Saving Bucky (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 7 - Mimicry

"I'm pleased to hear you've changed your mind, Marco," you grin at the worn-down man across the interrogation table. 

Your gaze tumbles over his wrinkled dress shirt and loosened tie. The poor man runs his hand through messy, matted hair as hazel eyes glow red from tears both shed and unshed. He lets out a small whimper as you stand from your seat.

"My associate will be in shortly to take down the rest of the details," you croon. "In the meantime, I'll return this to you for safekeeping," you say, pulling a photograph from inside your blazer pocket and sliding it slowly across the table.

The distraught man's eyes grow wide as he eagerly reaches forward and grabs it, those unshed tears now brimming in his eyes.

"And y-you promise they'll be safe?" he asks in a broken voice. "I gave you what you wanted. Please...y-you promised."

You give him a pitying smile as you rise from your seat and move to the door of the interrogation room. "My word is my bond," you say, tossing him a glance over your shoulder. "Once we know your information is good, your family will have nothing to fear from us."

"It's good. I swear it! Please, don't kill me," he sobs. "M-my children need their father."

"If things go as planned you will go home unharmed, Ambassador," you say, giving him a reassuring nod. "And no one will know our information came from you. Your reputation and position will remain intact and unsullied. As far as your wife or your children know, you were out of town on business."

You watch as the man's entire body relaxes and you step from the room, pulling the door shut behind you. A genuine smile graces your lips for the first time in several days. You always prefer interrogations go smoothly, as this one had. And you can't deny the subtle satisfaction you have in knowing a family stays together. Although you'd never admit that to anyone.

*Beep* *Beep*

You tap your earpiece as you start making your way down the halls, passing cell after cell. "Yeah?" you answer.

"I see you've left Ambassador Palermo's interrogation," the director says gruffly. "And?"

"Are you spying on me again, Gabe?" you ask, looking up to the nearest security camera and giving it a wink.

"Charming. Just get me the intel," he grumbles. "I'll be in my office."

"You'll have the file on your desk in an hour," you answer back. "I have an appointment with our super soldier that I'm just dying to keep."

"Good. I don't need to tell you that you're running out of time, Y/n. I owe an update in 24 hours. You better have something substantial for me by then."

You hear the line disconnect and scowl to yourself. You've been feeling the pressure daily from the director since your last encounter with Barnes a few days ago. As far as the soldier knows, you're being punished for your soft heart. You can't go charging right back in. Not if you want to win this game you're playing.

Lost in thought, you glance up in time to notice that you're passing a familiar cell. You stop your forward momentum for a moment, doing a double-take at the heavy metal door that keeps a very peculiar prisoner behind it.  You've passed by this cell several times in the past few days working with the Ambassador. But you've never stopped. Until now.

Glancing at your watch, you see you have a few minutes to spare. Your bottom lip is sucked between your teeth, and you glance nervously down the hall as your brow furrows. You had been given explicit instruction to stay away from this prisoner. 

But he could have information about Barnes. And every interrogator is a sucker for information. Especially information deemed off-limits.

Fuck it.