Forgiveness

5.3. Madripoor

We arrive at Madripoor soon enough and Zemo leads us to a safe house or something to give us our "attire" as he says. Sam will be impersonating someone named Conrad Mack (or 'The Smiling Tiger' as people called him) and he hated his outfit even if he looked exactly like the guy whose picture Zemo showed us. Bucky was of course going as the Winter Soldier and that left me. I was confused as to who I was going to have to become, since my HYDRA nickname wasn't as famous as the Winter Soldier. But knowing this place was full of criminals they would have for sure heard it.

"And who am I supposed to be?" I ask as I peer into the closet where Zemo apparently had put clothes for me and without looking at them return to the main room the others were in.

"So James'll be Winter Soldier, Sam - Smiling tiger...and of course Y/N" Zemo takes my hand placing a kiss on top of it. "Baroness Zemo." Bucky growls in disapproval.

"Like hell she will." I roll my eyes at both Zemo and Bucky. Why did Zemo have to continue this... whatever he was doing.

"Buck, it's fine it's just for the mission. But how are we gonna play that off? People here probably know me as the Winter Assassin." Smiling Zemo lets my hand go and continues.

"Yes, but they also know you weren't exactly mind controlled like he was, so the story will be quite close to the truth, minus the marriage part. We met after you had already left HYDRA, perhaps even in Sokovia and well from there things just happened."

Sighing I nod. I couldn't help but ask myself whether that could have really happened had the circumstances been different than reality. Heading inside the designated room for me I finally took a look at the outfit and my eyes widened at the tight-fitting green dress (at least he remembered my favorite color) which had a slit on either side of it. I quickly checked if my hair was good in the mirror in the room and finally headed out where Sam, Zemo and Bucky were waiting for me.

Suddenly all three of them turn towards me, Sam and Bucky quickly glancing away. Zemo, however, looks me up and down with a smirk. It was then that I noticed his attire and my heart skipped a beat. To say I didn't feel some things looking at him in his suit would be a lie.

"You look ravishing, princess." Blushing at the compliment I tell him to shut up and he chuckles. Sam holds Bucky's arm to stop him from making a comment and the four of us leave and head to the place we are supposed to meet Selby, whoever she was.

"No matter what happens, we have to stay in character." Zemo explains as we are walking on this large bridge. It's already dark outside and I feel the cold breeze on my legs and back. Damn you Zemo for choosing this dress I'm going to freeze to death. He seems to notice me slightly shaking and takes off his coat draping it over my shoulders, the situation reminding me of Paris.

"Thanks..." I mumble and snuggle into the coat feeling warmer and immediately being engulfed in the smell of sandalwood. (A/N: sorry if you don't like it but I just love this smell :D). A smile appears on my face and I can tell Bucky is glaring at me, but I don't care. I had felt the smell all the way back in Zemo's hideout but now I knew where it came from. It was driving me crazy and if I voiced any of that he'd tease me like crazy so I just ignore him staring at me as well.

The four of us walk across the bridge to Hightown or whatever. There were a lot of neon flashy lights which were shining way too brightly making me squint my eyes. We reach some stairs we have to take in order to reach the bar Zemo was taking us to and I take a deep breath. I hated walking in heels. Seemingly noticing my frustration Zemo links his arm with mine, leading me down the steps. I thank him and return his coat, feeling warmer.

The whole place slightly frightened me, all the noises and people reminded me of parties HYDRA would send me to on missions. Sure I wasn't easily scared, but still instinctively stayed close to Zemo the whole time.

We walk into the underground club and I notice drinks being passed around everywhere, people being loud and partying. Suddenly as people noticed us they went quiet, some of their voices hushed. Clearly they knew Zemo and recognized Bucky and all the staring made me uncomfortable.

Multiple men stare me up and down, reminding me of that whole situation in Riga. Now here if anyone even tried anything Sam, Bucky and Zemo would take them down no questions asked. As we reach the bar the bartender walks up to us greeting us and specifically Sam (or Smiling Tiger who he was pretending to be) and Zemo explained we have business with Selby.

"The usual?" The bartender asks Sam and he hesitantly nods.

"Who is Selby exactly?" I whisper in Zemo's ear, still glued to his side much to my friends' annoyance. Before he can respond to me however we were suddenly cut off by what the bartender was doing for Sam's drink.

There was a snake on the cutting board and fear rushed through my veins. I hated snakes. I had to look away immediately and without thinking I shuffled closer to Zemo and buried my face into his coat, my hands gripping onto his arm for support. He seems kind of surprised at first but soon figures out the source of my fear.

Clearly not caring that Sam and Bucky were right there Zemo puts his arm around me, his hand rubbing shooting circles on my back. Just thinking about the snake made me squeamish and Zemo notices my discomfort and whispers. "It's gone, dear, you can open your eyes."

Nodding I pull away and notice Bucky's death glare at Zemo. Was he ever going to stop? It was getting a tad bit annoying. On the inside I wished I could stay like that a little longer, but Zemo's hand doesn't move from its spot on my back. It felt comfortable even if my inner conscience was telling me it shouldn't. I saw someone approach us from behind. It was a bald man, with furrowed eyebrows who was glaring at Zemo.

"You aren't welcome here." Zemo carefully pushes me behind him which both makes me scoff and smile. Was he trying to protect me in case something happened? Confidently and with a smile Zemo responds.

"I have no business with the Power Broker, but if he insists, he can either come and talk to me...Or bring Selby for a chat." The man walked off, taking one last look at Bucky and Zemo.

"A power broker? Really?" Bucky's annoyance was evident and Zemo sighs.

"Every kingdom has its king."

"Do you know him?" I ask, moving a little further away from Zemo.

"Only by reputation. In Madripoor he is the judge, jury, and executioner." I notice a man approach Zemo and put his hand on his shoulder.

Before I can do anything Zemo suddenly speaks in Russian. "Winter Soldier, attack."