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Afternoon 114; @j; text

[advanced]

[Waking up somewhere new with no memory of how he got there is, sadly, not an unknown thing. But it hasn't happened in months, nearly a year, and that scares him. The view outside this dilapidated building is snow and ice, is he back in Siberia? The thoughts occur as panic which manifests as a clenching of his fist, but it goes no further before logic catches up. This can't be Siberia and it can't be HYDRA or he wouldn't know himself enough to be confused, he'd already be the Soldier again.

The tablet catches his attention demanding a name. He's not so much as a fool as to put in his real name, nor any recognisable word. Anything he chooses might be linked to him somehow, traced back by subconscious footprints he didn't even remember leaving, so he enters a single letter at random.

It's possibly the most and least comforting thing that the first thing he sees is a video of Steve Rogers talking about a survival guide and where they were. It's fortunate because he believes Steve intrinsically, no matter what nonsense he's spouting. Either he's telling the truth, or someone has compromised Rogers. Either way, he needs to understand more. He grips the tablet so tightly that by rights it should be smashed. Durable. Interesting. Then he sets himself down, ears open for any sound but the wind and eyes darting up every so often to scan the terrain, and reads through the guide.

Then he reads more posts, as much as he can find, and investigates the house he is in from top to bottom.

It's only in the afternoon that he uses the tablet to send an outgoing message. Text only, it's more anonymous in case this is all a trick to lure him out of hiding, keeping it short and to the point.]

I need tools and weapons. Willing to trade for food and clothing.

[He assumes he can do without the latter two better than most others and they are the logical choice for trade as desirable items.]

@zd; text

[swatsflies]

Search houses really well.
You could try breaking a chair or table leg for a club.
Not that there are a lot of threats here
besides the monsters, but you don't want to try messing with those man.
don't trade your food or clothes. it's frickin cold here and you have to walk to get food.

@j; text

[advanced]

[The username tells him very little. Either this person is as cautious as he is and has chosen a random two letters, or he is utterly unconcerned with caution and those are his initials. He makes a note of the name, he will check up on this 'zd' before he acts on any advice given to him at all.]

Some things are more important than food.

[Not all the time and not all his food, he doesn't want to starve, but he needs ways to both maintain his arm and protect himself as priority.]

There are no tools in this house. Only books and paper.

[swatsflies]

Not here.
Not unless you're run into one of the two assholes you have to worry about.
Then yeah, might need a weapon.
Books and paper?
Is there a star bedspread upstairs or graded school work?

@Spoiler ; voice

[spoileralert]

[ Steph snorts a laugh when the tablet reads this message to her. It's a fair request, honestly, just so far from being realistic. ]

Don't we all, though. I've got some bits and pieces I'm willing to part with. What are you good with?

@j; text

[advanced]

[She sounds young, not that this means anything. She also sounds American, although possibly she is feigning the accent. He recognises the username, it's cropped up in his reading and the survival guide. She's the one who has done surveys on the people here. Suspicious, also clever, gathering intelligence under the guise of helping. He won't be giving her anything about himself.

He answers he question extremely succinctly, but also honestly.]

Everything.

[spoileralert]

[ 'Everything' he says. But does he really mean everything, she has to wonder. She turns to rifle through her stuff, though the room spins a little when she moves her head. ]

I have way more broken shards of glass and pottery than I can possibly use, plus a glass and some stuff I can break if I need to. How about a shaving razor? I was gonna pry the razors out of it, but I'm not really attached to the idea of teeny tiny knives. I've got a rope leash I'm not using... and I could live without so many paperclips and rubber bands. Oooh, and a fork! [ She forgot about the fork. ]

And I guess a sharpie and a notebook, if you want them. I haven't needed as much paper as I thought I would.

text

[starsandtights]

If you're new here, you probably need the food and clothing more than we do. I might have some things I'd be willing to part with, though.

"Tools" is kinda nonspecific. What kinds of things are you looking for, exactly?

[advanced]

[Shit.

He should have known Steve would reply to him. A memory rises unbidden of Steve lifting that girder off him even though they were enemies at that point, an idiot who would always try and offer help to anyone. Friend, foe, or stranger. But he doesn't want Steve's help. The thought of actually speaking to him has his heart twisting painfully. He's not ready. He might never be ready.

His instinct is to simply not reply, but logic tells him that's a bad idea. It might seem suspicious or worrying, Steve might look into it further to make sure this newcomer hasn't been hurt or just to discover why he was ignored. He needs to find a way to end this quickly and cleanly.

All of this means there's a rather lengthy pause before the succinct answer comes in.]

Have already arranged a trade. Don't need any more. Thanks.

[starsandtights]

[Steve's been watching the other threads. Two knives from Kesara and a razor and a leash from Steph does cover "weapons" pretty well (he's not sure he'd be keen to hand knives out to people he doesn't know, and he really hopes they don't have cause to regret it) but it's a strange place to stop when you want "tools". ...Also, wow, this new group sure has a lot of brusque people in it. (At least "J" knows how to say thank you.)

Steve is bemused but unconcerned.]

No problem. Let me know if there's anything else I can help you with, OK?

@hsiaoke; text

[heavensreader]

[Kesara has been scanning the network with great interest, as usual when a new batch is due. She needs information on all of them. Most don't volunteer much, which she understands, but this one - this one gives her absolutely nothing. Except that he (as her first assumption always is) asks for weapons.

This is very telling. This is Of Interest. Kain would probably like to know more. Very good. She instructs her tablet to convert her voice to text, and plunges into the game.]

I have two knives. Excellent make. What food and clothing do you trade?

[advanced]

[He doesn't recognise this username at all from his morning spent scanning the tablet, but there are a lot of names he hasn't come across yet. He notes it down at once, he will have to look deeply into this person before any trade can take place. The name itself doesn't tell him much either.

Whoever they are, they seem eager to stick to business only. Good. That suits him well.]

Various canned food. Hooded sweatshirt. Long sleeved top. Pants.

What type of knives?

[He's already checked the backpack he woke up with and his Winter Soldier clothes are in there, they'll be better for withstanding the elements so he can afford to trade away at least some of his others.]

[heavensreader]

[None of these things interest Kesara very much - perhaps the canned food - but trade isn't really her purpose. So this fellow asks types. Does he know his knives? Does he fight?]

Kitchen knives, but good ones, of steel that doesn't rust. A butcher's knife and a paring knife. You could have the laring knife if the canned food is good, but for the other, or for both, you'll have to offer something better.

@dreamsnhonor; text

[heroproceeding]

[ Tools and weapons, he gets. Although that being the first thing someone asks for, well. He's not sure how to feel or what to think. Maybe the person on the other end is just pretty practical.

Or maybe they're another piece of work like Joker.

It's hard to say. ]

gotta say I agree with @zd here. you're gonna wanna keep that clothing on hand. food too. it's not too easy to come by around here though we recently found a grocery store. but sometimes the weather gets bad enough that it makes it hard to get there.

[advanced]

[This either means zd told him the truth, he has allies who will collaborate his lies to make him seem more convincing, or this is zd with a secondary account. He will proceed with caution, he must if he wants to survive.

He is so tired of suspicion.]

The weather is not an issue. These are the only things I have for trade.

[heroproceeding]

because you're new. I get that. but seriously keep that stuff. there's tools and makeshift weapons around town. you just have to keep an eye out for them.

but believe me. the weather's a big issue. DON'T stay out past lockdown. you'll freeze to death.

@besame; video

[1946redvelvet]

[Peggy is still not good at all with the tablet. Video is just the top option and she keeps on picking it, instead of replying via text.]

You can make yourself a makeshift weapon with what you find in the rubble. Otherwise searching all houses you find is your best bet. Also, do not trade away your food and clothing, you fool. It's cold out here, and food is scarce.

[She hopes this person finds their sense of self-preservation soon. She does not look forward to more obituaries.]

voice; text

[advanced]

What the hell?

[Bucky's immediate undertone of shock is broadcast out, along with a sharp inhalation of shock. He can't believe what he's seeing. That's Agent Carter, right down to the last detail, but it's impossible.

She has to be dead by now or, if not, then she would be a very elderly woman. How is it possible that she's here and talking to him now? It's not possible, is the answer. Either this is a figment of his own mind playing tricks on him, or else she's a deliberate trick by whoever has brought him here. It has him tense in a second, muscles coiled and ready to spring into fight or flight.

When nothing comes for him in long seconds, he finally begins to type a response. Careful, cautious, and utterly suspicious. He types up several and deletes them, too accusatory and giving away too much just by the questions themselves, before he settles on something innocuous. Thankfully, his lapse with voice was brief and muffled, so it's highly unlikely anyone would recognise it as him.]

Who are you?

still video

[1946redvelvet]

[Peggy raises an eyebrow at the question. That's unusual. Also, she can't help but think it's a little rude, and while she wishes to help, she's fought hard to earn respect and she hasn't done so by being meek.]

Who are you? Why does it matter, who we are? All that matters is that we're stuck here together, and only together will we get a way out. Which is why dying of hypothermia or starvation because you were too harebrained to realise that right now, clothes and food are more important than proper weapons is really the last thing we need.

Oh, also, you might get a knife, but you won't get anything that's much more than that. What do you want to do with that? The monsters can't be killed with a mere knife. Or do you plan on killing another resident of Norfinbury? Because I'll have you know, it's pretty frowned upon. Whatever you're thinking, we're not the enemy, here.

[If someone's first thought upon waking up is to look and ask for weapons, that's a degree of paranoia Peggy has never witness outside of soldiers, waking up from night terrors clutching their gun. This, she can understand.

She's concerned, though, that this J person thinks the rest of them present some kind of danger to him. This could get messy.]

@kingdomkey ; text

[seekthelight]

have you searched the building you're in yet?
i was told to make sure to check everything really well!
i guess that's the best way to get stuff here.

@j; text

[advanced]

Searched the house. Nothing useful.

[It was one of the first things he had done; though, admittedly, he had more been looking for traps and surveillance than for items.]

@kingdomkey ; text

[seekthelight]

oh
well at least you looked!
what stuff have you gotten already?
i can keep an eye out for stuff to trade!

@Ecks | text

[ecks]

What kind of tools?
I found scissors in the hospital. Other sharp things may be there.

@j; text

[advanced]

[He doesn't want to be too specific, but he has to narrow it down a little if he's going to get anything useful.]

Medical tools. Electricians tools.

permatext

[ecks]

The hospital is a good place to find things. I found things there. It is a large building in the ice tunnels, but it is buried. It can be accessed through a door in its roof.

An electrician works with electricity?