madripoor, malay archipelago

The island smelled of acid, sweat, and blood, and it made Kalina slightly queasy, as the four renegades walked down the bridge to Low Town. She had never been to the city, but had heard both good and bad, understanding that the lavish businessmen and women lived in High Town, wanting to remain close to their trade routes in the slums of Low Town. It would have been about the only reason anyone would want to live in Madripoor at all, because even High Town was incredibly shady and difficult to discern friend or foe. Most of the dealers she knew had preferred a life outside of the city, but that did not stop the trades from making their way back to the heart of the criminal stronghold.

Helmut had insisted she change into something less elegant as he had described it, and Kalina traded her exclusively Balmain outfit for something that looked like it had been fished out of the lost and found bin at a metal concert. Much to Helmut's dismay, she fit the role of the typical women of Low Town, but still appeared incredibly seductive. This was entirely the point. He refused to allow Kalina to identify herself, concerned that she would be targeted in the future should anything go awry.

It had taken very little convincing toward Bucky or Sam to allow Kalina to come along, in fact, there were really no choices given. Kalina had made it very clear she would not be persuaded, and the two men could not find the words to argue with her. Helmut had stepped back after their discussion in the kitchen, and mentally swore that he would keep her close to his person the entire mission. She was a strong and independent woman, but she was no match for the disgusting and ruthless parties that inhabited Low Town. He had no doubt she could hold her own, but he would never let it come to that point. Kalina would be safe so long as he had anything to say about it.

Sam quietly thought that having Kalina along would be beneficial, at least to keep Zemo in his place, but also was unfamiliar with her as a person. He had fought alongside many incredible women during his time in the military and the Avengers, and had a great deal of respectful for her. However, he did not want to bring any liabilities into the fight for the super-soldier serum, and had to convince himself that she would do more good for their mission than damage.

As they walked down the bridge, Kalina kept close, walking a few steps behind the men, allowing them to talk as she invested her interest in the city across the water. She would get lost in the clicking of her heels, and of Sam's, and tune out the conversation in front of her, until Helmut turned around to peer at her over his shoulder periodically. Breaking out of her trance, she would offer a small smile of assurance, and go back into her own head.

To say she wasn't slightly nervous would be lying. She knew the underground, and she knew low-life scum, but to be in the lion's den was an entirely different experience. Kalina felt safe with Helmut, but also kept her distance. She had convinced herself that she was here only for his well-being and for no other reason, pushing out any thoughts that might cloud her judgement. Yet, should couldn't help but continue to feel comforted knowing he was nearby.

"I'm the only one who looks like a pimp." Kalina's thoughts were cut off by Sam's exclamation of disapproval for his outfit. She looked down at her own, feeling dressed as though she was a lady-of-the-night. Cringing, she silently wished to trade places with the Falcon in that moment. Bucky, to her left, had hung back slightly, walking with both the men, but appearing to stay close to her as well. He was dressed as if he were in a sport-bike gang, and played the part well.

"Only an American would assume a fashion-forward Black man looks like a pimp." Helmut retorted. Stifling a giggle, Kalina played with a loose string on the edge of the dress she wore, wondering where he had gotten all these costumes from. She dismissed an intrusive thought that Helmut had received these dresses from his own lady-of-the-night, knowing that he was never that kind of man. Still, a pang of jealousy tugged at her heart, and she refused to indulge it.

Helmut continued on, telling Sam that he was mimicking a man nicknamed the "Smiling Tiger" and proceeded to show him a picture on a cell phone. Kalina had heard of Conrad Mack many times, knowing he was into high-end men's fashion, and even had attempted to coordinate a brokerage with him in Morocco at one point in her career. She nodded, impressed at Helmut's derivative assessment, and Sam did share a striking resemblance to the African rake.

"Hell, he does look like me, though." Sam handed the phone back to Helmut, who placed it in his coat pocket, turning to look at Kalina as he did so.

He smiled sympathetically at her, noticing her discomfort with the outfit. The woman could no longer fake her smile, and stopped fiddling with the dress, now only attempting to control her anxiety. As the criminal turned away and started to discuss the smells of the city, she noticed car lights appear on the horizon of the bridge.

"No matter what happens, we have to stay in character. Our lives depend on it. There's no margin for error." Helmut was a smart man, and she trusted his words, taking them to heart. She knew that regardless of his transgressions, he was always honest and he meant what he said. The seriousness in his voice made her nauseous, questioning whether or not she should have come along.

Reminding herself that she was finally taking control, the confidence began to rebuild inside of her. Helmut had not given her a specific role, and rightfully so. In Madripoor, women without a name were no one. You had to fight your way to the top, just like any other dealer, but for women, it was much more difficult. If you made it as a woman, you were revered as a god, and if you didn't, you were considered a shadow.

The Baron had reasoned with her about providing her real identity, and she understood why. Kalina was familiar enough with the underground that she knew he was only putting her safety first, and this was a dangerous game they were playing. Knowing he was so invested in her well-being put Kalina at ease, as she approached the Audi that had now stopped and turned around for them.

Helmut held the rear passenger door open for her, nodded for Kalina to sit in the back, forcing Bucky and Sam to climb in the drivers side. Awkwardly, they all crammed into the backseat, but she felt safe seated beside Bucky, who had been given the unfortunate task of sitting in the middle. She attempted to sit as close to the door as she could to offer him more room.

Smiling at her reassuringly, Helmut silently reminded her with his eyes that she was safe. She nodded as the doors shut around her. Kalina rubbed the toes of her studded, heeled boots together and they were slightly too big for her feet. She could feel the pressure points in them start to chafe, and prayed she could maintain her poise without getting blisters tonight.

Driving down the streets of Low Town was even more unnerving, as a parade of motorcycles surrounded the car. Kalina noticed the guns dangling off their persons and was intrigued by the sight. Helmut had been to Madripoor many times in the past, and certainly many times more after their fall out. She let out a wavered breath of anxiousness. This was likely some grandiose escort that the Zemos employed when they arrived to conduct business, but being in the middle of it was very new to Kalina.

She was awestruck by the display, but quickly remembered why they were there: to protect the car. Was Low Town so dangerous that they needed a highly elite escort service to keep them from being ambushed? Kalina had never been one to question Helmut's meetings in the city, but finding herself in the midst of the business was an incredibly new scene for her. It was as invigorating as it was concerning.

Bucky noticed a stark change in her demeanor, and looked at Kalina's intense facial expression, obviously concerned about their current situation. He was always a man that could read the women around him, but that was before he was the Winter Soldier. Now, he felt so strained and distanced from anyone's emotion, numb by the pain of his own tragedy. Still, he attempted to comfort Kalina awkwardly, by placing his real, gloved hand, on hers, which had been unraveling the string on her dress again.

In an attempt to calm her anxious fingers, he did not look at her, attempting to imitate his Winter Soldier persona. The quiet gesture of friendship concealed by the darkness of the car reminded Kalina that she was not alone. She sighed before easing into her seat and looking out the window as he placed his hand back in his lap.

Kalina could see Helmut eyeing her from the rear view mirror, and nodded at him confidently, reassuring him that she was alright. He silently cursed at himself, wishing he would have never allowed her to come, genuinely concerned for her safety. He would have to be extra diligent tonight to ensure that she not only remained unharmed, but that she always felt comfortable. The criminal had ruined his opportunity to do so before, leaving her alone to fen for herself, but now that he was here, he would make up for all the lost time he had given away.

The atmosphere of Low Town was heavy, and Kalina lingered close to Helmut as they walked through the crowds of drug dealers and gun-wielding psychopaths. She kept her face down, attempting to present of façade of comfort, as if she had been all too used to the scene. Sam and Bucky positioned them behind her, taking in the environment just as she was, amazed at how the locals moved about freely conducting their criminal activities in the open.

As they approached the club they would enter, Kalina was desperate to take Helmut's hand in her fluster. She controlled her actions, bumping into a few strangers exiting the establishment who expressed some interested looks in her direction. One of the men, a bald ruffian who was clearly missing an eye with a scar right over the lid, gave her a nasty look, perturbed that she was in his way. Maintaining her confidence, she returned the look with a glare of her own, feeling an electricity light her body up as she did. The man nodded and turned away, and Kalina felt she had earned her rite of passage in that moment.

The group weaved their way through the crowds and Helmut turned to Bucky, speaking Russian directed at his Winter Soldier persona. She noticed the whispers begin to rise in the club, as others took notice of Bucky's presence. Looking at him, they made eye contact, and she felt a twinge of guilt rise in her stomach. From the little she knew about Bucky and his alter ego, she could recognize that he was incredibly uncomfortable.

Turning to the front again, the group reached a bar, and Kalina positioned herself dangerously close to Helmut, wanting to guard all her angles. He noticed her warmth next to him, her small body consumed by the grungy, short dress that accentuated her breasts and legs. Her boots clicked on the floor beside him, and he could nearly hear the tension in her steps. The leather jacket she wore complimented the outfit with her dark makeup, and she fit the part in Madripoor well.

"Hello, gentlemen. Wasn't expecting you, Smiling Tiger." The bartender turned to the group as Sam pushed to Kalina's left. He nearly blew her off in the greeting, but nodded silently in her direction, cleaning some glassware with a towel.

"We have business to do with Selby." Helmut was entirely unbothered by the club and he knew his way around the scene with ease. Kalina, on the other hand, was used to clubs with more lighting, more laughter, and less felony.

She watched as the bartender began to create a diabolic concoction in the form of a snake organ shot, and passed it to Sam. Apparently Smiling Tiger had poor taste in alcohol. It wasn't the cutting of the snake that bothered Kalina, but the eyes Sam made as he was expected to take the drink made her queasy. It was as if she could feel his disgust behind the acceptance he portrayed.

"Cheers, Conrad." Helmut was more than amused, as he offered Kalina a shot of vodka from the bartender, hoping to cut her discomfort. He turned to take his own, internally laughing to himself as the Falcon fought his silent desire to toss the drink to the floor.

Happily accepting her drink, Kalina winced, holding it up to Sam, as he eyed his glass. After a few unconvinced movements, he tossed the drink back, and she did the same with ease. Vodka had never felt better, lacing her throat with a warmth that roared a billowing fire in her chest. A few more of those would be needed to make it through the night.

A dark, gravely voice cut her thoughts of more drinks, as Helmut turned his back toward her. "I got word from on high. You ain't welcome here."

Helmut smiled and responded coolly. "I have no business with the Power Broker, but if he insists, he can either come talk to me... or bring Selby for a chat."

Kalina looked at Bucky, who had an aggressive expression plastered on his face toward the outsider for making a comment about his hair. No sooner than she made eye contact with the "Winter Soldier," she felt a beefy hand grab her arm, the leather of her jacket crinkling around her skin.

"Haven't seen you 'round here before..." A slimy sound crept from a man's mouth, and Kalina linked the voice to a large individual with a head covered in tattoos. His long hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and he could hardly be recognized by the amount of ink that covered his cheeks and forehead, tracing his neck down below the denim vest he wore.

"I, uh..." Kalina was lost for words, and could feel his hand tense around her bicep. He was nearly a foot taller than her.

"You'd sure be a fun night." The cruel man pulled Kalina away from the bar, close to him, and reached a hand to caress her cheek in haste, as if she were a doll to be thrown around. Helmut could feel the rage boil inside of him, as he turned to the man. He attempted to remain in character, knowing that if he lost his cool, he would be the one spoiling the plan for the group.

Kalina looked at the man as he nearly pulled her arm off countering her resistance. She knew at this point, her bicep was bruising. Sam and Bucky stood by, incredibly uncomfortable with the situation, but unsure of how to react. They couldn't break character, and crooks could not be expected to chase after a damsel in distress.

Suddenly, Helmut stepped in between the two, causing the heathen to drop his grip. "She's with me tonight... and I doubt you can match what I pay."

His calculated response masked any aggression he had toward the ponytailed man, and Kalina stepped farther behind him, pushing her back into the bar. She felt safe hidden behind Helmut's long coat and his protective demeanor. She reminded herself she was safe with him.

"Ah, yeah?" The man became surrounded by other angry patrons who had moved in from the shadows. Kalina looked to Sam, who reflected a concerned expression with his eyebrows alone. Snickering, Helmut simply smirked at the men and turned his back to them, moving to Kalina at the bar.

"Zimniy Soldat..." He made eye contact with Bucky, who in that moment wanted nothing more than to trash the goons. "Ataka."

As the rouge man placed a hand on Helmut's shoulder, Bucky glared with a sense of hesitation, but then snapped into his version of a fake Winter Soldier, and began to take down the men individually and with ease. Kalina turned to face the bar, urging the bartender personally for another shot, who was distracted and impressed by the fight. Helmut turned to her, grabbing her waist and pulling her close for protection, as a man was slammed to the floor next to them.

She felt safe and comforted in his grasp, forgetting any trace of resentment she held for him. In that moment, she only wanted to remain near the Baron, as if his presence would render her invincible. Moving as close as she could to the man, she reached for the new shot of vodka, as the sounds of fighting continued behind her. Helmut leaned around her, mumbling to Sam about the Winter Soldier, but all she could hear was the clatter of men falling to the floor.

Helmut turned away from her to shove a man out of his way that was falling toward them. She frowned, as his hands left her body, and took the shot. As the clink of her glass hit the bar, the sounds of guns being cocked resonated around them, and Bucky shoved a man to the bar holding him down by the throat.

Grabbing Bucky by the arm, Helmut leaned away from him after whispering something, and proceeded to show his pleasure toward the situation. "Otlichnaya, Soldat."

Kalina turned to Bucky, who was in visible mental agony from the encounter. It was painfully apparent that he hated his former self, and it had taken everything in him to contain his rage in the midst of the chaos.

"Selby will see you now." The bartender nodded toward them, and Kalina felt a sense of relief, despite Selby being far more concerning than the men in the club. She needed a distraction from the scene, and leaving was the right call.

As they moved to leave, Sam checked on Bucky, who simply panted heavily and walked out the door behind Helmut. Kalina chased after the others, the Falcon following close behind her.

The back hallways of the club were equally eerie, and Kalina felt a bit more energized from the shots of vodka. She swore the last she had taken had been a double, and she silently thanked the bartender for being engaged enough in the fight to make the mistake. A quiet confidence settled in her gut, and she felt the electric buzz in her fingertips as they walked.

"You should know, Baron, people don't just come into my bar and make demands." A woman's elegant yet sly voice echoed in the halls, as they passed a bar of men counting money. Another man trailed nearby, following them into the lair with a gun held close to his person. Kalina kept her eyes to the ground in front of her, watching Bucky's boots tap along the concrete floor as they moved into an open room.

"Not a demand. An offer." Helmut briskly moved to seat himself in front of the skinny woman, and she took the form of a blonde, spike-haired Selby. As they exchanged strained pleasantries, Kalina followed Bucky to the right of the seat, as Sam rounded the corner to the other side. Men with guns surrounded them in the shadows, simply waiting for them to break cover.

Helmut wanted to cut to the chase, and get them out of the facility, but Selby had other plans. Kalina knew the longer they remained in Selby's headquarters, the easier targets they were. This she had learned from Helmut long ago, and it was why she never lingered at engagements long. She refused to give others more leverage on her than she could afford to lose.

"You're taller than I'd heard, Smiling Tiger." Selby growled at Sam, who uncomfortably nodded.