We'll Meet Again...I Know When || Bucky Barnes x Reader

13 || Traitor Of Trust

"Where is he?"

"Must I remind you that you're currently under arrest for harboring a fugitive of the law? What makes you possibly think-?"

"-I refuse to answer any of your questions until mine are answered first. I want to know the status of James Buchanan Barnes, is that so much to ask for?" You hiss, leaning back against your chair with crossed arms which makes the detective sigh for what must be the sixth time within the thirty or so minutes that he's been supposedly 'interrogating' you (not that he's gotten anything to show for that time).

You already know the drill behind this sort of thing, not to mention you're incredibly stubborn, although you are notably being pretty nice to this guy considering the circumstances. You haven't raised your voice nor have you attempted to force your way out of this highly secured room yet. Instead, you've made one simple demand in exchange for cooperation: answer the damn question about Bucky or else your lips will remain sealed. It's this detective's own fault for pissing off a Stark over something so avoidable. You can play this game all day if you must!

The man, who has likely gained more white hairs during this short experience, rubs his temple tiredly. Today has already been stressful enough for him as it is and you're definitely not making it any easier with your mulish refusal to just throw him a bone already.

Not having the willpower any longer, the detective decides to give in himself,"...Mr. Barnes is being held in a secure location within the building. He's safe at least, but I'm afraid we're unable to tell you anymore than that...Will you answer my questions now?"

"He's innocent."

"That's not what I-"

"-I know. I'm skipping all the bullshit and leaping to the point since you've already wasted enough of my time here. James is innocent. He was with me in Bucharest the entire day of the UN conference. The longest I had my eyes off of him was whenever he went to the bathroom. Now, I highly doubt that's enough time to even cross borders let alone do what you're accusing him of."

"And how are we to believe your word exactly? For the last two years, you've been on the run with Barnes across several countries: the United States, France, Germany, Romania...and that's just the ones we've been able to track," he narrows his eyes, waiting for a possible response from you, but he receives nothing aside from a roll of your eyes as you fight back to the urge to correct him on the two countries he missed.

"...I've taken a look at your records. Says here that you were a child prodigy, excelling in all levels of school, in fact you obtained your bachelor's degree by 14 and doctorates by 19. You worked at SHIELD Headquarters for four years until you disappeared with the Winter Soldier, consequently right after HYDRA had been discovered within the organization."

"That timeline is lacking details and, while I'm sure that's intentional, let's just get it straight, shall we?" You affirm pointedly. Sitting straight, each of your words are spoken sternly, challenging this detective's own authority by tone alone," I'm not a fascist so don't even try spinning that shit towards me. I had no idea HYDRA was within SHIELD until everyone else did and I sure as hell wouldn't have let them get away with it had I known any sooner. Also, it's not like I just up and left SHIELD. It disbanded, thus I was officially unemployed."

The man falters slightly under your intense stare before fixing his posture," so, you decided to run off with a fugitive instead of attending a job fair?"

"You can't morally link the Winter Soldier and James Barnes to the same responsibilities. You work for the government, right? So, you must understand to at least some extent what it's like to be a puppet? Well, for James it was worse than that. He had been tortured for decades under HYDRA - decades of no freedom and brainwashing until he could no longer even think for himself. He was their tool, whether he wanted to be or not.