Forgotten Ghost | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 33: Cat And Mouse

''Yeah, I wish,'' the guy said, gesturing with his hands to Steve's obviously fit body. ''Specimen. Uh...if you guys need anything, I've been Aaron.'' He tapped his name card and backed away slowly.

''Thank you,'' Steve answered kindly, because Katya wasn't the nicest person in the world. As soon as Aaron turned around, Katya withdrew her hands from Steve and took a quick step back. She didn't like touching the guy. He felt the same way, brushing off the sleeve she had grabbed like her hands were dirty.

Katya took her original position next to Natasha, although she pressed her body a bit closer to her. 

''Guess we found something you're not good at,'' Natasha echoed Katya's words from before. 

''Shut up.''

Steve interrupted their joking, taking all the lightness and fun out of it. ''You said nine minutes, come on.'' His watch counted down the minutes and it had dropped under one minute. They needed to get out of here fast, or they would be boxed in this store and a fight would break out. Not the publicity they wanted.

Natasha tried to ease him. ''Shh, relax.'' The computer suddenly beeped, drawing Katya's attention to the screen. ''Got it,'' Natasha said with a satisfied and cocky smirk. Katya rolled her eyes before focusing on what location she had pinned.

Wheaton, New Jersey.

Wheaton? Katya had no idea what could be there, but Steve had frozen and his eyes widened, something that didn't go unnoticed by Natasha either. She turned her head to the right, studying Rogers' face. ''You know it?''

''I used to. Let's go,'' he muttered rapidly, yanking the USB out of its slot and stalking out of the store, not waiting for the two women to follow. Katya sighed, sharing a tired and annoyed look with Natasha, who felt the same way.

''Remind me to never take him on these missions again,'' she said to Natasha. They walked side by side out of the store, trying to catch up with Steve in a casual way.

Natasha smiled under her hood. ''I don't know, you make quite a team,'' she teased her.

''Pfff,'' Katya rolled her eyes. ''We were lucky that guy was completely oblivious.''

''I'd say blind. He screams Captain America even with those stupid glasses on.'' They both looked at Steve, who slowed down gradually after he realized they were far behind. Even without his red, white and blue suit, he was Captain America. At least, to them. Because they had seen him in normal clothes before and knew him. 

But some had only seen the hero and not the man. So apparently, his disguise wasn't that bad? Or nobody paid attention to their surroundings. Let's just keep it at that.

Katya chuckled quietly when they caught up with Steve, who tried to make his way to the escalators without being seen. Even though SHIELD didn't catch them at the store, they knew agents were in this mall. They had their location. Eight minutes was enough time to spread out through the building and have people everywhere. 

So Katya's eyes swept everyone they passed and everyone walking their way. She looked into stores and dark corners while keeping her head down and walking normally. But Steve was the one who saw the agents first. It was probably to blame on his height. The guy was at least a foot taller than her. 

''Standard tac-team. Two behind, to across, two coming straight at us. If they make us, I'll engage, you hit the south escalator to the metro.'' Katya rolled her eyes at his stress and soldier-mode. He needed to start thinking like a spy and not like a soldier. Spies only fought when absolutely necessary. They tried to lie and manipulate their way out first. Fighting would attract attention and that was the last thing they needed. Subtlety is key.