2| Platinum [Pietro M.] ✔

28. Confronting Barnes

After hanging up with the twins, I shut down Skype so there won't be any distractions. The last thing I need is an incoming call at the worst time imaginable. I set my phone down on the table next to my laptop and blink a few times in an attempt to regain my previous focus. It's going to be a very very long day.

I pull up my running program in the process of locating Barnes in Romania that was previously minimized. Heaving a quiet sigh, I roll my shoulders and look at the far wall as I try to get myself together for the task at hand. It may be a flagged image, but I refuse to get my hopes up too high. I mean, I've had three false alarms so far, and that's what I'm expecting this to be as well. However, this image seems different. It's clearer and crisper than the images I've seen previously, which will help me identify this person quicker, Barnes or not. Then I'll know whether chasing down this Romania lead is any good. Letting out a soft breath of air, I zoom in on the image. "Alright sneaky assassin man is this you...?" I question myself quietly as my eyes dart across the face on the image. My breath hitches in my throat as my eyes widen considerably.

Well, this is unexpected...

I hurriedly stand to my feet, the backs of my knees pushing the chair away so sharply it falls over. I quickly walk over to Steve's room, finding him sleeping face down on one of his pillows. I sharply knock on his door as I stand under the door frame, my face eager. I wait a moment for a response. "Steve!" I exclaim when he doesn't stir. Still, he doesn't make any indication that he's heard me. I grumble and stalk over to his bed. I blink a few times and stare down at the man behind the spangly suit. His breathing is slow, deep. He looks relaxed for once.

Not for long...

"Bucky's in trouble." I state in an even tone, my lips curled into a mischievous smirk as I stare down at him. Before I even have time to react, Steve jumps up in a flash. He somehow manages to grab his shield, which is leaning against the other side of the bed, before he swings it around and hits me with it. "WHAT THE-" I shout as the shield comes in contact with my side, throwing me into the wall with a rough force. Cap is on his feet now. I have one of my own pulsing energy shields thrown up in front of me as I cradle my arm. Sam comes rushing in suddenly, his face startled before he bursts out in laughter at the scene. Steve's hair is a bedhead mess and he looks like a frantic baby deer that just so happened to be 6'0 tall man with the shoulder-to-waist ratio of a Dorito. "Rude, Steve." I grumble before dropping my shield when the threat of getting hit by a star-spangled shield diminishes.

"Sorry, Iris." Steve apologizes as he takes a more calm stance. We collectively turn our attention to where Sam is leaning against the door frame, still laughing like an idiot.

"It's not that funny, Sam." I huff to myself as I rub my hand up and down my arm tentatively. Meanwhile, Wilson holds out a hand in my direction as he shakes his head before retreating back to his room after finding he isn't able to stop laughing. "I don't see what's so funny." I say, shifting my gaze to Steve.

"I guess I did the same thing to Sam at one point. Now he just finds it funny when it happens to others." He shrugs, placing his shield back on the floor.

"So what then? How does he wake you up without getting his butt kicked?" I ask while motioning for Steve to follow me out of the room. From Sam's room, I hear a muffled shout of 'Nerf guns!' This causes me to turn my head in the direction of his room as I walk into the open living area of the hotel room. "Sam! You're a grown adult and you wake up Captain America by shooting him with Nerf guns?" I shout back but keep my feet headed toward my computer. I only receive more laughter from Falcon. I turn my head to look at Steve and he smiles awkwardly before rubbing the back of his neck. "I feel like a frickin' babysitter, I swear." I mutter to myself as I bend down and pick up the chair that fell to the floor earlier. Once it's up, I lower myself onto it. Steve sits next to me and I move the laptop enough so we can both look at the screen. "Looks like Bucky hasn't left Romania." I comment, pointing to the stamp in the corner of the picture that lists the time, date, and location. Steve looks at me eagerly. "The photo was taken as he was leaving an apartment building....about ten minutes go. He doesn't look like he's aware of the catastrophe 'he' created." I say. "Otherwise I highly doubt he'd be going out right now. If anything, he'd be laying low." I comment and sit back in my chair, lifting a brow at Cap. "So, I hope you're ready for an adventure." Steve smiles at me before standing to his feet.