A/N: Plot interlude
"He cannot be serious." The colonel purses his lips, shaking the letter in his hand. "Tell me Rogers isn't serious."
Corporal Smith just shrugs and looks nervous.
"Seemed serious, sir." Smith swallows uncomfortably. "Seemed real serious."
"Dismissed, Corporal." Phillips waves the young man away without looking up and waits for his footsteps to retreat before scanning back over the Captain's brief -and frankly, aggressive- note.
Colonel,
Delivering Zola unharmed, per mission objective. When you're done with him, he's mine. Unfinished business.
-Cpt. Rogers
He sighs, setting the note down and glancing at the condolence letter with Barnes' name on it, sitting on the corner of his desk and still awaiting his signature.
He can't just hand over a valuable asset like that Nazi egghead for Rogers to tear apart, even if he'd pay to watch it happen. Little fucker not only cost them a good soldier, but he's essentially set Rogers off completely unmoored and pissed off. Not a great combination.
He looks between the documents once more and considers. God, is he tempted to look the other way…
Washington would have a fit, though. Not worth the fallout, but damned if he wouldn't love to let it happen.
Phillips rubs at his eyes wearily and feeds Captain America's brief missive into the lamp on his desk. He can't give Rogers what he wants - but there's no need to tell him that just yet. He needs Rogers as focused as possible, under the circumstances. And that means not adding fuel to the fire.
"Jacobson!" he barks, leaning back in his chair. The uniformed aid all but tumbles in the door and salutes.
"Sir?"
"I want to see Zola as soon as that bird lands. Alone. We're gonna have a nice friendly chat. And call a meeting. I need everybody on this. Stark, Carter, Rogers and crew. Everybody."
"Yes sir. ASAP I assume?"
He pauses to consider that. Probably not wise to rush it too much. Rogers is going to be a basketcase, and god help the poor sap that gets on his bad side while the wound is still raw.
"Give it a day. Not sure how long my little interview's gonna take."
His aide salutes crisply.
"Sir, yes sir!"
Phillips rolls his eyes. Goddamned trained monkey ass-kisser, but the man's useful in his way.
"Dismissed, Jacobson."
End of plot interlude