Penance IC Inbox

[deaddrop]

Text. Video. Voice.

Comments

[hypoxic]

Yes. Preferably somewhere secure.

[deaddrop]

Define secure in this context.

[hypoxic]

Somewhere we won't be overheard. By residents or demons.

[deaddrop]

Ever go to the suana?

[hypoxic]

What does that have to do with anything?

[deaddrop]

It's private. No one is going to sneak up on us. Hard to sneak in a weapon.

That's what I'd consider secure.

[hypoxic]

We would still be clothed in this scenario, of course.

[deaddrop]

That sounds very uncomfortable.

[hypoxic]

The alternative sounds more.

[ except she's right about the security level. ]

Nothing untoward. We show up separately and leave separately.

[deaddrop]

Your virtue's safe.

[hypoxic]

Then I'll be there shortly.

[deaddrop]

See you then.

[hypoxic]

[ it takes him some time to make his way down to the sauna, and even longer to brave the way inside. But he'll be there, wearing a towel fully unfolded, covering himself from the chest down. ]

[deaddrop]

[Natasha is there already when he arrives, comfortably wrapped in a towel and reclining on her elbows. She sits up when he arrives, taking a drink of water from a bottle she brought in from outside.

Her eyebrows go up when she sees him covering up, but she doesn't say anything about it.]

I assume you didn't bring the trigger phrase with you?

[hypoxic]

You didn't ask for it. Still haven't told me if you'd rather have it set on fire.

[ she's so casual right now. It's unsettling. He sits on the opposite side of the sauna and it still doesn't feel far enough to be chaste. ]

[deaddrop]

[It's calculated, superficial, but she's very good at it.]

Would it have made any difference if I had?

[hypoxic]

I might've appreciated knowing a bit more about what you wanted to discuss.

[deaddrop]

You're a smart man, Agent Fitz. I'm sure you can guess. If there's a Hydra presence here—and high ranking at that—it's a concern.

[hypoxic]

I'm aware. And I hope you'll be responsible with what I've trusted to you.

[deaddrop]

And I intend to be. So far I haven't spread this around.

I'm going to need more than that, though.

[hypoxic]

If you want more, I'll need a more specific question.

[ so he can be evasive about it ]

[deaddrop]

All right. What do you think you're going to have to tell me to prevent me from going on a manhunt from someone here who might be ex-Hydra?

It's a fairly small population.

[How long do you think it would take her to figure something out?]

[hypoxic]

I already told you that there's an arrangement in play. Someone independently engaging on a manhunt would be considered a violation of that arrangement. There would be repercussions.

[deaddrop]

I'm not saying this to make threats, Fitz. And I'm not looking to start a war.

[At the moment, whoever this person is they seem to be keeping a low profile. The problem is that with Hydra that isn't entirely reassuring.

She remembers Zola's words, calling it a beautiful parasite.]

But there is someone here who has extremely sensitive information. Information that could compromise an enhanced assassin who has been stable.

[Semi-stable.]

That's a risk to Barnes and to anyone who might become his target.

[hypoxic]

I'm aware of the risks, Natasha. This isn't a new issue just because you've newly become aware of it. It's under as much control as it can be. Changing the balance would just give the agent in question reason to break our truce.