Notes: Hiyaaaa everybody! Just wanna say a massive thank you for the follows and reviews, it all means so much more to me than y'all know! :')))) Uber excited for this week's chapter, I hope it's one that y'all are gonna like. Just in case anyone wanted to know what I had in mind for Mia's dress, the link is in the comments because for some reason it won't let me post it in the notes?! This one isn't Syrian, but I couldn't find the original photo of the dress I was imagining so I hope this one does alright! Thanks againnnn babes. Much love,
- M
Chapter 9
"Please don't tell me that I have to get changed behind a tree."
Nat shrugged her shoulders in a 'what are ya gonna do?' type of way before replying, "Would you rather get changed in a car where the windows aren't tinted?"
Mia weighed up her two options. The dress she had chosen wasn't particularly flow-y, but it was of floor-length with a tail than would drag behind her as she walked. Sure, it would be close to impossible fitting into it in the crappy SUV they'd arrived in, but the thought of having to be mostly naked with her team around her, in daylight, with only a tree to cover her was terrifying.
"Will you relax? The guys are busy setting up the comms system, it'll take 2 minutes tops."
Mia groaned softly. "Okay, no, you're right. Uh, should I put it on now, or...?"
"We have less than two hours before most of the guests arrive, so you should probably be ready by 6."
Mia nodded. "Alright, sounds good."
When Steve and Nat had arrived back at the house in the early hours of the morning, Mia, Sam and Bucky had about 10 minutes to gather all of their supplies and hit the road. The team got prepared in record time and readied themselves for what was a tiring journey to their destination of Abu Jurayn.
The roads were terrible, the lighting was even worse and due to it being night-time, the team had to be extra vigilant of car-jackers on the isolated slopes they were travelling. Through hell or high water, they were able to make their way to Abu Jurayn unscathed and just after midday, at which point they discussed the mission at length, specifically because it was Mia's first time in the direct line of fire.
As Steve and Nat spoke, Mia listened intently and with verve as she tried to soak in all the important information she'd need to know. There were the basic rules, such as the strict 'no English unless absolutely necessary policy', and the more atypical ones, such as not dancing with any man that offered and refraining from eating any food that she may be given by a stranger.
Throughout it all, Mia felt progressively like more and more of a badass, and she was equal parts excited and nervous as to how it would all play out. Nevertheless, the team assured her that all she needed to do was to stick the bug in the Ambassador's study and to casually mingle with guests that could have any information as to when the deal would take place. They obviously wouldn't give her a time and a place, but even the smallest of hints make a difference sometimes.
She'd resisted the urge to vomit 3 times so far, but when Nat approached her with what looked like a torture device (it was a hair straightener) and a tool box (it was a make-up kit), Mia's face paled more than it had all day.
"Oh God, this is happening. This is really happening."
"Hey, hey, look at me." Mia's doe eyes stared nervously at Nat's. "Breathe. You're going to a party. This isn't anything that you haven't done before."
Mia closed her eyes and with an exhale said, "Goddamn it, I know. Ahh, I know, I'm not being smart. Alright. It's fine. We're fine." Giving herself a little shake, Mia looked at the aforementioned items in Nat's hands. "I think it might be a little hard finding a power-point to plug the straightener into."
Nat rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "That's why we don't need one. It's portable." Nat brought it up to show her. Mia's eyes widened as she said, "I didn't even think those existed."
"Well, we didn't know Norse Gods existed until 2 years ago, so I guess the jokes on all of us. Now, turn around."
Mia obliged. "What are you gonna do to it? Is it gonna be super straight? Super curly? Super in-the-middle?"
Nat tugged on her hair a little and got an exaggerated cry of pain from Mia in return. "Has anyone ever told you that you ask a lot of questions?"
Mia smiled a little proudly and asked in feign offense, "What? Did someone say that to you? Who?!"
Mia smiled giddily when she looked back and saw an amused grin on Nat's face as she forcefully turned Mia's head into the right position. She still had to pinch herself in moments like these, where someone she'd looked up to for so long was seemingly comfortable around her, helping her with things that friends would normally help her with. She was in her homeland, amid a team of highly trained professionals who had sought out her help for something. The surreal nature of her situation wasn't lost on her, and what was even stranger was that she could slowly but surely feel herself becoming a small part of what their group comprised of. It wasn't a lot, but it sure was something.
Just as Nat began separating her hair into different parts, Sam came waltzing towards them from the car they'd set up their surveillance systems in.
"Look at you, gettin' all dolled up for your party. Now, I want that young man to have you back by 11 and not a minute later, no funny business," said Sam as he pointed at her with a stern look on his face.
Mia laughed despite herself. "You're so full of it, Wilson."
"Can't really blame me, though. And hey, I want you to be careful. Not just about his guards, but some of these high profile politicians and business dudes think they own anything they set their sights on. Don't be surprised if they try to approach you, just stick with Barnes and they should get the message. But play nice, we can't afford any unwanted attention."
Mia had been so caught up in trying not to forget about the details of bugging the Ambassador's office that she'd completely forgotten that there would, in fact, be other people attending this whole shindig as well. "Yeah, no you're right. Wow, that completely slipped my mind."
Nat shrugged from behind Mia. "I wouldn't be too worried. I've seen you fighting, I'm sure you'll do fine."
Mia felt a little warm and fuzzy at hearing that, until her brows furrowed. "Wait...when have you ever seen me fighting?"
"At the tournament."
Whaaaaat? "But...but I thought Bucky was the only one who came to the tournament."
"He was the only one that approached you. I wasn't just gonna sit in the car for 2 hours." Mia looked back with a slightly bewildered look, and was matched with a small grin from Nat. "Impressive technique, by the way."
Mia giggled like a 6 year old. "Wow, thank you."
"All I'm saying is that if a guy comes up to you and asks if he can show you his private jet or 'take you on a magic carpet ride', say no. Just say no."
Mia deadpanned, "Well now that you've told me, I guess I'll resist the urge to say yes."
Sam smiled smugly. "Thatt'a girl."
As Sam was called over by Steve to take a look at something, Mia relaxed into the foldable chair she was sitting in while Nat went about fixing her hair. She was expertly good at it, but Mia had a thought. "Y'know, I hate that they never show this part of a mission in movies. They always make it seem like the leading females just magically look so put together and smokin'. This literally takes ages, and the world will never know the truth."
"It's taking longer with you because your hair almost goes down to your hip. I don't know how you handle this thing."
Mia laughed. "That's because you haven't seen me with short hair. I look like Marv from Home Alone after he gets electrocuted. And I know you haven't seen it, which should be a federal crime, but the reference will make sense to you one day."
Nat fiddled with her hair for a few more minutes before getting Mia to turn her chair around so she could begin her makeup. "So, you just gonna put on some mascara and lip gloss, yeah?"
Nat smirked. "Not exactly. You can't go in there looking like you haven't beat your face for a good hour or so. The women that you'll meet need to believe that you belong there."
Mia gulped. This should be fan-flipping-tastic.
A good half an hour or so of squirming in her seat and huffing every time that Nat asked her to open her eyes so she could apply some mascara, Mia thanked the very Heavens above when she was finished. Before she had a chance to ask for a mirror, Nat looked down at her watch and said, "Alright, time to get your dress on."
The two women made their way behind the aforementioned tree, with Nat holding onto Mia's dress and opening the zip so that she could step into it. Mia peeked behind the tree one last time to make sure that the fellas wouldn't be making any impromptu visits, before ripping off her top and jeans quicker than ever. Nat saw the detailed, lacy bra set that Mia had donned and raised an amused eyebrow. Reddening like a beetroot, Mia said, "I packed them just in case...y'know...I don't know why, but just in case, alright! I can't exactly wear my old sports bra under this dress."
"I'm glad you did. For, y'know, just in case."
Before Mia had any time to ask her what the hell she was talking about, Nat helped her step into the skirt part of the dress, and then slipped on the top half. She was careful not to fidget with her hair too much, and doubly careful not to mess up the makeup that she'd endured getting put on.
About 15 metres away, Bucky had put on his thobe and was standing in front of the car's side mirror with a comb in one hand and a hair tie in the other. Sam had told him not to shave the lengthened scruff that had grown on his face, saying that it would help him seem a little more local. Now with a decent amount of product in his hair, Bucky pulled it back and secured it in a low bun at the base of his head. Regardless of his efforts, there were a few pieces that kept escaping the hair tie, so he tucked them behind his ears and went about fiddling.
"You've been doing your hair for 15 minutes, Buck. There isn't all that much else you can do with it," said Steve as he sat on the hood of the car in his tactical gear. Bucky shot him an unimpressed glance and continued anyway, ignoring his best friend when he murmured, "70 years later and nothing's changed."
Sam emerged from the other side of the car holding a protein bar in one hand and his ear piece in the other. "Man, I think my ear piece stopped...working."
Sam's sentence was cut off when he looked up to see a completely unrecognisable Mia walking towards them with Nat holding up the tail of her dress from the back.
Steve was the next to notice Sam's line of vision, and had a similar open-mouthed reaction when he beheld what was in front of him. Bucky was oblivious to the entire situation as he was still hunched in front of the side mirror with a comb running through his hair, flattening it out and keeping it in place as much as possible. It was only when he registered that everything was suddenly very quiet, that he turned to look at what his teammates were staring at.
And boy oh boy, he was not expecting that.
Mia was standing a few metres away, donned in a dangerously fitted traditional Syrian dress that hugged every curve that the team didn't know she had. It was a 2 piece dress that had a short sleeved crop, beaded with deep golden sequencing along the neckline and the stomach line. It fit Mia to a T and it only got better as their eyes trailed down the skirt.
The skirt was high waisted and began just beneath the crop, leaving a sliver of smooth, tanned skin visible along Mia's stomach. It was of a rich gold colour, laced with intricate patterns that were native to Syria, and the beading continued on along the length of the skirt. It hugged Mia's waist snugly and remained tantalizingly tight as it reached her hips, only beginning to flow out once it got to her mid thigh. With a body like Mia's, it seemed like it was made just for her, and while she hadn't had a chance to look at herself yet, she got an inkling that she wasn't doing too shabbily.
When Bucky's eyes made their way to her face, he couldn't believe that this was the same girl whose heartbreaking past he'd been listening to only hours earlier. Her eyes bore no sign that she had woken up in tears that morning, nor did the nervous smile on her face give away just how much pain the nightmare had caused her. Her eyes were tinged a light baby brown as a result of the setting sun's reflection, and the subtle flush to her cheeks sure didn't help the situation either.
Sam and Steve broke into little smiles upon seeing her, and began to walk slowly towards the two women. Bucky, however, shut his previously gaping mouth so that it was in a tight line and cleared his throat softly. He lowered his eyes as he approached the group, and kept them glued to the uninteresting grass that littered the floor.
"Now that's what I'm talkin' about. Princess Jasmine up in here," said Sam as he hi-fived Mia, promptly making her burst out into a fit of laughter. "Where the hell did you find something like that?"
Mia shrugged excitedly. "I know! I couldn't believe it when I first saw it, but Samara said that these sort of dresses were really common back in her day, so I guess I just lucked out."
"Well, you look beautiful, Mia," said Steve with that same good-natured smile he always wore.
Mia smiled giddily and quietly replied, "Thanks Cap."
As Bucky finally made his way over to the group, Mia got a chance to look over him for the first time, and it's at this point in the story that we should acknowledge that a steady air supply of oxygen is vital in staying alive.
However, Mia had forgotten that.
The thobe that Azim had given him was tailored as if it was made just for him. His broad shoulders fit snugly into its frame, and it got slightly slimmer as it trailed down to his waist. It was the first time that Mia was seeing him with his hair pulled back, and the striking features of his face had never been clearer.
He'd taken well to the Syrian sun, with a bronze glow having developed across his features, bearing a stark difference to his calm blue eyes. The visible scruff on his face made Mia's stomach turn just a little, and it wasn't long before she remembered that A) she needed to breathe and B) staring was considered highly offensive in most modern day cultures. Stop it, stop it, stop it.
She snapped her head in a different direction (as she tended to do in these situations) and tried to seem nonchalant about the whole thing. Thankfully, Bucky didn't notice too much because he promptly did the same thing when Steve clasped his shoulder and asked with a cheeky grin, "You ready for this?"
Bucky nodded silently and fixed the glove on his left hand before running a slightly nervous hand through his already set hair.
Nat was the next to speak up. "Alright, it's almost 6. We're gonna drop you in the alley behind the main gates, and then a valet should come and get you guys from there. Mia, we'll get you in the car first."
Steve, Sam and Bucky made sure that all the essentials were packed up and in the car before they headed off. With one final sweep of the area, Steve put his foot down and the team were well on their way to the mansion, with nerves and anxiety present on everyone's conscience.
The thing about this mission was that it wasn't an in-and-out sort of thing. In any other case, Steve would've had no hesitation in grabbing his shield and a few of his teammates, going to the designated location and being rid of the problem within the hour. The difference here was that there was so much more at stake than just one person's life; it was an entire country's existence. While the easiest thing would have been for Steve to have gone himself to the party and wreaked havoc, he knew that one slip up could cost them their entire operation, and the people of Syria much more than that. He wasn't used to drawing out missions for so long and relying upon other people to do the bulk of the work, but what had to be done, had to be done.
The team rode in silence until they finally turned into the alley behind the Ambassador's mansion. Even from behind the closed gates, the liveliness of the party was visible with the amount of lights that were shining and the faint sound of music streaming into the car. Mia was trying hard to control her breathing and she didn't miss the way that everyone looked at her with bated anticipation.
With one nod of the head and a nervous smile, Nat was opening the door for Mia and helped her out of the car. Bucky hopped out of the front seat and waited for further instruction, watching his 'pretend-partner' fix her dress and the curtain of wavy brown hair that fell down her back. Even under the very faint light of the lamppost, her features rang true to the beauty she showed under a full sun. No matter how much he wanted to, Bucky couldn't exactly deny that.
"Alright, you're under the names 'Yaqub and Sara Hadi'. Let Mia do most of the talking to the guards and the list-checkers, stay close to each other, and stick to the plan. Winging it might not work out with so many of his guards around the mansion."
Nat then turned to Mia and said, "Do you have your gun?"
Mia nodded. "Yeah I...it's still here," she said as she tapped her thigh.
Sam called from inside the car, "And y'all are gonna have to act like a real couple, so you might wanna hold hands and not walk 70 yards apart from each other."
Mia's face erupted into flames because someone had actually said the fact that they were supposed to be a couple, making it all the more real now. She looked up at Bucky shyly and saw him wearing a stern look on his face, currently glaring at Sam. She hoped that someone would say something to diffuse the weird tension that had engulfed the situation, but no such saviour came. Even Steve was looking at his best friend with a certain glint in his eye that didn't go unnoticed by Mia.
It wasn't long before the sound of another car approaching made everyone shift into 6th gear and saw Mia and Bucky parting ways with the rest of their team. The minute that they began walking the notably cleaner street that lead to the gate, Mia felt a strange wave of calm come over her, similar to the one she'd experienced when she went to the marketplace a few days ago.
She knew exactly what she had to do. She knew the language and the nature of the people inside. She also had the most capable soldier by her side, one who she was sure would go to lengths to keep her safe. He'd promised her as much, and she didn't hesitate on taking his word for it.
There were a few more cars that had arrived with dignified people stepping out of them, so Bucky and Mia weren't taken note of by anyone in particular. It was the Ambassador's policy that no car should enter the premises beyond the gate, which was why there were several valets sent from within the mansion that drove the guests up to the house itself. The man sitting at the booth of the main gate was a middle-aged, overweight and decidedly very bored fellow who saw the two approaching and barely raised an eye.
As they neared him, Mia decided to hell with it, grabbed a hold of Bucky's gloved left hand and matched his stride with hers. She could feel her ears reddening under her wavy locks, and before she had the chance to peak up and see his reaction, they'd arrived at the guard's window and were asked to present their names.
The guard looked unimpressed as he began searching through the list in his computer. Mia held her breath and unknowingly squeezed her companion's hand a little tighter when it took him longer than 10 seconds to locate it, but when he was convinced that they were present, he radioed a valet to come and collect the two guests.
Within a few seconds, there was a young and enthusiastic man who was ushering them into the sleek Mercedes they'd be travelling the short distance in. He opened the door for Mia and helped her a little with her dress, before hurrying to the driver's seat and starting the ignition.
Bucky was staring intently outside the window as they passed by neatly trimmed hedges, before finally emerging into what was the beginning of the mansion. Mia could hardly believe that places like this existed in the world, let alone war-torn Syria.
The first thing that she noticed was the large fountain that sat in the middle of the ring-road. It was gorgeously lit and scattered with plants, with the music getting louder and louder as the car approached the main steps. The drive took less than a minute, and as the car came to a halt behind two others that had guests disembarking from them, Mia looked up at the palatial spread in front of her.
His mansion was of the sort that she'd only ever seen in movies before. It was tall and decorated with bright lights all across, with broad stairs leading up to it. The car inched forward a few more times before it was finally their turn to get out.
The young usher hurried over to Mia's side of the car and opened her door for her, adding in Arabic, "May I help you out, ma'am?"
Mia extended her hand to him and gathered up the bottom of her skirt before stepping out of the car with a practiced grace that she hoped would seem natural to the guests that may be watching her. She wasn't particularly used to the heels that Nat had given her just yet, so she wobbled a little when the usher took his hand away. She said a quiet 'thank you' to him and smoothed down the waves in her hair before turning to look at her partner, finding him watching her intently.
He quickly looked towards the stairs in what was an inviting gesture and began walking slowly towards them. Mia took a deep breath in and followed him closely, and she might have admired the broadness of his back in the fitted thobe just a little as he lead them to the mansion's grandiose front doors.
Upon seeing the two of them approaching, an overly happy organiser plastered a welcoming smile on her face and asked in fluent Arabic, "Good evening, what names were you under tonight?"
Bucky looked at Mia expectantly because his usual missions didn't require him to remember too many false details. Leaning into his side just a little, she said kindly, "Mr and Mrs Hadi."
The woman glazed through the iPad that she had clutched in her hand for a few moments before looking up and asking, "Yaqub and Sara?"
Mia nodded. "Yes."
"Welcome to the Ambassador's home, we hope you enjoy your evening."
I hope so too, sister. I hope so too. The two nodded their thanks and crossed the threshold of their mission's location. The overwhelming smell of wine and traditional food was the first thing they were hit with as they entered, just before they saw the Paradise that they'd stepped into.
If Mia had thought that Azim's house was an anomaly in Syria, she was gravely mistaken. The home was decorated with lit chandeliers, tall ceilings and gold embroiled staircases. Mia was also 99% sure that this was where they'd shot 'Princess Diaries 2', and that they were in fact, in the Genovian Palace.
"Oh...God," said Mia as she stepped her way through the sea of dignitaries that scattered the marbled floor.
Bucky himself had taken a moment to appreciate the mansion's glory, but he was more interested in subtly scoping out the guards that were lurking about. Upon his initial survey, he saw 8 stationed at different corners of the ground floor and 4 dressed in expensive suits who were blended in with the guests. They were now amid the crowd of people who had gathered at the bottom of the staircase, and when he looked up, there was a sudden spike in his heart rate as he saw a trio of young men cradling drinks and staring at his faux wife.
Without thinking too much (or at all, really), Bucky took a hold of Mia's hand as she stood slightly in front of him, peering into the kitchen area of the house. She was taken by surprise when she felt fingers snake into hers, until she looked up and saw Bucky looking a little tenser than he had before. With widened eyes and the inability to understand whether she should feel excited or concerned, Mia asked, "You okay?"
All Bucky gave her was a brisk nod as he led them to a different part of the ground floor, which just so happened to be where the bar was. A waiter came around to them and offered some champagne on a platter, which Bucky accepted and Mia refused. Feeling a little more at ease now that Mia was away from the predatory gaze of powerful men, Bucky raised a questioning brow at her.
"I don't drink, remember?" she said in fluent Arabic.
Just as he was about to reply, a sudden uproar of cheers and hollers erupted on the main part of the floor. Mia peered over Bucky's shoulder to get a look at the scene, and saw the Serbian Ambassador shaking hands with several people as he passed by them up the staircase. He was accompanied by other Serbian dignitaries and one man that Mia recognised as a Syrian member of Parliament, all walking closely at his side. The only question was, where was Varkey?
Once they reached the top of the staircase, the entire room fell silent as the Ambassador tapped his glass and was handed a microphone.
"I am afraid my Arabic is not up to par, ladies and gentlemen. So, I hope you will not take offence if I speak in our common language of English when I address you tonight," said the heavily accented man. "I would like to thank you all for coming here this evening, I know it is difficult to leave the comforts of your home in this unforgiving heat, but I assure you that the company here tonight will make it worthwhile." He paused. "And if not that, then surely the food and wine will suffice."
Sudden bursts of laughter were heard throughout the room, causing Mia to look around with an 'are you freaking serious right now?' sort of face. This is as bad as those tennis country clubs back in the States, what the hell's so funny about this old potato?
"But we are here to welcome back a beloved member of the Parliament, a man who has gone to great lengths to better this country and who strives everyday to help its people. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm round of applause for our own Varkey Al-Nasser."
Varkey appeared from behind a few people at the top of the stairs, waved his hand and shot a charming smile at the applauding crowd beneath him. Mia's hands clapped rhythmically, but every fibre in her being oozed with more disdain than she'd ever felt before. The man who was sentencing her homeland to obliteration was the one who was receiving the ovations. None of it made sense, none of it.
Hugging the Ambassador and taking the microphone off of him, Varkey began in Arabic. "Merhaba, my friends. I would like to thank you all for coming here tonight, it means more to me than you know. It has been a difficult few months abroad but I have been doing what I can to aid the situation that unfolds around our country. It may take time, but I believe wholeheartedly that our nation will be made great once more." The ravenous sound of applause unnerved Bucky, but when he looked at the pain written into Mia's eyes as she stood next to him, his own anxiety was all but forgotten and replaced with concern. She looked as he'd never seen her before, with an expression that spoke of absolution, as if she'd go to the ends of her ropes to see to it that justice prevailed.
He'd be damned if he didn't feel the same.
"So please, enjoy yourselves. We are all hard working people here, and we deserve a night to forget the pressures that come with daylight. Thank you." And with that, Varkey was approached by dozens of people, greeting each one with the same charisma that he seemed to exude on a permanent basis. It would've been easy if the public saw him as a hated character, with all the traits you'd expect from a villain.
But the unfortunate truth was that the people loved him. He was young and handsome, and the words he spoke dripped with kindness like they hadn't heard before. He masked his truth so perfectly that people couldn't find a flaw, and that's why he was most dangerous.
Mia's eyes were fixed on the man in question until she was taken by surprise as she felt a slight shove to her shoulder, followed by a slur of apologies.
"Oh, God! Forgive me, I'm so sorry Miss."
An elderly man who was dressed in a uniform and decorated with Syrian Army Medals was the one apologising to Mia, as a tiny bit of split champagne trailed down his left hand.
Mia painted on a warm smile and said, "That's perfectly fine, sir. I shouldn't have been standing in the way."
The man shook his head. "You are gracious to make excuses for me, dear." He extended his hand and said, "Commander-In-Chief Hassan Merola."
Mia took his hand and replied, "Sara Hadi, sir."
"And what brings you here this evening, Miss Hadi?"
"I was in town from Junyad when I received an invitation for Varkey's welcome home. It's been...terribly long since he's been back."
The man nodded. "Indeed, it has. But he does not neglect his people, I assure you. Even in the state that it's in, he makes sure to visit his hometown bearing gifts for the women and children whenever he returns."
Mia's ears perked up. "Aleppo?"
The Commander nodded, to which Mia asked, "When does he plan to go during this trip? Because, as you said, it is rather volatile territory at the moment."
"I'm afraid I cannot be sure, but I suspect it will be soon," he said with a little smile. He then looked to Bucky expectantly. Mia quickly said, "Oh, sorry, this is my husband Bu—Yaqub." Shit.
The man extended his hand in greeting and said, "Buyaqub?"
"No sir," Bucky chuckled. "Just Yaqub."
"Ah, and what is it that you do, young man?"
"I run a textile business out of Jordan, not too far from Aljamarik."
The man's eyes lit up at the sound of that. "My brother owns a business in the city centre there! Perhaps you know of him, Zain Merola?"
Bucky drew in his eyebrows in faux confusion, and Mia wondered if acting skills were included in Hydra's "How To Be An Unstoppable Soviet Assassin: 101" manual guide.
"The name does sound familiar. I'm sure our paths have crossed."
The Chief nodded happily and was about to ask another question when a fellow Army Officer came to greet him warmly. Mia breathed a sigh of relief as she and Bucky parted ways with the elderly man. The number of people filing into the room was growing by the minute, and Mia almost didn't notice that she'd been separated from Bucky until she went to ask him a question, only to be met with a most intimidating sight; the Serbian Ambassador.
He had been standing amongst a group of excitable people, most likely junior cabinet members of his Parliament. He was speaking rather boredly and answering their questions, until he saw Mia turn away from the Chief's conversation and unknowingly walk towards him.
With a wave of his ring-clad hand, the Ambassador glazed his stone blue eyes along her figure, starting from the well-fitted crop and all the way down the curve of her waist. He didn't see that she had previously been accompanied by a man, which only encouraged him to make his advance.
Mia's heart all but stopped when she was met with the 6'2, lanky man that was in front of her. She looked once more from her right to her left in the hopes of spotting Bucky, but he was well and truly invisible.
"Now this...," the Ambassador pointed to Mia, "this is a sight I do not like to see in my home."
Mia's heart stopped as she felt 1000% sure that he suspected her. In her mind, she was reciting every prayer she'd ever known, vigorously asking God to keep her identity hidden from this man.
The Ambassador elaborated in his eloquent but accented English, "A beautiful young woman who has come to enjoy herself in my house, without a glass of champagne to cool her on such a warm evening."
Oh dear Lord, thank you so much. Mia must've visibly relaxed at the sound of those words because a sly grin spread across the Ambassador's face. Just as Mia was about to reply in English, she suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be a full-blooded Syrian. So far it had been easy because she was either speaking Arabic or English, but now she had to speak English in a Syrian accent. Please God, please just mess with this guy's head a little and stop him from realising how fricking terrible I am at accents.
Mia formed a small smile and said, "Ah, I'm used to it. I do not drink, Mr Ambassador."
He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Hmm, for...religious purposes?"
"No but, it dulls the senses."
"And do you prefer sensual experiences in life, Miss?"
Mia reddened a little at his brashness. She would've told him something much different had they been in different circumstances but instead, she replied, "With the right company."
Whilst Mia had said that in hopes of brushing him off and moving right past him, the Ambassador seemed to be impressed as opposed to discouraged. With a grin on his face, he held out his right hand to Mia and said, "Ambassador Kovalev. And you are?"
Mia's stomach twisted as she watched her hand being raised and brought to the Ambassador's lips, while he maintained eye contact as he let a small kiss linger.
She pulled her hand away as soon as it became appropriate to do so and replied plainly, "Sara Hadi."
Mia was just about to excuse herself when she felt a hand cradle the small of her back and a familiar presence come to stand on her right side. "There you are, sweetheart," said Bucky in fluent Arabic.
Mia's brain temporarily malfunctioned as she looked up to see his eyes boring into hers, looking at her as though he'd known her his entire life. She barely had enough time to catch her breath, before the distinct sound of the Ambassador clearing his throat pulled her from her reverie.
"Oh, uh, right, this...this is my husband, Buck-qub." Oh, for fuck's sake. "Yaqub! Yaqub, this is Ambassador Kovalev."
The Ambassador nodded curtly at Bucky before letting his gaze return to Mia. "Well, perhaps our paths will meet again tonight. Do enjoy yourself, Miss Hadi," he turned to her companion before saying, "And you, sir."
As soon as the man left their presence, Mia had the sudden urge to throw up and simultaneously scrub her body of all contact that it had made with him. She was torn between fuming and screaming, but it was Bucky's hand in hers that brought her back to the situation at hand, and she reasoned that the goose bumps which spread across her skin were a result of the gust of window from the balcony ahead of them.
With a small quirk of his head, Bucky was leading the two of them onto the broad balcony and into the summer air, overlooking the acres of land that belonged to the Ambassador. The minute she was away from the other people that had converged out there, Mia let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding since she'd stepped foot in the mansion.
With Bucky's hand still in hers, which he reasoned was purely for keeping up appearances, he took in her shiny eyes under the omnipresent moon and asked, "You okay?"
Mia looked up at him and felt herself relax into the familiar features of his face, as though they anchored her in a moment where she was surrounded by endless unknowns. She looked down at their adjoined hands and said, "The entire country's in shambles and all I had to do was wear a nice dress and some makeup to be allowed into a million dollar party." She laughed bitterly. "12 years later and nothing's changed."
Bucky looked down at their hands with her. The truth was he didn't know what to say. She spoke the truth, and nothing about their situation was fair. Not on the Syrian people, not on the refugees that had to flee from there, none of it. But she spoke for him.
"Thank you."
He wet his lips before asking softly, "For what?"
"For wanting to give these bastards exactly what they deserve." She paused. "You're...you're a good man, Bucky."
That hurt him. It hurt him more than she'd ever know, because he knew with every fibre in his being that she was wrong. But hearing that from someone he knew believed it, someone that was ignorant to the extent of his evil...he clutched at that moment in the hopes that it'd last forever.
But as fate would have it, the moment ceased as quickly as it began with Nat's voice streaming through their earpieces, shocking the two of them out of their linked hands. "Are you guys on the balcony?"
"Yeah, we just came out," replied Mia.
"Good. Okay, you need to keep an eye on Varkey and make sure that the bug gets in the Ambassador's office before he does. He'll probably mingle for a while, and then spend the rest of the night there. Whenever you see a chance, go for it. And don't freak out if someone sees you in there, just play coy and act a little tipsy. No one's gonna suspect you."
Mia nodded. "Alright, which room was it again?"
"Up the staircase, 3rd door on the right."
"Got it."
Steve chimed in. "You guys are doing great, Sam's trying to get the satellite feed up and running. We'll let you know what happens."
"Let's get this over with, then," said Bucky.
Mia couldn't agree more as she followed him back into the mansion. The people seemed to be growing tipsier by the minute, so both of them were careful not to have anymore 'accidentally spilt champagne' incidents as they meandered through the crowd. Mia kept a keen eye out for Varkey, hoping that she'd catch him somewhere far from the staircase so she'd be able to run up and get the job done.
They turned into the main hall of the bottom floor which doubled for a ballroom. The live band had just started playing and there was a steady stream of people walking into the room with dance partners.
Bucky decided to do a round of the main room and its people under the guise of getting the two of them some drinks. Within 5 minutes, Mia was approached by an esteemed middle-aged couple who were somehow related to the Parliament, a teenage girl who asked her about her dress and a young bachelor who didn't know that she was, in fact, married. When the 10 minute mark struck and he still hadn't returned, Mia was starting to get a little too anxious for her own good. Did the guards think there was something shifty about him? He could've fought them off, though. Unless they called in reinforcements. Oh God, please don't let that be the case.
Mia was on the lookout for both Varkey and the Ambassador, but after a while of failed seeking, she decided that she simply couldn't waste any more time. She had to get the bug into that office, and her window of opportunity would only get narrower from there on out. She turned to head straight to the stairs, defiant and unwilling to let anything come in her way.
...Except for the bloody Serbian Ambassador.
"I am beginning to think that your husband is not too fond of your company tonight, Mrs Hadi." Mia's eyes widened in unpleasant surprise as she heard the Ambassador's words from behind her. She turned in her spot so that her skirt fluttered a little as he said, "Is it possible that he is seeking it out from somewhere else?"
Mia said curtly, "He's just left to get us some drinks."
The Ambassador smiled so that his dimples were etched clearly in his skin. In other circumstances, Mia could have considered him handsome, maybe even charismatic. But in this moment, in this reality...he just looked sickening.
"But you do not drink."
"Thankfully, your staff has arranged for beverages other than alcohol."
"Well, we do like to be accommodating here."
Mia returned the sentiment with a terse smile and looked down. A painfully awkward moment ensued as the music in the background began to swell, marking the commencement of another song and prompting couples to take to the dance floor like flies. Mia tried not to fidget as she waited for Bucky to return from his 7 year long scouring trip. But as she was looking around in hopes of finding him, she spotted Varkey on the other side of the room speaking to some cabinet members.
There wouldn't be a better time to go than this. She knew for certain that the office would be empty, and they could finally be done with this part of the mission. Mia readied herself to leave, but apparently luck just wasn't on her side that night, because the Ambassador rested a hand on her forearm and said, "Perhaps a better use of our time would be to share a dance?"
Mia was stumped. Dude, you're literally 55 years old, take your Viagra pills and leave. "Uh, I'm sorry but I'm not too sure my husband would approve."
"He left you alone in a room full of suitors. He doesn't seem to mind too much."
Mia seriously couldn't believe her luck. Either she was back home where she was getting exactly 0.37% male attention throughout the year, or she was here and had somehow caught the eye of the Serbian fricking Ambassador, even when he was under the impression that she was married. She needed to get up to his office to plant the bug there, but it'd be next to impossible now that she was somehow on his radar. She couldn't act too brashly because that would bring about unwanted attention, so in simple terms, she had to dance with the silver-foxed sack of potatoes.
Almost hesitantly, Mia stepped closer to the Ambassador and was about to join him in dance when she saw Bucky return with a glass in either hand and a bemused look on his face. When she looked past him, she saw Varkey finishing up his previous conversation and heading towards the staircase before he was stopped by another group. They were running out of time before Varkey would make a dash for the office, and Mia realised that she needed to get the bug that was currently latched onto the inside of her bra to Bucky.
Leaving the Ambassador's hands and walking past him, Mia sauntered towards Bucky in a way that she hoped was convincing enough in her role as wife. She watched his eyes grow larger as he saw her discreetly reach into the bra that was tucked snugly under her crop, fishing for the small device that needed to be placed in the Ambassador's office.
You can't just hand it to him, that'd look super shifty. Maybe put it in his drink? No, Jesus Christ, then it'll short-wire, you coconut! And the Ambassador's watching, how the hell is this gonna work?
While Mia was still striding her way over to him, Bucky's heart was beating like a racehorse as his eyes trailed to where her hand was currently buried. It seemed that she was having a little bit of trouble unlatching the device from her bra, and Bucky willed his ears to stop heating up by the second as he watched on.
He expected her to simply walk up to him and say something, but what he got was above and beyond what he was ready for. She came to a halt right in front of him, with her heels putting her just beneath eye level. Both her hands were resting at her chest, with a small device clasped between them. Bucky watched with parted lips and bated anticipation as she brought her eyes up to look at his momentarily, before leaning in to his ear and saying, "Varkey's about to go to the office. You need to take the bug and put it there. The old man won't leave me alone."
Bucky's brain had been trained to resist torture, interrogation, forms of mind control and hypnosis. But one thing that Hydra hadn't acclimated him to was the art of arousal, and with her breath less than an inch from his, her hand slipping into the breast-pocket of his thobe and her scandalously-fitted crop top right there in his downward line of vision...yeah, it was tough.
Just as she was about to draw away, Mia was having a 'fuck it' moment and really decided to sell the scam by tippy-toeing herself and laying a small kiss just beneath his cheekbone, while patting the pocket she'd just placed the device in. She hoped that it'd give the Ambassador the hint he needed, and it would give her a good reason for leaving him mid-dance. She didn't have the courage to look at Bucky's reaction as she turned to walk away, but if she did, she'd have known that the term 'bewildered' wasn't enough to describe the way that he looked on after her. His clutch around the two drink glasses had slackened, as had his jaw, and his tanned cheeks had adopted a light tinge of pink. Not exactly the manliest reaction, but it was definitely the most natural one.
As Mia honed in her features and masked them with one of indifference, she returned to the Ambassador and found him looking a little sour after watching her interaction with her 'husband'.
"I'm sorry he...he's a little overprotective."
The Ambassador smiled plainly. "And for good reason." Mia looked up as he extended his hand. "Shall we?"
Mia knew that she had a part to play, and she was proud of the way she handled herself in that moment, with grace and calm. She laid a hand on his shoulder and the other twined with his as they swayed to the notes of a smooth song. Mia kept her eyes glued to their feet as they moved, afraid of the evil she might see in his if she looked too long.
The Ambassador cleared his throat. "So may I ask why a young lady such as yourself has stayed in Syria while it is in the throes of war?"
"I didn't stay. I live in Jordan with my husband, I'm only here to visit family."
"Ah, and is your family from this town?"
Mia shook her head slightly and lied through her teeth, "No, Junyad."
The Ambassador's hand on Mia's waist lingered before he let it trail down a little further towards her hips. Mia still didn't look up at him, but she could feel every defensive instinct in her body taking over. She wanted nothing more than to break his hands and a few ribs while she was at it, but she couldn't. Not when they'd come so far.
"And how do you know Varkey?"
"His family has done dealings with my husband in Jordan. We were simply invited because we were in town."
"Well Mrs Hadi, in the future I hope you don't rely solely on your husband's business to come back to this city." He punctuated the end of the sentence with his hand sliding to 'definitely not okay' territory, right above her hipbone. Mia's breath hitched, and not in the good way, as she let her eyes fly to his at the unwanted advance.
"I can't possibly think of any other reason to come back here," she said a little harshly.
He laughed. "Because you haven't seen anything to base your judgement on, Mrs Hadi. Perhaps you are in need of better company."
Mia flinched as his grip on her became a little stronger, and she wondered why in a room full of people, she felt frighteningly alone. God knows she wasn't cut out for this. All she wanted was for her team to be there, for Bucky to show up and take her away so that she wouldn't have to be in the arms of someone her heart despised. She needed a familiar face to calm the nerves that were growing as the Ambassador's intent became more and more clear. She knew he was used to getting what he wanted, and she suspected that this was no different.
As the song drew to a close, he not so subtly looked over Mia in a way that iced her veins. She was now looking somewhere past his shoulder to avoid his eyes, and though her face didn't exhibit signs of anger, it was all her heart was filled with.
"The dance was lovely, Mrs Hadi. I must say, it is rather crowded in here. Perhaps...perhaps you'd like to join me, if not for wine then maybe for another vice of your choice."
No, nope, no sir, not okay. Mia promptly felt sick at the thought of being alone in a room with this guy, and would have drawn the line there but she stopped in her tracks as she heard Nat's voice through the earpiece.
"Play along, Mia. Don't put up a fight, just stay bashful until Barnes gets back. Don't worry, we're not gonna let this guy take you anywhere."
While Mia was silently registering her instructions, the entire mansion's lights turned off in an instant. Mia took the moment to distance herself from her unwanted suitor, and the entire crowd erupted into loud gasps as the distinguishable sound of a bomb somewhere in the far distance reached everyone's ears.
No matter whether it was the streets of Aleppo or the fortresses of Abu Jurayn, they were still in Syria. The sounds of war were still present, and unfortunately, everyone in the room was used to them by now.
People began clambering for their partners as they stood in darkness, but it was all short-lived as the blinding lights came back on within a few moments. There were relieved murmurs that spread across the room, and being that Mia was right next to the Ambassador, his words boomed in her ear. "Just a temporary electricity shortage, ladies and gentlemen. Please proceed with your enjoyment, the night is still young."
She knew that the electricity outage was likely the result of a bombing, but there was a nagging thought in her head that kept indulging the idea that it had something to do with Bucky. There were, after all, dozens of bodyguards around the mansion that would ascend on him at once if they thought something was up. She wished now that she would have sticked to the plan and been the one to plant the bug, because if anything happened to him because of her...she couldn't take that.
People began slowly moving again as a song livened the room with sound once more. Before Mia could even think about using the distraction to quietly slip away, her arm was clasped softly by the guy that just wouldn't get the message.
"I'm sorry if the shortage alarmed you. It is an inconvenient reality that we have to deal with living here."
Mia looked at him incredulously. Boy, you wouldn't know an inconvenient reality if it hit you across the face with a baseball bat. "I assure you, it is of no consequence," she said through gritted teeth.
He nodded. "I am sure that for a strong Syrian woman such as yourself, you have faced much more challenging feats than lighting problems."
Mia couldn't look past the slightly mocking tone of his voice, as though he had little care for the struggles of the people who currently lived there. Not that that should have surprised her, he was after all signing away Syria's existence for the sake of greed.
While Mia was once again caught up in a languid dance with the Ambassador, Bucky was making his way down from the staircase after having planted the bug in his office. He'd come across 4 guards on his way there, but he'd managed to make it by without any violence or foul play. The reason it had taken so long at all was because a random businessman had taken to the Ambassador's office in order to receive an important phone call. What should have been an in and out job ended up taking 10 minutes, and Bucky was glad that their main objective had been completed.
Now making his way into the ballroom to find his partner and leave, Bucky was scanning the floor keenly, having expected that Mia would have ditched the old man by now and be waiting alone somewhere. What he was met with instead set an inexplicable flame low in his stomach, as he watched his teammate being held tightly at the hips by a man that Bucky knew she despised. He blamed the murderous rage that he felt on the adrenaline running through his veins. But if he was being honest with himself, he hadn't felt this protective of someone in a long, long time.
He glided his way past the dancing couples with a practiced confidence, and he couldn't help but notice the flood of relief on Mia's face when she laid eyes on him.
She immediately let go of the Ambassador's grip and ran a hand nervously through her hair, making the other man look quizzically at her before noticing her husband's presence.
"Ah, I am glad you found your way back, Mr Hadi," he said with a forced smile.
Bucky stood guardedly in front of Mia as he glared at him in a way that was expected of any husband who found his wife dancing with another man.
"Thank you for the dance, Mrs Hadi. I do hope you consider my offer, there is much to show you in this beautiful city."
Just as he finished, a small, taut bodyguard came towards the Ambassador and whispered something in his ear, hushed and hurriedly. The Ambassador's facade broke momentarily as his face grew serious, before he nodded slightly and sent the man on his way.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. I do hope you enjoy your evening."
With a last, lingering look in Mia's direction, he exited the room without so much as a glance back their way. Mia tried to shrink in on herself behind Bucky as she felt relief meander through her body, knowing that she wouldn't have to spend another moment in that man's presence.
"Can we leave?" she asked in Arabic.
Without turning back to her, Bucky took her hand in his and led her towards the front doors of the mansion. They walked at a normal pace, with neither one wanting to stand out in the crowd, but the exit just couldn't come soon enough. Mia didn't dare look up at the people she was passing, in fear that they might stop her or prolong their escape. At that moment, all she wanted was to be rid of their company and around people who didn't possess the kind of evil that she'd been surrounded by over the last hour. She'd spoken to and been touched by the very people she'd hoped would be destroyed, and as that realisation hit her like a freight train, she got the very sudden urge to be sick.
They had just left the front doors and stepped into the night's cool air when Mia said, "Buck I...I think I'm gonna be sick."
"No, no. C'mon Mia, we're almost outta here. Just wait til we get out of the gates." He tugged her hand and they were suddenly walking briskly down the grand steps they'd entered from. A different usher brought his car forward to take the two of them out to the front gates, and Mia couldn't possible get in quick enough.
You're alright. Just breathe. Don't think about it. Just breathe. You're safe. Just breathe.
The short drive seemed to take forever before it came to a halt and Bucky sped around to Mia's side to open her door. She reached for his offered arm and let her dress drag carelessly behind her as they walked under dimly lit lampposts, towards the alley they'd come from.
"Barnes, what's your location?" said Nat into his earpiece.
"We're out of the mansion, at the alley."
"Alright, we'll be there in 5."
Mia yanked the ear piece out as she let her head drop back against the wall of the alley. Her breathing was growing steadily uneven and Bucky could do nothing but watch her helplessly as she began speaking.
"That f—That fucking bastard. Oh God, he...he's gonna—Oh God, please don't let him hurt my people." Mia's whispered pleas were mixed with rapid breaths and stinging tears that fell of their own accord. She wasn't crying, but there was despair on her face that was worse than that. She'd looked in to the face of the man who would be responsible for her country's downfall, and instead of causing him harm, she'd entertained him.
"I wanted to kill him," she whispered, almost guiltily.
Bucky came and stood within a breath's distance of her and spoke chillingly.
"Good."
Mia shook her head. "It's not—He kept trying to...He wanted me to—God, he just didn't understand. And now he's gonna wipe my country off the fucking map, goddamn it."
Mia held her head in her hands as she tried to even out her breathing, just like she used to when she was a kid. Everything was spinning and she wanted nothing more than for someone to hit the 'Off' switch in her mind so she could just stop thinking.
After all that they'd been through in the last 24 hours and the days before that, Bucky felt safe to do what he did next. He slowly cuffed his hands around both of her wrists and brought them away from her face. Mia shut her eyes even tighter, as though she didn't want him to see her crying for the umpteenth time since he'd met her.
"Mia, look at me."
She opened her eyes but kept them glued to his feet. He slightly tightened his hold on her wrists as he said, "C'mon, Mia."
She let out a breath and looked up at him, doing nothing to stop the few tears that escaped her lids.
"We're not going home until that bastard's in the ground. And I swear on my life, your people are gonna be safe from them."
Mia didn't know why such simple words weighed so heavily in her heart as she heard them.
"You really mean that?"
Bucky nodded. "Every word."
