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Chapter 17

It had been an hour since Jo had arrived at the warehouse. She had begun walking around admiring the vehicles, running her fingers along the dust covered machines. Checking her phone every few minutes, she had tried to call Bucky a couple of times, but when it started going straight to voicemail she gave up. Annoyance brewing as she sat, alone, but appreciating the flashes to the past the vehicles brought back to her.

She had wandered the warehouse, which as she continued through the building, it seemed more like a museum than anything else. The office she had found gave reference to it being an old dealership, but she found a living area, a dusty L-shaped couch that was accompanied with a small bar off to the side. Something she assumed was used for entertaining, like an old art gallery. The works being the vehicles. Jo found herself going through her notes as she sat waiting for the guys. There wasn't much she was able to get before Bucky's text arrived, but she did find that the room that was rented for Brandon was under the name Luka Dietrich.

Running her fingers across the keys of her laptop, she began running the name through the databases she had access too. She sat back as what seemed like twenty tabs started popping up on the screen, images of a middle-aged blonde-haired man staring back at her. "Well, Hello Luka." She began scanning through the files, taking down notes as she read.

The metal door of the warehouse slammed shut, making her flinch out of her seat. Jo stood from her perch on the couch as Bucky and Sam walked through a narrow doorway, followed by another man, one Jo prayed she'd never see again. Sam could feel the tension in the room as her eyes flickered from him to the man and then to Bucky, who had made his way past her to the bar and was currently looking for a drink.

Sam gave Jo a knowing look as he sat at the bar now watching as Bucky pour himself a glass of what she assumed was whiskey, taking a swig from his glass, downing the entire shot he'd just poured and then filling his glass once more, his eyes never meeting hers, which frustrated her even more. The man cleared his throat as he approached Jo, forcing her to break the stare she had on Bucky.

"Miss Rogers, it's a pleasure to see you again." He greeted giving her a small smile as he held out his hand to her. "I would like to formally introduce myself. My name is Baron Helmut Zemo." Josephine glanced down at his hand before folding hers in front of her returning her glare back to Bucky whose jaw clenched as the man stepped towards her. She knew exactly who he was but had no idea what could have possessed the two men in front of her to bring him here. The man dropped his hand as he cleared his throat once more and stepped back from her.

"Would either of you like to explain why he is out of prison?" Jo questioned, stoic as ever, as Zemo glanced between the three.

"We need his help, Jo." Sam stated.

This had only made the anger brewing inside of her bubble over. Remaining calm on the outside she continued her glare towards Bucky. His eyes focused on the whiskey glass in front of him. "Sam, Zemo. I need a word alone with James."

Sam glanced between the two, Bucky's eyes now on hers as Zemo nodded. "Yes Samuel, let's give these two a chance to speak." Zemo stated as Jo fought the urge to roll her eyes. Reluctantly Sam stood and walked over to her resting a hand on her shoulder giving her an apologetic look before turning and following Zemo through the entry way.

Hearing the metal of the door slam, Jo let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding in.

"What in the hell are you thinking James?" She asked her hands flying up in front of her.

"We need his help." James stated plainly.

"So, you broke your literal nightmare out of prison?" Josephine's voice now raised as she questioned him.