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

Chapter 2: Briefing

"Wait," Steve Rogers exclaimed, "just wait a few seconds." He took a deep breath as his audience's attention shifted to him. "You're telling me, this" he gestured or Val who was wearing a black skin tight backless halter top, black skinny jeans and black heeled leather boots, "is Angel?"

"Yeah," Val shrugged, "sorry if I'm not as angelic as you hoped me to be." She smiled.

"Rogers," Natasha sighed, "this is Camilla Valentin, also known as Angel. Val, this is captain Rogers," she gestured to Steve, who was in a gray checkered long sleeved shirt, jeans and work boots, "this is Tony Stark," she pointed to the man in an Iron Maiden T-shirt, faded ripped jeans and fluffy slippers, he just smiled then winked at Val, "and this is Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye." She gestured to the archer who was in a plum v-neck shirt, dark denim jeans and steel toe shoes.

"Hello, marksman," Val smiled flirtatiously at Clint, "you gave me a good run once."

"Cairo," Clint grinned, "nearly got you."

"Oh, please," Val scoffed, "You missed me by a mile. I, on the other hand, clearly nicked you. You still have the scar?"

Clint lifted up his shirt sleeve to reveal a dagger wound that had scarred over on his inner right arm, "Had to learn how to shoot again after that."

Val laughed just as Fury and Bruce Banner walked into the room. "Are we done catching up?" Fury asked as he walked into the room in his usual uniform.

"This is Angel?" Bruce asked, he was in slacks and a blue polo with the sleeves folded up and leather shoes, "Bruce Banner, by the way, no offense, but I was expecting someone... Less pretty."

"Why thank you, Dr. Banner, but I do assure you, I am the one and only Angel." Val smiled at him, "although everybody who knew me in Russia used to call me the Valkyrie."

"Valkyrie, I've heard that before," Tony interrupted, "you took out ten men armed to the teeth to save an ambassador's daughter once."

Val smiled, "Yeah that was me." She admitted, "A hired killer's got to do what a hired killer's got to do."

"Since when did you change to angel, then?" Clint asked, curious.

"Since HYDRA started expressing interest in trackers." She answered, "I didn't want them to know of my past, and Valkyrie was my past. The less they knew about me the better. Those guys were some crazy powerful people."

"Why did they recruit you to find Bucky every time they lost him?" Steve asked, dead serious.

"I was the best free agent there was at the time," Val answered simply, "they pay me half up front, tell me where to go, bring him back, they pay me the rest. That was it, I never asked questions, and they never let me stay over for after parties."

Tony chuckled, "I bet they didn't throw a lot of those."

"Can we now move on to more serious matters?" Fury interrupted, and everyone focused on him, "last time we checked, Sgt. Barnes was seen in the Bronx area of New York, that's all we have."

"Have you guys checked his childhood hangouts?" Valkyrie asked as Tony pulled up what clues they found on a hologram screen.

"Yes, we have," Steve answered, "we've checked everywhere."

"Abandoned buildings, old playgrounds, old residence, and old friends' residences?" Val probed.

"We've gone through everything in his file, Val," Natasha shook her head, "we found nothing."

"When I worked for HYDRA, he was predictable, because they wiped him every time," Val explained, "so I'd know where to look. It was always abandoned buildings or theme parks, old houses, big cities." Val analyzed the map, checked all the red dots and other symbols on it that depicted where Barnes was sighted and where they had looked, "He's been on his own for how long now?"

"6 months," Fury answered.

"Damn," Val swore, "A blood hound would have better luck."

"Can you do the job?" Fury asked, impatiently.

"Hell yeah, I can do it," Val answered, "but I'll do it my way."

"You need backup, hot stuff?" Clint asked on a grin.

"Why not?" She smiled back, "you ready to go hunting, Tasha?" She asked the Black widow.

"Oh, yeah," Natasha grinned wickedly back at her, "just like old times, huh?"

"Am I glad I didn't kill you," Val said and Tony burst out laughing.