Chapter 5

|Tuesday, July 4, 1939|

This was the first year that Adeline wasn't going to celebrate Steve's birthday with him. She had sent him a package a week ago, hoping that it would get home in time. Adeline was just about ready to tear the hair out of her head. She was constantly stuck behind a desk, writing up reports, schedules, reading letters then later responding to those same letters and the typewriter was never working so she would have to go find someone to fix it for her. She was just about the only woman who had a job of authority (granted that authority she had was limited) and many men looked down on her with looks of disapproval.

"Mr. President," Adeline said as she spotted him walking through the hallways. Her heels clicked on the marble floor to keep up. "Your itinerary for today."

"Thank you, Miss Adams," he said, accepting the handwritten schedule for the Fourth of July day. "Busy day today."

"Yes, sir," Adeline said. "If you want me to move anything, I can arrange that."

"No, no, this is perfect," he said.

"Mr. President, there is a line from France," a man in a suit said. "It's urgent."

"How urgent?" Roosevelt asked.

"Brink of war urgent," the man said quietly.

"I will leave you," Adeline said. "Don't forget about the cabinet meeting at ten." The two men walked off, leaving Adeline in the grand hallway by herself. She made her way back to her desk. She usually missed breakfast these days, there was always so much to do.

"Miss Adams, here are your daily mailings," a maid said, setting a pile of letters on the desk.

"Thank you," Adeline said.

"You look ghostly pale, miss, did you have something to eat this morning?" The maid asked.

"No, but I'm fine, really," Adeline said with a smile.

"Oh, nonsense, what would you like?" She asked. "We have plenty of food. How about some fruit and a muffin?"

"Thank you," Adeline said with a grateful smile.

Soon it was ten and Adeline was walking briskly next to the president, holding papers close to her chest. The room went quiet upon their arrival. The cabinet was full of men in high authority, many having military pins and stripes while others wore their expensive suits with pride. Adeline was sure that the silence was not the cause of President Roosevelt's presence but because of her's.

"Miss, I am going to have to ask you to step outside, these matters are for authorized personnel only," one of the men said, gesturing to the door.

"Excuse me, sir, but I have just as much of a right to be here as you," Adeline said, not having any patience for the egocentric man. "I am President Roosevelt's personal assistant and advisor so, I suggest you get your hands off me before I take them off for you." The man turned slightly pale at Adeline's aggression and stepped back. She sat to the right of the president and organized all of her papers on the table.

"My apologies for my harsh words, Mr. President," Adeline mumbled, earning a slight smile. The meeting consisted of Adeline taking notes and making sure she had all the necessary papers and documents.

"As you can see, Mr. President, there is nothing to worry about in Europe," the man standing at the front of the long table said. Many men mumbled in agreement, but Adeline held her tongue.

"No one takes Hitler seriously, not even Germany. He's a puppet if you ask me," another said.

"Shouldn't that make him dangerous?" Adeline asked, looking around at each man who had a surprised look on their faces.

"Miss..."

"Adams. Adeline Adams," Adeline responded.

"I do think you're overstepping your boundaries," the man at the front of the table said.

"And I don't think you're listening to me," Adeline responded calmly. "When Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, everyone thought Germany would crumble further. They haven't. Don't you think it's time to stop acting like this is a joke? People are dying. April 1st, 1933, June 30th, 1934, November 9th, 1938. Just as a few examples. And each one even worse than the previous."

"You did your research, Miss Adams," the man said coolly.

"I've been keeping track of a lot of things, sir, and patters happen to be my strong suit," Adeline said. "This is a war. Maybe not to us yet, but to many out there, it is. And I fear that, soon, it will become our war. If we don't want another World War, we should act now, not in aggression but -"

"Enough!" The man said forcefully. "You are a woman and you are out of your place. I suggest you check yourself."

"With all do respect, sir, I graduated top of my class in four years from New York," Adeline said. "I suggest you listen to what I have to say."

"This will not result in war! Hitler is a clown," another man said. "He's insane!"

"Which makes him dangerous, don't you see?" Adeline asked, forgetting that she wasn't in Brooklyn anymore, forgetting that she couldn't simply punch her way to victory. "I've studied leaders like Hitler, I know what's coming next, the question is if you are ready to accept it and do something about it." Adeline was fuming as she stood up, her fists balled and she turned on her heel, needing to get out of the conference room before she punched anyone. Adeline found herself taking a long walk out in the garden, hoping to clam her nerves. She knew what was going to happen, but she couldn't make them see it. The sun was out, making the colors of the garden seem brighter than usual.

"Miss Adams, correct?" A voice sounded behind her.

"That's me," Adeline responded, turning around to se a broad man in a Marine's uniform. His dark head of hair was closely cut and groomed. His face was thin and bony. Adeline guessed he served in the Great War as his almost golden eyes were old and wise.

"General Robert Grant. You had a lot to say in that conference room," he said.

"My apologies, general," Adeline said. "I got carried away."

"No, no, don't apologize," he said. "I agree with you."

"Thanks for the help," Adeline mumbled, not intending the general to hear, but he chuckled.

"I wanted to see how far you would go," he responded.

"So, what? Was that a test?" Adeline questioned.

"Yes," the general responded. "Which is why I'm proposing this offer. There is an organization that is looking for people such as yourself."

"What kind of organization?" Adeline asked.

"The M.O.R. or the Military Operatives Reserve," the man responded. "We need agents, Miss Adams, a thousand military troops can't always get the information as effectively or as efficiently as one undercover agent. The enemy is more likely to suspect the man of carrying the gun than the woman. I'm sure you understand."

"Yes, I think I do," Adeline responded.

"I think you would be a perfect fit in our ranks," the general said. "You would get specialized training and the pay is good. I can tell sitting behind a desk doesn't suit you." The general's eyes shifted to Adeline's scar on her right forearm. She shifted, keeping the arm behind her back.

"How long do I have to think about it?" Adeline asked.

"As long as you need," the general responded. "Just remember, Miss Adams, the world needs people like you. Good people." He gave Adeline a slight bow then turned to walk away.

~*~

Adeline was taking the train home after a long and grueling day and the general's words continued to ring in her head. She walked into her apartment to be surprised by the warm smell of food coming from the kitchen.

"Hello?" Adeline called.

"Adeline!" William exclaimed. "I thought you got done with work at six."

"I usually do, but today was busy," Adeline said.

"Come on in, I made supper," William said.

"William, what are you doing here? Do you not remember that you have an apartment of your own?" Adeline asked with a slight chuckle.

"Of course, I remember. I just wanted to do something nice for my baby sister," William said, leading her into the kitchen. What greeted her vision surprised her. Steve and Bucky were sitting at the table, their plates already full.

"Steve, Bucky!" She exclaimed as they both got up from their chairs. She rushed to Steve first, placing two kisses on each of his cheeks. "Happy Birthday! Did you get my gift? God, I missed you!"

"Yeah, Adeline, that was really thoughtful of you," Steve said with a smile. Adeline then turned to Bucky, pulling him down so she could wrap her arms around his shoulders.

"I missed you guys so much," Adeline said.

"I missed you too," Bucky responded. Adeline never knew William was such a good cook, his food made her forget all about General Grant's offer. By the time everything was cleaned and a program was listened to on the radio, it was already eleven o'clock. Steve and William went to his apartment across the hallway, leaving Adeline and Bucky sitting on the sofa alone.

"How are you liking your job?" Bucky asked. "And I want an honest answer, your government brother isn't here to judge you." Adeline laughed, shaking her head.

"It pays good," she responded. "All the men look at me like I have two heads, but it's what I signed up for. I guess I'm still waiting for that dream job offer."

"Well, what does that dream job include?" Bucky asked. That was when the words of the general came back. She could be in the field if she just said yes.

"I guess I'm not sure yet," Adeline responded. "But for now, this is just right. "What about you? How has Goldie's been?"

"Really good," Bucky responded. "Nothing new ever happens in Brooklyn. It was more exciting when you were there." Adeline wanted to tell Bucky how much he really meant to her and now would be the perfect time, but she couldn't bring herself to. Whenever she thought of something to say, it got caught at the back of her throat. The more she thought about Bucky, the more she wanted the simple life, the more she wanted that white picket fence and children and marriage. She was in deep, far too deep for her own comfort and she was terrified.

When she got back in the right state of mind, she realized she had been staring at his lips and he had leaned in a considerable amount so they could feel the heat of each other's breath. He brought his right hand up to brush her cheek with the pad of his thumb, causing Adeline to lean into his touch. He leaned in further, Adeline's eyes fluttering closed as their lips just barely brushed. She didn't know what she was doing as her fingers combed through his hair. His closeness had affected her more than she cared to admit as his lips pressed more firmly against hers. She loved the way his lips felt on hers. She was buzzing with the lightness of the kiss as he placed his other hand at the base of her neck, bringing her even closer. Adeline didn't want to ruin the euphoric moment but her hands went down to his chest, pushing him away. Their lips parted unwillingly and Adeline looked up at Bucky, his blue eyes filled with lust from the kiss.

"Adeline?" He asked softly.

"It's late," Adeline whispered back. "We shouldn't be doing this so late at night."

"You're probably right," Bucky responded, his voice strange as though the kiss had affected his vocal chords. Instead of bidding Adeline goodnight, he pulled her in, their lips coming together once again but more persistent this time. Adeline pushed against his chest again, not wanting to make any decisions tonight as to where their relationship stood. He reluctantly pulled back, looking into her brown eyes.

"We should go to bed," Adeline said, keeping Bucky a fair distance away. "It's too dark out for this. We should wait until morning." Bucky chuckled a bit, brushing Adeline's rosy cheeks with the pads of his thumbs before kissing her on the forehead.

"Goodnight, Adeline," Bucky said.

"Goodnight, Bucky," Adeline responded as she watched him retreat into the guest bedroom. Adeline, drunk on the blissful kiss, made her way to her bedroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and briefly touched her lips almost feeling the electricity from the contact still linger.

|Friday, September 1, 1939|

Adeline was running through the hallways of the White House. She had abandoned her daily itinerary in search of President Roosevelt who was most likely in his office. People were giving her strange looks as she rushed past them though none of them stopped her.

"Sir, emergency meeting in the war room," she breathed as she burst into the office. "Germany has invaded Poland. Britain and France are on the line." They made their way briskly through the hallways and soon made it to the war room where the door was slammed in Adeline's face.

"Really?" Adeline mumbled. She silently debated on whether or not to open the door and let herself in or not. She was Adeline Marie Adams for heaven's sake! Of course she would burst in, but this wasn't Brooklyn.

"Men," a voice said, a bit ragged but kind. Adeline turned around to see Eleanor Roosevelt rolling her eyes as she walked up to Adeline. "They always think they know everything, don't they?" Adeline smiled a bit, letting out a small laugh.

"Apparently," Adeline responded.

"You know, if it was up to me, I'd march in there and set them straight," Eleanor said. "They don't know what a powerful woman such as yourself can accomplish."

"Thank you, but it's not my place," Adeline said politely.

"A well behaved woman rarely makes history, Miss Adams," Eleanor responded with a smile and a knowing glint in her eye. She turned and walked away, leaving Adeline at the door. Adeline looked at the door, shaking her head.

She sat at her desk, trying to distract herself.

"You know, Miss Adams, I could really use a woman of your abilities right now," a voice broke Adeline from her concentration. She looked up to see General Robert Grant in the doorway of her office.

"General Grant," she greeted, standing up.

"Please, excuse my interruption," he apologized, taking a few paces into her office.

"No, no, it's fine, I was just ... trying to distract myself," Adeline concluded as he nodded.

"You know, there couldn't be a better time to join the M.O.R. What do you say, Miss Adams?"

"With all due respect, sir, I believe my place is here," Adeline said. She had thought long and hard about the offer, but whenever Bucky would come visit her, she always went back to him. She wanted a future with him and she couldn't do that in a job that required her to have two different lives.

"I understand," the general responded. "If you reconsider, you know where to find me. I'm sure you already know this but, Europe is officially at war."

"Thank you, general," Adeline said. The proud general looked 100 years older as he exited the office. His golden eyes were dull and his back slouched with the weight of impending war.

"General Grant," Adeline said, causing him to turn around. "I wish you the best."

"You as well, Miss Adams." He nodded his head and made his exit. Adeline couldn't help but feel guilty. All she wanted was to get out from behind the desk and she was turning down a job that would allow her to do that.

"Miss Adams, clear my schedule for tomorrow, we have other things to attend to," President Roosevelt said as he briskly walked into her office.

"Of course, would you like a schedule for that, sir?" Adeline asked, shuffling through her papers.

"No, no, it's fine, you take the day off," he said. "I think we all deserve it."

"Of course, sir," Adeline nodded as he walked out.

|Saturday, December 23, 1939|

Adeline had been so busy that she forgot it was almost Christmas. She promised both Bucky and Steve that she would be home but she wasn't sure that that would happen anymore. It was late and the snow fell heavily outside. She just sat at her desk, continuing to file, stack, sign and type papers. Her hands these days were always stained with ink.

"Miss Adams, what are you still doing here?" Adeline looked up to see President Roosevelt in the doorway.

"There are a lot of things to do, sir," Adeline responded.

"Tomorrow is Christmas Eve," he said.

"So it is," Adeline said, stacking another sheet of paper.

"You have family back home?" He asked.

"Yes, I do," Adeline responded.

"Go home, Adeline," he said.

"Sir, with all due respect, an impending war is more important than Christmas with my family," Adeline responded.

"That's exactly why you should go," he responded. "No one knows what's going to happen. Spend time with those you love. You'll regret it if you don't." With that he walked out, leaving Adeline dumbfounded.

"Yes, sir," she mumbled quietly, packing her things.

It was a beautiful night as the snow fell softly to the ground, making the roads sparkle. She hugged her coat tight to her body as she made her way to the train station. It was a quiet ride north as Adeline watched the snow out the window, occasionally making designs in the frost. Adeline arrived at the Brooklyn train station at one o'clock in the morning, shortly after, arriving at Steve's apartment.

"Steve," Adeline knocked on the door. "Steve, it's Adeline! Open up!" There was shuffling and an unlocking of the door.

"Adeline?" Steve questioned, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Steve, hey," Adeline said as he let her in. "Merry Christmas Eve."

"You had to tell me that at two in the morning?" Steve asked, locking the door again.

"I just got in from D.C.," Adeline responded.

"At two in the morning?" Steve asked.

"Well, I wasn't going to come," Adeline responded truthfully. "I have been so wrapped up in work, you know, the whole Europe conflict and I just felt guilty, you know -"

"Adeline, I get it, it's fine," Steve said. "Bucky'll be excited that you're here. He hasn't stopped talking about you."

"He hasn't?" Adeline asked, a blush spreading from her cheeks to her ears.

"Yeah, he's been looking forward to Christmas since the beginning of November," Steve responded, grabbing a blanket and pillow, handing them to Adeline so she could sleep on the couch. "It's just like he's five again waiting for Santa to come. I guess you could say those letters you two send just don't do it for him." Steve chuckled at the last part while Adeline's cheeks were burning up.

"How do you know we send letters?" Adeline asked.

"Every time he gets a letter, he comes straight to me so I can read it," Steve said. This made Adeline's blush deepen. "It's fine, your secret's safe with me."

"What secret?"

"That you two are dating," Steve responded.

"What do you mean? No we're not," Adeline denied.

"Adi, come on," Steve said. "I approve. I've been trying to get you two together since high school. And it's not really a secret. The whole town knows about it." With a yawn, Steve walked off to his room, surely to fall instantly back to sleep. However, for Adeline it was much more difficult. No matter what position she tried, she couldn't fall asleep. She was thinking about Bucky. Everyone thought they were dating. Her and Bucky. She could imagine it.

|Monday, December 25, 1939|

"Merry Christmas!" Bucky cheered as he scooped Adeline up from behind, spinning her around.

"James Buchanan Barnes, put me down!" Adeline called through her laughs. He soon put her down to face him.

"Merry Christmas, Adeline," he said with a smile.

"Merry Christmas, Bucky," she responded.

"I brought you something," Bucky said, handing her a small box. "You can open it now, I won't tell anyone." Adeline smiled and opened the box. Inside was a small gold heart pendant.

"It goes on your necklace," Bucky explained.

"Bucky, it's beautiful," Adeline said. "Thank you." She unclasped the necklace, threading the heart and Bucky helped her re-clasp it. She fingered the small charm that rested on her chest.

"Thank you," she said again, pulling him in for a hug and a quick kiss that no one saw. "I got you something, hold on." Adeline turned, rushing up to her old room to find the box. She quickly brought it down, handing it to Bucky. He opened it to reveal a men's cologne.

"It's guaranteed to impress those dames," Adeline said with a wink. Bucky laughed, smelling the scent.

"I'm only concerned about impressing one," Bucky responded with a smirk.

"Shut it, Barnes," Adeline laughed.

|Friday, August 23, 1940|

Bucky had come to visit her again. He would come once a month, usually with Steve, but this week Steve had gotten a nasty flu virus.

"You know, this job of yours keeps you really tied up," Bucky said, ordering another drink. The bar they sat in was rather full and the swing music played in the background of people's conversations.

"Yeah," Adeline sighed. "Sometimes I want to quit. The men there make me want to tear my hair out."

"Then find something else," Bucky said.

"There is nothing else," Adeline said.

"What keeps you there?" Bucky questioned, taking a drink, eyeing Adeline.

"I feel like I'm being useful," Adeline responded.

"Okay, now give me the real answer," Bucky said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the real answer. That's not why you're staying, Adeline. I know you better than that," Bucky said. "The Adeline I know wants adventure."

"Well, people change," Adeline said.

"You never answered my question, doll," Bucky said, leaning in close to Adeline, making her look into his blue eyes. "What's keeping you there?" Adeline sighed, taking a large drink as to build up some courage.

"I want the simple life," Adeline admitted softly.

"The simple life? Adeline Marie Adams just said she wanted the simple life," Bucky said. "The world is truly ending."

"Stuff it, Barnes," Adeline said, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"And what would this simple life include?" Bucky asked, looking at Adeline.

"I don't know. A house," Adeline said, not wanting to go any further.

"That's it?" Bucky prodded.

"And maybe a husband," Adeline muttered, her cheeks glowing red, her words becoming hesitant. "And some ... kids. You know what the simple life is, James! Why are you making me repeat it for you?"

"Because it's funny," Bucky said with a laugh, leaning slightly back in the bar stool.

"This time, I really will punch you, Barnes," Adeline said warningly.

|Sunday, December 7, 1941|

Adeline continued to tell herself that she was going to find her dream job when it was offered to her but she was still sitting in the same office with the same ink stains on her hands. She was content but not happy. However, her relationship with Bucky was just about as close as two friends could be. Well, that was a lie, it was more of a dating thing. He would come once or twice a month and somehow, they would end up together in her bed, content. Neither Adeline nor Bucky wanted to put any labels on it, especially if they were happy the way things were. She didn't need him to be calling her his girlfriend. She just needed him to be there for her just as she was there for him.

"Adeline, get President Roosevelt, Pearl Harbor has been attacked. Suspected Japanese," a man in a military uniform ordered urgently.

"What?"

"Get President Roosevelt!" Adeline was soon on her feet running through the hallways.

"Mr. President!" Adeline called as she quickly burst into the meeting. Many men looked upon her with an ungrateful glare. Adeline breathed in then out, calming herself before continuing. "Pearl Harbor has been attacked."

"By who?" Roosevelt asked in a calm voice.

"Suspected Japanese," Adeline said. They were soon rushing to the war room. The door once again slammed in Adeline's face. By now she was used to it. There had been many developments of the war in Europe and Adeline had been excluded from every single one of the war meetings. She turned to walk away but the door opened.

"Adeline, are you coming or not?" Roosevelt asked. Adeline turned around, rather surprised before running into the room. The small space was buzzing with anxious chatter.

"Everyone, calm down!" Roosevelt's voice rose above the room and everyone became silent. "When did we receive this information?"

"1430 hours Washington time, sir," one responded. He nodded, taking in the information.

"This attack was intentional?" The president asked.

"All information leads us to believe so, sir," another responded, handing Roosevelt the telegrams from the Japanese declaring their intention to attack.

"Get Britain on the line," Roosevelt ordered, glancing over the telegrams that Adeline could see that they had been intercepted and deciphered well before the Japanese even sent them. They knew this whole time.

"Right away, sir." There were multiple questions, many of which no one had answers to. Adeline felt sick sitting in the room. She felt so far away, like she couldn't do anything. It was a feeling of having absolutely no control. She hated it. Adeline spotted General Grant across the room, his golden eyes revealing the weight of what was to come. She knew she could help if she just said yes. However, those three letters carried so much responsibility, so much commitment.

"Miss Adams, get the radio broadcasts ready," Roosevelt said. "The people need to hear this tonight."

"Of course, sir," Adeline said as she thought of Bucky. She knew he would go out to serve his country and she couldn't do anything to stop him. It was late that night and Adeline was still at her desk, sitting in front of a blank sheet of paper. She knew she had to write to him.

Dear James,

I'm sure by the time you receive this letter, you will have already heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor. I want you to know that I'm okay, but things in D.C. are tense. I don't want you worrying about me, I'll be fine as long as you and Steve are okay. I suppose that's why I'm writing this. I know what you're going to do, James. I want you to know that I fully support your decision no matter how hard it will be to accept. I say this because you're going to have to accept my decisions as well, no matter how hard it will be. I'm leaving my job in D.C. I guess you could say something better came along.

I will see you soon,

Adeline

Adeline folded the letter and sealed the envelope, writing out the address. She then picked up her resignation paper, walking quickly to the president's office where he'd likely be writing out his speech for tomorrow. She knocked on his door.

"Come in." He sounded distracted.

"Sir," Adeline greeted.

"Miss Adams, what can I do for you?" He asked, looking up from his paper. He was always so calm and Adeline never figured out how he did it.

"I apologize for the abruptness, but I'm afraid I must resign," Adeline said, handing him the resignation letter. He looked down at it, nodding slightly.

"I'm surprised it took you this long," he said, setting his pen to the side. "Desk work never really was your strong suit. It's patterns, am I correct?" Adeline let a smile spread across her face.

"Yes, sir," Adeline said.

|Sunday, December 21, 1941|

Adeline hadn't received a response from Bucky which concerned her. She had just arrived in Brooklyn and was making her way to Goldie's Boxing Center where she hoped she would find Bucky. Adeline looked up at the sign and took a deep breath, walking in. Many men stopped to look at the strange sight. However, Adeline held her head high as she walked further into the gym.

"Steve, hit it with your entire body behind your fist," she heard Bucky's voice.

"Finally give up on trying to get him out of the fighting business?" Adeline asked, leaning against the wall.

"Adeline!" Bucky exclaimed, stopping the punching bag from moving. "What - what are you doing here?"

"Did you not get my letter?" Adeline asked

"Yeah, I just wasn't expecting you to come here," Bucky responded. Adeline shrugged.

"Nice punching, Steve," Adeline complimented. "Try tightening your core, you'll get more power."

"Adeline, could I talk to you for a second?" Bucky asked, not giving her time to respond as he grabbed her upper arm, dragging her into the office.

"What are you really doing here?" Bucky asked, looking around the office, making sure no one else was in there.

"I know you're going to join the war," Adeline said. "I'm not stupid."

"Of course you're not stupid, Adeline. But what about you?" Bucky asked. "Your job in D.C. I thought that was what you wanted."

"No - I mean yes, but -"

"What? You gonna be an army nurse?" Bucky asked. "I can assure you your government job pays better."

"No, Bucky, come on," Adeline said. "I got a job offer. Actually, I was offered this a few years back."

"With who?"

"The Military Operatives Reserve," Adeline responded.

"What? No! Adeline, do you know what they do?" Bucky asked.

"Of course I do," Adeline said. "That's why I initially turned it down. I was ready to settle down, ready for a family, but now ... knowing what you're going to do, I don't want to feel so out of control."

"Where did you even get this crazy idea?" Bucky asked, now pacing the floor.

"Bucky, you're joining the military, am I not allowed to do at least this?" Adeline questioned.

"No! I mean yes!" Bucky responded, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "But I'm not letting you."

"Like hell you are," Adeline spat back. "Bucky, I'm not going to sit back and let all these young men die. I'm going to have control, I'm going to make a difference."

"But what's it going to cost?" Bucky asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Stay home, stay safe."

"Only if you do," Adeline responded, looking into his eyes.

"Adi, you know that I can't do that," Bucky said.

"Then you know that I can't turn down this job," Adeline said. "Bucky, you know I can't sit behind a desk any longer. I can't stand it."

"So you go out and get yourself killed?" Bucky asked, dropping his hands. "That's your solution?"

"Bucky," Adeline sighed, "you know that's not how it works."

"Well, that's how it sounds," Bucky responded in a dark tone.

"Then take a look in the mirror, James," Adeline said, brushing past him angrily.