The Valentin Series, Book 1: The Valkyrie (Captain America fanfiction)

The Valkyrie: Chapter 1

"What do you mean you can't find him?" Nick Fury's voice angrily asked The Black Widow and Captain America, "You're telling me the greatest soldier in the world, and the best spy the world has to offer cannot find an amnesiac, metal-armed assassin?"
"With all due respect sir," Steve Rogers ventured, "He has had extensive training, and he was taught to disappear."
"We might have to call her in," Black Widow pointed out.
"No, she's a Last resort, you know that." Nick answered, as he stood up from his chair. They were in Stark Tower, trying to track down The Winter Soldier with whatever information and technology Tony Stark was able to steal from SHIELD. It had been 6 months since the heli-carrier incident, and they still had no leads on James Barnes.

"Sir, if we can't find him, who else can?" Natasha asked, gesturing to the Cap and herself.
"Wait," Steve interrupted, "who is this 'she' you are talking about?"
Fury sighed in defeat, pulled out a file from his desk drawer and tossed it on his tabletop. Steve picked it up and riffled through it, "Who is this?"

"Codename, Angel," Fury answered, "She used to be HYDRA's tracker for hire. No loyalty whatsoever, goes for the highest bidder, trained by the KGB along with Romanov here. Weapons of choice are knives, blades, swords, anything with a sharp tip, she can handle. Expert marksman, too."

“She was my best friend growing up." Natasha supplied.
"Can we trust her?" Steve asked the Widow.
"I stopped trusting her after we went our separate ways. We met again a few years ago, she almost slit my throat," She answered, "But she was hired by HYDRA for one thing only: to track down the winter soldier when he'd get lost."

"She almost slit your throat?" Steve asked, shocked.
"She could have, but she didn't, she just knocked me out." Nat shrugged, "guess she kept me alive for old times' sake."
"Stark's been monitoring her since the Loki incident," Nick began, "he didn't know what she used to do for HYDRA, just that she could do what Romanov could, only slightly better."
"Slightly." Natasha reiterated, "just slightly."
"Angel, huh?" Steve reread her file, "guess we don't have a choice."
"I hate to admit it, but we don't" Fury agreed, "Romanov, get ready. You're meeting an old friend."

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"Hey, Ms. Val," a 17-year old boy called from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yeah, Luke, what is it?" She looked back, smiling, knowing full well it made Luke blush when she smiled.
"Uh," he stuttered, then smiled sheepishly, "there was a red head asking for you, I just gave her your apartment number. She said you grew up together."
"Thanks for the heads up, sweetie," she called back; she walked slowly up to her Apartment which was on the fourth floor. Red hair, childhood friend? "Romanov" she muttered under her breath as she stuck as close to the wall as possible, shaking out her wristband, it unfolded unto five deadly sharp daggers strung together. Taking one in her right hand, and another in her left, she soundlessly walked into her hallway.

 "Took you long enough," Natasha's voice called, she was dressed in a brown leather jacket, white shirt, denim jeans and brown knee-high leather boots, and she was leaning on Val’s closed apartment door, and seeing her armed, she raised her hands in surrender, "I'm not armed, Valkyrie, not armed."

“Just because you aren't armed now does not mean you can't be armed in a few seconds." Val pointed out.
"Hey, I came her with a business proposition," Natasha said, "I didn't break in, now, did I?"

"Fair point," Val agreed as she walked closer, stringing one dagger, but keeping the one in her right hand at the ready, she unlocked her apartment door and let Natasha in first.
"Nice place." Nat said as she took in her surroundings, it was a small quaint apartment, light purple painted walls, dark wood flooring, cream colored furniture, and a very modern metal-on-black kitchen.
"Thanks," Val replied, taking off her gray denim jacket, "let us assume I trust you, so I am now keeping my daggers." She said as she strung the last one and shook her bangle back into place.

"You make that yourself?" Nat asked gesturing to the bracelet, Val nodded in answer, “It's been a while, Val. You look different. You look better."

Camilla Valentin smiled at the Black Widow, it had been a while. Last time they saw each other she tried to kill Nat. The Valkyrie, as she was known back in Russia, was 5'9", had light brown skin color, long jet black wavy hair, full pink lips, high cheekbones, a strong jaw, and gray-brown almond shaped eyes. She was graceful, like a cat, and she could move through any place without anyone knowing she was there. She was an assassin, born and trained to be one.

"Don't let the white sun dress fool you, Tasha" Val smiled.
"I never got to say thank you," Natasha said suddenly.
Val quirked a questioning eyebrow, "For what?"
"For not chopping my head off 8 years ago," Natasha answered with a sly smile.
"I couldn't very well kill off my only competition," Val shrugged, "bad for the business." She winked.
Natasha laughed, "Still the same, I guess."
"Same girl, Tasha," Val agreed, “Just not living the same life anymore."

"Do you miss it?" Nat asked.
"What? Killing people, or the KGB?" Val clarified as she walked to her kitchen and pulled out a bottle of vodka.
"Both." Nat answered, accepting the bottle after Val had taken a swig.
"I miss the chase," Val answered, "I don't miss the killing, or the KGB."
"So why'd you stop? You haven't been on the field for the past two years." Natasha handed the bottle back to her.
"I didn't need the money anymore," she answered, taking another swig, "I invested all my earnings, got business savvy, whatever I’m earning now is clean money, Tasha, it feels good."

Natasha sighed; this was going to be harder than she thought. "Val, I’m working for SHIELD now, or what's left of it." She informed her friend who just smiled.
"I know," Val answered, handing the bottle to Nat, "so what do you need from me, then?"
Natasha took a large gulp of the vodka, and then grimaced, "We need you to find someone."
Val's eyebrows shot to the sky, "you can't find them?" She asked.
"If I could, I wouldn't be here." Natasha admitted through clenched teeth.
"Well, well," Val smiled wickedly, "I guess I really am slightly better than you are."
"Slightly, just slightly." Natasha smiled, passing the bottle again.
"Fine," Val said as she took a long drought, “but I’m doing it to prove a point, nothing else. This will be the last time, ok? And no killing."
"You know I can't guarantee the no killing part." Natasha said quietly.
"I know." Val said, "but as long as the contract doesn't require me to kill, I’m fine."
"Deal, then?" Nat asked, and Val nodded, "how much do you go for, nowadays, anyway?"
The Valkyrie smiled, "how much you willing to offer?"