thecapitol | our common goal was waiting for the world to end. ( open )

So here's what she knows.

First, that whoever's in charge of this place had access to technology that happens to be lightyears ahead of anything that exists on Earth as she knows it. Better than Stark's technology, better than SHIELD's. Somehow managing to get the drop on her right after handing Barnes' file over to Steve is probably the least of their capabilities.

So, you know. That's good.

Natasha wakes up on a cot and finds herself being escorted somewhere by a group of guards that probably would have been able to take down if she weren't so sure that there were more to come. So she chooses to bide her time instead.

It's almost surprising when they choose to leave her alone in a plush apartment. Out of all the times she's been captured by enemy forces, well. That's definitely new.

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They leave her alone, and Natasha figures that she owes it to herself to figure out where she's allowed to go, and what kind of access is restricted. She goes up - all the way up on the elevators, stepping out onto the rooftop so she can get a better view of the place. Maybe figure out how big this operation spans.

The elevator doors open and she whistles, low and quiet. It's impressive, she'll give them that. But even despite the great view, what grabs her attention more is the subtle shimmer around the roof's edge. She stoops down to pick up a rock and tosses it lightly towards the refracting light in a perfect arc.

When it gets thrown right back to her, Natasha raises an eyebrow.

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It's not as if Natasha doesn't appreciate a little bit of pampering. She drives a fancy car and dresses herself in nice clothes on days when the tactical jumpsuit isn't a requirement. After years of being on the run, it's probably the closest thing to stability that she's ever really had. Still, shopping isn't really the purpose here. It's the people. Some of them are really odd looking, all decked out in strange fashions or body modifications she's never seen before. Natives, she figures. Some of the guards were the same.

Everyone else, though? The ones without any kind of ornamentation? Those are the people Nat figures are in the same boat as she is. Which is why she watches them with interest, even as she pretends to look at a display of dresses in a shop window.

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"That's a big request," there's so much to say and so much to inform her of, so much she needs to know, will want to know. There's no easy place to start, not really, plus the surveillance limits him more - the rooftop isn't a horrible place to talk, the feeds here get disrupted and are weak, but it's not absolute. He can move them to a more secure spot soon, but to do it right after she says asks for information will be a red flag.

"Probably best to start with the fact this isn't our world, possibly not even in our universe, and most tributes aren't from here, they come from any number of worlds and universes, even alternates of our own," it's a lot of information, but he expects she'll ask questions if she has any.

"This-" he pauses for a split second, most would miss it, but no one would miss how he lowers his voice before he continues "-this place is a Hydra dream. Eyes and ears everywhere, and they will kill people who openly oppose them too loudly."

She's not expecting him to be able to say everything here, but she also trusts him to be discreet about everything. Steve's a soldier, not a spy. But he's also pretty good at making plans, which Nat will freely admit. It's why she follows his lead, after all. She respects his abilities that much.

So when Steve lowers his voice, she leans in close to make it a bit easier for him. She puts her arm around him so that from an outsider's perspective it just looks like they're two friends embracing.

"I got that much. So, what's this about alternate universes?"

She steers the conversation away from the other stuff. For now.

He figured she would have caught on to that by now, but he has to be sure before speaking, he doesn't want to endanger her if he can help it. Too many people are in danger without tempting fate right now. If there's someone he could use at his side in this whole thing, it would be Natasha. With her here now and nothing he can do about it, he rather keep her by his side than not.

Well, one thing he's learned being here, it's that he's quick to catch on and follow through without her telling him to this time. So, he puts his arm around her to embrace her back.

"There's more than one of our universe, but each is different, I met a Bucky and Natasha from different world, but," he pauses for a word, but decides on more than a word, "other than looks, name, skills, she was alsmot nothing like you, an entirely different person," if she sees his face, there's a look that passes over it when he talks about the other Natasha. Something almost sad, almost unsure, but it passes quickly.

"She's gone now, but the Bucky is still here."

our common goal was waiting for the world to end. ( open )

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