Green Eyes

Ch. 10 - Brass Monkey Tavern

At the beginning of the harbor bridge they were left to walk to meet their other car halfway down. On the walk Zemo gave Sam his cover identity after complaining he was dressed like a pimp. Zemo said "Only an American would think a fashion forward black man would look like a pimp."

"I think you look good Sam." Eva said.

"Thank you Eva." Sam said sincerely.

"Yeah better a pimp than a hooker. Quite frankly, I just don't think you have the tits for that." Eva turned to look at Sam when she said that and they all had a good laugh.

"You don't need me to be the hooker Eva, you have that covered." Sam quipped back.

"Ooh Hot Wings got spicy, and if anything I'm a high priced escort. All this leather and silk gets expensive."

They smiled at each other and gave the other a fist bump enjoying the rhythm of their crude exchanged insults.
They all got into the new car in the very same formation as before. Entering the city and weaving through the traffic grid Eva's anxiety began to spike. Without thinking she grabbed Bucky's metal hand and began to try to deep breath her way through it. At the sudden contact they looked at each other. They were only illuminated by the streetlights and the car headlights that were passing by but somehow Bucky understood just what she needed. He rested his right hand on top of hers and rubbed soft circles into the back her hand. The repeated motion centered her but they kept holding hands. The simple act was an unspoken tether grounding them both into this calm before the storm.

The car stopped part way into Low Town. Getting out Zemo gives his final instructions,"Miss Sin you're with me. Soldier watch out backs." Eva took her place at Zemo's left hand and walked in tandem with him into the belly of the beast. She kept her face as polished and poised as a porcelain mask. Her walk exuded confidence and danger as they slithered through the crowds. Eva's eyes were focused ahead but she kept track of every movement around her in her periphery vision. Looking out for hidden dangers was mission critical and when the crowds began to build in volume she used Zemo's arm to keep up pace.

Their destination was none other than The Brass Monkey Tavern, notorious to be a stronghold in Madripoor's criminal underworld. They pushed their way through the crowd and halfway to the bar Zemo called back to Bucky speaking in Russian."Ready to comply Winter Soldier?" That simple question made in the middle of the busy club errupted into whispers and looks that spread through like wildfire. Eva was impressed by this, Zemo was definitly a master manipulator.

They made it to the bar and was greeted immediately by the bartender. "Hello gentlemen; and lady. Wasn't expecting to see you Smiling Tiger."

"His plans changed," Zemo answered. "We have business to do with Selby." All the men around them seemed to collectively look around at each other and the bartender too before asking Smiling Tiger if he wanted the usual. Sam gave an uncertain nod in confirmation. The bartender went to work removing the heart from a live snake and dropping it into a shot glass with some sort of alcohol.
"Ah Smiling Tiger, your favorite." Zemo said to Sam. Sam kept looking back and forth with his eyes screaming words he couldn't speak. Eva captured the moment in her mind to use against Sam later. Zemo handed her a shot of vodka and Sam recieved his shot as well.
"I love these." Sam said clearly very uncomfortable. "Cheers comrades." Zemo toasted and they clinked their glasses together. Eva and Zemo drank theirs down and watched Sam's brief internal struggle before he finally bit the bullet and took the shot. Eva found the entire thing hillarious, yet she kept her composure as to keep her metaphorical porecelain mask firmly in place.

A man pushed Eva out of the way to talk to Zemo. She ended up with her back pressed flush against Bucky's chest. The feeling of his solid body against her made her just want to melt into him. The conversation with Zemo earlier came back into her mind. "You're in love little lamb." Her brain was playing everything out again as she kept track of what was going on with Zemo.

Meanwhile Bucky himself was just as distracted. He carefully watched Zemo and kept himself ready for action at any point, but Eva was pressed up against him. He was relishing the weight of her body pressed against him and thought just how easy it would be to wrap his arms around her and pull her even closer.

The man talking to Zemo left and Eva stepped away from Bucky suddenly finding it hard to look at him.
"A Power Broker, really?" Bucky asked.
"Every kingdom needs its king." Eva answered and asked the bartender for another shot.
"Let's just pray we stay under his radar." Zemo said.
"Do you know him?" Sam asked.
Zemo readily answered. "Only by reputation. In Madripoor he is judge, jury, and executioner." Zemo scanned the crowd and the manner in which he did it put Eva on high alert. One of the goons began walking back to where they were and Eva quickly took her shot and settled herself once again. "Zemo helped himself to the other shot she ordered and when the goon got close Zemo made another order in Russian. "Winter Soldier.... attack." Bucky stilled a moment and waited for the goon to put his hand on Zemo. He pryed it off skillfully twisting his arm and wrist in a way that caused maximum pain without breaking them.

Eva stepped past Zemo and stood by Sam as she watched Bucky fight in Winter Soldier fashion.The crowd was mesmerized by the display of brute strength, control, and skill and she felt the same way. She had seen many videos of him at work but seeing it in front of her was something completly different. His every move was carefully calculated and so very smooth. It was like watching an elite dancer in their prime. She saw every muscle in his body be used and flex in response to his actions, but her heart stopped dead when she saw his eyes. They were no longer the icy deep blue full of light that she had come to know. They were the Winter Soldier's again. Her memories came flooding back tenfold. Suddenly she was 23 in Siberia again looking to give comfort to the tormented man who was as much a prisoner as she was. She could even feel the scars from where the shackles were, itch with the memories.
Zemo leaned in towards her and Sam and said,"Didn't take much for him to fall back into form." Eva and Sam looked at each other with similar pained expressions on their face.
The fight was comming to a close quickly and Bucky had one man pinned down in a chokehold unto the top of the bar. Suddenly the sounds of numberous guns being cocked and loaded filled the air around them. Eva felt herself balance on a hairline trigger ready to defend. Sam looked around and it seemed like he was about to break. Zemo clapped Sam on the shoulder with a firm reminder. "Stay in character or the whole bar turns on us." The bartender chose that moment to talk to them.

"Selby will see you now." Zemo thanked him and stepped away from the bar. Bucky finally released the hold he had on the man he had pinned.
"You good?" Sam asked him. Bucky gave him a curt nod as he looked over at Eva. Their faces gave nothing away but Bucky's eyes softened back down and their eyes traded an array of emotions that could never be named in that fleeting moment. The moment only lasted a second or two but could be felt for a year.
They followed Zemo and the guards that were leading them deeper into this criminal world and their destination, Selby.