Buzzkill [Winter Soldier]

Chapter 38

For the next couple of hours, Ruth and James sat in the steady breeze of the large fans, intently watching the news. Before they went anywhere near the city they had to make sure they were safe. If even one Hydra agent was lurking around the city square and saw either one of them, their cover would be blown. There were updates on the people affected by the outcome of the crashing airships. Thankfully, more people were injured than killed.

As expected, there was no mention of the two of them, but they were cautious. The only mention of Hydra or SHIELD was that the organizations had seemingly disappeared. Steve Rogers was mentioned once as one of the people injured, but that he was being taken care of in a secure location.

James looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table, it was just a little past two o'clock.

"Should we go?" Ruth asked, seeing James look at the time.

James took a deep breath, visibly anxious. "Yeah, I think so."

The only problem was transportation. There was no way for them to rent a car, or even a motorcycle. To take a cab would mean risking being in a confined car with one other stranger possibly studying you the whole ride.

After asking a couple of questions to the motel manager at the front desk, they found their way to a bus stop where it would be about a half an hour journey to the museum; which James complained about because the motel was only four miles away. Ruth was concerned how there wasn't an easy escape route back to the motel if something went wrong. James tried to reassure her, but he was feeling the exact same way, and he knew he couldn't hide that feeling from her.

Ruth scanned each of the few faces sitting on the bus as discretely as she could, and no one sparked familiarity.

For the whole bus ride, the two of them were uneasy. Ruth couldn't help but think someone could find her and/or would attack her at any moment. James sat in anticipation for what he would find at the museum.

Many times within the thirty minute bus ride, James looked over at Ruth, who was sitting to his left, each time feeling a pang of guilt when he looked at the large mark on her cheek bone.

Arriving and walking up to the massive museum, Ruth suddenly felt insecure about the bruise on her face. By now, the bruise had turned a couple different colors even though the swelling had gone down. There was nothing she had that could conceal it. The only thing she could do now was hold her ball cap tight on her head to have it give the illusion that the bruise was covered up. The worst thing she thought that could happen would be someone asking what happened, and think James did it to her. The last thing she needed was unwanted attention from complete strangers calling the police.

Once they both saw security and metal detectors, Ruth took James' left hand in hers to hold, and kept close to him. It would look a lot less suspicious for two people in ball caps to walk in if they were holding hands. Plus, if James had to give anything to a security guard or shake someone's hand, it wouldn't have to be the metal one. James went along with the move, and surprising to Ruth, the hold on her hand wasn't harsh despite his hand being regularly used a weapon.

They were only a few steps from the security, "You didn't bring a gun or knife, right?" James leaned down and whispered to her.

"No, I didn't."

James took a deep breath, "Good."

"What about your arm?"

"Don't worry about it." James and Ruth smiled brightly when the past the guards, they didn't stop them or even ask questions.

After the security, there were small stands where you could pick up information and maps of the building. James grabbed a couple and they walked steadily along.