Ascertainment || Bucky Barnes (2)

7

Basil yawned as he stared down at the grey cat. Big green eyes stared right back. He was tired. Most of the night had been spent watching the operation and when he left the hospital the next morning, the morning rush of commuters was already under way. He had caught some sleep in the cab on the way back to his apartment but it wasn't much. He was exhausted and worn. The blood still itched under his fingernails despite the fact that he had spent fifteen minutes cleaning it out under the shower. He placed his hands on his hips as his stare off with his cat continued. "Come on", he sighed. "You need to get in the carrier. Someone died downstairs and I am not in the place to look after you right now". He often talked to his cat. Half of it was because he was bored, half was for those agent probably constantly listening to the bugs in his apartment. He had to keep them entertained somehow.

Basil sighed again and held out his hand. Queenie made a chirping noise and rubbed her face along his knuckles. Her fur soft as she began to purr. "Yeah yeah", he smiled slightly and scooped her up to place her in the pet carrier. She meowed in complaint and pawed at the door as he shut it. "Now I'm going to drop you at the nice agent's house downstairs. Kate? I think her name is", he thought aloud. "She will keep an eye on you while I go and meet Steve at shield. There are shooters about", he warned her sternly. "I don't want someone coming and shooting you up while I'm gone". She meowed at him as he picked up the carrier and dropped through the floor.

Steve's apartment was more of a mess in the daylight than it had been the night before. The carpet was blood stained and four holes in the wall of the living room let the sunlight through. Broken glass around the window on the other side of the room glittered faintly and Basil huffed at it. "He always throws himself out of windows", he complained to Queenie. The cat didn't respond, seeming to be sulking at him. "Oh", he muttered. "Did the drop scare you? I'm sorry. No more falling through floors". He talked as he walked through the locked door of Steve's apartment and into the hall way. He cross down to the door on the other side nd walked through it.

Kate's apartment was another image from a catalogue but with a few more personal touches. Some photos and a half drink cup of tea on the coffee table. Basil set down the pet carrier next to the sofa and opened the door. Queenie stuck her head out and sniffed the air curiously. Basil didn't know if this apartment was bugged or not but he didn't want to take the chance. "I'm leaving Kate a note here", he said as he stuck the post it note to the top of the coffee table. He set down the second bag of cat stuff that he had been carrying and began making a corner for Queenie under the window. "There's cat litter and everything. If she scratches anything then it's your fault for spying on us. I'll come back for her after I've gone and seen what the hell shield wants". He scratched Queenie once more on the head and stood up with a stretch. He yawned again before dropping through the floor. He fell through the other floors and right down to the basement.

The basement, which Basil had fallen into before, was a dingy cement room where the water mains and the power box was kept for the building. The joy of living in the city was that there was buildings pressed in all around them. Train tunnels underneath and basements only separated by a wall. Basil pulled the hood of his black hoodie over his head and pulled out a map from his pocket. He unfolded it as he began walking. His converse shoes, not his usual style, squeaked and he wrinkled his nose. He missed his boots but he needed to be as inconspicuous as possible. Hence the ratty thrift shop hoodie and too big jeans that only stayed on his hips with the use of a belt. With the change of clothes from his usual smart and fitted wear, he looked like a some teenager hanging around and making the place look untidy.