Bucky reacted as poorly as Steve feared at his gift. A vein pulsing at his temple when he saw the plastic arm-coupon. He told Steve to get rid of the eyesore, but Steve stashed it in his art studio since Bucky rarely went in there anyway.
All hope was not lost. Bucky had refused to keep the ridiculous mannequin arm in their home, but he hadn't actually said he rejected Tony's offer. They'd give it time.
After a few days of Bucky dealing with a petrified arm, his cursing increasing exponentially as he got more and more frustrated to get dressed, eat, run, write. Heck, even cuddling together on the couch could become quite a headache, because his arm was as cold and unyielding as stone. Bucky was stubborn though, so Steve gave him a month before he cracked and accepted Tony's offer. He did call Tony to thank him on his behalf though.
In the meantime, the news reported more incidents of alien tech being stolen around the city, although no witnesses had been attacked the way Bucky had, but maybe that's only because they had not tried to stop them.
More strangely, there were stories about a Devil-man in Hell's Kitchen, and a Spider-man in Midtown and Queens who were fighting crime. The first was a persistent rumor, but the second one came with a very blurry shot of something red and blue swinging between two buildings.
"Should we claim Brooklyn as our territory before some other costumed clown does?" Bucky muttered, sharpening some kitchen knives as they watched the TV, although some of those were definitely not kitchen appropriate.
"We're not really vigilantes, though," Hermione argued. "And we fight crime on a larger scale. I mean, you're Captain America, you've basically claimed the whole country, so I don't think we can claim Brooklyn for ourselves."
"Great. At this rate, we're gonna end up with cockroach-man or rat-girl to represent us."
"I don't think it's a competition, Buck," Steve chuckled.
"But if it was, we'd lose. You know how I hate losing."
The TV flashed with a red BREAKING NEWS screen, followed by a high-definition, close-up photo of Stern's face. They all recoiled at the sight, glad when the news anchor came to the forefront. Pat Kieran was not his type, but he was a sight better than the greasy-haired, thin-lipped, shifty-eyed Stern.
"Senator Stern has been taken in for questioning by the FBI after some allegations of human trafficking, sequestration, and embezzlement have been brought to the authorities' attention. Several raids are ongoing in his various properties and his close associates are being looked into as we speak for financial fraud and blackmail."
A field journalist took over to show the chaos that had ensued at the U.S. Capitol. Steve eventually put the TV on mute when nothing new came to light.
"Fury?" he asked.
"Gotta be. Timing is too coincidental. It would explain why he told us to back off," Bucky agreed.
"You think he wants to use Stern as bait to see which other high ranking HYDRA members are gonna support," Hermione wondered.
"Or who's gonna take over. We know there's power struggles within HYDRA since even Sitwell had no idea who would take over when Pierce was captured. Looks like after Red Skull, HYDRA's had a bit of a problem finding a leader everyone is willing to follow blindly," Steve agreed
"Not surprising. No one is as terrifying as he was. God, that face. I'm so glad you didn't turn out like that," Bucky said.
"I knew you only loved me for my good looks," Steve teased.
They followed the news closely for the next few weeks. Orange suited Stern better, but only so far as he deserved the prison suit more than he did his tailored luxury suits. Steve was surprised no one had tried eliminating him yet. Either HYDRA had grown a heart, or Stern still had more influence than they had counted on. In any case, he wasn't their problem anymore.
In that time, Bucky had stubbornly refused to come visit Tony and Pepper with them, saying it wasn't right despite everything he did to save Pepper. Tony looked kind of impressed by Bucky's stubbornness even after he'd extended an olive branch. Of course that didn't stop Bucky from complaining about his petrified arm either.
As for Fury, always managed to call them in when they had organized something normal for themselves. So they repacked the picnic they had been preparing, put everything in the fridge, and went to SHIELD's headquarters. Steve told Bucky he should stay home, which, in hindsight, was a stupid thing to say as it predictably had the opposite effect. Even Fury seemed a bit surprised to see him there, but he was far too smug to be able to add the Winter Soldier on the payroll to refuse. Not to mention it solidified his position as Pierce and as the natural leader of HYDRA. HYDRA was all about strength, and the Winter Soldier had been their best weapon.
Yet, their first mission together was apart, and in disguise. So much for that. Fury wanted to send them out to various SHIELD facilities to sniff out rebel HYDRA cells and identify their recruiting agents so he could put a stop to it.
"What about other HYDRA agents? Those who aren't conspiring against you or recruiting newbie agents?" Bucky asked.
"You've got your orders," Fury replied dryly.
"So you're saying there's good HYDRA and bad HYDRA now?" Bucky scoffed, as if he couldn't believe his ears.
"No. There's the HYDRA I've got under my boot, doing what they're told like good little drones, no different from SHIELD agents, and then there's those HYDRA fanatics buzzing around my head, annoying the shit out of me. Don't go making unnecessary waves, Barns. Is that understood?"
Bucky shrugged, refusing to acknowledge Fury despite his borrowed blue eyes burning a hole into his forehead. But when they left Pierce's office, Steve noticed Bucky had a hard time unwinding from the confrontation, fist clenched and his lips a perpetual grimace.
"You gonna be alright, Buck?" Steve asked. "You don't have to do this if you're not ready yet."
"It's not that," Bucky replied, trying to smile at them, but it was just short of pained. He tossed his head towards the ominous door behind them. "I remember him. From before."
He always called his time as the Winter Soldier 'before', as if that would help him keep it in the past.
"Fury?" Steve asked, wondering if he remembered trying his best to assassinate him as well as the fake life-like doll Hermione had made of him.
"No, Pierce. I remember his voice, those eyes. He scared me. I don't even remember why…"
"Will you be alright for this mission? One of us can team up with you."
Bucky shook his head, seeming to shake off his turmoil, putting on a cocky smile.
"As enticing as that is, Wilson did tell us to do things on our own."
"I think he meant outside of work, Buck."
"Who knows what's going on in that pigeon-brain of his? I'll be fine, Stevie. I'll call you both on the mirror tonight."
As far as missions went, this one was easy and didn't call for much muscles other than his ears and eyes. His fake identity was a mid-level drone, and after checking out the whole place, he drifted to the gym out of long honed habit drawn by the sound of punches and the smell of sweat.
There, a guy took offense at him, for no particular reason that Steve could discern. He took one look at him, at the disguise the ring gave him with his sharp cheekbones, steel blue eyes, and thick dark hair… not exactly average, but better than what he usually got. The guy's eyes narrowed, and Steve, who had been doing his best to fly under the radar, froze like a deer in headlights
"You," the man called, waving him down. "Fresh meat."
Steve glanced behind him, just in case, but he was well and truly the only one here except for this guy and his posse. Steve scowled, but walked over, sure someone with such an authoritative demeanor had to be higher up than he currently was.
"Sir," he replied, standing to attention when he was only a few steps from him. Pale eyes beneath a buzzcut glared back.
"You can drop the attitude, kid," the other man said. "What d'you think you're doing here at this hour? Slacking off? Who's your commanding officer?"
"I, uh, just arrived. I was taking a tour of the place to get my bearings. Sir," Steve added belatedly, trying to avoid giving his commanding officer's name, because he had no idea how long he would be staying here and he'd rather avoid getting in trouble on his first day.
"Think you're smarter than me, eh?" the man said. "Used to know a guy just like you," he added, walking around Steve now and making him nervous, half expecting to be sucker punched.
Steve had played this song and game before, long before he was Captain America. This guy reeked of bully. He reappeared before him with a half smile that didn't bode well.
"In that case, make yourself useful and spar with me," he ordered.
"With you?" Steve repeated at the sudden change in topic.
"Are you deaf? You completed basic training right? You're not completely green by the looks of you."
Given Steve didn't currently look like himself, he had no idea what he meant by that.
"Come on, Bob. Give the kid a break. He's new "
The Bob in question glared at his friend.
"It's the perfect time to test what he's made of," Bob said, his fists curling and coming up. "Come on, then. Let's see what you've got."
This was it. He was not actually giving Steve a choice in the matter, not that he was worried, if he had to be honest. The man might match him physically, but his body was heavier-set, probably slower, and undoubtedly free of any supersoldier serum. Steve's main concern was not breaking him, and thus giving away his cover. Steve had to appear "normal", but holding back made sparring difficult, and he should avoid contact too so the ring's illusion wasn't detectable. His disguise was nowhere near as muscled as his own body, so the discrepancy was bound to be felt, even by this knucklehead.
Before he could come up with a strategy, the first fist came flying at him, so Steve had to take a step back to avoid it, and then another as the second fist followed. Steve continued this way, dancing around his opponent. Bob was fast becoming frustrated though, hitting the air again and again.
"Is that what they teach the recruits nowadays?" he snarled, sweat already dripping down his face. "To pussyfoot around?"
"Well, if you think it's easy," Steve said with a smile, just before landing a gentle punch on his shoulder he didn't even try to avoid. "See. Not that easy."
"Why you-"
Bob's no doubt heartfelt answer was cut short by an officer walking in on them. He looked at Bob, his friends, and then Steve, who stood to attention out of habit.
"Anyone care to explain what's going on here?" he asked with a raised brow, voice as calm as the eye of the storm.
When no one volunteered, he ignored him and Bob in favor of one of the bystanders.
"Ellis?" he prompted.
One of Bob's friends stood to attention, not hesitating a second before ratting him out.
"Dobson made the new recruit spar, sir."
Bob Dobson. Steve kept the name in the back of his mind to deal with him later if Fury wouldn't. He looked at the officer who had butted in, wondering if he would. To his credit, Dobson didn't flinch at the accusation, nor at the officer walking up to him, each step he took towards him a warning, a threat. Steve had no doubt this guy had climbed the ranks out of charisma alone.
"Dobson."
A muscle in Dobson's jaw clenched.
"I expected better from you."
"Yes, sir," Dobson returned.
"I didn't think you were so invested in being recycled."
"Sir," Dobson said, more of a plea now while everyone else in the room winced.
Having to repeat any basic training at all was a nightmare.
"In that case," the officer continues. "Go relieve the kitchen."
'"Sir," Dobson repeated, but with evident relief this time.
"The whole kitchen, mind you."
Dobson faltered, but he saluted and left. His friends were already gone, having scampered off soon after the recycling threat. Steve was just now coming to the conclusion he should have done the same when the officer's eyes landed back on him, appraising.
"Please forgive them. They're not the brightest tools around, but they usually do their job."
Steve bristled at anyone being called a tool, having been objectified as such himself far too often.
"I'm agent Broderick. You're new here if Ellis was not mistaken."
"First day, sir. Agent level four, Julian Jones, sir."
"You handled yourself well. I'll be following your career with interest."
Steve hoped he looked pleased at the praise, he really did, but he wasn't sure what his face was doing because this guy rubbed him the wrong way. Dobson was a bully, Hydra or not, he was used to them. This guy, though, he reminded him of Fury and Pierce in the way he considered others, praising or belittling them, moving them around to his convenience, collecting them. Agent Broderick was definitely worth looking into, and Steve hastily left when he gave him leave.
Here he was supposed to keep a low profile, and that guy already had an eye on him, for better or for worse, he would have to keep this identity for a while.
The rest of the day thankfully went better in that he didn't stick out, spotted a couple of Hydra drones, though not the type he was looking for. Bucky had been right though. There was something fundamentally wrong about standing next to a known HYDRA agent and not doing a damn thing about it. It was easier back in the day. There were the good guys and the bad guys. There wasn't all this murky gray in between that was good or bad depending on the moment or situation. The only reason he went along with it is because it was strategically sound to leave them be for now. If it had been for political bullshit though, then he'd been having a field day punching wannabe nazis in the face.
Late into the night, he found a secluded place to mirror call the others. Having missed Hermione's earlier call, he reached out to her first, a bit startled when he saw a stranger in her stead.
"Hey, love," he said after a beat of silence. "Sorry. Forgot you wouldn't be you for a second there."
"Ah, yeah… same. I thought you were Bucky at first despite your voice. Your disguise looks a bit too similar for comfort, to be honest."
"Really?"
Steve hadn't paid much attention. He'd used the ring not too long before meeting one of Fury's trusted agents in the nearby city for him to make his fake SHIELD identity and upload it in the system, but he hadn't looked closely at the picture taken of him, and had just taken a quick look in a mirror to see what impression he gave. And yeah, okay, he might have thought he was good-looking, and there was the hair, and cheekbones, and even the eye color… Damnit, he was Bucky. Hermione teased him for a bit about being so infatuated with Bucky he managed to influence magic itself, then she recounted her own discoveries, which was much easier for her since she just had to read their minds upon meeting them to know what they wanted or what they planned.
"Does that mean you'll return home soon?"
"I think Fury just wants to move me around from one base to another to get as much intel as possible. Maybe he'll send me to yours or Bucky's."
"Fat chance," Steve scoffed. "That would be nice of him. Not really his style."
Hermione had already contacted Bucky, so she assured him he was fine in case he couldn't answer Steve's call. Bucky answered his call immediately though, as if he had been waiting for it with the mirror in his hand. Bucky too stared at his appearance for a bit too long, then guffawed.
"I'm flattered, really," Bucky told him.
Steve rolled his eyes.
"I should have noticed something was wrong when the ring finally gave me an average appearance," Steve teased.
"Hey! I am not average," Bucky groused before changing the subject. "So how are you doing on your side?"
"Getting bullied. The usual. How about you? Are they giving you a hard time with your arm?"
"Nah. It just gives me an excuse to sit around and listen to gossip. What's that about a bully?'
Steve explained the situation to him, Bucky's expression growing darker.
"You know, jokes aside, with you looking like that, former handlers of the winter soldier might see the resemblance too."
Great. Not only was Steve not managing the low-profile aspect required of their mission, but he was doing the exact opposite, attracting all the sadistic Hydra operatives who had tortured Bucky. He was going to break Dobson next time their paths met.
"No," Bucky said out of nowhere. "No, I know that expression, Stevie. You're on an official undercover mission for SHIELD, not a punitive expedition for my sake. Leave it in the past. They're not the Hydra we're looking for."
Bucky sounded bitter, but determined.
"Promise me," he insisted.
And how was Steve supposed to say no to that? So he promised, reluctantly, not to go looking for Dobson. If they happened to cross paths by coincidence in a dark corridor though… Bucky should know to be careful how he worded his promise.
After a week at the base, Steve concluded there were several agents testing him on various aspects of his personality: his morals, his loyalty, and his level of obedience, on top of the usual. Steve tried to fudge the results to be a good HYDRA candidate if this is what that was. However, he failed miserably where anything related to computers was concerned, and he guessed that might be why no one approached him after that. Still, he could be wrong. Maybe that was standard SHIELD procedure, so he checked in with Fury. It was not. Steve left Fury the list of names, wondering if he would be sent elsewhere like Hermione, but Fury was interrupted by someone and hastily hung up, leaving him hanging so to speak. Steve wasn't really surprised Fury had bitten off more than he had time to chew. He was basically living two lives, heading two opposing factions and dealing with the various Avengers and other superpowered people running around. Hopefully, they were done with aliens for a while. Annihilating a whole army must have made waves across the universe, sent the message that maybe you shouldn't mess around with humans, even if they look like easy targets.
With no orders to the contrary, Steve remained where he was, pretending to be Julian Jones, average SHIELD drone who avoided Dobson like the plague. Rumor got back to him eventually he was scared of him, that he got bullied on his first day on base. It got him some mockery, some sympathy, some ill-advised suggestions, some more bullying… Steve mentally rolled his eyes, feeling like he was back in school, and that was a damn long time ago, and, when he wasn't too sick to go, not a particularly good experience. Some things never changed, he supposed. He even got called to the principal's office. Well… Broderick's, which was close enough. Steve wondered if this is when he confirmed the man was a HYDRA big wig, because nothing else he'd seen or heard of Broderick could convince him otherwise.
"Agent Jones," Broderick greeted him, a smile on the mouth, calculation in the eyes. "How are you settling in?"
"Uhm," Steve frowned. Small talk? Really? "Fine, sir."
"Despite the gossip?"
Steve raised his eyebrows. Small talk, now gossip?
"It's a small base. Word gets around, even to me."
Steve shrugged, then snapped back to attention. He'd almost let his guard down for a second there with his weird questions.
"I've never really fit in, sir. It's nothing new."
Broderick hummed, appraising him once more as he rubbed his chin absent-mindedly, or that was the impression he was trying to give. Steve had no doubt every one of his words and gestures was calculated.
"I find some of the best elements are those who don't fit in actually," Broderick finally said.
This was it! This was the grand reveal! Steve had a hard time not giving away his excitement.
"Those who can think for themselves, independently of orders or coercion, to decide what's best for the greater good."
I knew it, Steve gloated.
"Sir?" he asked innocently.
"You've toed the line, Jones. I've been looking at your records and you are an incredibly average agent."
His fake records? Steve didn't even know what they contained. Everything in them was average for a reason.
"Erm… thank you?" Steve said uncertainly.
"But everything about you, your personality and actions is not. You're either a mildly interesting puzzle, Jones, or-" Broderick shifted and an ominous click announced the door behind him, the only exit, had just locked tight. "You're here under false pretences."
Damnit. Steve was much better at punching his way through problems, than doing something as finicky as spying. On the bright side, he could probably punch his way through the door.
"I don't understand," Steve said.
"I think you do," Broderick countered, not doing a thing to threaten him.
No gun, no minions, no poison. When had HYDRA gotten so soft? They were just locked into a silent stare, but Steve didn't do a thing. He could out-stare the dead if he put his mind to it.
"Listen," Broderick finally said, caving in. A small victory, or he just had someplace else to be, someone else to interrogate. "I don't know what your agenda is exactly, but I'd hate to see you go to waste. You seem like a good kid."
"Ah…" What? Broderick had lost him there. "You've lost me, sir."
"SHIELD, I'm sorry to say, is not what it used to be. It's infected. Rotten from the inside."
No…
"Others may have approached you?"
Steve shook his head.
"Good. That's good. Dobson is more their type, I suppose," he added with a smug smile.
"Wait… are you talking about HYDRA?" Steve asked, unable to take it anymore.
"Aha, so you do know." Broderick couldn't look any more smug if he tried. "But you're right. HYDRA has infiltrated SHIELD for some time, so we're trying to root them out, create a counter faction within SHIELD."
"You've gotta be shitting me," Steve muttered.
So there were two HYDRA factions within SHIELD, as well as two smaller SHIELD cells fighting HYDRA from within? This was ridiculous.
Broderick raised an eyebrow, probably reassessing him after the outburst which was more Steve Rogers than Julian Jones, and he assured him that he was not, in fact, shitting him.
"And what's this club of yours called?" Steve asked, trying to catch him out on a lie.
"Fury," Broderick said proudly.
Steve almost choked on his own disbelief and laughter.
It could still be a trap. They needed Hermione to check out his brain, see how true his claims were. Then he could hand this hot potato to Fury to do with as he pleased. It was named after him after all.
"I'm gonna have to get back to you on that one, sir." Steve said.