8861/Confidential Discussion

Confidential Discussion
Date of Scene:	19 August 2019
Location:	Office - May
Synopsis:	Bucky comes to May about Loki's news regarding the Winter Soldier programming. He's understandably upset, and May offers what she can to help.
Cast of Characters:	Winter Soldier, Melinda May

---

Winter Soldier has posed:
Buck....he tends, in the course of things, to keep very much to himself. Oh, he socializes with Steve and his crew of SHIELD buddies, but during the course of the business day, he's very focussed on whatever it is he's working on, be it mission or training or project. Which makes his request to see May in her office at the end of a day something unusual indeed, to say the least.

But there he is, in civilian clothes, Lili at his side. He's always fairly stoic, but there are those subtle gradations of that mask....and it's clear, by the way he holds himself, that he's badly upset. Even more foreboding, Lili looks stressed, ears drooping, panting a little.

Melinda May has posed:
Being one of the few fully privy to Barnes' movements and activities in and around the Triskelion, she's not surprised when he requests a meeting. She is, though, slightly concerned by it as it breaks his routine, and when he arrives, one look at his and Lili's states and she knows something is very much not right. A quick glance makes sure the door is closed, and she's pulling a Zippo-sized device from her pocket and setting it on her desk. A tiny red light turns on, and then she's on her feet.

"Sit, please." There's a loveseat sized couch tucked against the back wall of the office, out of sight of anyone who looks in the normally open door. And without even waiting to see if the man complies, she's turning to prepare some tea with the small setup tucked into the shelf to one side of her desk. Quickly, the room fills with the sharp scent of herbs and berries, and she finds a smallish metal bowl (is that BRASS?) that she pours water into from a water bottle to set on the floor for Lili.

Winter Soldier has posed:
He's a creature of habit, in a way, now. Partially to give SHIELD patterns to observe, to set a benchmark that deviations from are clear. One of them now.....and Buck sits, without further ado. Lili looks at the water, but for the moment, she's busy in comfort mode, standing so her head rests on one denim-clad thigh for him to pet.

But he doesn't wait for the tea to finish steeping, before he says, simply, "I had an encounter with Loki. I went to a building on Bleeker Street that as far as I knew was the home of someone called Doctor Strange, in search of a young woman I know who goes by the nickname Black Cat. Loki appeared, at first, as Strange himself....but revealed himself later. He...well, he let Black Cat go. We....we talked, but he mentioned that he had not, as I thought, destroyed the Winter Soldier programming. He'd just suppressed it. It doesn't work now, that's been tested, I've had HYDRA agents try to use some of the command phrases and got no reaction. But.....it's something he apparently intends to hold over me, the threat to revive it."

Melinda May has posed:
At the mention of Loki, May stops and looks at Barnes. "He's masquerading as Strange. That is dangerous news." And, news she can work with. But first, James takes precedence.

"So he is attempting to coerce you with the knowledge that he holds the key to keeping the Winter Soldier programming disabled. I'll get R&D back onto finding ways to protect you from that even if Loki undoes his work." She has an idea on something the boffins can try, and she'll have to run it past them. "If we can find a way to make the phrases useless regardless of Loki's interference, he won't be able to hold it over you."

She busies her hands with the tea, doing something he might not have seen before -- she gets out the usual cups, but opens a minifridge and fills the cups with ice before pouring the hot tea over them and offering one to Bucky.

Winter Soldier has posed:
He listens to her reply. "Yeah. I know there are guys downstairs who deal with magic, so....I figure that news matters. And...." Buck trails off, looking down at Lili, for a moment.

"Yeah," he says again, heavily. "I mean, he was never the only avenue. Just the quickest and simplest. I shoulda known any deal with him is like a deal with the devil, you never come out ahead. Speaking of - he wants me to redeem one of the favors I owe him by doin' what I'd wanna do anyhow: clear out a base of HYDRA and allies, a research facility. I figure I'd do it off the clock, maybe with Steve...."

Melinda May has posed:
"No." May's reply to his mention of taking down a HYDRA facility is almost immediate. "Not off the books. Maybe not all public and above-board, but not off the books or I won't be able to make sure you have appropriate resources and transportation. We'll work together to arrange a team to go with you and Steve." And by her expression, there will be no arguing against her on that.

She takes a sip of her iced tea, already mentally compiling a list of resources and figuring out which agents would work best with the two super soldiers.

Winter Soldier has posed:
"Yes, ma'am," he says, after a beat of pause. No defying May. He's a free man because of SHIELD's sufferance....and the fact is not in the least lost on him. "It's, uh......time is of the essence. At least, that's what he seems to want."

Melinda May has posed:
"Then we'll have wheels up within..." May turns to the computer on her desk and checks something quickly. "Twelve hours. Acceptable?" She types a few things into the computer hastily, then looks at Barnes again. "How do you want this logged? It's entirely within reason for you to have just now remembered this location or something significant about it. Also, who do you want along for this mission?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
Winter Soldier purses his lips at that. "I'll check with Captain Rogers, but...I imagine so. And I'll say I was given a tip by a contact, while searching for other information...."

The question of company. "Other than Captain Rogers, no strong opinion."

Melinda May has posed:
May considers then nods. "I'll see who's on the roster and available and compile a team for you. Get me everything you can on that base and what to expect there." She puts a last note into the computer. "And then meet me at the motor pool in an hour, you and Lili both."

"But right now, drink your tea."