Longing •Bucky Barnes•

47. Madripoor

"I feel ridiculous." I said shaking my head as we walked down the bridge.

"You feel ridiculous?" Sam asked in a loud tone. "I'm the only one who looks like a pimp."

Zemo had us dressed in these ridiculous outfits to enter whatever club we were headed to. I was in a dress that was way too tight and way too short. It was a red dress that barley covered my ass and it had a plunging neckline that went nearly to my belly button. I was thankful for its long sleeves but that was about the only modestly it held. I was also in thigh high leather boots which were the only place where I could conceal a gun to carry with me.

He claimed it was necessary so that we could fit in here but part of me thought it was a sick joke. Sam was dressed like he had said, a pimp. He was just as flashy and goddy as I was but at least he wasn't freezing cold. Zemo was decked out in his fancy coat and Bucky was the only one who was able to dress like normal. He had made such a name for himself over the last decade or so there was no hiding who he was. He was going to have to pretend to be under Zemo's control.

"Only an American would assume a fashion forward black man looks like a pimp." Zemo said and I suppose he was right. "You look exactly like the man youre supposed to be playing. The sophisticated, charming African rake named Conrad Mack, AKA The Smiling Tiger."

"He even has a bad nickname." Sam mocked as he looked at Zemo's phone. "Hell, he does look like me though."

"No matter what happens we have to stay in character, our lives depend on it. There's no margin for error." He said as we neared the neon city.

"What exactly is my character, because I look like I should be on a pole." I said in a snarky tone.

"You'll be at my side. Men like me often have women at their sides as offerings to business partners. To put it bluntly, you're impersonating someone who is there to make negotiations with pleasure." He said and Bucky's head snapped to him as well as mine.

"So I'm a sex offering. You're joking." I said sounding outraged

"Worry not my winter princess, you're not her type." He said with a smile that I wanted to smack off. "You stay at my side, you needn't speak."

"Perfect seen not heard. Thought we had grown past this stage of history." I said stomping forward.

"Your skills will come into use my dear." He said brushing back my hair and I pulled a knife from my dress line and instantly held it against his throat.

"Woah!" Sam said behind me.

"Val!" Bucky said trying to be careful.

"Don't touch me." I said through my teeth.

"If you behave like this when we get inside you'll blow the cover." He said and I didn't move an inch as the blade sat on his neck. "Your skills are not meant to be obvious. Any normal woman of the night would come off as weak and vulnerable, at least against armed guards, no?"

"Your point?" I asked angrily.

"You're a trained assassin Valerie. You are a secret weapon if you will, if someone tries to cross us you're the unsuspecting card we have to play." He said and I took a couple deep breaths.

"Valerie." Bucky said, but I was glued to Zemo's face.

I felt a hand pull my knife away from his throat and I turned to Bucky. He took the knife from my hand and slipped it back into the hem of my dress where I had the small knife tucked away. He grabbed my jaw line and looked at me with intense eyes.

"Trust." Was all he said. I furrowed my eye brows but he only looked at me harder. "Please, no more of this. I know you hate him, but please. Trust me."