We Get One Shot At This

They're a Ghost Story

"They're credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last 50 years."

"So they're a ghost story."

~~~

"Pierce said that he wants me to do this one on my own." Bucky threw a file in front of you and sat across the table with a curious look on his face. "I'm not sure why, but he was insistent that you not be a part of it. I think he's wrong, so I'm bringing you in with me."

You opened the file to see pictures of a skinny blonde man, maybe about 90 pounds when soaking wet, and you weren't impressed in the least. "This guy? I don't see the risk here?"

"There's more." He grabbed the paper from your hand and flipped deeper into the file until a current picture of Steve Rogers was at the top of the pile. "This is him today. He possesses the same strength and skills that we have. He's a direct threat to Hydra with the means to take us down if we don't stop him now."

You sighed, nodding your head in agreement at what you were reading. "Wait, who's this?" A picture of a red headed woman was behind the picture of Rogers; her records showed her as Natalia Alianova Romanova, her current alias listed as Natasha Romanoff, master-level SHIELD spy with advanced training in combat and weaponry. You held the picture up for Bucky, a smile beginning to cross your face. "Well, if you get him, then I want this one."

~~~

"Insight's launching in 16 hours, we're cutting it a little bit close here."

"I know. We'll use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the helicarriers directly."

"Are you crazy? That is a terrible, terrible idea!"

You both landed solidly on the car that held each of your targets. Bucky reached into the back of the car and pulled Sitwell out, throwing him in front of an oncoming truck, while you positioned yourself to take out your two assigned hits of the three left inside. Romanoff had managed to evade each of your shots, and when the car jerked to a stop, both you and Bucky were flung forward and onto the freeway. He instinctively wrapped his arm around you and dug his metal hand into the asphalt to slow your fall.

As you stood to look at the people inside the car, a pang of recognition hit you when you saw Rogers; a recognition that you didn't have when you saw his picture just days before. "Do you recognize him? I feel like I should know him?" you asked Bucky.

"There's no time for that. We need to move."

As the fight ensued, Romanoff and Rogers were separated, allowing you and Bucky the perfect opportunity to complete your individual missions. She ran from the rain of bullets, hiding in the flashes of explosions to conceal her direction. "She's good," you mumbled as you watched her jump from the overpass, but she had yet to emerge on the other side. You leaned over the edge to see her, but a barrage of shots fired past your head and you ducked behind the concrete barrier. As she began to retaliate, Bucky rushed to your side and sprayed bullets in her direction.

"I have her," you assured him, "you go find Rogers."

She was fast and agile, but still no match for you. Within minutes, you had her pinned, wounding her enough to keep her scared and still. When she looked back at you, you knew you had won and you were eager to finally take the definitive shot. Bucky leapt onto the vehicle next to you, aiming his gun at her with you. "Did you find him?" you asked, looking around for any sign of the Captain.

"He came this way. You finish her, then return to me."

You nodded and were just about to pull the trigger when your periphery caught the flash of light bouncing from Steve's shield. Bucky hit the shield with his metal arm and the resounding impact sent a shock wave around you. You were torn between shooting Romanoff and helping your partner, and in the instant of doubt, she escaped your view.