The Ghost [Marvel | Steve Rogers]

Prologue

New York City, USA

Winter 2014

With a few quick taps on the tablet screen, Maria Hill deleted the communiqué, leaning back against the table she'd paused next to when the encoded message had come in.

Inhaling deeply, her mind was buzzing as she processed the information she'd just been provided, mulling over implications and courses of action. It had been left to her discretion, and quite often that would mean she'd keep it close to the chest. But Maria had grown rather close to her Avengers colleagues over the last couple months and her secret self, kept safely hidden behind the spy she was first and foremost, considered many of them friends. She'd known Romanoff for a long time now and, in addition to having a great deal of professional respect for her, rather liked the woman. She needed to know.

Looking up at the sound of footsteps too light to belong to one of the male members, Maria sighed as the Avenger in question retreated from the Conference Room, likely heading back to her own quarters to clean up after their most recent mission; a success, of course, but not the kind they'd been after.

"Natasha," Hill called, just loud enough that the redheaded spy heard her. Black Widow paused, glancing over to her fellow former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent with a questioning look on her face. With a guarded but still curious frown, Natasha made her way to Maria's side, sipping out the last green-tinted dregs from the cup in her hand that Tony insisted everyone drink after their missions.

"What's up, Hill?" It was said lightly, but Maria knew Natasha was concerned; Maria rarely called her Natasha save when it was serious. For a split-second Maria regretted having deleted the encrypted message so quickly. It would have been simpler just to hand Romanoff the tablet to read it for herself. But Maria pushed the thought aside.

"I've had a message from an old friend," she said nearly under her breath. Natasha's head tilted with interest, her green eyes sharpening. Maria nodded in confirmation of the silent question. "He says there have been whispers underground that the Ghost has come out of hiding." Though she hid it well, Maria detected the worry that suddenly flooded through Romanoff by the way her full lips thinned, her face paling ever so slightly as her gaze slipped to focus somewhere inside her own head. After processing the information for a moment, Natasha glanced up again, meeting her colleague's eyes.

"Is there a rumoured target?"

Maria inhaled deeply, crossing her arms as she met Natasha's gaze head on and nodding.

"Rumour is the Ghost is being contracted to go after Captain Rogers or even Tony." Natasha's eyebrow quirked skeptically, knowing that Maria was about to add in a 'but.' It nearly drew a grin from Maria. But the former agent sobered immediately.

"But our friend says the Ghost is likely coming after you."

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