[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/868848204068814850/873521850309824542/unknown.png[/img]
[quote]
[b][color=6276a9]"The inconsistency with the blood spatter. The angle of the bullets. Obvious misdirection by themselves, but visually indistinct when hidden behind a sheen of shattered protective glass. A trick that only a few would know... likely, they would be on the level of an ex-spy with a record as long as Fury's."[/color][/b]

[color=6276a9][b]"You and I both know that there [i]aren't[/i] any living spies with a record as long as Fury's. Which can only mean one thing."[/b][/color]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/t3XJ0wm.png[/img]

[b][color=6276a9]"Nick orchestrated this himself."[/color][/b]
[/quote]

Steve hesitated for a moment. [color=#b496f1]"Damn it Nick."[/color] He rubbed his left hand up over his mouth, brushing against the stubble that was in danger of becoming a beard if he didn't find the time to shave. [color=#b496f1]"You know, I thought Jack Fury was frustrating but this-"[/color] Steve pointed towards the phone. [color=#b496f1]"This wins."[/color]

What could Fury be thinking? Staging his own kidnapping. Had any aspect of the attack been genuine or was it all fake? Was the trail he was following fake? Just once he wished he came away from meeting The Batman without having more questions than he started with. Alternatively he'd just like to have a member of the family on retainer... other than the one that Waller had dumped in his lap. That one could prove trouble.

[color=#b496f1]"Alright, so if this was staged something bigger is going on than just Winter Soldier sightings and that Nick has to go off-grid in order to achieve his goal. This makes things much harder, now I have to find him without ARGUS or anyone else knowing, find out what he's doing and do it in a way that makes it look like we don't know he's alive."[/color] As if he didn't have enough of a workload to be contending with. Now the one thing that seemed simple, Finding Fury was infinitely more complicated than it was before.

[color=#b496f1]"Right. I need to take this back, relay what I can to Romanoff and figure out what's next-" His phone beeped and he pulled it out of his pocket, groaning as he did so. There was always something else. Fury better have a damn good reason for skipping town. "-right I have to get back to the carrier. I have Vegas to deal with now."[/color] He clicked his homing beacon, sending the signal to the waiting quinjet. Steve walked towards the edge of the building, though stopped and turned as he had a thought. [color=#b496f1]"Before you disappear into the night however, how's Grayson doing?"[/color]