Avengers in Ketterdam

Before The Job

Inej's POV

Kaz's steps were a little heavier than usual as he turned and headed back to his office.

Inej tried to ignore it, and just took the stairs easily to follow him.

Wylan's soft feet pattered across the hardwood. Jesper's fumbling footsteps followed. Nina's swaying gait and Matthias's sure steps came next.

The Avengers stood there, unsure of their next move.

"If you're going to eat my food and drink my coffee," Kaz's rasp called over his shoulder. "Then I suggest you get to my office before you find yourselves in the streets."

The Avengers looked at each other, deciding who would go.

Inej heard Kaz mumble something and he said coldly. "Pick your best four, no more and no less."

Peter, Natasha, Steve, and (self-nominated) Tony  followed the Crows.

Kaz walked (hobbled) into his office, sitting down and laying out a blueprint.

Everyone filed in and sat in their usual spots around the table. The Avengers sort of huddled to a corner of the table, unsure of how to spread out.

"I got a lead on that slaver ship you mentioned last week, Wraith."

Inej raised an eyebrow at Dirtyhands. So, formalities?

"The boat will be docking, here, in exactly one bell from now" he pointed at one of the other harbors. "And will be dropping off at this warehouse to then be funneled to the Menagerie. Only in increments, so they don't cause suspicion. "

Matthias's gruff made Inej raised her eyes from the blueprints. "What's the catch?"

"Also, in that warehouse, is a considerable amount of the Menagerie's other businesses. Ammunition, chemicals, and their main safe full of kruge."

"Here I was," Nina rolled her eyes. "All worried you were trying to be noble Kazzie Wazzie."

"It's cruel how you doubt me Nina, dear." The sarcasm dripped from Brekker's voice like steaming tar.

"Sorry my dudes," Inej turned, seeing the Peter kid was talking. "But uhhh, what's our part in all this?"

Kaz looked like a grumpy kitten who's thunder had been stolen.

"Natasha, Wraith, and Steve will be getting out any of the passengers from the boat." He flicked his eyes across the people he mentioned.

"Nina, Matthias, Jesper, Peter, and Tony, y'all will be guarding the outside of the building and helping take out the people on the boat." He nodded the Jesper. "Be sure to use those new additions on your revolvers."

Jesper had made a new addition to his revolvers, his Fabrikator lessons had gone well, and he'd made a small metal tube that silenced any bullets out of the barrel.

It was quiet useful for quiet jobs.

"Wylan and I will be seeing what other recourses we can grab. Jesper, you'll meet us here," he pointed to an alley. "So we can rendezvous."

Jesper chimed in. "No."

Kaz fixed the sharpshooter with a glare.
"Excuse you?"

"I said no," Jesper drummed his fingers on the table. "That's too many people on guard duty, and not enough with you and Wy."

Wylan tiredly sighed. "Jes, I'll be fine-"

"Nope," he popped the p and stared at his boyfriend. "Take someone else from the guard duty."

"I'll do it!" Replied Peter excitedly. "I can steal things!" The teen wiggled his fingers as if to emphasize his point.

"Fine," Kaz replied reluctantly, not wanting to start another fight.

"So, that's the plan," Kaz checked his pocket watch. "We have only a few moments to prepare so everyone grab their gear and meet me downstairs when you're ready."

Everyone dispersed and nodded, ready to get their gear, until Tony piped up.

"Excuse me? Yes, Dusty Fingers sir? Yeah, why should we be helping you."

Kaz eyes sharpened, and Inej watched him carefully. Though he was injured, Brekker wouldn't hesitate to knock Stark down a notch.

"You are here. Eating my food. Drinking my coffee. And came here, wasting my time asking about some long dead grisha that I care nothing about. As long as you are under this roof, you will help me. You will answer to me. Do I make myself clear?"

Tony watched the boy carefully, but eventually quipped back. "Crystal."

"Good." Kaz grabbed his cane and set it down firmly. "Then let's get going. We don't have any time to waste. "

*time skip brought to you by the new Hozier album I'm lowkey obsessed*

Inej's POV still ish

Kaz tapped his cane rhythmically.

Inej watched as he flipped his pocket watch open, and checked the time for the third time they'd come down to wait for the foreigners.

All the Avengers not on the job we're gathered downstairs, waiting to wish their peers off.

Natasha and Peter came down first, and eventually Tony and Steve came too.

Kaz nodded towards Steve. "Captain? A moment if you will?"

Steve came forward, waiting in front of Dirtyhands.

With an arc of his cane Kaz sent the Captain crumbling. One swoop behind the knees, the next to the shoulder, and thump echoed across the Slat.

Some of the Avengers lunged forward, only to all be halted by Natasha's single hand.

Kaz placed The crow's head on Steve's Adam's Apple.

"I would like to remind you, Captain, that you are in a foreign land. This is absolutely not you're home. And it would do you well to go ask a few people what happened to the men who tried to lay a hand on me." Dirtyhands half snarled down at the Captain, punctuating his words by pressing the cane into Steve's throat.

Kaz bent down, leaning all his weight on the cane. "Let's just say, they don't have that hand any more."

"Hey man, give him a break-" Peter moved closer, and grabbed Kaz's arm through his coat fabric.

Kaz swung his cane again, hitting Peter's knee and the hero went down.

Dirtyhands wasn't done yet. "Did you not hear what I just said?"

Peter found himself pinned under the crow's head just like Steve had been, but the Captain had scrambled away.

"Kaz," Inej spoke from the door. "We're gonna be late for the job."

Kaz swiped the crow's head off Peter's throat dramatically, smoothing his coat over and limping over to the Wraith.

"You're lucky the Wraith was here to counsel mercy. Now, let's get moving."

A/N: welp, that's a wrap for this one, I think ima continue with this idea and it might get a bit worse from here (no promises) lmk if ya hate it (or don't <3) thanks so much for reading!!!