The L&L Automat was an automat restaurant active in New York City during the 1940s.
History[]
Chase of Howard Stark[]
Old Friends[]
Peggy Carter went to have dinner at the L&L Automat, checking the latest news about Howard Stark and how he had been branded as a traitor. Waitress Angie Martinelli, watching Steve Rogers' photograph in Carter's newspaper, commented how she once saw one of Captain America's USO Shows in Passaic, becoming impressed with his physique. Carter acted as if she had not personally met Rogers, to conceal her identity as an agent of the Strategic Scientific Reserve.
Martinelli realized Carter was feeling depressed; Carter explained how her job was not as productive as it used to be, as during World War II she had a purpose and responsibility, but she had been relegated to lower functions. Martinelli compared it to her situation as an aspiring actress, as she had an audition that day but she was not chosen.
Martinelli had to leave Carter, as a rude customer was complaining about the food. Carter asked about that customer, disliking how he was treating Martinelli, and she replied expressing her own discomfort, though she could not openly voice her own opinion while she was working.
Carter got up to take a piece of pie, but as she returned to the table, she found a note written in a napkin, asking her to meet in the nearby alley in five minutes. Carter tried to find who left the note, but she did not see anyone suspicious.
Carter exited the restaurant, where Edwin Jarvis politely greeted her and told her she would be coming with him. A car waiting for her at the entrance of the alley turned its lights on, and Carter, believing it was an ambush, quickly knocked Jarvis out. The car went to chase Carter through the alley, but she shot one of its wheels, forcing it to stop.
The door of the car opened, and its driver turned out to be none other than Howard Stark, who apologized for not calling first and asked Carter if she had missed him.[1]
Grieving a Friend[]
Peggy Carter met Edwin Jarvis at the L&L Automat to talk about the discovery of functional samples of Nitramene, though Carter was still mourning the death of her friend, Colleen O'Brien.
Jarvis apologized for appearing to be insensitive, as he asked if the apartment or O'Brien's death could be traced to her, but given that O'Brien used only her name and not Carter's on the lease, and nobody knew she was living there, it was highly improbable.
Jarvis went on to ask Carter about O'Brien, especially if she had any family; Carter knew that O'Brien lost a brother in Guadalcanal. Despite having met her friend only for a few months, when she needed a place to stay but did not know anyone in the city, O'Brien helped her.
Carter was sad, feeling that once again she had lost someone close to her, just like it happened with Steve Rogers. She was happy that Howard Stark asked her for help, struggling why nobody gave her any chance since World War II, so he took the chance that Stark gave her, but she thought she failed and that O'Brien's death was entirely her fault.
Jarvis tried to cheer Carter up, explaining that according to her war record, she was an excellent agent, and if her male colleagues failed to see it, it was entirely their problem. He also said that Carter was just trying to do the right thing, something she accomplished in his opinion, though they would not know if it was worth it until the job had finished.
Carter asked Jarvis where his wife thought he was, and he had invented an alibi of supervising the "extraction" of one of Stark's conquests, who refused to vacate his penthouse.
In order to continue their investigation, Carter thought the next step would be to learn the location of where the Nitramene sample was created, though she could not take it to her office for analysis. Jarvis then proposed to take it to a man that could help them with their investigation.[1]
Double Secret Mission[]
Peggy Carter and Edwin Jarvis reunited again at the L&L Automat, having ordered a bottle of milk to write down the address of the factory given that a Daisy Clover truck was used to conceal a full cargo of Nitramene devices at the Roxxon Refinery the night before.
Carter congratulated Jarvis for his assistance, saying that his wife Ana would be very proud, though he seriously remarked his wife must never know what he was doing. Jarvis then offered to check Howard Stark's files regarding Leviathan, to see if he had any information about the organization.
Carter told Jarvis to get rest after witnessing the destruction of the Roxxon Refinery the night before, though he doubted he would be able to sleep for days.
The same rude customer that mistreated Angie Martinelli a few days before asked Martinelli to come to his table to complain about his meal, even claiming that he ate better in a prisoner of war camp during World War II. The customer even told her that her intelligence was not her best feature, inappropriately touching her as she returned his meal.
Carter, who witnessed the customer's behavior, approached him and asked about his meal. As the customer asked if she worked there too, Carter took a fork and pressed it into his brachial artery. Carter explained that he would lose consciousness in 15 seconds and even die in 90 if he started to bleed, unless someone came to his aid, something unlikely to happen, given his behavior.
Carter warned him to find another restaurant to eat, and to tip generously for his last time there. Martinelli realized that the man had begun to place money in his table, smiling with a bit surprise for his sudden change of behavior.
Carter left the restaurant, without noticing that Jarvis was outside in his car, talking to Stark on the phone, apologizing for not being able to be everywhere, and agreeing that Carter was an excellent choice for their plan, as she had no suspicions about anything.[1]
Looking for Apartments[]
Peggy Carter started to search for another apartment following the death of Colleen O'Brien. Carter sat at the L&L Automat, being forced to hear The Captain America Adventure Program while she read the newspaper marking classified ads.
Carter, angered at the fictional portrayal of the events she had lived through, asked Angie Martinelli to change the radio channel, something that Martinelli was happy to do, as she auditioned for the role of Betty Carver and did not obtain it. Martinelli even made an impersonation of the character, reciting one of the lines of the dialogue, that Carter sarcastically remarked as "thrillingly realistic".
Martinelli realized that Carter was planning to move, given that she lost her roommate, without adding further detail, and Martinelli compared it to her first roommate, whom she lived with for six months until she suddenly engaged, married and ended up living in Armonk. She then started to analyze the different advertisements, explaining the lies hidden behind their fancy words.
Carter guessed Martinelli was suggesting something, and explained that one of the her neighbors at the Griffith Hotel had recently moved out, and offered Carter the chance to move there, highlighting the attributes of the place, especially the fact they would be neighbors.
Carter not wanting to put anyone in danger given that O'Brien was killed just for living with her, rejected the proposal with the excuse of Martinelli would get tired of her, and explained she was going to see an apartment even it was too late, as it was "recommended" through a friend.[2]
Bad Neighbor[]
Peggy Carter went to the L&L Automat to wait for Edwin Jarvis, in order to travel to Cedar Grove in New Jersey and investigate Sheldon McFee, the usual driver of the truck used to transport the Nitramene.
Angie Martinelli approached the window to inform Carter about an apartment she found for her. Carter tried to dismiss her saying she was going to get late, but Martinelli read the advertisement, explaining its many virtues, and the fact that they would be neighbors if Carter accepted.
Martinelli started to realize that Carter's refusal to her offer of living in the same building was because of her, despite Carter simply claiming that she would not be a good neighbor for Martinelli. Carter did not tell her the actual reason, the death of her former roommate. Jarvis arrived and Carter bid farewell to a saddened Martinelli.[2]
Mourning a Colleague[]
Peggy Carter went to the L&L Automat, still deeply affected by the loss of the colleague Ray Krzeminski, wanting to speak to her friend Angie Martinelli. Martinelli, still upset with Carter for the way Carter treated her the previous night at the Griffith Hotel, coldly treated her as another customer.
Carter asked her for the opportunity of telling Martinelli about her day if she had a moment, and noticing Carter's state, she told her she had plenty of time to talk to her. Carter explained that one of her co-workers died suddenly died that day, without commenting the details to maintain her cover.
Carter was even shocked for the way it deeply affected her, even despite she and Krzeminski were anywhere but close, given that he was always rude and disrespectful with her, but she acknowledged that Krzeminski was good at his job. Martinelli offered to do whatever was in her hand to help her, and Carter asked if she still had the bottle of Schnapps she offered to share the previous night.
Martinelli, wanting to help her friend, went to refill a customer, and then she would leave work to be with her.[3]
Tourism in New York City[]
Dottie Underwood and Peggy Carter went to the L&L Automat together for breakfast before Carter entered her job at the New York Bell Company Office. Underwood cited her with the excuse of requesting help to know the city, but she had other plans for her meeting with Carter.
Underwood asked Carter the meaning of the word "ennui", something she heard from Angie Martinelli that morning as an excuse for not going to work that day, and Carter explained that it meant melancholy or sadness born out of tedium or boredom. Carter noted that despite those kind of comments, Martinelli's acting teacher did not consider her to be dramatic enough.
Underwood shared a piece of her baguette with Carter just as she did with her friend Anya at the Red Room Academy in Russia, insisting to share it as she could never finish her bread. Underwood asked Carter for a pen, explaining she wanted to convince Martinelli to give her a tour of New York City; she still got lost when she walked on her own, but she wanted to see its many landmarks.
Carter found a pen attached to Edwin Jarvis' business card, and started to think about him, while Underwood continued to explain how she wanted to see Central Park, the Empire State Building, Trinity Church and the Statue of Liberty. Underwood realized that Carter was thinking about other thing and called her attention.
Carter told her that what she wanted to see were tourist traps, because the way to know New York City, just like with any other place, was to talk to its people, but not the dishonest people that coated the city. Carter advised her to visit Brooklyn, though Underwood sadly said that she preferred to see the Statue of Liberty. Carter explained that the statue would not move from its location, but the spirit of Lady Liberty, what the statue actually represented, was found in the people.
Underwood was impressed with Carter's words, saying that she sounded like Captain America, something that Carter thought was not a bad thing at all. Underwood hit Carter's purse seemingly by chance, and quickly went to pick up all the content that fell to the ground, but keeping the key for Carter's room at the Griffith Hotel.
Underwood thanked Carter for her advice, and announced she was going to Brooklyn, but then she innocently asked how to go there. Realizing what Carter meant, Underwood told her she would figure out herself how to go to Brooklyn, and Carter wished her to have fun.[4]
Common Goal[]
Angie Martinelli gave a performance of her audition for the A Doll's House play at the L&L Automat, being complimented by Esther, one of the customers, who clapped her performance.
Martinelli headed to the table where Peggy Carter was waiting, handing her a copy of key to Carter's room at the Griffith Hotel, explaining how difficult was for her to convince Miriam Fry to giving her the key. Carter thanked her, not knowing where he dropped her key, and complimented her performance. Martinelli said that the producers of the play called it the worst audition they had ever seen.
Carter told her that he was not ordering, as she was just waiting for a friend, and told her that one audition could not get her down. Martinelli said that it was the seventh time she was denied an opportunity, and after trying to become an actress for the last year, her father wanted her to join secretary school, and she was going to start the following week.
Carter was saddened to hear that, thinking that Martinelli had talent as an actress, but she said that she would have already became an actress if that was true. Carter noticed Edwin Jarvis at the door, and told Martinelli that they would continue the conversation that night. Martinelli understood the indirect, and left Carter alone to let her talk to Jarvis.
Jarvis told Carter that he was very pleased for having received Carter's call, but she told her that she still believed that they had never been on the same team, and they were just working towards a common goal. Jarvis considered it to be fair, and informed her that Roger Dooley visited him and his words made him think that the Strategic Scientific Reserve may had change their opinion regarding Howard Stark.
Carter told Jarvis that investigating Leviathan had become one of their major goals, but Stark was still considered a fugitive. Jarvis revealed that Dooley wanted information for what happened during a battle in Germany, specifically in the town of Finow. Jarvis said that he did not reveal anything to Dooley, but Stark visited Finow in 1944, and he began the construction of his vault shortly after his return. Carter asked Jarvis what Stark said about Dooley's question, but Jarvis had been unable to contact him.
Carter revealed the reason of his call, that the Soviet Union had been training young women as undercover operatives, and given Stark's major weakness were women, it was likely that one of the women that Stark had "entertained" during the last year was one of these operatives. Carter asked for a list of those women, but Stark seriously told her that probably there was not enough ink in New York to complete that list.
Carter then asked for a list of those women in the last six months, and Jarvis told her that it was possible, suggesting to start with the western hemisphere, both surprising and disappointing Carter.[5]
Procedure 791[]
Peggy Carter arrived at the L&L AUtomat to meet Edwin Jarvis, informing each other of their unsuccessful attempts to track Ida Emke. Carter noticed that the civilians were being evacuated from the automat, and recognized it as an arrest procedure of the Strategic Scientific Reserve.
Carter identified two of the remaining customers as Agents Messner and Reese from Washington, D.C., and asked Jarvis to block the front door so other agents could not enter inside. Carter casually addressed to one of the agents, and began to fight everyone inside, managing to knock them down while Jarvis locked the door with a chair.
Jarvis told Carter to leave through the back door while he knocked the last remaining agent, but Carter found that Jack Thompson was waiting for her in the alley. Thompson ordered her to stop and not make sudden movements, saying that the agents from Washington did not believe him when he said that Carter would be hard to grab.
Carter asked Thompson what was happening, and he explained how a witness recognized her to be the woman who was with Leet Brannis the night he died, and there was a photo of her at La Martinique the night Spider Raymond was killed. Besides, she was at that moment with Howard Stark's butler.
Jarvis tried to explain that there had been a misunderstanding, but Thompson ordered him to shut up. Carter told Thompson that all those evidence did not mean what they thought, so Thompson asked her to turn herself and explain everything. Carter told him she could not do that, and apologized before disarming and knocking Thompson out.
Carter told Jarvis to meet her at the Dublin House, as she needed to retrieve something from the Griffith Hotel. Jarvis tried to persuade him from going, as it would be the first place where they would look for her, but she tearfully revealed that she needed to protect Steve Rogers' blood.
Daniel Sousa appeared to arrest Carter under the charges of treason, espionage and aiding and abetting Stark, calling him public enemy number one. Carter tried to explain that there were things he could not understand, but noticing Thompson lying in the ground, he said that all seemed to be clear.
Carter knew that Sousa would not shoot her, and he asked her not to run, as if she did, he would know the charges were true. Seeing no other option, Carter escaped, apologizing to Sousa.[5]
Prosecution[]
Daniel Sousa tended to Jack Thompson as he recovered consciousness in the alley behind the L&L Automat. Thompson asked how Sousa lost Peggy Carter, saying that he could not chase her, and Thompson's performance was not something to be proud either.
Thompson still found hard to believe that Carter was a traitor, and asked him if he knew it. Sousa denied knowing anything about it until he found the evidence, saying that he had always suspected that Carter was hiding something, but nothing like that.
Thompson prompted Sousa to go the Griffith Hotel and investigate her room there, asking him to move faster as Sousa tried to follow Thompson's rhythm. The two agents boarded their car and headed to the Griffith.[5]
Appearances[]
In chronological order:
