Chapter 14
Bucky blanched and leaned back in his chair and just looked at this gorgeous woman sitting across from him. Could she even be real? What the hell was going on here? What kind of answers were these?
"Don't worry, it all ties together. I promise it will all make sense at the end." She responded to his obviously confused and questioning expression.
Ella sat up straight in her chair and squared her shoulder. Almost as if she were preparing for a fight or some kind of confrontation. Then she took a deep breath and began.
"It's one hell of a story, but it all starts with cats."
"Cats?!"
He winced slightly. The unbelieving tone in his voice sounded harsh even to his own ears.
"Yes, cats. When I was 12, I was part of an anonymous online forum called 4Chan. On these forums, you could post anything and not get caught, if you were smart. Most people posted memes, porn, and other graphic or stupid stuff. But others posted some seriously messed up shit. I'm talking about underage porn, photos and videos of people abusing animals, and other highly illegal material. The content that got to me the most were the photos and videos of someone abusing and killing kittens. It was bad. So, I joined a group that started hacking these people posting this stuff and sending their information, along with the evidence, to the FBI."
Bucky just stared in astonishment. He could not believe what he was hearing.
"You were 12? As in 12 years old?"
Ella looked embarrassed, her gaze returning to her lap as she continued with the story.
"Yes, I was 12 years old. Well, I, like everyone else on the forums, used a VPN to hide my IP address. I also had other methods of concealment in place, but that's irrelevant. I had figured out a way through the others' VPNs which is how I was able to get their information for law enforcement to step in. Well, one day my own VPN and countermeasures malfunctioned and I didn't know. A few days later I was called to the office at school and was greeted by an FBI agent."
"How in the world does this have anything to do with the Army?" Bucky asked, clearly overwhelmed.
Ella looked at him, slightly frustrated.
"Just shut up and listen and you'll find out. So, they told me they knew who I was, they knew about my academic record, and what I was doing. Due to all the legal red tape, I was doing them a favor. They advised that I stop all activity while telling me how many people, such as human trafficking rings, and the like that I had helped take down. They basically told me to stop, but not really, and that they would be back when I turned 18 to recruit me."
There had to be steam coming out of Bucky's ears at this point. This story couldn't get any crazier. Ella proved him wrong right quick.
"Anyway, I graduated high school when I was 14. I graduated with my first round of Associate degrees at 16. Then my first round of Bachelor's degrees at 18. True to their word, they showed up right after I turned 18 outside one of my lecture halls. I was offered a high-ranking position within the FBI on the spot. But I couldn't stand the thought of being stuck behind a desk and all of the red tape that came with doing things legally and by the books. I felt like I was made for more than the job that they wanted me for. When they wouldn't leave me alone, I figured out a way around them. I joined the Army. I succeeded in getting the government off my ass, plus they paid for the rest of my education. Which would have been really, really expensive."
Ella sat there after her explanation and let Bucky digest all of the information that had just been foisted onto him. For that he was grateful. There was a lot of information to process and the questions were piling up.
Bucky had wanted some serious answers, and by Gods, he was getting them. He now had more inquiries than he had started the evening with. And with many a good reason. He had no clue where to even start.
Bucky sat there just looking at Ella. The one question that kept coming to mind was 'How?'
"How did you manage to graduate so early and get all of these degrees?"
Ella blushed clearly uneasy. Almost as if she didn't know which way this conversation was headed and that made her uncomfortable.
"I have been told I am a gifted student. I think I'm just an unconventional student and book learning comes easy for me. A little too easy. When I find something I am good at, I never stop. It can be a bit much, even for me."
Bucky let out a low whistle.
"So, how many degrees do you have? I am almost afraid to ask and feel utterly inferior with my basic high school diploma."
Ella bit her lip as she looked at Bucky. Trying to gauge his reactions. She must have been satisfied with what she saw.
"In total, seven… So far…"
Red spread across Ella's cheeks as she squirmed in her seat. If Bucky wasn't so thrown for a loop by her response, he would have marveled at how adorable she looked right now.
"Come again? Did you say seven? What are your degrees in exactly?"
Now Ella looked really uncomfortable. Like she did not like the conversation being about her or this part of her. Like she was ashamed. Bucky immediately felt sorry for her. He knew precisely how she must be feeling. Talking about all of this to someone new. It was rough. He had had enough experience with it.
"Please, don't be self-conscious. You should be proud."
Ella seemed to relax somewhat at Bucky's encouragement.
"I have two . in psychology. One in clinical psychology and one in criminal psychology. I have three Master's degrees. Linguistics, computer science and programming, and mechanical engineering. The most recent additions are two Bachelor's degrees in forensic science and biochemistry. Those are the ones I am currently working on."
Bucky started to laugh.
"No wonder they wanted you so badly. It seems to me like there isn't much you can't do."
Ella smiled at this and visibly relaxed the rest of the way into her chair. She looked genuinely relieved. As if she were waiting on Bucky's reaction. Like he was going to react negatively in some way. He couldn't imagine why.
"Tell me I cannot do something and I will do it just to prove you wrong."
Both of them burst out laughing at this as the check was delivered by the now stoned-faced waitress that had been flirting with Bucky earlier.
Bucky paid the tab and they make their way towards the exit. All the while he contemplated the fact that the woman walking next to him was not only gorgeous but also some kind of genius or savant in her own right. He vaguely wondered how he had managed to get her attention in the first place.
On the outside, he wasn't that special. Everything that made him special, made him different, was not immediately obvious. Unless he wasn't following his dress code.
The more he thought about it the more and more out of his league she became. She was incredibly smart, and increasingly gorgeous the more he looked at her. She was funny, kind, and had an extremely sharp wit. Ella was one hell of a catch.
As they exited the bistro, they both heard the sound of music caught on the wind. Ella looked up at Bucky, an impish smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.
"What do you say we follow that music and see what it's all about, eh?"
Bucky looked at her and smiled a crooked smile, still unable to believe his luck.
"Lead the way, sweetheart."
Ella bit her lip before she reached out and locked her elbow with his and started dragging him off towards the origin of the music. Bucky was glad she had grabbed his right arm and not his left. That was not a conversation he was ready to have tonight.
They quickly found their stride, arm in arm. Bucky wasn't paying too much attention to where they were headed. He kept looking down at the brunette beside him. Contemplating everything she had told him. Ella led the way, all the while knowing that Bucky was having a hard time keeping his eyes off her. Her smile making that fact all the more palpable.
"Sounds like it's karaoke night and whoever has the mic is terrible at singing Bon Jovi. Want to check it out and grab a drink? Maybe poke some fun at some wasted karaoke-goers?"
Bucky agreed as they kept walking. He thought he saw the source of the music another block ahead. Once they reach their destination, they discovered a dive bar with a decent amount of people milling around. Bucky noticed a few pool tables on one side of the bar, while the small stage, big enough for a band, was on the other side of it.
Bucky watched Ella quickly scan the bar and lead him off to a corner at the end of the bar, against the wall, on the side with the pool tables. Once they settled in, jackets hung on their barstools, Ella ordered a whiskey neat. Bucky ordered one too.
Bucky leaned into Ella to talk to her over the noise of the bar. He had the ulterior motive of making it an excuse to get closer to her. The bartender returned with their drinks.
"So, how did you get out of the Army?"
Ella chewed her bottom lip and took a sip of her whiskey, obviously thinking of what to say.
"It was 2016. I was just starting my second tour in Europe. I was presented with a job offer and an opportunity. One in which I was literally the only person qualified. I couldn't pass up what was being asked of me. I was also having problems with my superiors, so I took the job and I left. And now I am where I am, doing what I'm doing."
Bucky chuckled at her ambiguity. Knowing exactly what she was doing and why she had to do it. He decided to press his luck.
"Which would be what, exactly?"
Ella turned to him, smirked, and dramatically sighed.
"I work for the government. But technically, I don't exist. I cannot tell you what I do or who I do it for. I would have to kill you if I did."
Ella then started to laugh. She kept chuckling at something Bucky was sure he had missed.
"What's so funny there, Giggles?"
Ella quelled her giggle fit and took another sip of her drink. Bucky followed suit.
"I have an unofficial nickname around the offices and probably all of headquarters. And it just popped into my head."
"Are you allowed to tell me that?"
Ella smiled and bumped her shoulder into his. Once again, he was thankful it was his right shoulder and not his left.
"They call me the Swiss Army Knife."
At that explanation, she pulled a face, not unlike someone smelling something foul.
"What? You don't like that name?"
"Well, it does fit. But I'm not Swiss. I'm German."
They both burst out laughing. Bucky took a sip of his drink and eyed Ella. She was starting to grow pink in the cheeks, only this time he knew it was not from embarrassment.
Then Bucky did something unexpected, and probably a little bit stupid.
"I guess that's pretty much an insult, isn't it?" he said in perfect German.
Ella almost spilled her drink as she looked over at him with wide, shocked eyes.
"You speak German?! Since when!?"
"Since my time in the Army. I spent some time in Germany and continued learning when I got back."
Ella's face was deadly serious.
"Where were you stationed in Germany?"
"Hamburg."
Ella's eyes did that thing that sent the wave of cold chill down Bucky's spine. He had certainly fucked up. He just didn't know how. Yet.
"Do. Not. Lie. That's utter bullshit. You're speaking perfect Schwäbisch which is a dialect from Southern Germany."
Oh. Shit.
"My teacher was from the south. The textbooks I was lent were really old too, like pre-war old. I still have them if you want to look at them."
Ella's eyes softened immensely.
"That explains a lot. Schwäbisch is more of a hillbilly dialect than anything. It's odd that you were taught that and not High German."
Bucky kicked himself. Ella was a linguist. Of all people, she would pick up on details like that. Why on earth did he have to go and make such a stupid move without thinking. Everything could have been ruined because he wanted to show off.
"Well, it's nice to know I can talk to you in my first language. I was born in Heilbronn so I'm full Swabian. It's also a pain because now I know I cannot talk about you right in front of you. You just gave away one hell of a secret."
Ella smirked at him as she took another drink from her glass. Bucky downed the rest of his in one go. Even though it wouldn't do anything he needed the placebo effect right about now.
She turned to him on her stool.
"So, let me guess. You also work for the government and most, if not all, of your work is need to know. I don't need to know. Am I right?"
Bucky sighed. Gratified for the change of subject. He tried to recover himself.
"Bingo. What I can say is that I am given intelligence, sent on business trips with this information, gather more, and then bring it back to my employers. It's a vicious cycle."
"That certainly sounds a lot more interesting than my primarily paperwork and deskwork-driven job. Fucking bureaucracy. I'm right where I didn't want to end up all those years ago."
Frantic to keep the conversation moving away from his blunder, Bucky asked another question he had been wondering about since he had learned she had been in the Army.
"So, what did you do in the Army? I was a lowly infantry sharpshooter."
"Then you're not going to like what I have to say. I was special ops. My specialty was tactics, analytics, and linguistics. With a bit of computer magic here and there."
"What rank were you when you were snatched out?"
Ella lowered her head and went quiet. Just like when she had been talking about her academic achievements back at the restaurant. She was still staring into her drink when she answered.
"I was a Captain."
"Overachiever." Bucky said playfully under his breath.
Ella smacked his shoulder lightheartedly.
"You are not the first to point that out nor will you be the last. Just remember one thing."
"And what would that be, sweetheart?"
"I outrank you, Sailor."
Bucky sucked in a sharp breath.
"Ooooo. Ouch! Hey, why do you call me Sailor and not Soldier?"
Ella seemed taken aback by the question but answered promptly.
"Isn't it obvious? Soldier, or Sergeant for that matter, is entirely too formal. Considering everything. That and it makes me feel like I'm on duty again. You do not want me to address you that way. That would mean bad news for you. Plus, 'Sailor' is how a woman addresses a man whom she is flirting with."
Bucky thought about what she said and determined that she was right. Ella's expression turned apprehensive. She swirled the remainder of her drink around in the glass.
"Do you have a problem with that? I mean with me outranking you and all the college stuff and whatnot? You'd be surprised how many people take issue with it. Particularly men."
The look on Ella's face turned brooding and almost angry. It was like she was remembering something terrible. To an extreme. Bucky was quick to answer.
"Absolutely not."
"Good. I never liked being the one giving the orders, anyway."
"Good. I never liked following them, anyway."
"That's funny, neither do I. Only God knows how I became a Captain."
They shared another hearty laugh and Ella blasted Bucky with one of her heart-stopping smiles.
"Seems to me like you're one piece of work, Sergeant."
"You bet your sweet ass I am."
Bucky gave Ella an exaggerated wink and another wolfish smirk.
On the other side of the bar, a buxom blonde drunkenly made her way to the stage. Knocking a chair over in the process. When she began her song, she was so off-key the whole bar cringed.
"Holy shit, she is so wasted. At least she's not embarrassed and can get up there and sing like that. Aw, look at her friends cheering her on. That's so sweet. They must be having a great time."
While Ella finished her drink, Bucky looked in the direction of the group of friends she had indicated. He laid eyes on a group of highly intoxicated women who were all singing along with their friend. As Bucky was going to turn back around to face Ella, a redheaded woman noticed him and started to stare. Bucky just ignored her and pretended like he hadn't seen her.
"What would it take to get you up there?"
Bucky gesticulated to the stage with a nod of his head.
"Not gonna happen." Ella said as she turned her head to look at him.
"What? Can't sing? Join the club." He motioned with his hand towards the woman ending her song and starting to make her way back to her friends, stumbling a little.
"Oh, don't mistake 'can't' and 'won't'. I can sing better than that. I just don't do karaoke. Not my thing."
Ella waved him off with a swish of her hand. But Bucky was now set on a mission. Once he had gotten going, there was no stopping him from achieving it. He just had to see this.
"Oh, yeah. Sure. You say you can do better, but you refuse to prove it. I bet you just can't sing and are trying to take the easy way out."
That unquestionably got her attention. Bucky silently congratulated himself.
"If you're so keen on the idea, why don't you get up there and sing something? Go ahead, go pick a song."
"Oh, ho, ho no you don't. You're not going to divert the attention onto me. Go up there and prove me wrong Miss I Can Do Anything."
The smug look on Bucky's face must have been all too obvious.
Ella regarded him for an instant before Bucky caught a sparkle in her eye. A small smile pulled at the edges of her lips.
"How about a wager?"
Bucky acted like he was seriously considering his options before he responded.
"What are you proposing?"
Bucky raised an eyebrow at her, committed to seeing what this woman had in store for him.
"A game of pool. You win, I pick one song. I win… well maybe I will just decide that on that one at a later time and date. I have no doubt that it would only be too easy to get you up on that stage without a bet fueling the fire."