Ascertainment || Bucky Barnes (2)

8

The mall, or shopping centre as Basil would call it, was busy with families and people. Some laden with shopping bags and groups of teenagers chattering loudly with their friends. Basil had been to a mall a few times before but every time he watched the place with wide eyes and a slightly overwhelmed expression. But this time they weren't there to shop or explore. "The first rule of going on the run", Nat stated to them as they walked past a fountain. She had changed into some thrift store clothes and had pulled her good up over her signature red hair. Steve had donned a cap and sunglasses, such a useful disguise. "Is don't run, walk".

"If I run in these shoes. They're gonna fall off", he muttered. Basil snorted as they turned into a Stark tech shop. There were a dozen laptops all spread open on the tables for people to test try. Nat pulled them both over to a free one and began typing.

"The drive has a level six homing program so as soon as we boot up shield will know exactly where we are". Basil peered over her shoulder as she quickly managed to dismantle the test try program. She held up her hand to him. "Drive?" He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it over.

"How much time will we have?" Steve asked. He was watching the store entrances with the look of a bored guy waiting for his friends.

"About nine minutes from", Nat replied has she plugged in the drive. "Now". Her fingers began flying over the keys as tabs started popping up on the screen. "Fury was right about this ship", she muttered. "Somebody is definitely trying to hide something. This drive is protected by some sort of AI. It keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands". Basil was confused, he knew nothing about computers.

"Can you over write it?" He asked, he thinks that was the term. Nat huffed.

"The person who developed this is slightly smarter than me. Slightly". Her fingers kept moving across the keys. "I'm going to try running a tracer. This is a program that shield developed to track hostile malware so if we can't read the file. Maybe we can find out where it came from".

"Can I help you guys with anything?" A man with a blue tshirt emblazoned with a Stark tech logo asked. He was tall and slightly chubby with long hair and a beard.

Nat smiled. "Oh no, my fiancé was just helping me with some honeymoon destinations", she swung her arm around Steve and pressed herself to his side. Steve's eyes widened slightly as he floundered. Basil had to cover his snort with his sleeve.

"Right", Steve nodded. "We're getting married". Basil ducked behind the blonde's large frame to cover his laugh with a cough.

"Congratulations", store assistant replied. "Where are you guys thinking of going?"

Nat had turned back to the computer. Steve's larger frame just about blocking her from view. "New Jersey", Steve stated as the location flashed across the screen.

"Oh", the man nodded in surprise.

"Family there", Basil voiced. "They wanted to be close to family".

The man blinked at him, seemingly noticing him for the first time. "Ah. Is there anything I can help you with sir?"

"No thank you", Basil let the British accent lay thickly over his words. "Just helping out my friends. I'm going to be the best man", he grinned.

The man smiled and nodded politely. He turned back to Steve and eyed him for a second. Steve tried not to look uncomfortable. "I have the exact same glasses as you", he declared.

"Wow", Nat muttered as she continued typing. "You guys are practically twins".

"Yeah", the man laughed. "I wish". He gestured to the whole physic that was Steve. "Specimen".

"Tell me about it", Basil laughed, turning the attention back to him. He leaned closer to the store clerk. "I swear", he whispered. "One day it was like boom! As if it over night he had developed muscle. It's what those gym regimes and weird diets get you". He huffed and nudged Steve with his elbow. "Shame we all can't have those bodies right?" The clerk laughed.

"Well if you guys need any help, I'm Aaron". He nodded at them then moved back to check out desk.

Basil turned to Steve with a shit eating grin. "We're getting married?" He mimicked Steve's earlier fumble. "Really Steve?"

"Hey, I panicked", Steve whispered.

"Obviously. I can act better than that and I'm not even attracted to women", Basil huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Got it", Nat stated. They both peered over her shoulder as the screen zoomed in on the map. A location flashed. Wheaton, NJ. Nat turned to Steve, who had leaned in. "You know it?"

"I used to. Let's go". He grabbed the drive and they left the store. Bodies mingling with the crowds. Basil and Steve on either side of Nat. (Basil noticed that he and Nat were the same height. It must be the fact that he wasn't wearing his boots and she was still in heels. He missed his boots).

"Slandered tac team", Steve muttered to them. "Two behind, two across. Two coming straight at us. If they make us I'll engage. You two hit the south escalator to the metro".

"Shut up and out you arm around me. Laugh at something I said. Basil you too", Nat ordered.

"What?"

"Do it". Immediately Basil and Steve threw their arms around Nat and leant closer to her. Looking more like college friends than people on the run. Basil giggled and Steve laughed stiffly. Steve's laugh was so fake that Basil began giggling genuinely. The shield agents walked right passed them with barely a glance.

They got on the escalator going down the the main floor. Basil, then Nat, then Steve. It was Basil who spotted the shield agent first. It was the same man who had been pushy at the hospital. He nudged Nat and her eyes flicked to where he was looking. She pulled him by the sleeve so that she and him were both standing on the same step. "Kiss him", she ordered.

"What?" Steve blinked.

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable".

"Yes they do".

"Oh come here", Basil reached up and grabbed Steve by the face. He neatly slotted his thumbs over the blonde's lips and reached up to kiss them. The brim of Steve's hat and the material of Basil's hoodie hiding their faces from view as Steve's eyes widened. They held the pose for a few seconds. Basil counting to five. Then Nat nudged him and he let go of Steve's face and stepped back.

"Cute trick", Steve blinked.

"Theatre trick", Basil grinned. "Staring kissing scenes. You grab their face and just slot your thumbs between your lips. I wasn't actually going to kiss you. You're practically my brother. Ewwww". He pulled a face. Nat laughed as they stepped off the escalator and followed the crowds out of the mall.

Unedited