[Leipzig AU] good for trouble

[from_the_outside]

Busan glitters like a disco ball in the night, and no one gives them a second glance as they stroll through the fish market, Sharon in her white dress on Ross's arm, the rest of the team behind them. "Sophia," she says, warmly, and exchanges air kisses with the woman, her pink visor and plastic apron both bright. She knows to expect them, and after she pats Sharon fondly on the cheek, she nods them through.

They spread out through the casino, the team's voices low in her ear. She stays by Ross, playing the part of arm candy, applauding when he wins and consoling him when he loses.

There's no sign of Klaue yet, and the metal briefcase full of diamonds stays locked to the wrist of one of the other agents. "I'm going to get a drink," Sharon murmurs to Ross, and makes her way through the crowd to the bar. 

The martinis here are fine, but not as good as Nat's.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"I'm just in it for the good looks and charm," she says, then slants a half-smile at Nakia to let her know she's joking.

[marvel_npc]

She laughs very softly to keep from drawing attention.

"Of course."

[from_the_outside]

"Is he doing okay?" she murmurs, after a moment. "Really?"

By himself out there in Wakanda, now with Steve and Tony gone, too. She's absolutely certain he's been downplaying what he's been thinking and feeling, not wanting her to worry.

[marvel_npc]

"He is," Nakia assures her. If her friend begins to worry too much, she will hound T'Challa for things he is not yet willing to grant, and that will be detrimental to Nakia's purpose as well as Sharon's own.

"He is very quiet, and has been keeping much to himself, but I believe Shuri is determined to see to it that this changes. T'Challa as well, now that he has more time to give."

[from_the_outside]

"Good."

She lifts a hand and pats Nakia's arm. "I'm going to go change. Back in a minute."

[marvel_npc]

"Take your time," she says, amused, and goes to meet Okoye as the other woman returns to the room with a pack in hand.

"This will be difficult," she murmurs, and Okoye nods. "Yes. But we cannot leave Klaue with them. Under any circumstances."

[from_the_outside]

She finds a quiet part of the safe house and locks the door, then takes out her day clothes to change into before she dials Bucky's number and hits the speaker icon.

She's going to have to multitask if she wants to get a chance to talk to him.

[nerves_of_ice]

Once Shuri had finished up the tests, she'd agreed to let him hang around in case of any word from the others - especially once he'd promised to share anything he could, too.

That doesn't mean she's not going to get everything possible out of him in the meantime, and he finds himself more than a little amused by the set of tasks she puts him to. Still, when the tablet chimes, he sets them aside immediately and goes to the little side room to take the call.

"Hi."

[from_the_outside]

"Hi, baby."

She unzips the dress and undoes the halter, letting it fall in a whisper of material to the floor, then bends to undo her shoes. "I can't talk long, but I wanted to just check in."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I'm glad you did," he murmurs. "Busy night?"

[from_the_outside]

"You could say that."

She shakes out her jeans and drags them on, then pulls on a button-down shirt. "I ran into some of your new friends."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Did you now.” At least he won’t have to try to hide that from her.

“Must have been a surprise for everyone.”

[from_the_outside]

"That's for sure."

She shakes her hair out of its bun and buttons up her shirt. "Not quite sure what's going to happen with everything, but it could had gone a lot worse."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I bet. Everything and everyone secure?”

He refuses to pry into anything she can’t tell him, but he can at least ask general questions.

[from_the_outside]

"Everybody's fine. And the hard part is over."

Aside from whatever negotiations Ross will need to make with T'Challa. "Mostly just talking left."

[nerves_of_ice]

That sounds promising, at least.

"Good." His warm smile comes through in the sound of his voice. "I'm glad. For a lot of reasons."

[from_the_outside]

"Me, too."

She tugs on her socks and ankle boots, then picks up her dress and phone, closing the speaker and setting the phone to her ear. "Sorry, baby, I've gotta go. But I'll call again later, maybe once I'm back in Berlin. Okay?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay," he reassures her. "I understand. Take care of yourself, sweetheart. Talk soon."

[from_the_outside]

"I will," she promises. "Talk soon."

She hangs up and slips her phone into her back pocket, then zips her dress into its garment bag and tucks it into her duffel.

It's probably too much to hope that Ross and T'Challa have come to some sort of arrangement yet, but she's feeling optimistic.

[nerves_of_ice]

He puts the tablet away and goes to find Shuri to bring her up to speed with the limited information he has. Still, it's promising... at least until the Task Force runs up against the impenetrable wall of determination that's T'Challa when he's set on something.

Then again, they've got more reason to know than most outside Wakanda, so it's not like they're going in unknowing.

[from_the_outside]

An hour or so later, Okoye has returned and the Wakandans have changed out of their evening wear – in T'Challa's case, out of his cat suit – and Sharon goes to join Nakia to look out the window as dawn breaks over the city, casting everything into a cool light.

"Any progress?" she murmurs, tipping her head back at the trio of Ross, T'Challa, and Okoye.

[marvel_npc]

"Not much." They can hear the faint sounds of Klaue's taunting from the room beyond. Nakia ignores it, focusing instead on watching the street. Even as early as it is, the city hums with the bustle of people heading to work or other places, focused on their own goals and needs.

A white service van moves slowly down the street, probably searching for an address on the cramped signage for each building, as she glances at Sharon.

"The king will not be moved on this. Klaue must come with us."

[from_the_outside]

"Ross might agree to that, if he gets the information he needs out of Klaue first."

He certainly won't agree to letting Klaue go without any ability to question him. She slants a sidelong glance back at Nakia. "You know we've got to find out what we can about his network."

[marvel_npc]

"Mm. I know." She glances over at the others in time to see Ross tap T'Challa on the chest dismissively with the back of his hand.

"Your boss needs to keep his hands off King T'Challa," she informs Sharon. Okoye looks like she's ready to put the point of her spear through Ross, and Nakia feels much the same way. "Or this will get much more difficult very fast."

[from_the_outside]

She desperately wants to ask if anyone in this room is currently getting their hands on King T'Challa, but that will have to wait.

"You don't know how amazing it is Ross even let you all in here," she murmurs. Ross likes the king, she knows; enough to relax SOP and let him join in on the interrogation, but –

"Hey," she says, quietly, nudging Nakia. "Ross is going in. We're getting started."