After the events in Hawkeye Yelena Belova didn't know what she was supposed to do.
She decided the best for her was to do what she was the best at, going undercover at missions. It turns out one mission is much harder for her than she expected.
Shocked, she looked around and scanned her surroundings. She quickly realized that she had been wrong. There was no stranger in her room, she was in a stranger's room - at least not the one she went to bed in 5 hours ago. Her gaze fell on the person still standing in the doorway of the room. You couldn't tell from her body language, but she was surprised.
'Ah, I see someone woke up,' said the high-heeled figure, with an obviously feigned cheerful tone to her voice.
'What the heck is this?' Yelena blurted out.
'Where am I, because a few hours ago, I was still sleeping in my bed.'
'No, that you slept in "your" bed in this hovel was 2 days ago.'
'What?' she said confusedly, her anger building up inside her and threatening to burst out any second.
With an angry voice, Valentina started to explain. 'While you were having your little "coffee chat" with Clint Barton, many witnesses saw you and the police were looking for you. Your sleep would be interrupted rather rudely. In plain language: you wouldn't have gotten out of America again.'
'I think you underestimate my abilities Valentina', the assassin answered.
'Oh yes? I think you did a fabulous job of showing your skills when you masterfully completed your assignment to kill Clint Barton.' Yelena took her eyes off the woman in front of her and looked past her. She hated failing and therefore giving others the opportunity to scoff at those failures. But for her, the mission with Barton was different, sparing him hadn't been a mistake, she knew she had done the right thing. And she stood by her decision.
With no expression on her face, she looked Valentina straight in the eye again and asked the question that had been tormenting her after the encounter on Christmas Eve.
'Why should he be killed?'
'Why didn't you fulfill your assignment?' she coldly asked back.
There was silence, both waiting for the other to start talking.
'So,' Yelena finally started, 'am I fired?'
Without a word, the woman went to a desk, picked up a folder from there and gave it to her.
'No,' she began to speak, 'you're lucky. Since this is the exception for you and this is the first time it has happened, you are not. But don't let this make you think we condone such behavior. If something like that happens again,' Valentina made round handgestures, then pointed at the blond woman, 'you're out.'
Yelena opened the yellow coated folder. The headline was written in bold red letters.
MISSION 21
Goal: Eliminate
Target: Katherine Elizabeth Bishop
Parents: Eleanor Bishop, Derek Bishop
Information about the target:
SPECIES
Human
CITIZENSHIP
American
GENDER
Female
DATE OF BIRTH
Late 2002
AFFILIATION
Spence School (formerly) Bishop Security (formerly)
Picture of the target:
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