Wings, Metal, and Frost

Inhale

~New York City, 7:30 pm~

Henry furrowed his brow at the Flagsmashers app and waited for the ping signaling Karli's whereabouts. He tilted his head to let his neck crack while he waited. Then he rolled his shoulders to try to loosen his muscles. He wasn't getting paid enough to run around like this day and night. The ping came and Henry let out a low "hmph" when he saw the location pin was only a few hundred feet away. He followed the directions from the app and turned a few corners until he came upon Karli. 

Karli stood at the end of a closed alley with her hood pulled over her head. She looked up from her phone and squinted her eyes to get a better look at Henry. 

"You look tired," Karli said. 

Henry reached the spot where she stood.

"It's been a long day," he answered coldly. "You probably know this already, but Nagel is dead." Karli furrowed her brows and gave a look of disbelief at Henry. Henry narrowed his eyes. "So you haven't heard. I thought you were quicker than that." 

"Was it Wilson?" Karli questioned. 

"He was a part of it," Henry replied. Karli's expression hardened. "You better have that serum in a safe place, otherwise it's gonna get more messy than it already is." Karli's lack of response caused Henry to step toward her with his brows low. When she still didn't speak Henry grabbed her arm. "Dammit Morgenthau, you know how much deep shit that puts you in? It puts me in some deep shit, too." 

Karli grimaced and twisted out of Henry's grip with ease. "It wasn't my fault! Zemo destroyed the last of the serum, I got shot for it-" 

"That's a wasted bullet, then," Henry cut her off and stepped back. 

"Then you wasted a bullet on Flint, 'cause she's still up and running," Karli muttered and Henry lifted his hand. 

Karli caught his forearm as he brought his hand down and shoved him back. He almost forgot that she was at an advantage in her strength. Henry inhaled a deep breath through his nose and glared at Karli. 

"I'm cutting you and your friends a lot of slack here, you know that?" Henry began. "Throwing the Power Broker off your trail is harder than you think, I'm risking a lot." 

"And we're grateful for your contributions, but we're supposed to help each other out," Karli iterated and Henry scowled. "If we pull the right strings we stop the GRC vote, and you get to kill the Power Broker and Flint, and climb your way up the ranks in Madripoor." 

"The way this 'movement' has been going has me tempted to hand you over to the Power Broker right now," Henry threatened. 

"You're a snake," Karli spat. 

"They call me the Black Mamba for a reason," Henry taunted. 

"I brought in more help," Karli challenged. "So maybe we won't need you." 

Henry gave a disbelieving chuckle and shook his head. "A few more rebellious refugees aren't going to infiltrate the GRC, sweetheart." 

"Surely your previous job had you familiarized with Georges Batroc." 

Henry's face screwed into a look of skepticism. When Karli didn't break her prideful stance Henry shook his head with a sneer. Maybe she was crazier than he was. Batroc has no interest in the Flagsmashers' cause, and neither did Henry but at least he could pretend to care. Henry exhaled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What's your plan?" He asked. 

Henry wishes he didn't ask because he stood with Karli in the alley for an hour longer than he had planned. It helps to be detailed and organized but there's a point in this line of work where you can't have every single step planned as if nothing will go wrong. But Henry stood there and listened to the plan.