𝘖𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘴 & 𝘐𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 || 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘭

71. Assassin (rewrite) P1 - Natasha Romanoff & Clint Barton

"Barton, take the shot."

The archer pulled back his bow string, eyes trained on his target in the busy streets.

"Are we sure this is the right target?" he asked, hesitating. "I mean, you don't have any identification apart from her appearance."

"Agent Barton, take the shot."

He still hesitated. But he knew he had to listen to orders.

"I'm going down low," the archer said into his earpiece, and crossed his bow over his body, slipping the arrow back into the quiver.

"Agent Barton, is this your idea of a negotiation?" the voice on the other end of the earpiece asked. "We could lose her!"

"And if I cross her off now, we may lose any chance of getting information."

The archer could hear a sigh as he made his way through the bustling streets, eyes locked on his target.

"Very well. Make sure you detain her," came the agreement.

"Of course Director."

Agent Barton was closing in on the target. The woman was weaving in and out of small crowds at the markets quickly, but he was quicker.

Eventually, he cornered her - right at the edge of the market.

"Well played," Barton commented. "But you can't escape. We have agents everywhere."

The woman was facing away from him, and all he could see was the black cat-suit she was wearing and her copper red hair tied in two braids that fell past her shoulders.

The man took hold of her shoulder and spun the woman around. She punched his neck, and a moment later a strong electric shock raced through his body, forcing him to let go of his target.

"Fuck," Barton muttered as he fell to his knees and the redhead took off in a run into an alleyway.

"Agent Barton? Are you okay?"

"Fine, it was just some taser-like thingy," Barton grunted, getting to his feet. "I see where she went."

"Go after her."

"Yes Director."

Agent Barton was quick to follow the woman, and realise that she was indeed trapped.

"Didn't realise it was a dead end?" he asked with a smirk.

The woman turned to face him, and he saw her face for the first time. Porcelain white skin, a set mouth, shining emerald eyes - they held no emotion, however - accompanied by that copper red hair with matching eyebrows a shade darker.

"Damn," Barton couldn't help but murmur under his breath at her dazzling appearance.

"Mission, Agent."

He nodded his head, and his eyes fell to the belt around her waist. In the middle was a clip adorned with a red hourglass symbol.

"Well, looks like you're well and truly trapped now," he commented, walking towards her.

The woman backed up, her left hand going to her right wrist. The band lit up red and she held her fist towards Barton. He ducked, and a red disk flew through the air, missing him by less than an inch.

"Look, I'm not gonna hurt you, I just wanna know what your job is, and why you've killed so many," Agent Barton said, indicating to the bow that was over his shoulder. "So I suggest you surrender."

The woman's gaze was distracted from the archer and she looked up, spotting the other agents on the roofs of the buildings surrounding it. They all had guns trained on her, and even with skills as perfect as hers, the redhead knew she was severely outgunned. Slowly but deliberately, she raised her hands above her head and lowered herself to her knees.

"Now I'm gonna need you to drop your weapons!" Agent Barton ordered.

The woman simply stared at Barton, not moving a muscle.

"Indicate what you want her to do," the voice came from Barton's earpiece.

He obeyed, indicating to his wrists, then pointed at hers. The woman's eyes narrowed, but she did as she was told, lowering her hands and removing the wristbands, whilst the agents lowered themselves to the ground using wires in the background. Barton's target didn't bat an eyelid to the men around her as she dropped her weapons on the floor and put her hands back in the air.

Agent Barton approached her, taking a vial and a sterile needle out of one of his pockets. He made quick work of putting the liquid into the needle, then he moved to the woman's side and placed his hand on her shoulder. She flinched. Barton noticed it, but made no indication that he did, sliding the needle into the woman's neck and injecting the contents.

Within a matter of seconds, she had fallen to the ground, leaving the other agents to check her catsuit for weapons and to handcuff her.

"Mission successful Director," Agent Barton said, putting his hand to his earpiece, to which he got no response for a moment.

"You may or may not have made the right call. We'll find out once you get back to base."