MENTAL LINK.

[batmotif]

[Though it may be the first time that Bruce has reached out to everyone mentally, there’s no hesitation in how quickly his voice permeates in other hosts’ heads. As with most things, the man gets right to it — besides, this isn’t exactly being done for the sake of pleasantries.

Straight to business then:]

(If you’ve been paying attention, you’d know that Public Security Commissioner Seong-Hye Ngozi has been hiding something. I plan on visiting her office to find out exactly what that is.)

[Images of the office building itself filters through the link, the fruit of prior research and reconnaissance. And the implication is more than clear that this isn’t exactly going to be a scheduled office visit.]

(I’ll need distractions outside of the Public Security offices. Only volunteer if you’re confident that you know what you’re doing.)

[He’s sure questions are on their way, but he’s not willing to entertain them preemptively. Thus, his words end there.]

((ooc; this is the post for your character to ICly offer themselves to help with the break-in plot. (As detailed here.) Note that while Bruce might not find everyone’s credentials compelling, that won’t stop your character from coordinating with others if they want. He's not your supervisor!!!

Therefore, threadjacking is highly encouraged so all characters can sort out their plotting together!)

Comments

[batmotif]

[Opening a few doors would be more than just a little useful, Bruce has to admit that. And so he pushes a concern to the forefront, to see how it may be handled.]

(If you come along, you'd be the fourth. Stealth becomes harder the more people there are, but you said you "specialized" in infiltration back home?)

[Details!]

[cognitived]

[ He sees that concern, weighs it carefully. But it's no different than Steve, that first day, than Fury, all those years ago. ]

( I worked for a spy agency as an assassin. )

[batmotif]

[What's that loud noise? Is it the sound of the word assassin smashing into Bruce's stringent sense of morality? record scratch sfx]

(You were paid to kill people?)

[What a revelation this is, and from a broodmate no less!!!]

[cognitived]

[ S I G H ]

( I was a soldier before that, paid to kill people then too. )

[ Sorry Bruce, guess who's pretty morally grey. ]

( I was a spy, man. I didn't kill every mission, but I'm one of the best damn snipers they had. You don't use that for paperwork.)

[sensitively]

( Were they bad people? )

[ Rey asking the relevant questions. ]

[cognitived]

[ A pause, because -- ]

( Were they blameless? No. But y'know, neither am I. )

[batmotif]

[The wrong questions! There should be no questions!]

(That hardly makes it justified.)

[cognitived]

( I don't have to justify my actions, Bruce. )

[ even though tHAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE'S DOING GOD CLINT ]

[batmotif]

[He should expect morally grey all around, from all his fellow hosts. But though Bruce is not exactly the most law-abiding citizen in a lot of ways (I mean, he's a vigilante after all), killing is forever on the no-no list.

This is probably reflected in his tone, which has somehow become more serious than it was even before.]

(If that's supposed to make me feel like it's acceptable, you're going to have to try harder.

Who did you work for?)

[cognitived]

[ There's a flash of irritation, something sharp beneath his skin, edging there in the dark of his mind. He could respond, pushing back at the edges in his broodmate's voice. But clearly Bruce isn't going to listen, and Clint's tired of being demonized for his choices.

Breathes in, shoving down the prickling edge of his thoughts. Doesn't quite suppress it all. ]

( The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. S.H.I.E.L.D., for short. )

[batmotif]

[That irritation might as well be nails scraping against a metal wall. Bruce feels it sting -- it's impossible not to, when dealing with a member of his brood -- but his own willpower dictates that he remains unfazed.

In a way, Clint is right. Bruce won't listen when it comes to killing another human being. But perhaps he won't be so quick to demonize; it's too difficult to cast aside one of his own, to want nothing to do with them anymore. It's the equivalent of removing one's own arm.

It doesn't mean he has to like it, it doesn't mean he has to even attempt to understand it. But he can't choose his broodmates; he won't shut them out either. That much can probably be picked up on, if by the very fact that Bruce is still having this conversation, and still considering utilizing Clint's help.]

(A fancy acronym that basically means "a little bit of everything".)

[quivers]

[ EXCUSE WHAT ]

( The futz are you talking about? )

[cognitived]

[ W H O O P S ]

( I didn't work for SHIELD in your world? )

[quivers]

( Not for their shady business. I thought you were above handling Maria Hill's dirty crap. )

[ Can he sense a bit of anger pouring in? Most probably. ]

[cognitived]

[ Slow squint ]

( Fury's, technically. )

[ He doesn't have to explain himself, any yet -- ] ( SHIELD got me out of a bad situation, and maybe they weren't the best but there's only so many places you can go when all you know is how to shoot, Kate. )

[ Is he making excuses? Yes, sort of. Clint could have learned how to be more than just a guy with good aim. But he didn't. ]

[quivers]

( That's not much better. )

[ Fury was always the shadiest of them all, disappearing when it was convenient, shuffling blame around when things got bad. The first Fury, anyway. The second one was just another sketchy replacement for his dad. ]

( Not shooting to kill. You and I fought SHIELD for exactly this, Clint. Because they were purposely hurting people they weren't supposed to. Because they were out forcing others to do their little dirty work while pretending to keep their hands clean. Because we're supposed to be the good — )

[ — wait. There wasn't a we. This wasn't the same partner who fought beside her. A memory rises, but she brushes it away. These mental links were throwing her off her game. ]

[headinjuries]

[ sure, why not pile into this trainwreck ]

( So, SHIELD being dicks is a multiversal constant? )

[ eternally buttblasted about Pleasant Hill: this kid ]

[sizeofyourbaggage]

( I guess technically HYDRA is to blame for some of it, but yeah, pretty much. )

[decommission]

[ record scratch redux ]

( Your world's got SHIELD too? )

[ this is what he gets from locking himself out of 80% of all previous open calls ]

[cognitived]

( I mean, to be fair, part of that's HYDRA's fault. )

[ Wry. ]

[quivers]

[ sam u da best ]

( Mental hi-five? )

[ SHIELD sucks ]

[decommission]

( This is the agency we both work for? )

[ Look, he's smart enough to get there's killing involved in being a soldier but uh ]

[cognitived]

( Used to. )

[ He's making great impressions isn't he? ]

( After the Chitauri, the team split. Nat was the only one still officially working with SHIELD immediately after. When you came back, you joined up with us for a couple years, ran rescue missions, info drops. That sorta thing. )

[decommission]

[ Something like that. The used to part is pretty important though. ]

( And assassinations? ) [ Had that still been going on? ] ( Was this during war time? )

[ His history lessons are a patchwork. ]

[cognitived]

[ A humorless little sound. ]

( Technically? We've been at war for decades. But no, not many assassinations after the Avengers started. )