𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 | 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙡

I.

    "WHAT DO YOU know of this woman?" The man asked calmly, sliding a photo over to her. He was dressed in the usual suit and black sunglasses with a little earpiece like all other S.H.I.E.L.D agents did. And he was just as emotionless and just as conditioned as the rest of them. "Miss, I'm going to need you to cooperate here. This is a matter of state security and you could be harvesting a very dangerous assassin." He explained, allowing Meilani's acting skills to make an appearance. She chose somewhere between shock and fear, the Agent seemed to buy it and that's all that mattered.

   When she pulled the photo in front of her, she knew exactly who it was. But her facade didn't crack. Natalia Romanova was the most well-known Widow in the Ops program. And currently her partner for their current mission, not like they needed to know any of that. So, of course, she knew who it was.

   "I haven't seen this woman before." She expressed, pulling her brows down into a slight frown and a pout of her lip. "I'm not quite sure what you want to say," Meilani added, looking up at the Agent. Her accent reflected that of the Queen's English, something she'd practised over the years. Otherwise, she was seen as suspicious or looked down upon. The latter she could deal with but she needed an element of power to maintain that control.

   "Then why was she in your apartment?" He pushed another photo over to her. There was a click from the door as someone entered. She hadn't bothered turning around, she wasn't to know that someone else was here - she just developed heightened senses over the years. It was in fact an apartment that they had rented years ago under Meilani's name - a safe house for undercover Widows.

   "This isn't my apartment," Meilani explained, folding her arms over her chest. "As I've said, I don't know her." The girl held her ground, eyes scanning over the photos to see where these could have been captured.

   There were a few loud steps that approached them. A man pulled out a seat across from her and sat down, folding his hands into a clasp on the metal table. He had soft facial features but his expression was very neutral.

    "I'm Agent Barton." He introduced, giving the other man a nod to back down. "I need you to tell me if you've seen her before. I believe you when you said you don't know her. I just need to know if you've seen her before. Her name's Natalia Romanova, we believe."

   "She looks-" The girl began, only to be cut off by loud shouts in the corridor before the door flung open. Just in time. Inalodo Redric, an older Widow, entered the interrogation room, just as planned.

    "This unbelievable!" The woman spoke in her best English accent, marching towards the table. The agent had pulled his weapon on the strange woman who had entered.

   "Ma'am, please come with me." Another Agent trailed in after her, obviously wanting her to leave.

   "No. I will not have you interview my daughter illegally." Inalodo really emphasised, causing the Agents to hesitate and lower their weapons.

   "Daughter?" Barton asked, visibly confused. There had been no record of a birth certificate or any relatives - only certified citizenship. Well, this had certainly complicated matters.

   "She's fifteen," Inalodo stated, the only thing here that wasn't a lie. "You must be aware that an adult must be present when talking to a minor or does the law not apply to Government groups?" She snapped snarking, watching as their faces turned into slight shock. It was easy for the girl to pass as an adult. From her mannerisms to the style they dressed her on missions, it was all for a reason.

   "Is this true, Mary?" Asked Barton, survey the girl in the interrogation seat. He had overheard his colleagues on the desk talk of her 'seductive' ways earlier, making a chill strike through him. This wasn't normal, that was for sure. "Then we shall pick this up another day, would you be able to talk to the people on the desk to arrange a date suitable for you both. Agent Coulson will escort you and help you in any way you need." He dismissed them, much to the surprise of the other Agents. This could be the key to catching Romanova.