Red Thorn

Chapter 20

Early 2016

Seconds felt like an eternity as a wave of silence washed over the room, the Wakandan royals eyeing the woman in front of them. The younger of the two men took a step forwards, squaring up to the assassin. A move that had all of the Avengers of high alert. If there was one thing you should not do it was challenge the Red Thorn and it was the second time it had happened that day.

"The Kitten?" he questioned, glaring down at her.

"Charlotte," Steve whispered just loud enough for only her to hear. His near silent words held a hint of warning.

She folded her arms over her chest, not breaking eye contact.. "That's what I said, isn't it?"

"What is she doing?" Tony asked Rhodey, making sure to keep his voice low as he looked on in horror.

"Hell if I know," he answered.

"Should we step in?"

"It's better to keep a united front."

Tony balled his fists. "She's going to ruin everything."

"She knows better than to do anything reckless." Rhodey hardly had time to finish his sentence before the first move was made. Only, much to the Avengers' surprise, it wasn't made by her.

His fist came hard and fast, a left hook that would have caught anyone off guard. Anyone other than Red that is. The master assassin merely stepped to the side, one eyebrow raised. Silently goading the King of Wakanda to try again. Which he did.

Right, left, right. Three consecutive punches that would have anyone down for the count. But again, Red dodged them with ease. And if her teammates didn't know any better, she seemed to be enjoying herself. Enjoying taunting T'Challa as he was unable to land a hit.

He tried again but this time she went on the defensive, blocking his every attack with such accuracy it was as if she already knew exactly what he was going to do. But when he went in for the kill, a roundhouse kick to the head, she ducked, sweeping his standing leg out from under him.

Moments before he crashed flat onto his back, the assassin caught him by the front of his shirt, the same way she had with Steve out on their run with Sam and Bucky.

"Cука," Natasha cursed under her breath, taking a step forward, her teammates following suit.

T'Chaka raised his hand. "Let them be."

"Tu triches," Red told him.

Grabbing ahold of her wrist, T'Challa flipped her over, pinning her to the ground with one knee on her chest. "It's not cheating."

"You're right." Red hooked her ankle around his kneeling leg and with a quick pull to the side, their roles were reversed. She reached for the blade hidden in her boot and started admiring it. "You can't call it cheating if you still lose anyway."

T'Challa was about to say something but was cut off by the sound of his father's voice. "That's enough... Both of you."

The room once again fell silent, Red and T'Challa not moving an inch. Until she unexpectedly helped him to his feet.

"Barton Romanoff, a word," Steve ordered. And though his words were near silent, the anger in them wasn't, but still, Red paid no mind to him.

"I didn't think you were going to show," T'Challa told her and she shrugged.

"There is something I would like to discuss with you." She turned to T'Chaka. "Your counsel will of course be much appreciated."

"Is there somewhere we can talk in private?" The former King of Wakanda asked.