Seoul, South Korea, 3 Days Later
"This is a complete waste of time," Tony threw his suitcase on a bed and started unpacking lighting panels. The room was too dark and they didn't know if the creature was still following them, "and for the record, it would have been nicer to stay on the damn jet than here."
"It pales in comparison to the chambers of Asgard, true, yet I see nothing wrong. Besides, Hydra agents likely swarm the area. You yourself advised keeping our presence quiet. We could hardly stay somewhere obvious." Thor reminded him.
The hotel wasn't bad, at least not compared with where Natasha had wanted to base the group. It was just south of the Han river in one of Seoul's nicest districts, the rooms had two large beds, a table, an entertainment center, and a large bathroom. Natasha's idea was a $10 per night student hostel with one bathroom they'd all have to share. This was at least the kind of place where the staff held the door for you and called you "Mister" or "Miss", but Tony was more used to glamor, extravagance- displays of excess. Tonight he'd be stuck in a room with Thor, God of Thunder(ous Snoring). Was pulling straws even a legitimate way to decide anything? Never-mind that it was my stupid idea in the first place.
Banner ended up rooming with Steve while Sam stayed with Bucky. It had been a tricky decision- Sam was oh so breakable should Bucky have one of what was becoming his trademark nightmares (and Sam was experienced with PTSD patients), but in the same scenario with a different roommate, the hotel was just as easily broken if Bucky lashed out at Banner at one in the morning and caused a Hulk-out. And even though he claimed he was just fine, Steve still needed medical supervision and couldn't get around on his own with all the extra lights they were setting up in each room, so he was out as Bucky's roommate. As for Natasha and Clint- well, they always sort of did their own thing (Plus when Tony asked Clint to swap with him or Thor, Hawkeye had just laughed and walked away).
Tony grabbed a light stand to steady himself a moment. He shook his head and the dizzy spell passed, "Are you alright?" Thor waved at the bed, "rest if you are unwell. I believe I can finish this task."
"I'm fine," but he wasn't. Bucky had done a real number on his head, it was going to take time to heal. His skull throbbed constantly, but hell if he'd admit it or ask Thor for some more of that Asgardian mojo. Thor was the one who drugged Bucky, Tony had done all the mechanics on that damn arm- solo! Why was he the only one smashed into a wall?
Thor dropped the issue and turned instead to the diagrams of the base. If it was still standing even in part he would be the one to find a way into the lowest levels. If there was any chance the girl yet lived, they had to hope she was stored there. Bucky was confident the very lowest storage rooms would have gone untouched.
Bucky, Thor, and Banner made up the ground team- tasked with finding their way to any vaults left. Sam had quickly trained Clint in the operation of the spare wing units so the two of them could be the eyes in the sky. Hydra was probably in the area, still cleaning the base out, so they were in charge of securing a visual and alerting Steve and Natasha to any departing trucks. They would follow them back to wherever Hydra was collecting the cryo tubes and search for her there. Between Bucky and Steve, each team had someone who could identify the girl (provided she hadn't changed too much in five years). Tony was on standby- whoever found her would signal him to come in and oversee her extraction from the pod (if she was even alive) and get her loaded into a remote medical suit. It was going to be a very long day, especially with everyone operating jet lagged. Tony pointing out every 10 minutes some new flaw in the plan didn't help.
"They probably dragged her out days ago, if not weeks, and have her at some other base already," one of his favorites. Or "she's dead, move on", but he only mumbled that one when he was sure Bucky's embedded comm was turned off. Giving him one of those had really limited what Tony could whine about. Steve loved it.
And now not only was it a hopeless mission, but it was a hopeless mission Tony would get no real sleep on.
In the wee hours of the morning just before dawn, as Tony imagined what the ramifications from Asgard would be if he killed Thor in his sleep (and right when he decided he was okay paying the price) the comm alarm chimed- time to get going.
Tony felt like being mean- exhaustion gave him courage. He cleared his throat, clicked on his ear piece, and whispered softly, "Bucky? Bucky~" then shouted, "GET UP!" Sam could dodge a psychotic assassin, right?
"I'm already awake," the voice was cool, calm. God dammit.
"I however was not," Natasha sounded pissed. Double god dammit then.
"Same here," Steve also sounded peeved. At last, a silver lining.
"Well? What are you all waiting for? Find me someone to save." Maybe he could snag a few hours of sleep in the suit while they hunted...