Guns and Ammunition [] TFATWS

Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen:

It was dark when they arrived in Madripoor, and even deeper into the night when they began their journey to Zemo's location. The man been insistent that they all changed, to fit the part he told them needed to be played. Bucky wore tight gear he always wore, all dark colours and form fitting. Zemo remained in the same attire he had on the plane, the most different change in appearance was both her and Sam. He wore a full burgundy suit, blue and yellowing detailing covering every inch. It was finished off with chains wrapped around his neck, sitting carefully on his chest. 

Josephine hated her outfit, and the more she thought about it, she wondered why he had an array of extra woman's clothes on his private plane. She wore a tight fitting dress, a sleek black asymmetrical hem as Zemo had implied "It will be good if you need to start running." Yet, the heels she wore were so high she could barley walk in them, it was challenging enough focusing on not falling over. Not to mention the chill, her bare shoulders were freezing in the night air. Her hair was bushed, pin straight as it cascaded down her back to her elbows. That part was nice, her hair had been incredibly knotted. 

"We gotta do something about this." Sam huffed, adjusting his blazer as they made their way down a bridge. "I'm the only one who looks like a pimp."

"Only an American would assume a fashion-forward Black man looks like a pimp. You look exactly like the man you're supposed to be playing. The sophisticated, charming African rake named Conrad Mack, aka the Smiling Tiger. 

"He even has a bad nickname."

Josephine pursed her lips, "What the hell am I supposed to be doing in all this?"

"Don't scrunch your face, dear." Zemo looked at her, "You'll smudge the makeup."

She scowled at him, "I'd prefer if the answer was nothing."

"Your job is to stand there and look pretty. Don't say a word, but keep your head up. If you appear nervous or scared, they'll sniff it out."

"Great." She muttered, now they were mingling with even more criminals with little to none moral compass. 

"You smell it?" Zemo asked after a few moments of silence.

The city was lit up in front of them, just beyond the bridge lived wild lives and a dangerous underground. The skyline seemed so futuristic, the buildings tall and unusual shapes. The tallest of them were lit up with different colours, making the sky glow with them all. 

"Yeah, what is that?" Sam huffed, "Acid?"

"Madripoor. No matter what happens, we have to stay in character. Our lives depend on it. There's no margin for error."

A car rolled up in front of them, blocking their way. Josephine hadn't even seen any vehicles on the road for that matter, and how could one show up so sneakily. 

"High Town's that way. Not a bad place if you want to visit, but Low Town's the other way."

They approached the car, Bucky was the first to get in. She followed Sam to the other side, sliding in the middle. No one complained this time, they all got in and kept their mouths shut. The vehicle took off towards the city, the driver staring straight ahead. Everyone kept there gazes forward, unmoving as they drove along. Josephine shifted uncomfortably, trying to maintain her calm. It was difficult to breathe in such a tight dress, and her nerves were starting to kick in. This was much worse than their meeting with the Flag Smashers, at least that group felt like they had morals, despite trying to kill them. 

It was silent the entire way, rain staring to pour as they entered a tunnel. Engines revved on either side of them, and she couldn't help but sneak a glance out the window. Motorcyclists circled them as they approached another tunnel, wearing glowing green masks and guns strapped to their waists. She looked back out the windshield, deciding it was better to not acknowledge the activity around her.