8047/Black Sun Rising: The New Recruit

Black Sun Rising: The New Recruit
Date of Scene:	25 June 2019
Location:	Whitehall, London
Synopsis:	At the tail end of World War 2, Bucky Barnes meets an Art Dealer, Diana Prince, to take her on a secret mission. They are ambushed, but Captain America comes to the rescue. Thus Diana meets another Captain Steve. Things are going to get interesting...
Cast of Characters:	Stardust, Winter Soldier, Wonder Woman, Captain America
Tinyplot:	Black Sun Rising

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Stardust has posed:
    Late March, 1945, London

    In a dimly-lit chamber in the underground war rooms below Whitehall, an extraordinary gathering of generals and intelligence heads from across the allied forces has gathered to cross the final T's on a plan that has been only a few days in the making, and has already caused many quiet but secretive arguments amongst the allies.

    "Gentlemen," Field Marshall Wavell starts, his voice loud to speak over the hubbub. "This mission is pressing. According to the intelligence provided by General Montgomery's men, we have just a few days before the Germans enact this plan, and so far we have spent most of the time bickering over who gets to stop them, because, let us be honest with each other, none of us trust the others to share whatever may be retrieved from the SS."

    "If we hadn't had some word of this ourselves," General Darnell interrupts, "You'd have kept it to yourselves. This way everyone will know what has happened. Americans, Brits, Australians, Canadians, even the French are sending their best people. I have one more suggestion to make, however."

    "We are already on site," Wavell answers. "The Royal Engineers have already started building the forward operating base, and we'll have a temporary runway by the morning. The Australians will arrive then.The French contingent has already arrived, and I believe your Howling Commandos and the Canadian chap are on the way. Who else do you suggest?"

    "Someone who helped us in the last great war, Field Marshall. Most of you will have heard nothing about her."

    "Her? You Americans are already sending one woman behind enemy lines and now you plan on sending another?"

    "Not one of ours, Field Marshall. She is from the Island of Themyscira. So far she has followed her own mission during this war, but we have been in regular contact. This mission is too important to let slip, and gentlemen? I can assure you that she will be a major asset to the mission. Perhaps the biggest. She is currently in Paris, and I will redirect some of our men to bring her to the front."

    Paris, the Following Day

    James "Bucky" Barnes has been given a small mission, but little explanation. While Captain Rogers leads the Howling Commandos to the forward operating base, Bucky has been given the fastest car available to race back to a small town just outside Paris, where a meeting has been arranged at a small local tavern. He is to pick up a woman who goes by the name of Diana Prince, and bring her to front, at maximum speed. Who she is, and what she can offer to the mission, remains a mystery. As he pulls up, a small crowd is present. The town shows signs of battle damage from the liberation, much still unrepaired, but life goes on, and people are enjoying the early spring evening at the bar, sitting at seats outside to take the air.

Winter Soldier has posed:
Like they have to twist his arm to get him to go to Paris. As if. He spruces up as much as he can - nevermind that he's already drunk deep of the seemingly bottomless well of enthusiasm the Parisiennes can muster for a a good-looking American in uniform, during Liberation and after. The name, though, had him asking a few questions about her - age, description, her purpose in coming to the front.

The Jeep he pulls up in is battered, as befits a veteran of many battles, but cleaned up as much as it can be. He, however, is all spit and polish, sergeant's cover cocked at the proper rakish angle, as he hops out in search of his objective. Already looking around for her, pale eyes bright.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Sameer had come to Diana to tell her of the need for her aid, he'd known that she was living a life of secrecy and that she'd sworn off being a public figure. He knew that she still mourned the loss of Steve Trevor and that it had seeming driven her into hiding, but when the 'next World War' started, he'd tried to recruit her for the cause. She'd denied him, at least denied him so much as to say she'd not fight in open battle. That she had other plans. Her plans had been to fight on a more private level, related to her work in preserving the history of this world from the machines of war.

Today, Sameer is meeting Bucky at this location, he'd told Bucky that he would spot him and bring him to where Diana was to at least talk to her. So this is the setup and here is the time.

When James enters the room, it takes only a minute or so before a hand is being waved and a man in his 50s is waving to signal him over to his table. Its a table set into the corner of the room, out of the way of the main traffic here-in. He rises up to his feet to make sure Bucky can spot him.

At his table is the woman, presumably the one Bucky was sent for. She wears a dark crimson jacket over a white buttoned shirt, a pair of black rimmed glasses cover her eyes and her dark hair is tied back into an intricate bun on the back of her head. She is... not what James would likely call a warrior.

But she's also someone that he likely will remember. They'd met on a train, not too terribly long ago. They'd had a conversation that lasted for a few hours before they'd gone their separate ways. She was an... arts dealer? He would probably remember at least that much about her. As well as her name now too, Diana. Prince.

Stardust has posed:
     Bucky's questions had got very few answers. It's an odd mission in a war full of odd missions. The final defeat of Hydra seems such a pressing issue - they have been pegged back and most of their bases destroyed, but there is at least one remaining. It's frankly a little annoying to be pulled out for this other mission, especially when so little information has been provided, and now to leave the team to pick up a mystery woman? Well, orders are orders.

    "You will be Sergeant Barnes of the 107th, I believe?" Sameer says with a careworn smile. "Allow me to introduce you to Miss Diana Prince. She is a woman of many talents, which I believe you will find most useful on your current mission." He turns the careworn smile on Diana. "I have been trying to persuade her to play a more... active role... in this current conflict. She has had other plans. In this case, she has finally said yes. Perhaps because your plans and hers coincide on this occasion. It is my understanding that you will be recovering a certain artifact the Germans had recovered from Tibet before the war started. " He spreads his hands expansively. "I know little more than that. I presume you do not either until your briefing."

Winter Soldier has posed:
He's politely removed his hat, tucking it under his arm as he comes in. The waving hand draws his eye, and he heads that way....only to nearly trip over his own feet when he realizes who Sameer is sitting with.

"Sergeant James Barnes, at your service," he confirms, coming to some joking approximation of attention. He refrains from clicking his heels, at least. Diana's presence has his face lighting up with amusement, as if he's just heard the punchline to the best joke ever. "Miss Prince," he says, cheerfully. "We meet again." He turns to Sameer, still bright-eyed. "We've met before. Chance meeting on a train, not so very long ago. I hope you had a very merry Christmas." A glance back at Diana for that last.

The explanation of the mission has him sobering up fast, however, though there's still that little flicker of delighted surprise. "You did say you were an art dealer. They got you working as a Monument Man, ma'am?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana didn't want to fight the wars of men for them, she was afraid that if she put herself 'out there' that she would have endless requests of solving other people's fights for them. Add that to the true... sorrow she felt at the end of World War I and you had a woman who wanted to help the world, but help them in a way that wasn't as overt and not as prone to setting her up for so many personal troubles, should she take on the burdens of a public identity, especially in a world so poised to continue seemingly despise one another, country to country! She'd also spent the past 20 years trying to get used to the 'world of Man' with all its quirks and oddities that are so very different from her homeland.

When she looks at James, she instantly recognizes him, as she has Hyperthymesia memory which allows her to recall most of her life in wildly detailed recollections, if not outright flawless.

Diana sits up straighter as she looks to James, she smiles at him and has to raise her chin a little before she looks back to Sameer. "You could have at least given me his name before, Sameer, so I would have known you were introducing me to an already established friend." She chides one of her oldest friends in this world before she looks back to James.

With a hint of a grin, Diana reaches out her hand to offer it to James. "It is very nice to see you again, Sergeant. Admittedly I had thought that when we parted ways on that train, that it might be the last. I am glad to see that I was wrong." She says in her thick Greek accented voice.

With a look between the two men, Diana shifts her expression into a warm smile. "Antiquities, in fact." She says back to James then and there. "But, art falls into that category, so yes. I am... very intrigued to hear what it is we are all gathered here today for."

Stardust has posed:
    "Ah, you have already met?" Sameer says with a smile and a small clap of his hands. "My apologies Diana, it did not occur to me this might have happened! A happy omen for the mission ahead. You are a lucky man, Sergeant Barnes. To meet such a woman as Diana twice in your life is a wonder and a blessing. I too am blessed to have this opportunity to bring you together. I am sure you will become fast friends, if you are not already."

    Sameer makes a great show of looking around as if to check who might be listening, then leans forwards to whisper conspiratorially, eyes a-glimmer with mischief. "I will be honest with you, my friend. When I was contacted and asked to give one more try at persuading Diana to involve herself, I was dubious. She had made her mind up, or so I had thought, and Diana is not one to have her mind changed for her. However I am most pleased she has agreed to involve herself in this mission. You may not know it, but the intelligences of the various allied powers have been squabbling like school boys over this one."

    Sameer raises a finger dramatically into the air. "Politics is at play! Each ally fears the other will get hold of this artifact and refuse to share. That's why every ally has sent some of their own men... " he interrupts himself to look sideways at Diana, "I beg your pardon. Sent some of their own people, I meant to say... to ensure that nobody gets a 'raw deal' as you Americans would put it. The truth is this: I work with the allies, but I am not English, nor American, not even French. I am a Moroccan, and we have for centuries been at the mercy of the games of great powers. This war, it is clear who is on the side of the angels, my friend. And who on the side of the devils. Yet being on the side of the angels does not make one an angel. I can think of nobody in this world I would trust more to ensure no wrong is done with this artifact than Diana."

Winter Soldier has posed:
He takes her hand, gives it a gentle shake. Not one who feels compelled to pull punches with women - he works with Peggy Carter on the regular, after all. "It's very good to see you again, ma'am. And who knows where the tides of war will have me washing up." That twinkling little grin - no, he's not flirting, per se, the situation's too serious for that, but he can't resist turning on at least a little of the charm. Whatever else she might be, she's a beautiful woman, and one who presumably doesn't have her heart pinned on big, blond, and pure-hearted, unlike Peggy.

At that, Buck finally peels his gaze away from Diana. Still clearly dazzled, but more attentive to Prince's friend. "I had the honor of helping liberate Morocco," he says, more quietly. "I took part in Torch." The comment about those on the side of the angels not necessarily being angels themselves brings a rueful little curl to that smle. "Well do I know that, considering who I fight alongside. The only one with any kind of halo at all is Steven, and even his is getting a little tarnished."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana's stare is sweeping from one of the men she's with, to the other as they speak. Sameer's words have a way of making her smile though, his style and mannerisms have never changed, if only growing more suave and experienced over the years making him all the more charming actually. To what Sameer says there of her at the end, the high praise, she acknowledges it with a nod toward him. "And there are few people in this world that I believe would never lead me astray, such as you, Sammy." She says back to him with a soft and caring smile before she looks back to James.

She looks between the two of them as he speaks of helping liberate Sameer's homeland, and then she raises her eyebrows just a little when he speaks of Steven. "Captain America?" She asks, she's heard of him, everyone has heard of him who's involved in this war... and many who are not! "It would be an honor to meet him. I met his father once, briefly, way back when." Also in the first War, where she'd met Sameer. Its possible that Bucky might start to wonder about Diana's age, being that looks to be in her mid 20s, yet met Steve's father a long time ago? Seems a little strange!

As their drinks arrive, the drinks they'd ordered just before Bucky arrived, Diana looks to their waiter and gracious accepts the drink she'd ordered, then motions to their new arrival in James, so that he can get something as well. She'd ordered a hot tea, its steamy cup soon to be wrapped around by both of her hands as she lifts it up for a sip.

Stardust has posed:
    "Then all Morocco owes you a debt of gratitude, Sergeant!" Sameer's smile is open and friendly. He inclines his head, giving Bucky the closest thing to a salaam he can while seated. There's something of the performance in his behaviour; he seems to be enjoying himself immensely. "Perhaps your Captain America will have a challenger for shiniest halo now?" He flashes a mischeivous grin to Diana. "Perhaps she can encourage him to polish his up a little."

    The downstairs room is cosy and the voices of those drinking inside blend into a soft background buzz that makes it seem cosier. A sound of raised voices from outside barely intrudes into the warmth of the interior. Nobody seems disturbed by it until the peaceful scene is interrupted by a loud explosion. The waiter stops in his tracks, before he's able to take Bucky's order, and steps towards the stairs.

    All heads turn to the entrance way. Explosions are no longer commonly heard here - the fighting is all far to the north or the east, and the Luftwaffe has more pressing concerns than to come so far. Sameer reaches under the table and draws out a pistol, holding it on the table top, covered by his other hand. "My friends, I..."

    He is interrupted by footsteps as four men come down the stairs. The tension dissipates momentarily as the American uniforms can be seen, but then the room falls to silence as the man in the lead raises a gun, the all too familiar shape of a Mauser machine pistol. The three men behind him bring up Lugers. German weaponry.

    The waiter steps forwards, hands held out, and speaks to them in French. <Gentlemen, please... what is going on here?> The leader of the team holds the gun out towards him, but does not reply directly. Instead, he speaks, in German accented English. "Good evening, everyone. Please, there is no cause for alarm. We will be out of here and leave you all to your drinking in no time. As long as you all co-operate, and try nothing foolish." He peers into the shadows as he speaks, seeking out a face. "Perhaps there is a Sergeant Barnes of the United States army present? We would like a word with him please."

Winter Soldier has posed:
He's not yet been forged into the efficient killing machine of HYDRA's creation - four normal soldiers are still a challenge, not merely an appetizer. But....there are civilians here. If jackasses like this start shooting, innocent people will die. The pair at the table can see rapid calculation behind his eyes, after a quick glance over his shoulder. Then he meets the gaze of each in turn, Diana and Sameer, and motions with his eyes at the door to the kitchen. You two scram out back.

With that, he pastes on a sloppy grin, and rounds on the four soldiers, nearly staggering. It's not the quick turn of a fighter turning on his foe....but a drunken reel, as he launches himself towards the speaker with all the studied grace of a vaudville clown slipping on a banana peel, arms out for a big hug. "Oh, my god, Larry, you bastard, it's YOU! I thought you died at Normandy, you stupid punk."

He all but wraps himself around the man with the Luger, as if he were a long-lost friend. Well, they won't dare shoot him, with him stuck to their apparent leader. Nevermind that he's sneaking a knife out of his sleeve in the process.

Wonder Woman has posed:
When the sudden shift in mood and atmosphere goes from fairly light hearted and casual, to tension-filled with the looming reminder of 'world war' thick in the air here now, Diana's eyes are cast around the interior of the room they all share. When the four men make their presence, and loyalties abundantly clear, she looks upon them and stares flatly without emotion on her face.

As Bucky makes to suggest Sameer and Diana slip out while he makes a distraction, Diana offers him an understanding nod which suggests she's going to go along with that plan. As it were though, her hands come up to the sides of her temples and she lightly plucks her glasses from her face and then folds them limbs closed, while Bucky stands and moves to do his drunken embrace manuever.

The German soldier with the American uniform and the very German pistol does not look pleased with James' approach method, and the others around him seem even less-so happy. Two of them move to grab at Bucky... speaking something in German, likely very unfriendly words about Bucky...

But then it happens, a flash of golden light and within a split second an angelic glowing rope ensnares itself around the man that first reaches for Bucky. One moment that soldier is there, and the next he is gone! Pulled from the ground and sent flying off behind James, his screams all that he leaves behind!

Then another, lash of golden rope grabs the second man reaching for Bucky and he too is sent soaring through the air to tumble over a series of tables and into a brick wall with the first man!

The fourth... behind the one Bucky is drawing the knife on, is raising his machine gun up and starting to shout, just as Diana flashes past Bucky and the first German Soldier, she collides with the man, her forearms crossed, at tremendous speeds she sends him down into the ground where he slides across the floor as though he were connected to the back of a speeding truck! He slams right through the lower half of a doorway, sending wooden splinters and debris bursting outside!

Diana, is at the peak of her power level. These soldiers are just apetizers to her.

Stardust has posed:
     "Waaa! The prophet's blessings, Sayidi!" Sameer is on his feet and stepping slowly, hunched over, towards the stairway, sidling along the wall. The transformation is startling; the suave charmer is gone and Sameer is suddenly a bowing and scraping Arabic stereotype, his speech broken and clumsy and his accent suddenly far deeper "I just a humble servant of Allah. No American! No American! No American!" he repeats in apparent panic, his arms clutched to his chest. He gets no more than a glance spared his way, the four Germans far more concerned with the apparently drunken American staggering their way.

    There is a moment of distraction as the sound of gunfire can be heard starting up outside. The leader glances quickly to the stairs, and that momentary distraction is all Bucky's drunken gambit needs. He's able to latch onto the leader and do a passable imitation of a drunken reveller with no clue of the danger he is in. The leader tries to push him away, but his initial reaction seems to be more aimed at avoiding a possible smooch on the cheek from a drunken American than a knife at his throat. The three other men step back, somewhat unsure what to do, all turning to face Bucky and their leader. They raise their pistols, but space is tight and there's no way they can shoot without hitting their boss, and possibly each other.

    "Peace be upon you! Peace be upon you!" Sameer chants as he slips and genuflects his way past the Germans, apparently making his way to the staircase they came down.

    The unhindered Germans have barely started their advance on Bucky when that rope lashes out, twice in quick succession. The shocked silence in the room is as golden as the glow of the Lasso of Truth; of all the outcomes, nobody had expected that. The two remaining Germans are frozen in shock as Diana crashes the third through the kitchen door.

    Now well behind the Germans, Sameer straightens, steps quickly to the staircase and takes a quick look up, presumably checking to see if anyone else is there. Then he steps forwards boldly, arm straightening out from his chest as he holds his pistol out, past Diana and placing the barrel up against the back of the leader's head. "The peace of death that is, dog." His voice is back to normal. "Did I mention that? Now raise your hands very slowly in the air."

Stardust has posed:
    Meanwhile, a short distance away...

    Bucky's mission was supposed to be a simple one. A pleasant day's drive through friendly territory to pick up one more person for the mission. Steve had seen him off with a smile and thought little more about it. His friend would be back by the morning. Or so it had seemed.

    The mission was turning out to be more complicated than hoped. Captain America knew this because there had already been one attempt to ambush the Howling Commandos before they had even reached the forward operating base they were supposed to meet Bucky at. For all the reputation Cap and the Commandos had developed over the past couple of years, this was not a good ambush, and before long three Germans lay dead and four more had been taken prisoner. For once this wasn't a HYDRA mission, but a rather less well trained SS group. Nothing to write home about - but for the order papers found on the body of the group leader. Somehow the SS has got wind of the mission. Somehow they had got wind of Bucky's mission too, because it's clear from the papers that a second team had been sent to follow his car, find out what he was doing, and if possible... eliminate him.

    Attempts to call Bucky by radio had failed. Sabotage? There's no time to think about it. Hurtling through the French countryside on his motorbike, Captain America could only hope he was not too late to warn his closest friend.

    Arriving in the small town just outside Paris that Bucky had been sent to, Rogers finds the place in chaos. Bucky's car can be seen in flames, parked outside a cosy looking tavern. A group of about a dozen men are cautiously exchanging fire with another group of five the street. All of them are wearing American army uniforms, and it's not clear to him who is who.

Winter Soldier has posed:
Not a very great deal surprises Buck, by now. But Diana whooping up on these Germans with a magical golden rope - that gets him. He pauses, staring, momentarily rigid in shock. It's a damn good thing the Germans are equally surprised. That third guy gets hit as if by a freight train, and Buck's jaw drops.

Then Sameer's coming to his aid, and he slips the pistol neatly from the German leader's hand. "Ooh," he says, pleased. "Man, I wanted onna these since I landed. They go for a hell of a lot on the black market..." And as the guy's freezing in response to Sameer's threat, he swiftly reverses his grip and whacks the German in the temple with the butt. They need at least one jackass alive to interrogate.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana takes out that third person, sends him flying into the kitchen no less! She then steps toward the front of the tavern and places herself near to the side of one of the windows so that her eyes can gaze out onto the streets to take in the sights associated with the sounds of fighting outside...

"It appears to be at least a dozen people involved in a fight." She tells Sameer and James. She can hear Sameer dealing with the last German soldier and James taking his weapon. She has no compulsion to interfere with that. AFter a moment she turns to face them and she starts to coil up that lasso as the golden angelic energy within it fades down, leaving it simply to shine as if it were gold mined pure from a cavern wall. She coils it and lets it rest against her hip within her right hand.

Diana now walks to the other two men with her, she glances to the rest still in the tavern, they'd all... kind of stopped to look at her after she'd done what she'd done to the 3 soldiers. She doesn't comment on it.

"We will need to take our vehicle." She tells Sameer. "The Sergeant's jeep... is in flames, I believe." She looks to Bucky then and levels her gaze at him, a sympathetic expression, if still very light.

Captain America has posed:
The rumble of his motorcycle announces him long before Steve cranks the bike's direction to skim around the street corner like a total lunatic. Who handed him the keys to this thing? At least it's not on fire.

Like Bucky's jeep.

There will be razzing.

The sight of the vehicle burning, oily black smoke flickering at the edges of the flames themselves, does not settle the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Steve might wear a mask of cold fury as he kills the motorcycle off to one side of the street, out of the main line of gunnery occurring between two very familiarly-dressed units, but his teeth hurt from gritting. Where is Barnes?

Stepping into view, it becomes apparent that the Captain is wearing his full traditional gear: traditional in the faithfully-patriotic and star-spangled stealth suit cobbled together with leather and straps to keep it to his frame. He's got his shield on his arm as he barks out,

"Yankee mud-eaters, hold fire!" His voice carries and it's the echo that catches attention in the beats of silence between the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire. One contingent stops entirely and remains ducked down, staring at the appearance of the Captain now.

"Sir, yessir!" barks one of the men back. A final gritting burst of fire pifts off the concrete block nearby and Steve glares, his hackles rising.

Wait a second...that's a Reising Model 50 -- why are the Army flatfoots using Reisings? A great question. He'll ask it after he's done dismantling the group of five.

"Cover fire!" The larger contingent scrambles to lay it down even as Steve bursts into a quick run directly at the mismatched soldiers, shield upheld to deflect bullets.

Stardust has posed:
    The rest of the clientele at the bar remains silent, dumbstruck not just at the rapidity of the action but the sheer surprise of Diana's revelation. Most dumbstruck of all is the waiter, who was standing in the middle and trying to keep things calm when the lasso whipped past him. Sameer flips his pistol back and holds it up out of the way when Bucky disarms and knocks the remaining soldier cold. He steps forward and places a hand on the waiter's arm. "All over now mon frere, nothing to worry about," he says sympathetically. "Now, if you please, if you could pick up those guns and make sure these four villains are secured, you will have our thanks."

    Diana's view from the window reveals chaos outside. It's hard to make out exactly what is going on from here - the bar interior is a semi-basement and the windows open out into small pits in the road to let light in, and only really reveal the street outside to about waist-height. It appears there is a group of perhaps half a dozen soldiers by the front of the building, exchanging fire with a group across the street. It would be a fair bet that the nearest soldiers were guarding the building while their compatriots came inside to capture Bucky.

    Sameer turns his attention to Bucky, flashing him a knowing grin. "The look on your face, my friend. You should see it! It takes me back to Veld. I wore that same expression once. She is..." the man looks lost for words for a moment, but then his lips turn up in a smile of reminscence. "Magnificent. Did I not remark that her talents would be most useful for your mission? Now. Perhaps we should see what is happening outside, Diana? Otherwise I fear our car may be lost too." It's about then that the gunfire from outside falls almost silent...

    Outside, the brief respite caused by Captain America's arrival is already over. As he hurtles down the street towards the group of five, a ragged cheer erupts from the larger group, and bullets start pinging either side of him as the real Americans follow instructions and spray downrange, not trying to hit the disguised Nazis, just trying to keep them from getting any clear shots off.

    Realizing their cover is blown the Nazis split into two groups. Two kneel down behind the smoking jeep, firing those submachine guns that gave them away towards Steve, creating a loud rattle against his sheild. The three others return fire wildly at the opposing soldiers as they try get around the corner of the building to escape.

Winter Soldier has posed:
"Ho boy, wait until she meets Steven," Buck says, to Sameer. "If they get married and have kids, those kids'll take over the world." He happens to be facing the windows when Steven charges past, and that cocky grin fades first to bewilderment - what's Steve doing here? - and then to rage.

He's been making that particular face since Coolidge was in office. It's the one that appears when Steven has Done Something Stupid. Though this whole war has been Steven Doing Something Stupid. "Son of a *bitch*, not AGAIN," he snarls, and now he's the one charging up the stairs, just in time to catch one of the would-be escapees and shoot him point blank with that German pistol.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The words from her dear friend Sameer just makes Diana smile to him. "You are too kind to me, Sammy." She says to him before she gives one more look-over to the others in the tavern. She knows they'll talk about what they saw here, but... she also knows that a bunch of people coming out of a tavern, talking about a woman with a magic angel rope, probably won't have much weight on the believability of said story, when its told when alcoholic flavors thick on the scent of their breath.

The sounds outside make Diana glance to the windows, just before James is on his way out and up. "Time to go, I guess." She pulls some money from a pocket on that dark crimson cloth jacket she wears, deposits it into the hand of the waiter, giving them far more than the price of their drinks, then she turns and starts after Bucky.

Diana's eyes follow Bucky as he moves and uses that acquired German handgun to help forge their way ahead. When the gun goes off, Diana watches the aftermath of it but her heightened senses pick up on danger and she dives forward. "Sergeant!" She shouts as she steps before Bucky just as another soldier fires on him! With a raise of her right arm, the bullet impacts against her wrist, penetrating the sleeve of her red jacket, and then bursting into a blooming shower of sparks as she deflects the bullet away from Bucky and instead, up into a building... this, super human speed at which she moves, surprises the soldier who fired the bullet, he turns and starts to run instead!

Captain America has posed:
Forwards motion is enough to continue carrying him against the rapid fire of the submachine guns. Steve readily bulls into the duo thinking they can bring him down by dint of sheer bullet volume. Thank god for Stark and his canny test-shield after all. It's a bit like a Longhorn let into a china shop as the spangled soldier rounds the smoking Jeep -- thank god the Captain had time to better learn his own physiology than his initial attempt at a run through the streets of New York City.

One imposter literally goes flying; he gets a few seconds of breathlessly-yelping hangtime before landing with a thud on the pavement. The other guy is bowled ass-over-tea-kettle with his submachine gun having suddenly obtained a shocking decrease in total length and build. Either way, Steve is certain to linger just long enough to make sure that soldier number two is out cold. Submachine gunner number one appears to be moving weakly. Steve steps quickly over and removes his handgun as well as trench knife with casual, angry flicks of his gloved hand.

"Frickin' ratzies..." he mutters even as he stands up from his crouch, still holding up his shield. Ah, there's Bucky -- he'd know that battle-rage scowl anywhere -- but who's the...woman.

Steve stands there, flabbergasted. She just deflected a //bullet!!!//

Stardust has posed:
     Captain America's one-man stampede gives the two men armed with submachine guns no chance. One out cold, the other disarmed and gasping for breath as his fingers clutch painfully at the dirt. With the covering fire from those two Nazis gone, the crowd of genuine American soldiers roar their approval and come charging forwards to join him.

    Diana's quick intervention may just have saved Bucky's life. Perhaps he would have ducked, or perhaps the shot would have gone astray; it was a somewhat wild shot from a man who was not expecting an attack from that angle after all, but you can't count on a bullet fired at close range missing you. Of course there have been more than a few occasions in recent months where Captain Rogers and that mighty shield have done him a similar favor, but it's becoming very apparent that Sameer's words were the truth. Diana is going to be quite the asset.

    Of the two Nazis still on their feet, the one that fired at Bucky is fleeing in terror, the other standing there in equal terror. He has Captain America to the front, with a dozen armed men accompanying him, an enraged Bucky and a bullet-deflecting mystery woman behind him. He's no fool - his pistol clatters to the ground and he raises his arms swiftly.

    Sameer comes up the steps behind Diana, gun at the ready. He's stops, startled, behind Bucky as he sees Captain America in the street beyond, and takes a moment to turn his gun on the fleeing Nazi. He fires once, twice, puffs of dirt flying up from the ground - both near misses. This one might just escape.

Winter Soldier has posed:
Steven Rogers is an honorable man who would not shoot a running foe in the back.

James Barnes is not.

He takes careful aim with the Luger, fires, and misses. Your lucky day, Nazi - the next squeeze of the trigger is on the empty chamber, and it only clicks. His expression is cold, as he reaches for his own sidearm...

And then there's the singing note of the shield on the wing, its edge taking the runner right in the back of the skull. He sprawls forward on his face.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana's gaze goes back to Sameer as he has his gun ready, and then to Bucky who's taking his shot on the fleeing man... which she's not fond of, so she gives a very... very light brush against the back of Bucky to make sure to just barely throw off his aim and as it turns out, its enough to make him miss the shot. She glances back to Bucky, but doesn't really acknowledge it, beyond just a hint of a smile.

Then, Diana turns and spots this Captain America, He stands out in any crowd really. She sees the throw of the shield and she watches it swirl through the air in a direction that takes it past her, her eyes track it with a dexterity that would allow her to grab it from the sky if she so chose to do such a thing, but she doesn't. She watches the shield soar and land on its target, then she turns and looks back to Captain Rogers.

She's impressed, to say the least, but when Sameer touches her arm she turns to walk with him back to their own vehicle.

Captain America has posed:
Steve straightens from where he hucked the vibranium shield like the world's deadliest discus. It doesn't bounce back quite as far from a human skull, so yes, he'll have to fetch it shortly, but maybe...just maybe one of his fellow soldiers will have the bravery to go and bring it back to him.

"Good to see you, Buck," says the Captain as walks through the grouping of American soldiers to clap the brunet on the shoulder. "We were ambushed about ten miles out from the operating base, order papers listed you too." He gives Barnes a curt nod. "Wasn't about to let 'em do that." His eyes flick away to Diana, however, and he can be seen to swallow.

"That's the asset from Themyscira?" he asks quietly of Bucky. Receiving the confirmation, he then blinks.

"...I think things are gonna get interesting."