And they called it Bucky Love

Part 11 - Ready for Action!

In a nutshell, I would be posing as an American writer, doing research for my latest book. I'd spend the next week exploring Bucharest, all the while keeping tabs on the future Mr Grace – sorry – Bucky – noting any routines he had, places he visited and people he spoke to.

Once these details had all been established, they'd engineer an "accidental" meeting between the two of us, some random "thing", that would have us in the exact same space and breathing the exact same air.

I was then expected to get close to Bucky and somehow, make him trust me, without giving myself away for who I really was.

Agents back in the U.S already had remote access cameras trained on his apartment, but they couldn't yet see inside, so that was part two of my mission – get Bucky to trust me enough to let me in there. From there on, once they knew the internal layout of the apartment and all the essential details, my part would be done and the other guys would move in.

It sounded great on paper, but boy oh boy, was my head in a state at the thought of it.

Not only that, but I feared my heart was going to beat itself out of my chest, it was going so fast.  Just the thought that within the next few days, I could be coming face to face with the love of my life was almost too much.  

I veered constantly between the twin states of being childishly excited, and peeing my pants, at the same time.

Hours later, we finally arrived on Romanian soil and I was shattered after the long flight. I really felt the need for a long hot shower (they do have hot water in Romania don't they?)and a nice long sleep, but I had a feeling that probably wouldn't happen, knowing Tony.

Once the Quinjet had been expertly landed by Steve in a small field outside the town, it (and us) descended down into a secret cavern (now that shouldn't come as a surprise – I mean, this is Tony we're talking about here after all).    

"Don't look so shocked weird girl" was all he said (normal service is obviously resumed!) "I've got these little hideaways set up all over the place  - always handy in a crisis"

Of course – why wouldn't you!

The "secret" cave actually turned out to be far more than that in all reality – it combined what I'd describe as bijou living quarters, along with a small lab, containing lots of Tony's favorite types of surveillance equipment as well as some really fancy weaponry gadgets and other bits and bobs.      Over the next couple of days, as we acclimatized, I began to actually get excited about "the mission".

I'd never done anything like that before in my life, but Steve and Natasha seemed so confident in me, that it started to rub off.  

Natasha taught me a couple of basic Romanian phrases, enough that would satisfy anyone into thinking that I was an enthusiastic traveller - "Buna dimineata" = good morning.  "As vrea o cafea,  va rog" - I would like a coffee please.

I felt quite impressed with myself but decided to limit the use of them in case I inadvertently bought myself a vineyard or something by mistake!

Steve showed  me how to follow someone discreetly, which, being totally honest, didn't come easily to me, as discreet isn't really my middle name, but bless him, he persevered, and within a few days, I felt almost confident that I could pass for the person I was going to be pretending to be.  

And as for Tony, well, his contribution was to get me familiar with the gadgets I would be using.    There weren't a lot to be fair (I don't think he trusted me as much as I'd hoped!), but boy, though they were few, they were impressive.

"Now concentrate" he'd said in his best school teacher voice "this jacket you're wearing is impregnated with microscopic cameras woven into the material.  It means that even if you WERE to get stopped and frisked – you'd show up as clean. It also records a live feed back to us and has microphones built in so we can........."    his voice faded into the background as I immediately had very dirty thoughts of being frisked by Bucky and I started to daydream.

"Weird girl – are you with me? Tune in!"

"Ahh, sorry Tone – just getting caught up in the moment again – you know me"

And then, just to wind him up "Do I get a gun?" 

One thing that I had seen immediately in the lab was that there were cameras covering virtually every square inch of Bucharest and of course, as soon as I noticed where three particular cameras were facing, I couldn't take my eyes off them, because,  you've guessed it, they were pointing to His apartment block.    

I was mesmerized – just knowing that He could be in there at that moment, unaware that his future wife and mother of his children was watching. 

Steve came over as I was scanning the images.

"You okay Magpie?   I know this is a massive deal for you"   He put his arm round me.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I replied, giving him a grin. "Can't wait to get started actually". Then "Is that weird? You know, considering it's me we're talking about and not some superspy."

Steve paused "No. Its good and I'm glad you're feeling confident, though I must confess, I'm the one getting nervous at the thought of you out there on your own"

"Well I won't be really, will I?" I said, giving a little laugh to hide my trepidation "I mean, on my own. You'll all be watching my every move, so there's no way anything bad'll happen. And you know that there's no way Tony would lose his best girl Friday!"

"I know, but it still won't stop me worrying"

"Well then the tables are turned" I said, giving him a smile "You can be in my shoes for a change"