At any time, he knew that Winter could decide to take him apart at the seams, but that would make a mess and people would ask questions. No, he didn't think that Barnes would do that here, would likely take him somewhere quieter and then do the work necessary. Of course, a man of Barnes' skill could likely make it quick here and hide the evidence, but getting rid of a body was more difficult than it used to be. There were no easy clean up crews to set the stage or wipe it clean. A fugitive didn't want to have to consider unwanted questions after all, so for now, he was safe from too much violence as far as he was concerned.
Slowly, so that all of his movements could be judged as - hopefully - non-hostile, he lifted his sidearm and eased it back to the holster on his belt. That freed up his hands, even if he had to flex them in the gloves that he wore. He knew that Winter would be focused almost entirely on him, the greatest threat in this vicinity, which allowed him to draw out the act of lifting his hands and slowly pushing back his hood so that it fell around his shoulders.
Even in the limited light, his scars stood out. He had managed to grow his hair out, which was no small miracle, but his skin looked like a candle wax that had rehardened. He rolled his shoulders and licked the corner of his lips, wetting them and perhaps a little uncomfortable exposing himself to someone he had once taken great value in being a part of. You wanted the best, you deployed Winter.
"I was," he admitted. There was no denying that and it would be a waste for both of them for him to come up with excuses. He decided on an explanation instead. "I wanted to set you free, especially after the chair. But there was no place and no time to do that, so I thought after Insight, I could petition to have to set loose." It had been a small plan, but after all those years of service, he figured Winter deserved it.
He snorted and ran a gloved hand through his hair. "Bullshit," he said plainly. "You just don't brutalize people anymore, but hurting them comes easy. I'm forming a team for another mission, and I want you to join up. Living alone with these... whatever is going on here ain't good for a man. A bit of distraction and more than that, mostly honest work is better."
He had no intention of leaving just yet. It was a waste to tell him to leave.
no subject
Slowly, so that all of his movements could be judged as - hopefully - non-hostile, he lifted his sidearm and eased it back to the holster on his belt. That freed up his hands, even if he had to flex them in the gloves that he wore. He knew that Winter would be focused almost entirely on him, the greatest threat in this vicinity, which allowed him to draw out the act of lifting his hands and slowly pushing back his hood so that it fell around his shoulders.
Even in the limited light, his scars stood out. He had managed to grow his hair out, which was no small miracle, but his skin looked like a candle wax that had rehardened. He rolled his shoulders and licked the corner of his lips, wetting them and perhaps a little uncomfortable exposing himself to someone he had once taken great value in being a part of. You wanted the best, you deployed Winter.
"I was," he admitted. There was no denying that and it would be a waste for both of them for him to come up with excuses. He decided on an explanation instead. "I wanted to set you free, especially after the chair. But there was no place and no time to do that, so I thought after Insight, I could petition to have to set loose." It had been a small plan, but after all those years of service, he figured Winter deserved it.
He snorted and ran a gloved hand through his hair. "Bullshit," he said plainly. "You just don't brutalize people anymore, but hurting them comes easy. I'm forming a team for another mission, and I want you to join up. Living alone with these... whatever is going on here ain't good for a man. A bit of distraction and more than that, mostly honest work is better."
He had no intention of leaving just yet. It was a waste to tell him to leave.