Josh's friend in Brooklyn was, of course, none other than Peggy Carter, who supposedly lived in the apartment that once belonged to Captain America.
"Huh? Keep driving, don't stop!" But as the car approached the street by the apartment, Vito, in the passenger seat, noticed something was wrong and quickly ordered the driver to continue driving.
The driver immediately obeyed, maintaining a steady speed and steering away from the apartment area.
"What's going on?" Josh asked with a slight frown.
"Boss, it looks like someone is keeping an eye on this area," Vito replied with a serious expression.
Josh was taken aback. Was Peggy Carter being watched?
Although, considering her line of work, it wasn't entirely surprising.
"...Find a place to stop. Go check it out and see who's watching," Josh said thoughtfully.
"Yes, boss!" Vito nodded. When the car stopped, he got out and blended in with the crowd as a casual passerby, slowly making his way toward the apartment.
Josh stayed in the car, closing his eyes and resting as he waited.
It wasn't long—just over ten minutes—before Vito returned, his expression was a little peculiar.
"Boss, I figured it out. It's the Council's people!" Vito reported before Josh could ask.
"Huh? The Council? Aren't they after Bucky? Why are they watching Carter?" Josh was confused. He had warned Vito about this after the meeting. Although the Council members had assured him that there would be no trouble, there was always the possibility that a rogue agent could cause trouble.
It was better to be cautious than to be sorry.
"I asked around. It turns out that Mr. Barnes and Ms. Carter are now colleagues and partners. They live in the same apartment building, so while the Council is keeping tabs on Bucky, they're also keeping tabs on Ms. Carter," Vito explained.
"Bucky and Carter live together?" Josh blinked in surprise. Gosh, was this a case of 'sharing the care of a brother's wife'?
"Uh, no. Mr. Barnes moved out of his parents' house after returning to New York and became Ms. Carter's neighbor," Vito clarified, correcting the misunderstanding.
Josh finally understood. Bucky and Carter had become co-workers, partners, and neighbors.
Although nothing had probably happened between them yet, the potential was there if things continued.
And in a way, it was his fault.
In the original timeline, Peggy Carter was supposed to join the New York branch of the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) alone around this time.
Because of the social discrimination against women in this era, Peggy, despite her outstanding contributions during the war, would have been sidelined had Howard Stark not ascended to the leadership of the SSR and formally established S.H.I.E.L.D. She would have been stuck behind a desk or fetching coffee, with no chance of field work.
But in this timeline, Josh's actions in bringing Bucky back had changed things.
As Captain America's best friend and deputy commander of the Howling Commandos, Bucky naturally joined the SSR after the war, becoming a senior field agent in the New York division.
His position was leagues above the limping Agent Sousa of Carter's original series.
Under these circumstances, anyone in the SSR, including the director, would think twice before sidelining Peggy Carter, since they'd have to deal with Bucky first.
Josh should have seen this coming. But because he hadn't paid much attention to Peggy and Bucky's situation, he had missed it.
Now he couldn't tell if this change was good or bad.
"Boss, should we have them withdraw?" Vito asked as he noticed Josh deep in thought.
" Have Carter and Barnes returned to the apartment?" Josh asked.
"No, according to the information we have, Ms. Carter and Mr. Barnes are currently having dinner at a drive-through restaurant two blocks away. They do this almost every day," Vito replied.
Drive-through restaurant were an early form of convenient fast-food restaurant that focused on affordability and ease.
Peggy Carter might be able to wield a gun and fight, but cook? Not so much.
As for Bucky, forget it—his wealthy background made him something of a spoiled young master. The only cooking he had learned was preparing field rations during his two years as a soldier.
So the two of them usually opted for quick and cheap meals after work.
"Have they mentioned when they plan to make their move?" Josh continued.
"Yes... They plan to act after Mr. Barnes and Ms. Carter return from dinner. The apartment building is in a secluded location where only the two of them and a few tenants live, so it's easy to avoid attracting too much attention," Vito nodded. "Plus, it's right after dinner, which puts some strain on the body—an ideal time to strike."
"In that case, let's wait. You should go over and keep an eye on things. If anything unexpected happens, you can step in to help. Remember to use the spray so you won't be identified!" Josh instructed. (TL/N: Not enough context so the word spray may change)
"Understood, boss. I'll make sure nothing happens to Ms. Carter and Mr. Barnes!" Vito replied firmly.
"What nonsense! I'm telling you to assist the Council. Sure, Carter and I are friends, but just friends—definitely not close enough for me to sabotage the Council's mission because of her. And Bucky's survival? That's none of our business!" Josh rolled his eyes and scolded lightly. "Besides, I'm really skeptical about the Council's chances against a duo like Carter and Bucky."
"Hehe, I get it!" Vito scratched his head awkwardly, realizing that he had misunderstood Josh's intentions.
"All right, get to it. But be careful. You can go hard on Bucky—he's tough and can take it. As for Carter, try to knock her out rather than hurt her badly. If you hurt or kill her and Steve ever comes back, that could be a problem!" Josh waved dismissively.
"Boss, are you saying that Captain Steve Rogers is still alive and could come back?" Vito asked in surprise.
"Who knows? This world is a lot more complex than it seems," Josh said mysteriously.
Vito was puzzled by Josh's remark, but decided to concentrate on his task. He got out of the car and found a hidden spot with a clear view to observe.
Meanwhile, Josh instructed the driver to park discreetly and wait for updates.
About ten minutes later, Carter and Bucky's car slowly pulled up to the apartment building.
"Bucky, do you feel it?" Carter asked sharply as soon as the car stopped. Her hand reached into her open briefcase and grabbed the handgun inside.
"Yes, there are some unknown rats lurking around here," Bucky replied, his hand moving to his waist. Even with his missing left arm, Howard Stark had provided him with a custom prosthetic that was as effective as the Winter Soldier's metal arm in the original timeline. Driving was no problem for him.
From their exchange, it was clear that both had noticed the strange situation around the apartment.
Josh's concern that the Council's mission could fail wasn't groundless.
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