bucky is at the wheel when the black SUV rolls onto the street, casually drives by the address, and parks a block away in an alley. He's not been the most vocal of partners to work with, but his glance at his partner is significant... this is the place.

    Killing the engine, James Buchanan Barnes gets out of the SUV, giving the alley a glance, and then starts to check his equipment for this particular rescue... Silenced pistol, check. Fighting knife, check. Other knife, check. Throwing knives, plural, check. Arm... roll shoulder, check. "Ever done one of these before?"

Shredder has posed:
    The building has little to distinguish it on the outside, the pale stone and red brick looking like several dozen other apartment buildings in the area. A buzz system for entry. The building has no side windows as it is far too close to the next building. One could squeeze by to the back of it, or enter from the alley entrance. It's been brisk, but not too cold, the reminder that winter is on the way.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
It's been an interesting couple of weeks, and an interesting trail of morsels to follow in order to end up in this particular here and now. A small apartment building in Manhattan is a strange location to be ending up at, but it's where things have led them to. The oddities surrounding the building and its statistics have not been overlooked. It's an anomaly.

Lin Yaozu had been ignorant of the investigation that Skye had been doing as well. It could be said that he hasn't been particularly busy, though, unless continuing to grow accustomed to his physiology is a thing that counts for that. And he's spent a lot of hours trying to accomplish that very thing. How, exactly, he came to end up tagged along with James Barnes in looking into what it is that's happened to Skye is a bit unclear. He's dressed all in black, and this time not the traditional Chinese robes that he's been preferring. This time, he's in what might be considered more mission ready garb. And he, much like the man he's been partnered to, hasn't exactly had a lot of words to share along the way. His ear tufts lift up as he catches that glance, and he gives a small nod. His black feathers slick down, and then they slightly lift. He's armed as well, how could he not be? Throwing knives are tucked in strategic locations, and perhaps surprisingly, he's also brought a pair of guns, and a wakizashi.

"Retrieval mission? No. Not for some time," Yaozu says quietly. He doesn't explain.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Easy enough. In, out, grab Agent Johnson on the way, silence or eliminate anyone that gets in the way." Bucky states as he finishes his check of mission gear, in his usual get-up of black on black with black body armor. Not that he expects to need it, but it's always best to have some insurance against stray lead. Opening the trunk, he goes for one of the smaller cases stowed in the SUV, handing over a coil of black rope and a carabiner for a belt clip, before adorning himself with same.

    "Just watch my back, I'll watch yours, and we'll be having beers in no time." A rather formidable vertical jump gets him to the level of the first floor fire escape, gloved hands grab on, and he pulls himself up onto the platform by main force before letting the ladder down. Clearly he does not intend to approach along the street, or even go in through the front door.

Shredder has posed:
    Most of the roofs here are close enough that making it across them takes no significant feat, only a few feet between the buildings makes it quite easy to make the journey. At the roof of the building there is an access, but there is an electronic lock that seems rather advanced for the building. A bolt lock, and the door is heavy steel. While the door's make doesn't seem too far out of place, most of them don't have great roof security.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"Mm. Simple enough," Lin Yaozu says, giving a small nod. Not that he thinks it will be quite that simple. It seldom ever is, really. Similar to his partner, he's also got body armor on, which has been altered to suit is no longer human physiology. Sometimes, it's best to take certain precautions. Bullets can make a mess of internal organs in a hurry. He gets out of the vehicle as well, and his black wings are kept snug against his back. He heads for the trunk as well, and as the rope and carabiner are both offered, he gives a small nod and accepts them, slipping them easily in place.

"This, I will do," Yaozu says, giving a small nod. "Though you can drink my share of the beer. I prefer sake," he adds, the faintest hint of amusement fiding his voice. He is both Chinese and Japanese, and so this is perhaps not entirely surprising. He looks one way along the building and then the other way as James jumps up to the fire escape, and he gives a small nod as the ladder is let down. Then he steps forward to climb on up it to the platform as well, doing so fairly quickly.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Like a particularly belligerent shadow, James makes his way up the fire escape to the roof and sets off towards the building they'd identified. Rather than going the direct route, he ducks behind exhaust stacks, AC equipment and the occasional old chimney that has survived into modern times, keeping low to avoid making too much of a silhouette or skylining himself. The hops from roof to roof are trivial, even if he stops after every landing to make sure nobody has heard or seen.

    Which leads them to the roof access with the suspiciously modern keypad, the reinforced door, and all the telltale signs that might as well scream 'secure entrance, please don't break in!'.

    He gives it some thought, looks at the door, and then turns to his partner. "I heard a saying once..." His voice a whisper, Bucky feels along the door frame. "Went a bit like this... if a man has spent all his money on doors, you can bet-" And the fingers of his left hand dig into the concrete near the hinges. A grunt and a tug of vibranium muscle later, and he lifts the whole door out of the frame, casually leaning it against the roof access.

    "-that he saved some money on the walls. Bit louder than I'd hoped, but that's what it is."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
A shadow of a shadow is what Lin Yaozu does his level best to be. Given his black garb and his black feathers, it's likely not that hard to accomplish, really. He follows along in James's wake, up to the roof and then across it in a similar fashion. He tries to be as quiet as he can, but talons sometimes make a certain amount of noise. Of benefit, at least he can see in the dark, and his hearing is quite keen. Like an owl's, truly. The hops from one rooftop to another seem to be little challenge for him as well.

When they come to that roof access on the desired building, he tilts his head a bit to one side. "Most rooftops are lucky to have a padlock. Perhaps a deadbolt. The excessiveness is... noteworthy," he offers, in a voice quite near a whisper in volume, ear tufts lifting for a brief moment before they lay back once more.

A smile slightly parts his beak as the door is bodily and physically removed from the wall that it's anchored in. "There are always corners to be cut, mm? And if not in the manner of locks," he whispers in turn, lifting his left hand to gesture slightly towards the hole, "then in other materials. Such things often go to the lowest bidder. It is the way of things. Somewhat louder than desired, but... extremely effective." Though there is little in the way of emotion to his voice he sounds as though he agrees and is impressed, as well.

Shredder has posed:
    The door is certainly no match for the destruction of it's hinges, and soon enough it is pulled free. Even though there's no sound, it's unlikely that the alarm isn't triggered by this event. The stairs do reach down and to the apartment's complex, several floors to choose from for them to search for Skye, most of those floors are possibly inhabited as well.

    Meanwhile for Skye, she has had another visit. The Shredder opens the door without pomp or circumstance, his posture with a little fury in it. "Agent Johnson," he says, his tone harsh. "I need to know from you right now. What other organizations have been marked as suppliers in this operation?" there's an urgency to his question. Unlike his previous calm and collected tone, it's no secret that something has set him off center. A rare sight indeed.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Alarms are a thing. Not always a thing Bucky remembers, from an age where breaking and entering was literally just that. If he's aware that he might have tripped something more high tech than a set of empty cans on a string, he's making no mention of it and seemingly takes no notice. After one glance at Yaozu, he nods his head in the direction of the now unlocked doorway, and stalks down the stairs.

    Up until this point, he hasn't even touched the various weaponry he equipped himself with, both hands well clear as he moves in a semi-crouch. How much of this complex is filled with the criminal organisation and how much of the population are just simply unfortunate residents, he has no idea and no way of ascertaining. So, down he continues, working on the assumption that if this group has taken an agent of SHIELD, it will be immediately obvious where that agent is being kept.

    He knows Skye well enough by now.

Quake has posed:
Shredder is not one to be nervous. That's new..

"Come on, you know as well as I do the major players." The Hand; the Foot; Hydra. The smaller ones weren't watched by SHIELD. ..Until they were. And lately there wasn't an up and comer out of the usual riff and raff. "You, the Hand, and Hydra."

Though none of those were 'buddies'. They never got together to work. Ever.

Skye sat on her cot, peering at Shredder.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
Slightly, Yaozu tilts his head a touch to one side, listening, his gaze unfocused whilst he does so. It's something that he's better at doing now than what he had been when he was only human. He has a rather sensitive sense of hearing now, with it being akin to an owl's. His gaze shifts readily to James when the fellow heads for the wide open doorway, and he gives a small nod before ghosting after him down the stairs, slightly crouched and attemptig to keep his talons from making too much sound of their own.

Much like James, he hasn't touched any of the weapons that he has brought with him. Yet. There is still time for that to happen. Whether the people on the various floors of the building happen to be residents or members of the organization, Yaozu doesn't know but he does intend to at least attempt to keep a rough tally of them. Just in case. He pauses at the landing for each floor they pass, to listen and get his best estimate of the number of different beating hearts that are on each floor. He hopes not to need the information, but it doesn't hurt to take precautions. And since he's listening anyway, he'll pay attention for any sounds that seem unusual, and for the familiar sound of Skye's voice.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Across the night sky, a purplish black figure quietly swoops in. Unfortunately for Bucky, he may have triggered an alarm inside. BUT the entrance he made made it pretty damn easy to figure out which rooftop to head towards. Talons setting down upon the rooftop the bird struts on after Yaozu with nary an explanation to what he's doing there. Don't mind him. It's just a bird... Following a guy who looks like a bir-

You know, considering those already present, a raven taking advantage of an open rooftop door is PROBABLY not high on the interesting views list right now. His strut is obscenely quiet. The phantsm's three foot wingspan is folded closed and his comparitively tiny form is obscured by the big bird in front of him. Ah the perks of being 26 inches tall.

Shredder has posed:
    Down the steps, it's unnaturally quiet as the group starts down the steps. The smell has a slight mildew to it, as several other buildings like this in the city. But as they pass the top floor, suddenly a pellet strikes the wall, coming in from one of the rooms. A hiss explodes from it, and a green gas starts to spray out. It isn't smoke. Those that breathe it in might find an immediate sensory overload. Poison? It's a vertigo inducing concoction, one that's not pleasant at all.

    Shredder looks down at Skye. "I'm asking because I do not like to be deceived. There has been a great deal of trouble given to indicate the trade routes of the materials. I have become aware that the materials are not arriving at the destination that I have expected. I need to know where they are going." He stands stable, but there's clearly a heated element in his tone. He's really pissed off about this.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Suddenly, poison.

    Okay. Unexpected, that much Bucky will admit. But when green gas erupts from something, or when Steve has had a particularly potent burrito, he knows when the hold his breath. He's lost count of the times someone has tried to kill him with poisoned gas.

    Rather than hang around in the cloud of smoke, Bucky launches himself at the room that likely launched the pellet, kicking at the door with the same force that has sent people through jet engines. Knock knock...

    So much for stealth.

Quake has posed:
Skye looks at Shredder, and tilts her head. "And you think I am just going to tell you? Really??"

She couldn't believe her ears. "Why should I tell you? Do you think that if we were in control of the shipments we would tell you? Fuck, it's not as if we are exchanging information. Listen, I don't know where the shipments are going. In fact, your shipment was the first one I was told about."

And then something struck her. "You really don't know where your shipments are going to, right? You were hoping SHIELD would know." A pause. "Are you in this on your own, or.." She watches him for a reaction.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
Given the nature of the raven's approach, it escapes Yaozu's notice. It makes no sound to earn his attention, and his sense of smell is nothing out of the ordinary. His attention is focused elsewhere and on other things. Like that little noise of the pellet striking the wall. Sometimes, having just a split second of notice is all that's needed to make a difference. Yaozu holds his breath, turning and moving hastily to place that growing green gas cloud between himself and the open doorway they'd come through. He does what might perhaps be unexpected, facing the cloud of gas, and he spreads his wings out to either side, as wide as what the stairway will allow. He reaches back with his wings then sweeps them forward with a strong wingbeat that's aimed up towards the doorway in an effort to send the poison that way instead.

He slowly eases his wings lower and draws them to his back, doing so as he backs away a little bit. There's a whisper quiet sound from his feathers as his wings fold neatly at his back, and he turns to stride quickly after Bucky. The fingers of his left hand find one of his throwing knives, drawing it out and holding it flush against his forearm.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
One of the trade offs for being the way he is right this moment is being unable to smell things. So, the scent of mildew doesn't register. Then again, he's not really breathing so- Woo hoo?

As the green gas becomes visual the Woo hoo is confirmed as an appropriate response. Phantasm's head turns as James lunges towards the source of said gas. The trail left from the momentum of the pallet making for a very effective pointer.

Yaozu's movement was indeed quick and to be honest, the actions done next were not expected. As the cloud is visibly blown back, rushing past him, the raven's wings spread to fly out of the way. Now perched on the ledge of the door frame, the bird's eyes look at Yaozu.

A second ticks by before the wings unfurl and he flies over towards Yaozu. Perching upon his shoulder. There is the slightest press of weight to give the feel of the phantasm landing before settling. The bird turns his head to look to Yaozu before looking to the rest of the hallway.

Shredder has posed:
    Three foot ninjas strike as one as Bucky enters, each with a katanas flashing as he enters the room. They aren't very large ninjas, either, possibly not even fully grown. They have the energy of youth behind them, but they seem to be less experienced than most, still working on their skills. They have little regard for defense, their mind only in offense. Of course, all of their focus is also on the first person through the door, meaning they are vulnerable to those who follow.

    "Do not forget that I hold your survival in my hand," Shredder says. "My arrangement was fulfilled when the materials made it to the ship," he says. "But I have reason to need the information of where those materials are going. If SHIELD has been tracking this, have you not discovered their destination?" Apparently, yes, he does think she should just give him the information.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Some decisions are made in a split second. When James Barnes has cause to be the Winter Soldier, most of his decisions are made in those split seconds. And in that split second, he can see that the situation isn't what it first appeared.

    Yes, there are three armed assailants behind that door. Yes, all three are armed with lethal weaponry and intending him harm. But they're munchkins. Well, not tiny, but... those are not adults. Best to leave how is able to make that kind of an assessment that quickly for another day. But it does mean that his initial response, which was to punch one in the chest hard enough to send his sternum through his heart and then break the neck of a second with a bicycle kick is no longer a viable option.

    Dammit!

    The punch that was sent out as quick as lightning is diverted at the last moment, sending a vibranium fist crashing into a katana meaning to behead him. The bicycle kick instead takes the second in the chest. Painful, yes, but at least not lethal.

    The third has a free shot at his side, which rakes open his body armor and scores a deep cut, which the Winter Soldier seems to ignore for now.

    Rolling as he lands, he needs a moment to gain balance...

Quake has posed:
Now Skye wasn't on a 'legitimate' mission. She knew less than SHIELD, and that was a very small amount all things considered. What Skye had learned probably would be given to others, who would be on legitimate mission..

But this way, she could give her information to the Birds of Prey. And they would be able to find out things that SHIELD couldn't do. Fury had chosen her for a reason.

She shrugged. "Sorry, no can do. Even if I could, I wouldn't." In other words, Fury hadn't told anyone.. yet. His source? Sitting in that room, no internet, no powers, just waiting for the right time to escape.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
Though he hasn't progressed to the point of actually flying, Yaozu has been exercising his wings and their associated muscles for some time now in preparation of doing so. There's more than one thing that a set of wings can be used for. He'd caught only the briefest glimpse of the raven before he'd turned, and he hadn't paid it much mind since it appeared to be just a raven, which isn't so strange. But when the raven landed on his shoulder, he blinked owlishly and turned his head to stare at it. "Nani?" The question comes more than a bit surprised sounding but quietly toned. "Doshite?" Oddly, he doesn't try to shoo the raven away, although that may have more to do with the fact that it has no heartbeat, and if it's a ghost, well -- Yaozu figures it'll do whatever it wants to anyways.

His attention goes back to the mission at hand, which is following Bucky into the room. His gaze flicks from one to the next of the trio of ninjas, youthful as they are, watching as two of them are lashed out against. He moves quickly, a slight shift of the knife in his hand and then a movement of his arm to throw it at the shoulder of the third one's weapon-bearing arm. His right hand moves to his wakizashi to draw it, holding it with familiarity.

Translation 1: What?
Translation 2: Why?

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Why indeed. Phantasm's been wondering that since he got the call. There is the temptation to respond in a less than normal way but another request from the call comes to mind. So instead he continues being so raven.

As Yaozu throws the knife, the raven launches itself off the shoulder, flying after it. As the knife does its thing, the bird goes for the head. Beating wings moving to block the third ninja's view of what else is going on in the room.

Shredder has posed:
    The second ninja does fly straight back as he's connected by the kick, and the second finds himself slapping desperately at the raven while bleeding from the knife wound. He...doesn't yell though. None of them make a sound. It seems that's the one discipline that has been well grilled into them. Ninjas don't make noise. The final remaining ninja looks at the intruders, and backs up, his blade at the ready. He doesn't attack, clearly intimidated by thd fact that an even fight has suddenly become a one verses three.

    Meanwhile, Shredder narrows his eyes behind the mask. "You don't know." He is quiet for a moment. "I need SHIELD's resources," he says. "I need you to help me get them. It may in glancing benefit your own designs. I can do it with you dead or with you alive."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Things tend to move quickly when a SHIELD rescue team is in the building. Few have had the misfortune of having the Winter Soldier's personal attention for a while, and the stories may even have taken on the status of myths. But these teenaged ninjas will remember this for a while. Soon enough, Bucky has his fighting knife in hand, spinning it around his palm as he advances, changing from angle to angle to keep the katana guessing.

    Left?

    Right?

    Where is that knife going to strike? It keeps flashing from hand to hand, spinning, changing, posture after posture, with footwork that's deceptively quick. Where is that knife going to go?!

    The answer is nowhere. As soon as he is within reach, Bucky's left hand shoots out with a speed that would put a striking snake to shame, making a grab for the katana. This is followed up with a forehead, because while he doesn't intend on killing these kids, he's most certainly not going to fight fair.

Quake has posed:
"Ooooo, so close. You should have put on your sad face."

Skye stretches her body. "Look, do you really think that I.. me.. have the authority to give you what we have surmised this far?" Okay. Skye always did what she thought instead of obeying protocol. She was so good as that, people actually thought that she was Hydra during The Red Tide. When she was arrested, there were members of SHIELD who were glad. "No. No way. No fucking way."

But damn, SHIELD *might* be interested to their own designs?

Yaozu Lin has posed:
This is a happening that Yaozu will spend time thinking about later. A black raven ghost that's helping him, that he can see. In the moment, it's a thing that doesn't make sense, and so it gets mentally shuffled to later. With his belief being that the raven is a ghost, he's not going to draw attention to it. He may have to speak with his shixiong about the situation, just in case.

Yaozu steps further into the room, and the wakizashi is kept in his right hand. He leaves the katana wielder to Bucky, who seems to have it well and easily in hand, and he steps over to the one he'd thrown the knife at. He moves with a purpose, talons tick-snicking on the floor and his wings held close against his back. He closes the remaining distance then attempts to do a couple of things in quick succession -- the wakizashi blade is brought up with an attempt to spear it through the young ninja's uninjured shoulder, his left hand lifting to the hilt of the throwing knife, and he attempts to bodily shove the ninja back towards the wall while holding his own position in order to cause the weapons to be withdrawn. Bloodily, no doubt. "Yori anzen'na shokugyo o mitsukeru," he says in a soft tone that lacks emotion. Whether the words are understood or not, he doesn't particularly care in the moment.

Translation: Find a safer profession.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
In what may possibly support Yaozu's theory that the bird is a ghost, attempts to strike the bird are not very successful. The ninja's treated to a feeling of nothingness when it tries to strike out. But damn is it annoying how it just keeps flapping and blocking the view of the ninja.

Ghost or not, there's a good chance that some incense will be burned by someone in this building at a later point of the day.It won't be the phantasm but he's doing his damndest to distract kid ninja while Yaozu does his work. Yaozu's attempts to attack said ninja are not impeded by the flapping wings either as things simply move through it. Once the man is shoved into the wall, the bird flies up to get a better glimpse of the room. In particular the bird focuses upon any doors beyond the one from whence they came.

Shredder has posed:
    The final ninja takes the headbutt brutally to the face, falling backward as the third ninja grunts, unable to completely maintain his silence as the knife is torn back from his shoulder. The way clear, the path down the stairs seems clear.

    Shredder shakes his head. "I am not concerned with your authority lines. Authority is taken, not given. I believe that the final destination of these materials are not to who I first believed them to be. I will find out who it is, and there is a being which you should be more concerned about than me."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    There was a time when nobody would have left that room alive. Those days are now past, belonging to a time when it didn't pay to advertise. Now? Best this organisation learns the hard way what happens when you kidnap an agent of SHIELD. Hopefully a single lesson will be enough. And through the interrogation of the ninja that was kicked, at least now the agents know exactly where to find Skye. Again, Bucky shares a look with Yaozu, and gives a whistle... for the raven? Odd.

    And then it's down the stairs, towards the cell that holds Skye, through corridor after corridor, room after room of ninja.

    By now, even in the lowest levels, people should be aware something is going on, even if only by the amount of noise that seems to be descending, preceded by ninja tumbling down stairs and going through thin walls. It's as if a small army has descended on the hideout...

    There's really only two people in SHIELD that can make this kind of noise and commotion.

Quake has posed:
"Ah, see? You should have started there. Who is behind this?"

Now Skye is paying attention. So much so, she might be thinking of breaking authority. As usual.

"Who?"

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There's a moment that Yaozu takes to hastily wipe off the throwing knife before slipping it back in place. Then he retrieves one of the katanas, testing the balance of it briefly before giving a small nod. It's good enough. He wipes off the wakizashi and slips it away as well, preferring to stay with just the katana as a weapon to wield against what foes choose to stand against them. He knows well how to use it, and he's rather familiar with it. He'll spill what blood needs to be shed in the process of rescuing Skye, and with little to no regret over it as well.

There's a look shared with Bucky, a faint nod, and then a glance towards the raven when it's whistled for. How... utterly odd. He doesn't ask right now. There are more important things that need to be done. He follows on the way down the stairs, a step or so behind Bucky. One corridor after another, one room after another, fighting with the more experienced agent. Sometimes he uses parts of his own arsenal that he retrieves before moving on and other times he plucks weapons from those left dead or unconscious behind them. The guns he brought along, he will leave holstered unless they're absolutely necessary to be used, he's rather not have their noise ringing in his ears.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Hearing the whistle, the raven's head turns. A glance is given over to Bucky before flying over to perch on the non-metal arm. As they proceed through the hallway clearing the rooms they come thru everyone contributes in their own way. Bucky bashes, Yaozu slices, Phantasm-

Well. If this was baseball, Phantasm's that catcher who distracts the opposing team's batter with inappropriate stories while the pitcher strikes them out- cold. It's not flashy. But it works. With each advancement, he ends up returning to perch waiting to see what else is presented.

Shredder has posed:
    As the crew make their way down, it's clear that the low levels that have been assigned to this space are living here, not just working here. It's their home. Some weren't dressed to fight, a few were reading, or playing video games. But as they grow close to the target, there's a device mounted to the basement wall, and a greenish light seems to eminate from it.

    Shredder pauses, hearing the unknown footsteps.

    "There are forces that have been in this world far longer than you or I," he says. "If the Iron Demon has returned, I have someone to kill His presence was one from ages past that sought to manipulate humanity." He turns to face out of the room. "Your allies seem to have discovered your location," he says. "This is your chance to rescue them. Will you help me track the Iron Demon? Or should I kill the fools who have come to rescue you?" he asks. Naturally, as Shredder, he has little concern whether he is up to the task.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    The noise ends. Abruptly. The coda is a singular loud *THUD* as something or someone hits the wall. True, not everyone was ready to fight, but the fight came to them. For his part, Bucky has stuck to strictly non lethal methods, although undoubtedly some of these ninja will remember this encounter for quite some time. Especially when it's damp, or raining...

    But Bucky didn't have it all his way. Multiple slashes to his armor show that weapons designed to slice through armor are really, really good at doing so. Maybe full plate would have stopped the profusion of katana, wakizashi and various other belligerent cutlery, but kevlar stood no chance. And still he comes on, a steel demon in his own right.

    Then, at long last, James Buchanan Barnes can see the objective, and walks up to the door.

    Presently, there is a knocking without...

Quake has posed:
"Iron Demon?" Skye nodded as she went over the name. With the Hand she had learned actual otherworldly creatures in the world. For example, the Black Sky, neither alive nor dead.

"If, and I mean IF.." she spelled it out for him. "You will have to trust us to use our help." Iron Demon.. yeah. That sounds bad. If Shredder was afraid of him.. yeah. "Okay, you've got my word. Deal?"

She expected he would go with them as long as it was useful for him. But she knew this about him. He might not know that.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
Every team of good guys could use a good distraction artist. Yaozu still wonders over the odd raven ghost, but the questions he has about it are best left for later. Later when there aren't enemies that need to be faced and dealt with. He didn't particularly aim to kill anyone, even though he does use blades to fight.

Not every encounter goes his way, either. His body armor gets marked up as well, although if there's any blood drawn from him then those would be challenging to see or find on him for the black that he wears and the black of his feathers. As Bucky heads for the door to so politely knock on it, Yaozu keeps watch on the hallway, in case others decide to come along to try to stop them.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As the group starts to go down the stairs, the raven expression shifts into concern. A growing pressure appears on Bucky's shoulder before there is a definite push off. The raven falls back, ungracefully landing on his ass, form shifting to that of a person. As for the gender, that's a bit harder to discern. head to toe, face included, the figure is covered. Well. That may be another reason for the delay in arrival. SOMEONE made a stop to pick up their gear.

Phantasm reaches a gloved hand back, hitting the outer fabric of the bookbag that the Escrima sticks are in. Oh right. To use a bookbag without powers, one must OPEN the bag first. What a time sink. Giving a grumble, he hangs back to get the sticks out.

Shredder has posed:
    As Bucky knocks on the door, it's opened. It's that simple. The Shredder stands in his bladed armor, and Skye behind him. "Agents of SHIELD, I presume," he greets them bluntly. He looks past Bucky and Yaozu to Phantasm, and has a moment where he regards Phantasm taking the time to extract his Escrima sticks. If he didn't expect them, he does a pretty good job of at least pretending not to be surprised. Well, maybe by Phantasm. He moves past that, though. "You have excellent timing. Agent Johnson and I were just discussing whether I should destroy you." He looks back at Skye. "It seems we may have a common foe. You seek the source of these transported goods. I find myself in the same mission." Of course, it's up to the others if they are interested in talking or not.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Agent Barnes, at your service. I suspect you were the leader of this criminal gang?" Past tense. But Bucky is polite, because he knocked, and the door was opened before he had to remove it from the wall. Granted, he's a bit concerned that Phantasm isn't phantasm'd, but... deal with that later. "And I must admit, it is a surprising coincidence. I was just considering the same thing. Should I destroy you or not?"

    In this place, where magic is impossible and powers are lost, the Winter Soldier doesn't seem to be in the least diminished. There is certainly nothing wrong with the gleam in his eyes, the icy blue of a Siberian winter glaring back at Shredder... like a wolf sizing up a rival. He cocks his head slightly to the side and raises an eyebrow, in a gesture that seems to mean this can go the easy way or the hard way.

    Currently this is the easy way. There's the implicit promise that Shredder would never even /know/ about the hard way.

    "If you've decided to see sense, step to the back of the room, turn around, face the wall, and put your hands behind your back." It's delivered in a tone that makes it clear that Bucky doesn't believe for the slightest that Shredder will comply.

Quake has posed:
Technically if Bucky were on an official mission, he should have rank. But if he was on his own, and she took Fury's 'go see what you can see' as a mission, however under the table it may have been, she took rank. Then again Bucky had the weapons, and she didn't..

What to do, what to do..

Skye decided to watch Bucky lead for the moment. She nodded to Shredder. "It's okay. Trust me." At least she hoped she could be trusted with Bucky reactions. She had no powers and weapons.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There's a glance cast towards the ghost raven-turned-person. Maybe still a ghost. Maybe. He's not going to poke him to find out. That... that is rather unexpected in nature. Yaozu studies the person for a moment, but no more than that -- he knows how uncomfortable it can be to be stared at, and so he doesn't. His attention moves on, turning to look down the hall in the other direction. Except that his head turns those degrees beyond human and into the owl range, so that he's looking around and over his shoulder to the one who opened the door for Bucky's knock.

Yaozu shifts the katana, lightly flicking it to send droplets of blood skittering from the blade to the floor, and he tilts his head a bit to one side as he turns his body to be facing the door. He doesn't seem any different here than what he had been on previous floors. "He stole her. He is deserving of destruction," Yaozu says softly, his head tilting to the side in owlish fashion. He is, perhaps, just a smidge protective of those he considers friends.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Ignoring the situation in which they were pulled out, the escrima sticks alone do not appear to befrom some random street market that makes them in bulk for curious tourists. Considering the craftmenship that went into the design, it was likely gifted. And judging from some of the wear, used a lot as well.

Bookbag straightened, Phantasm walks over to the other group, calmly holding his sticks as he watches on, listening to the calm instructions being given out by Bucky.

When it's his turn to say something cool, he tilts his head towards the other two. What they said.

How concise.

Shredder has posed:
    The Shredder seems unconcerned with Barnes' hungry look. He doesn't comply, and he doesn't return with banter or clever quips. He appraisingly shifts to Yaozu, and then Phantasm. "Your friends have loyalty, and that's commendable," he tells Skye, but at this point he doesn't turn to look at her. "Agent Barnes. Your ignorance of me and my organization does you poorly. You do not have the necessary resources here to contest me. I've subdued thousands, you are but four, and are positionally at a disadvantage. Are you familiar with Sun Tzu?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Passably, Wu-Tang Clan."

    Is... that a joke? Or what passes for a semi-relevant pop culture reference? From Bucky? "It depends if you are referring to the inadvisability of trapping your enemy without a means of escape, the inadvisability of putting yourself in a situation from where there is no escape, or the correct use of doomed spies. You'll have to be more precise."

    Pause.

    "I can't help but notice you haven't moved towards the rear wall, turned around, and put your hands on your head." There's not a twitch from him, not a single glance that's anything but purely... professional. As if meeting a man wearing armor festooned with blades in a hideout full of ninja is just one of those days. "In the absence of your cooperation, I'm certain you won't mind if my colleague leaves the room before we get down to the inevitable? You seem a man of some honor."

Quake has posed:
Oh boy. Now she had to choose: Stay out of it, or.. place herself between Bucky and Shredder. Damn.

Skye began to place herself between Bucky and Shredder. Truthfully? She wasn't quite certain who she was protecting. "Listen. Everybody knows you can trust Shredded." It was a truth. "Yet, I am putting my life on the line to protect him, to give him a voice.."

Yep. She was crazy, but something made her believe it was important to listen to what Shredder had to say.

"Don't make me regret my decision." She stared at both of them.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There is a glance towards the fellow with the escrima sticks, a brief look given over him, but then his attention turns to the room once more. His head tilts slightly to one side at themention of Sun Tzu, yet he makes no direct comment. "If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles," he says quietly, faintly adjusting the hilt of the katana that he holds in one of his hands. Other than saying this, Yaozu is quiet.

His attention turns to Skye, and he tilts his head to one side as he listens to her words. His ear tufts lift, and he considers her words for a lingering moment before he gives a very faint shake of his head. "Why should we put trust in the one who kidnapped you?" he asks, a flicker of curiosity to his voice. "There is no honour in it."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Phantasm tilts his head to give Bucky a look. He knows who they are? Weird. The quiet companion looks back over to Shredder waiting for an answer. But instead of getting that, he gets who he presumes to be the one they're trying to get back instead. Well. Isn't this an interesting turn? He remains quiet as Yaozu confirms the rescue-e to be Skye. Being he has no actual connection to the woman, he stays out of the discussion. Besides, with the talk of honor and no honor, that's kind of a clear sign he should probably be paying attention for behavioral examples of the latter.

Shredder has posed:
    There's no laughter at Bucky's Wu-Tang jab. Not one for humor, this one. The Shredder simply regards Bucky silently for a moment. "Neither are the correct application," he tells him. "To win one hundred battles is not the height of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is." He doesn't turn to face Skye when she defends him. He just keeps facing Bucky and the others.

    "I'm not interested in whether you find me honorable or not," he says, "But with chaos comes opportunity. Your arrival is at a time that I can use it, and you may as well. I believe an ancient enemy has returned, and if I am correct, I am uncertain what it is that he might desire, but I'm certain that you'll no more want to see him succeed than I do." He tilts his head. "Or we can play this out to its natural conclusion." He raises his tekko-nagi blades on his right fist.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    There is, this time, an inquisitive quirk of an eyebrow. It's the only thing that's breaking the Bucky-stare, to which the man has been subjecting Shredder this entire time without, it seems, any kind of effect. That in itself is impressive. And there is a part of him that wants to fight, a part of the Winter Soldier that has sized up the foe and declared him worthy. But then the objective of the mission has been achieved... Skye is very much free, and seemingly unharmed. The questions is, really, does Bucky believe she's fallen victim to Stockholm Syndrome?

    That's a thought that gets discarded pretty quickly. Agent Johnson never does anything without good reason, even if that reason is not entirely obvious.

    "If you wanted to fight, you'd have attacked me already. The longer you wait, the more you lose your perceived advantage. But, more importantly..."

    And now Bucky motions to Yaozu to stand down, a simple and economical motion of his right hand. "... you didn't stop my fellow agent from moving past you, or leaving. So I think we can officially call her rescued. And you know what? She seems to think you've got something to say that I should be listening to. So I'm listening."

    And to prove that point, he finally looks away, to look over his shoulder towards Phantasm. "Put them away. We're letting the man talk."

Quake has posed:
"You're not trusting him." Skye turns to Yaozu. "You're trusting *me*." She was trusting him.

Yaozu wasn't as familiar with Skye and her seeing to the heart of the matter, but Bucky was. It doesn't make sense, but not all her decisions did. She was going on heart, not fact. But something told her it was right.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There is a soft snick of talons against the floor as Yaozu shifts his position slightly. He says nothing more about honour, and his ear tufts lay back flat once more. He holds quiet for the time being, listening not just what is said but also to what sounds come to him from further as well. It doesn't hurt to pay attention, given that they are yet within the lair of an enemy, so to speak.

There is a glance towards the blades on the other man's fist, yet his attention doesn't linger there, turning back to the man himself. He notices the gesture from Bucky, and he gives a faint and single nod. The kataa he had been holding is slid easily into the sheath for it, and he has no other weapons to put away. His right hand moves, coming to rest at the small of his back, a position that's more at ease. Yaozu's gaze turns to Skye, and he studies her for a moment before he gives a small nod. "Mm," he affirms. Skye, he can and will trust, for they are friends.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The Phantasm tilts his head at Bucky's order. Not just lower the sticks but put them AWAY? Does he not know how much longer it will take to retrieve them if Owl-guy's assessment of the honor levels is correct? But still.

There isn't any talk-back. No questions. But the slightest of nods as he reaches back to slide the sticks one by one through the opening he left in the backpack from the time he took to get them out in the first damn place. The shadow under the hood where the face should have been directs over to Bucky once more, holding up gloved hands in demonstration of the lack of weapons before lowering them. The good thing about the mask is it conceals where he's looking for the most part. But there's a good chance he's assessing the armor Shredder is wearing. Funny how they're having to put away weapons but he still gets to keep his.

Shredder has posed:
    "Wise decision," Shredder answers. "Many years ago, long before any of you were born, the Foot Clan had a patron known as the Iron Demon. The being gave this to the Foot Clan." He pulls from his sash a small vial of green liquid. Mutagen. In the event of a fight, it seems that he had a distinct card to play if he found himself in a losing situation. "You may not be familiar with this," he says. "But this was made using an element known as utromium, as my scientist calls it. It has remarkable properties. And it is from a world that is not ours. The Iron Demon came to give this in exchange for the Foot clan's service in his otherworldly wars. It was this that has caused me to live through hundreds of years, an immortal leader who cannot be conquered. It is this that causes even now Agent Johnson's, and any powers that you three may possess, to be rendered mute. When last he appeared on this plane, I repelled him and destroyed his means to return." He tucks the vial back into his sash. "If the Iron Demon has returned, I doubt it is to beg for another deal with me."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Why is it always Aliens, Cyborgs or Wizards?" Bucky sighs to himself, after listening to the explanation and paying particular close attention to the vial, and where Shredder secreted it. Just in case. No comment on the 'before any of you were born' statement. "Looking good for your age, but I get your point." Utromium, hmmm? That's one for the boffins.

    "And I take it that you assume this Iron Demon has returned? Did they say what world they were from? What wars exactly they wanted you to fight? Could help narrow it down." Is Bucky aware of all the interstellar factions out there? No. But aliens are very much within SHIELD's wheelhouse, especially aliens planning on causing trouble on earth. And a substance that can nullify superpowers? Yeah... that's going to have to be reported.

    "Begs the question, why? Why do you think the Iron Demon is back?"

Quake has posed:
"Speaking of powers..' Skye narrows her eyes down, and casts her look behind her. "You're going to put them back, aren't you." No question. just a statement of fact.

But, she too, wants to know as well, how does Shredder know that the Iron Demon is back.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
The avian doesn't need to turn his head to see that the masked man has put his weapons away. He holds the sheath of the katana in his left hand. Though having his right hand at the small of his back is a position of familiarity to him, he realizes this keeps his hand out of sight which could be misconstrued. With that in mind, he moves his right hand to his side, to allow it to be seen that he has no weapon in hand. A sign of good faith, perhaps.

Yaozu is quiet as he listens to what Skye's kidnapper chooses to share with them, looking to the vial when it is revealed. He is no scientist, and so he makes no comment on the green goo in the vial. Liansong would likely appreciate a sample of that to study. He tilts he head a touch to one side at Bucky's response, and he gives a small nod. The question he would ask has already been voice, and so he says nothing and listens instead. He looks to Skye, studying her for a moment, and then his attention turns back to Shredder.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The Phantasm looks over to Bucky as he complains but he suppresses the urge to bring up Sorcerers. There is a distinct difference after all.

The non-alien, non-taloned, non-mechanical armed, non-grater member of the discussion listens to the story. Looking to the vial. Skye's question is noted but the figure doesn't seem to convey concern to either form. Considering how he switched over, he generally assumes the loss of powers to be a ranged one this time around. Besides, he's about 8 years behind on the aging process. Who knows? Maybe he'll get some wrinkles. Might be nice not to constantly get carded.

Shredder has posed:
    "What wars were hundreds of years ago," Shredder says, "They are not my concern. But the demon conquered worlds. I had believed that the resources being traded were of a trade route, not all simply going to the same location. Given that they are, that means that he is likely building weaponry in order to stage an offensive. This world is mine to conquer and bring to order. I will not accept an usurper." At least there's no question of what his personal intentions may be.

    "Regarding your powers, Agent Johnson. They are not taken, they are merely repressed. Part of my deal involved ways to neutralize my enemies of natural great power. In order to achieve my goals, I require certain individuals in this world to be cut down to a more manageable power level." He walks past the group and toward the device emitting the green light in the hall that the rescuers passed on their way down. "This is such a device. If he was able to provide me with one, he will certainly have a more effective one."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "We'll consider any personal objectives you may have at a later date. Suffice to say we'll be doing a lot of usurping." Which, let us be clear, makes Bucky's intent fairly obvious as well. The enemy of my enemy is a problem for later, but right now he may be useful. Not quite the level of Confucius or Sun Tzu, but a very useful maxim.

    "And, just so we're entirely clear, you don't know where this Iron Demon may be, or if they're behind this at all? It's just the contents of the smuggled goods that's making you suspicious?"

    As the Shredder passes, Bucky turns his body to face him the entire time. There may be an understanding here, but that man is not going to be getting a blind side advantage. As the machine is revealed, Bucky shares a quick glance with Phantasm, and then Skye. Hmmmm. "So, what you're saying is that all I would need to do, is put a bullet in that thing or smash it, and this nullifying effect would stop?"

    Very. Brief. Pause.

    "What is it about the smuggled goods that makes you suspicious? I do note you've moved closer to the exit, and we'd be hard pressed to stop you from running away. That is, on the condition that I haven't placed down any explosives between your position and the only exit. Agent Johnson, how likely is it that I would have considered that contingency?"

Quake has posed:
"Who knew, I am an enemy of sufficient power." Skye didn't speak that to anyone in particular. But she wondered, "This Iron Demon, he isn't a powered one, correct?" At least not in the sense that Skye was. Come to think of it, if Shredder was able to use *his* powers, there must be a difference between people like Skye, and people like Shredder. Interesting.

She has to admit, with Bucky? And a friend? All bets are off. Bucky would have done everything in his power to get her out, or die trying.

She shrugs.

As for the other query.. "There was enough with just one shipment to set up a pretty large base for an operation. Given Shredder isn't likely his only help, we are looking at a fairly large army. Like.." She thinks, and pales as she comes to a conclusion. "Fuck."

Take each major city. Put someone, such as Shredder in charge. Give them enough ammo. A time. And have everyone do it at the same time..

Double fuck.

"Let's hope Hydra doesn't use it." Well they kind of had..

Yaozu Lin has posed:
The avian tilts his head a touch to one side at the words from Shredder, yet he remains as he had been -- quiet. He's not the first and will likely ot be the last to feel that the world is his, after all. Yaozu lightly shifts his wings at his back, and his gaze shifts to Skye whe her powers are mentioned. He moves if he needs to, in order to not be in Shredder's way as he goes to the green light device in the hallway. "Mm," he affirms, giving a single, small nod. The device hadn't had an impact on him, yet it seems a likely thread of logic. And that would seem to be all that he has to say on the matter.

"It may depend on the source of the light. It may aerosolize in the air, and I suspect that if it were to be breathed in then it may have a similar nullifying effect to powers," he says quietly. Even though he's not a scientist, it makes a certain amount of sense. He glances towards Bucky as the possibility of an explosive is mentioned, and there is nothing that changes in his features. He tilts his head to one side and turns his gaze to Skye, watching her as she speaks, a flicker of curiosity chasing through his eyes.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Phantasm takes a step back, tilting his body to watch where Shredder's moving, looking to the light being shown to them. Getting the sense he's being looked at, the masked face turns to look back to Bucky. If the Winter Soldier's expecting any facial cues from the non-agent, he's going to be disappointed. But he does give a bit of a shrug. But if his falling down and going human wasn't enough of a tip off to Bucky that something was wrong with the powers, that explanation was more than necessary to bring him on board. Yes. That is WHY Nick pulled out the sticks.

Skye's comment about HYDRA causes for him to look over to her for a moment before looking back to Bucky.

Triple Fff-

Shredder has posed:
    Shredder stares at the device. "I do not know how it works," he confesses to Yaozu. "I only know that it does. My scientist may understand it more, but I think it still eludes him." He looks back at Bucky. "They are not indestructable," he says. "But with the shipments that have been sent already to the Demon, I do not know what he has amassed, nore what the nature of his engineering would be. He had technology that surpassed this postmodern era four hundred years ago, and his people were bent on war. Imagine what they may have created since that time, and with lifespans at least equal to my own, and likely longer."

     He places his hand on the device, and runs it along the top of it before looking back to Skye. "I do not know what power he possesses," he tells the group. "Only that he has a clear mind for conquest, and I believe this world is in his path."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Yes, Bucky's mind instantly goes down the same path as the other agents, and assorted SHIELD allies. "Then our goals align for now. The shipments need to be traced, stopped, and the contents destroyed before anything can be used." And decapitating the head of the smuggling rings, naturally. Some things can be said without words being spoken.

    "And then we find the Iron Demon, if they're on the planet, and deal with them. And if they're not, we deal with them when they get here." He looks to Skye to make sure he has the correct summation here, because a few minutes ago he was still in 'take out everyone in the way' mode, and now things are suddenly moving towards something approaching diplomacy. And right now, he appears to be the spokesBucky.

    "So what's the bargain? I assume there is one?"

Shredder has posed:
    "I allow you all to leave," Shredder says, "I make no promise of lasting alliance, but as the Demon has lured me, I'm sure that he has lured others who have no knowledge of his past. I will be seeking out others and cut off the supply lines that I can, but we must also learn where the shipments are heading. You are the United States most advanced intelligence agency. I hope you can manage something such as that."

    He shuts off the machine, allowing powers to return even though he has potential threats nearby. A sign of good will, perhaps. "But let us not forget, he already has attained quite a few resources to build up his forces. It seems we all have our roles to play. So let us not waste more time with words."