against time.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO || a familiar face

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO, a familiar face

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

THEY TOUCHED DOWN in Madripoor. Zemo decided to leave Steve out of the "mission," as he would be recognizable almost anywhere, and much faster than the other three. Sam was disguised as the "Smiling Tiger," wearing a suit that was printed in ways Ivanna found to be horrible to her eye. Bucky was wearing his Winter Soldier suit, Zemo in the same attire he'd been in. Zemo had one more trick up his sleeve, which was a sleek black dress that was handed off to Ivanna. He didn't have to speak for her to know what was going on, and she immediately regretted agreeing to help the men.

Now, they all walked beside one another. Ivanna's hair was pulled out of her face, letting the bare skin of her shoulders show from the off-the-shoulder dress she was wearing. Her feet already hurt way too much for her liking from the shoes she's been given by the butler.

"We have to do something about this," Sam sounded annoyed, "I'm the only one who looks like a pimp."

"Would you rather be the one being forced to go as Zemo's date?" Ivanna teased her friend. He looked at her apologetically.

"Only an American would assume a fashion-forward Black man looks like a pimp," Zemo interrupted the interaction while they continued walking, "you looked exactly like the man you're supposed to be playing. The sophisticated charming African rake named Conrad Mack, aka the Smiling Tiger."

Zemo passed a screen over to Sam and Ivanna looked over his shoulder to see what he was looking at, Sam glanced at Ivanna, "He even has a bad nickname. Hell, he does look like me though."

"Eh," Ivanna hummed, "more attractive."

Sam looked at her, unamused and biting back a grin.

Zemo inhaled deeply, "You smell this?"

"Yeah, what is that?" Sam questioned, "Acid?"

"Madripoor," Zemo answered, "No matter what happens we have to stay in character. Our lives depend on it. There's no margin for error. High Town's that way. Not a bad place if you want to visit, but Low Town's the other way."

Zemo had led them to a black car, Bucky opening a door and letting Ivanna climb in first.

"Let me guess, we don't have any friends in High Town," she heard Sam question while he opened the other door. She was soon squished between Bucky and Sam and looked to Sam in annoyance.

"If I don't get to take these shoes off soon," she turned to where Zemo was still standing outside of the car, "they'll meet his head."

The engine started, and soon Sam was watching the motorbikes that surrounded them warily. And after a while the car came to a stop, letting them climb out. Zemo led them over catwalks that were over buildings and the city, Ivanna in front of Sam and him remaining close and surveying the area around them. The area around them was colorful, with music playing, and people crowding the street as they followed after Zemo. Ivanna watched him exchange small gestures and looks with people around the area.

They were eventually led into a club, Zemo leading the way before he turned slightly and gestured for Ivanna to stand beside him. She reluctantly approached Zemo, his hand going to her upper back and guiding her through the bodies.

"Here we are," he muttered.

They pushed through toward a bar, people speaking in Russian around them and asking about Bucky, or more so: the Winter Soldier. Ivanna barely listened in, keeping her attention on the bar they were walking to.