The Trafficker

by WinterFinch

SHIELD has sent Captain America and some of the other Avengers to recover data stolen from SHIELD by a target only known to the organisation as "the Trafficker". But in addition to being first ever mission led by Steve, the operation that was supposed to be a common recovery mission doesn't turn out quite like an every day assignment in the long run.

1. The Trafficker

AN

Hi!

This is by every means somewhat edited draft, which still is in need of work. But after floating around ideas in my head and ending up typing this probable beginning of my planned Marvel fic, I thought to publish this, so that I could perhaps get some feedback since I'm a newbie in this fandom...(what, only took me ten years?)

I've never written anything regarding to Marvel before, and became more of a fan but recently, so the introduced characters in this might feel OOC, but let's see how this goes.

Since this is just a random piece of writing at the present (which still somehow evolved into a massive chunk of writing, excuse me), as the story doesn't even have a name yet, it's not going to be updated regularly. But I hope to get going with this fic very soon!

Sincerely,

Finch.

---

Italics = Speech through earpiece/phone

bold = foreign language

---

- South Africa -

Nightclub Ion, 2317 Hours

---

"Everyone in position?"

"Yes."

"Aye aye, Cap. Ready for action...If we'd even get any."

After a few more affirmative responses from the rest of the Agents through his earpiece Steve looked over to the entrance of the building. Outside appearing like a common local restaurant with mainly tourists sitting in tables eating, but which only worked as a false front for an underground club…Run by Simeon Monroe, South-African arms dealer and an apparent big shot in the ongoing gang war on the area, supplying both sides with his merchandise while supporting the government to eradicate these gangs by providing their police force with the exact same contraband weapons… According to the information gathered by S.H.I.E.L.D this club to have been established solely for the purpose for Monroe to run his arms deals in secret with all manner of clients…some more respectable than others.

"What is Monroe doing?" Steve asked, wanting an update for the past hour of mere waiting and not much happening, not getting informed of much else either now as heard Agent Callagher smack her tongue. Clear distaste in her voice.

"Same as he's done ever since entering. Proving why men like him should be shot and left for dead."

"Don't let yourself be tempted, Agent", Clint mused, holding back a laugh, Steve also smiling a little at Agent Callagher's acrid tone. "I'm sure you could take on the whole division of his bodyguards, but that would only spook our target away."

"I can't help it. You should just see him", agent Callagher replied as cast another look over to Monroe, watching him demean yet another young woman swarming that club with a single passing stare while having another woman in his very lap. "Pigs don't fly, but I sure as hell would wish to teach him."

"Alright, let's focus…Have a clear view of the club area?" Steve inquired. Now talking to all of the infiltrated Agents keeping watch of Monroe and his goons.

"Positive."

"Yes, sir."

"All eyes and ears here, Captain. All exits secured."

Steve frowned, wondering about the time as his eyes scanned the faces of the people he saw walk nearby the restaurant, some entering. The pounding echo of the song playing in the club leaking through the still open line, and still very unaccustomed to the music of modern era the man raised his eyebrows at the mere racket playing in his ear as strove to hear through the rumbling beats. "Any sign of the target?"

"Negative. But is it even a wonder considering the meeting was set to go down at midnight?" Agent Keller remarked, Steve raising his eyebrows again.

"It never hurts to play safe. For all we know the time given to us could've been just bogus information meant to throw off any outer parties from getting involved."

"Like us", Clint confirmed, flashing himself half a grin as crouched down to get a better view of all the windows at the back of the building…where the club resided a couple of storeys below the ground floor.

"But the source confirmed the Trafficker to come here tonight. That's certain."

"Nothing is certain in missions, Agent. Training 101", Natasha corrected curtly, her fingers dancing rapidly on the screen as she fed continuous coordinates to the surveillance system. Mapping the area down to the tiniest heat signature found within a mile before zeroing the view solely to the vicinity of the target building. "You'll never know what you could be thrown at while on the job."

"Leave the new kid alone, Nat. He's just excited to have his training wheels off…Don't you remember when it was you going on your first mission for S.H.I.E.L.D and it was me who had to remind you of protocol because you were too young and enthusiastic to go by the book?" Clint teased, Natasha rolling her eyes at him and replying in grave disbelief, until they heard Steve clear his throat to silence their out of context piquing.

"And just from whom do you think I picked that up…?"

"Anyways, all's set. Once the target shows themselves we are ready to act, Captain", Keller cut in, momentarily silenced due to the banter of his teammates, once again focused on to the operation thanks to their team leader.

"Outside and inside. We're all good, Steve", Natasha agreed, smiling. "We have every inch of this place watched. No one leaves without us knowing it."

Steve nodded to himself, taking a pause as let his eyes skim over the spanning view of the streets crisscrossing behind the club from his perched position on top of the opposite building. Indeed making it easy for him to spot anyone trying to slip out of the club.

"Just remember to never let your eyes off the target once they meet with Monroe. The Trafficker is said to be a slippery one to catch, especially on the act. There's a reason why S.H.I.E.L.D hasn't gotten near a single whiff of their activities in all these years while crossing paths with them, and we know not much of what they're capable of, which makes their capture even more difficult. And Romanoff…Don't call me Steve."

"Why? Captain sounds so formal…Wouldn't you like to be more casual taken that we are probably your only friends?" Natasha purred, intentionally using a tone that would annoy Steve, but was robbed of a chance to continue as Clint interrupted.

"Hey guys…Focus", he stated, his sarcasm causing Steve to simply shake his head and not respond to Natasha's continued tease this time focused on him. Returning his own attention back to monitoring the building.

"So about this Trafficker…Since we know squat about them and their abilities aside for them being one of the bad guys, that's why Fury sent us all here to book 'em instead of handling this as a normal pickup mission?…Did they really need to send a tactical team for one man?"

"If cops were enough to take care of them they wouldn't have gotten their hands on any S.H.I.E.L.D's dirty laundry in the first place", Natasha answered, quirking a remarkable eyebrow. "Which brings in us."

"Is the target enhanced?" Harvey, one of the senior Agents asked, including himself into the conversation for the first time.

"Apparently not, but just like Cap said…very hard to get an audience with", Natasha informed.

"Which makes them dangerous", Steve agreed, more serious now. "We have to catch this guy. We can't let them slip away again to go on stirring up more trouble."

"And this is our only chance for that. We need to recover the data from the Trafficker before it ends up to the wrong hands. That would stir up more trouble for S.H.I.E.L.D than Fury would forgive", Natasha said. "You don't want to be the one to give him the report if we fuck this up."

"You mean to say that if sold to Monroe, they wouldn't be in bad enough hands already?" Agent Callagher mused, leveling a fleeting glare at the arms dealer over her drink as pretended to be into the club anthem causing her eardrums to bleed.

"He has no real use for the information himself aside for profit. Like the Trafficker he's just a middleman. I think he agreed to this transaction only pass on the data about S.H.I.E.L.D to someone else who's really craving to get to the bottom of our secrets, which the Trafficker knew while choosing the buyer", Clint said, running a hand across the body of his bow. "After all, the Trafficker needed to sell the data as quickly as possible. No matter where they got the merchandise, it was too hot of a potato to hold onto too long or either S.H.I.E.L.D or some other mean ass corporation would get a scent of it and come at them the big guns out."

"And what are we then?" Keller questioned, amused, Clint smirking at his comment.

"The vanguard and the cavalry in one. More cost efficient that way."

"Do we know anything more about their meeting?" Callagher asked, her like all of the other Agents' voice almost getting drowned under the clamor of the lively club.

"No. Just that it should happen here around midnight. The Trafficker might not be perfect in always keeping things under wraps for our informants to find about it, but they're careful enough not to send us a direct invitation to tell us straight when and where", Natasha replied, tapping her fingertips against her thigh as observed the people inside the building. Not always making much sense of anything she saw however thanks to the great number of bodies emanating heat within the enclosed space, but could pinpoint the location of their operatives as well as Monroe's party sitting separately at the other side of the club.

"Which is why all we need to do is keep an eye on that arms dealer and wait."

"Then we wait", Steve confirmed, despite of the determination in his voice starting to feel unsure. Would the Trafficker truly make an appearance if it had been that easy for S.H.I.E.L.D to uncover their plans of selling the documents? The data (stolen during a mission in Brazil, the real thieves with the use of some revolusionary tech managing to use S.H.I.E.L.D's own equipment to hack into the mainframe of their headquarters, downloading a lot of miscellaneous data from their logistics and personnel information to basic operations…Exactly what they weren't sure of…) needed to be recovered tonight, but for someone who'd mostly kept their activities to themselves without risking of getting attained by S.H.I.E.L.D due to making themselves known, Steve found it very strange for them to have been able to set up an operation of their own in capturing the target without the Trafficker actually knowing that the word of their meeting with Monroe had gotten out.

"Well, it certainly would help if we even had a picture of the guy", Clint mused as strode across the rooftop, calculating different routes of entry if required.

"Or her. The target could be a woman. You never know", Natasha offered, tipping her head in concur of that thought as she was very aware of what a resourceful woman could do to avoid ending up within the radar of world cops like S.H.I.E.L.D.

"As exciting change to the usual criminals we have to play tag with as that would be, am I the only one who isn't all that into being stuck here in wait of this common robber?" Tony interjected suddenly, voice thick with sarcasm, others finding it surprising for him to speak after remaining silent for the current endurance of the mission.

"No one asked you, Tony. Especially Fury. He never does that", Clint answered.

"What? Missed one of those fancy fundraisers in order to come here?" Natasha queried, not all that taken aback however to hear Tony to have something to complain about. He always did whenever Fury would occasionally bring him in for a mission that was considered too important to be given to regular Agents.

"Just saying, I've got places to be. While you kids are afraid of getting spanked by our dear Cyclops in black for letting the evildoer run, if not for that Robin Hood of the underworld we've so patiently waited for, I'd be savoring in delectable drinks and easily more favorable company."

"Not every common thief is in possession of sensitive information about the most clandestine security organization of the world…and could very possibly help the greatest evildoers of this planet to put both you and all your colleagues out of business, Stark. Are you saying that we should just let the Trafficker sell the data and go home, potentially risking thousands if not more lives?" Steve stated more grimly, not appreciating Tony's tone as often was, not to mention his self-indulgent way of getting his point across. Tony responding with an innocent flair to his delivery next as went for indifference, which didn't sit well with Steve either. Never did, as whenever he'd been teamed up with Stark on these missions he'd more and more come to consider him as a man who took nothing seriously, if it weren't his continuous need to puff his ego.

"Whatever you mean? Even if we wouldn't be soon able to get this little band of ours together anymore, I wouldn't dwell on it. And no, Captain. I'm just saying they could've chosen a more convenient time to do so."

"Says the millionaire with cash to spear…You do know that to some of us this is the only pastime to indulge in, not to mention the means to support ourselves without any extra millions lying around?" Clint remarked as took out his bow again, testing it, imagining to be pointing one of his exploding arrows at the eaves of the restaurant before moved his weapon away once a little girl stepped out of the establishment with her parents.

"I would've expected you to say something along the lines of ´Fury should've just sent me´", Natasha said to Tony, his purposefully bad impression of him meant as a taunt for the man, but as came natural to him he challenged her words by reacting the opposite way from the desired; instead of allowing himself to be teased making the shift in conversation all about him.

"You're right. As fun as it always is to hang out with you guys, I could've taken care of this in a jiffy and been back at Stark tower sipping on champagne quicker than to some it took to even plan this stakeout. You are all still in your training wheels compared to me…Even you Captain", Tony agreed, however rousing less amusement in others than in himself, Steve holding himself back from granting him with an answer while Clint was the only one to let out a chuckle.

"There he is. Tony we all love. This stakeout never would've been the same without you."

"Stark, your status?" Steve asked, cutting in before the Iron Man could continue to sidetrack them with more of his self-serving comments. Before Tony could answer Steve spotting movement high above his head and one glance upward told him the man to have always been close, as agreed. Soaring just high enough not to be spotted by anyone other than those with the knowledge of his presence.

"Eyes up, Cap. Just don't ask is it a plane, or a bird, as it's just me, checking in."

Steve sighed, naturally Tony's reference going past his current knowledge of pop-culture, so once more instead of engaging into his cheekiness he controlled himself and fixated his eyes back to the club building. "Just be ready."

The team spent a moment in silence, Agents inside Ion trying to appear inconspicuous while kept a watchful eye of the dancing mass crowding the dance floor. Eyeing at the people by the bar and the sides of the large, singular room before one by one left their current positions and switched viewpoints, keeping close to the exists but changing places often enough not to be pinpointed by the yet to arrive target or Monroe's men who weren't as laid back as their boss…Their keen attention like the Agents' focused on the people inside the club, in clear expectation of the person arranged to meet with Monroe, although Steve's team didn't know whether the man actually had met with the Trafficker before or was as clueless of their identity as were they. Simply waiting for them to arrive, and the closer the time of the meeting grew the more attentive Monroe's bodyguards became, forcing the Agents to use all their ability to blend in with the crowd.

"Does the Trafficker usually work alone, or should we be worried about a team of their own to storm in should we suddenly make a move to apprehend them?" Keller asked, pretending to take a sip of his beer while suavely concealed behind a pillar. Hiding himself from one of Monroe's men currently sweeping the space with his gaze, almost bumping into a beautiful blonde, who simply returned his apologetic smile when he gently rejected the drunken, familiar arm instantly stretched towards him to pull him into a dance.

"Based on what we know, the target usually seems to do business alone without any significant backup. They could have someone working with them to secure a clean getaway should things go wrong, but it's not to be expected. After all it's easier to just go in and out without a need to worry about having your teammates blow your cover", Natasha answered, them all then hearing Clint to snort in disbelief.

"Didn't you say S.H.I.E.L.D knows practically nothing about them? So that should include his known associates and crew members, should they have any."

"That little S.H.I.E.L.D has learned about their pattern along the years supports that the Trafficker prefers to handle their transactions alone. Then again, I imagine they usually set up their meetings while not stalked by uninvited S.H.I.E.L.D Agents."

"Romanoff, can you detect anyone in the vicinity of the building besides us?" Steve asked, his eyes once more traveling across the surrounding rooftops in case of locating any possible signs of hiding operatives that weren't their own...But if there were any they were good by blending in the very air, as he saw no one.

"I cannot spot anyone suspicious. Just some passing civilians and stray cats. The trafficker is alone…Unless the cats are each carrying Glock 17's."

"And you, Stark?"

"Although I usually don't, I agree with Agent Romanoff. The area is clean. The only shady characters nearby are the couple of gang members engaged in a mugging a couple of streets away, but they would be no interest to us. But if anyone I'd say you look more suspicious while perched on top of those buildings like a couple of pigeons with Agent Barton, Captain. Especially from this angle."

"Not all of us can mind our own business in the air before swooping directly into the action", Steve answered, hearing Tony to release an amused utterance.

"Sadly, we can't all be me."

"Regrettably."

"Hold up…Someone's moving in towards Monroe. Across the dance floor", Agent Callagher spoke up then, everyone quieting down while waiting for her to verify what she'd just said.

"Is it the target?" Steve questioned, muscles tensing for the anticipation of action. Brief silence befalling as Callagher spent a moment observing the woman who had appeared from amongst the people out of the blue and was currently making her way in between the dancers, body swaying according to the rhythmic beats of the music while still casually not getting caught up by the multitude. Closing in on the Agent as squeezed between a group of friends dancing in a ring, Callagher giving her short denim shorts and a sequenced top an appraisal look once she strode past her in her heeled shoes, in her heavy make-up and scanty attire looking like a normal clubber to her trained eye as the Agent then continued walking. Distancing herself from the arrived brunette with a few more steps before placed herself beside the counter of the bar, letting her eyes wander within the room before settling onto the woman again, watching her to head straight towards Monroe's entourage…who now spotted her too.

"Agent?" Steve's voice called through the earpiece, impatient edge to it and Callagher at first bypassed it as kept on observing what was happening at the other side of the room, watching the young woman to give the alerted bodyguards of Monroe a surprised look once they immediately came to greet her, their hands flying to their holstered guns…Halting by the stairs leading to the secluded area of the club where the man was having his own more private party, the arms dealer not taking but a second to pinpoint her, giving her a curious look after shifting his gaze from the waitress his attention had been focused on for the past ten minutes. Studying her, Callagher watching the woman to flip her hair seductively away from her shoulder before inclined her head at the man, no doubt asking permission to approach, her hand rising to play with the ornamental crucifix around her neck. No different from any other girl Callagher had observed to go seek the club owner's favor that night in hopes of receiving some VIP treatment.

"Wait…"

"Callagher, is it the target? Should we engage?" now Clint asked in turn,

"No, it's just some woman coming onto Monroe. False alarm", Keller verified with a sigh, the other members of the team once more relaxing at the sound of to be still forced to continue waiting. Steve, who'd already risen from his hunched position sitting back down with a sigh of his own, this time around directing his eyes up to the night sky, admiring the stars.

"Honestly, the target should hurry the hell up. I'm tired of waiting, and I don't know how much longer can we linger here without Monroe's men spotting us and getting suspicious", Agent Moore mused, giving his surroundings a swift look-over before escaped the unwanted attention of a group of young women he'd spotted to stare at him for a while now, disappearing their occasional glances into the crowd before any of them decided to come over to him provoked by their friends.

"Clearly you've never been sent to a basic surveillance mission", Harvey stated, Moore's following response infused with aversion.

"Actually, I transferred here from the surveillance team…Only to find that these tactical missions aren't all that different."

"Sure they are…If you only choose the right missions", Tony cut in, earning himself a scoff from Natasha.

"Just like you said, we everyday operatives aren't like you, Tony. We don't get to choose our missions."

"And instead go where Simon says? Well that's accurate. Fury's the one holding the reins at all times…Not to at all downplay your authority, Captain, on your first mission in charge. "

"Still…I'd give anything if I didn't have to spend another minute in here…I feel like my head is going to explode in this noise. How can anyone stand this?" Callagher murmured, shifting her eyes over to Monroe to see him to have by then abandoned the waitress to simply stand aside, jilted while the man was clearly enthralled by what he'd discovered to have come to claim his attention. The man ogling the sultry brunette a captivated smirk on his lips once he laid witness to her coquetry, hence responding when the woman smiled at him and came closer, causing Monroe to take upon the given permission and place his hands directly on her waist. "This is why I don't go out clubbing. You lose not only your hearing but all your money in overpriced drinks."

"Just a little while longer and the target should turn up. Hang on there, Agent", Harvey reassured, hint of laughter in his voice, causing Callagher to turn up her nose once she saw the woman to begin to make the best of the acquired fascination of Monroe's. Starting to dance for him, knowing exactly what she was doing to make the man fall for a single grind of her backside as it didn't take long for him to simply sit back into the couch behind him…To admire the view of sensual curves rocking in front of him subtly, just enough to keep him focused before she was done objectifying herself to the beat of the new song that had begun to play. Ending up sitting in Monroe's lap cross-legged after the man had mellowed by her performance and went beyond his capability to control himself, allowing her to slip right into his personal space. Callagher observing how the woman eyed at Monroe curiously, raising a hand to smooth the section of bare skin showing from under the unbuttoned collar of his shirt before moved to play with the lapels, flirting away, not that the man actually minded by the beyond intrigued look on his face.

"Then you are welcome to come over and babysit this douche bag, Harvey."

Agent Keller moved closer to Monroe, slowly inching closer to not to stand out to his bodyguards, watching the woman with the arms dealer. Witnessing pretty much what all the other Agents did, her to throw herself at the man who but indulged in her seduction. Placing a familiar hand on her knee, the flickering, colored spotlights making it hard for him to try to find out what they were saying to one another by reading lips, as there was no way for him to hear a single thing over the clamor of the club even from such a small distance. It however being obvious the man to be pleased about whatever it was the woman said to him next as Keller saw him lean close to her face after examining her, smiling, whispering in her ear.

"Did you bring it?" Monroe queried, giving the palm of his business partner a jovial look as it once more pushed under his shirt, as she made it seem to teasingly draw circles on his dark skin.

"You know the terms we agreed on. If you want it, you first have to give me what I'm owed", the Trafficker said, inclining her head remarkably as purposefully missed brushing the man's lips with hers to appear promiscuous. Her fingers retreating from fumbling with the silky material of Monroe's shirt until entangling with the cross around her neck, her tugging at it softly so that she needed not words to continue. Monroe glancing down at it in realization, nodding, her other hand seizing his once it made the mistake of taking their little farce too far, traveling too downward around her thigh, conjuring up a laugh from the man. They may have been putting on a show to hide the true nature of this encounter, but she still didn't like him stretching the limits of this charade…even by a mere touch.

"Yes, you have been working hard", Monroe admitted, his smile widening as he then retreated a little, eyeing at the Trafficker more closely until with a taken aback raise of an eyebrow beckoned to one of his men subtly. "But although you undoubtedly deserve an appropriate reward, I must say…I'm surprised. I was waiting for a notorious individual, a mercenary or possibly a rogue Agent on a run from their employer taken all the mystery surrounding this transaction…but you weren't at all what I expected."

"Then your expectations were low…As if my gender would truly shock you nor matter to you", the Trafficker stated, narrowing her eyes. Monroe grinning at her response. "Besides you know nothing more of me than anyone else does to even have expectations."

"True. Instead of a fact that a delicate girl like you managing to steal something so restricted from S.H.I.E.L.D no less, I'm more impressed of you speaking my language… Which makes me not disappointed by this turn of events."

"There's only one kind of language needed in trading, Mr. Monroe", the Trafficker mused, gazing back at the man in expectation of her own. The surrounding Agents occasionally giving them glances seeing her then to lift her wrist towards him, to them utterly casually as if she would've been showing off that imposing bracelet to him before softly running a finger across his jawline, but to Monroe there was no doubt of what was the significance behind that single motion. The man looking at the woman in amusement, him extending his own hand to receive a phone from the bodyguard he'd called over a moment ago. Agents Callagher and Keller happening to take notice how he then dropped his eyes from the woman, spending a few seconds using the device, until then handing it over to her…As if asking her to type in her number…Which she did.

"It's almost midnight. How long do you think we still have to wait?" Agent Harvey asked, ending the radio silence. Callagher responding with a sigh of her own.

"Long enough to see that poor girl hand herself right over to Monroe…What do they see in him, honestly?"

"Money, danger…fleeting thrill of becoming a gangster's trophy wife for the night", Moore mused, hardly amusing anyone.

"We're here to work, Callagher, not to evaluate Monroe's love life", Keller remarked in turn, sending a sharper glance over the dance floor at his fellow Agent. "Yeah, he's a certified prick, but that's not why we're here...Well, not completely."

"Wait…what are they doing?" Harvey asked suddenly, taking a better look of Monroe and the woman himself, waking the others' interest. "What is that in her hand?"

"It's a phone. She's giving him her number", Moore replied, stating the obvious and letting it hear in his voice.

"But would he really engage in open dalliance with a woman just before meeting with an important contact? Seems unlikely", Harvey commented, causing the team to admit that to be a valid point, but as had been certified by their observations, there was nothing unclear about the nature of acquaintance between Monroe and that woman…He was simply doing his usual thing of trying to score with her, and the feeling was most mutual.

"Does he really strike you as a guy who wouldn't use his most active body part to do the thinking for him? Come on Harvey, he's clearly a slave of his urges, and she isn't at all shy to make him act any differently", Moore stated, now also looking at the arms dealer significantly before peered over to the location Harvey was standing and saw him shrug.

"I still can't believe him to be actually that laid back."

"Believe it. We can all see what's going on there, and it's nothing we haven't born witness this whole evening."

The trafficker gazed upon the phone in her hand, her eyes skimming over the screen and seeing the electronic remittance it displayed, after checking the mentioned amount prepared for transfer and initiating the process with a few taps turning her gaze over to her bracelet and shifted her wrist. To see a small light to come on, the built in device within the accessory releasing a hardly audible beep as it made contact with the phone. In a manner of seconds the money transferring from the offshore account to hers, the Trafficker following the process of the transfer with keen eye until another corroborative beep and the confirmation on the phone's screen signaled the money to have been transmitted in full.

"As agreed. 10 million, euros, direct transfer. And one million extra for quick delivery and as a sign of my appreciation", Monroe said, the Trafficker frowning at him a little quizzically, until saw the man to tilt his head at the sight of her wonder as she came to question exactly what had he meant to appreciate while ogling her in such way…Making it hard to decipher whether he actually meant to eye at her like a paid escort or not this time around or was further playing into his on the spot assumed role of a seduced man. "It is a compliment. And an incentive for you to keep me in mind whenever you'll come in possession of unique ware such as this again…It's rare to come upon straightforward and honest business partners these days with great goods."

"Keep on the double entendre and I might be incited to take my business elsewhere", the Trafficker replied, flashing him a smile that to others close by seemed sweet, but which to the man in front of her was but serious, added to the used tone laced with friendly threat. Monroe laughing at her a little until followed her then to take hold of her necklace, locking gazes with her as she next removed the cross and leant forward, threading it around his neck. Her hand lastly pressing onto the decorative pendant after pulling him closer, once more denying him a kiss on the lips on the last minute. "But as you said…I deliver what I've promised."

"Most appreciated", Monroe answered, his voice pure honey, and the Trafficker could see the complacency to be written all over his face once he squeezed his own hand around the imposing dangle. Now fully realizing its worth and the power it now brought to him while finally in possession of it and its secrets. "So as requested, I'll save you from further platitudes I'd usually give an attractive woman such as you…and offer you a toast. For us to part in good terms."

Despite of his words the Trafficker hold back a palled raise of eyebrows as received a glass of champagne from Monroe without a word, with another significant motion of his hand one of his men presenting him with two for them to toast. The undercover Agents still watching them as they brought the glasses together, taking their respective sips while even more suspicious Agent Harvey spoke up again. Finding the situation now too odd for him to just let his gut feeling slide, something about that woman and the air about her while she was with Monroe waking his suspicions.

"There's really something going on. I feel it."

"What would that be? The target is still fifteen minutes to show, if the info given by the informants is correct. Plenty of time for Monroe to have his fun and chase the woman away before the Trafficker arrives", Moore mused, clearly not sharing his colleague's concerns, but upon to have kept a closer watch of Monroe for the past few minutes also Keller and Callagher had noticed something to be amiss. The woman's act of removing her necklace and giving it to Monroe seeming strange to them, and after a fleeting consideration whether to trust their own instincts against of what they were beholding with their own eyes decided to make their own doubts known.

"It is odd. The woman took off her necklace and gave it to Monroe", Keller told through his earpiece, frowning once he and the others then saw the woman to place her hand on Monroe's shoulder. The man abruptly gasping and accidentally spilling his own drink, the champagne splashing all over the woman which caused her to finally rise from his lap with s slight shove given to his chest. Monroe following her cue as dumped his glass onto the table, hurrying to apologize to the appalled woman whose mood had completely changed by then. Her eyeing at the man biliously until rejected the helping hand of the man, exchanging a couple of more heated words with him until was directed to the direction of the ladies room. Her leaving Monroe's private lounge with a peeved shake of her head, pushing past the bodyguards and crossing the dance floor with heated strides, clearly appearing like a woman scorned. Keller following her disappear from his viewpoint and get lost to the flashing lights and multitude of dancers after passing her in vivid outrage. "Agent Harvey's right. Something's up."

"What's so odd about that? Don't women give their jewelry to men they like?" Agent Moore retorted, now Natasha finally cutting in into the conversation as her and the others thought over Harvey and Keller's words. Also finding them more concerning than Moore did.

"Not to a casual hook-up", Natasha pointed out, frowning.

"What is she doing now?" Steve questioned, suddenly also curious about this woman.

"Nothing. She left. Monroe spilled champagne all over her, so she told him off and scrammed", Callagher answered, surprising Steve, who then turned more earnest. Having a bad feeling about that.

"She left?"

"Yes. But wait…" Callagher said, cutting herself off as then happened to take a better look at Monroe. Instead of bothered or angered by the previous incident appearing but very pleased with himself, smug smile on his lips as beckoned one of his men over who was now carrying a tablet. Saying something to him while played with the endowed cross, as his goon begun to prepare something with the device his cheerful mood however turning somber in an instant when the Agents spied him to cast confused eyes down at the cross in his fingers, lifting it quizzically. Even in the dark and the spotlights half blinding her Agent Callagher then gaining a better view of the necklace herself as it dangled from the arms dealer's hand, her eyes widening as in grave realization she laid witness to the same that which then caused Monroe's anger to flare. The lower half of the cross appearing to be missing, Keller apparently seeing the same thing as it was him who in the following moment brought it to the whole team's attention. His voice laced with outrage as the previous scene now played in his mind all over in a whole different light, the missing part of the pendant seeming to be a part of a device she'd used to store the merchandise.

"It was her. The woman who was with Monroe is the target. She's the Trafficker!"

"And the data she sold him…She stole it back. She left with the data!" Callagher confirmed, rushing into action as she and the other Agents eyed at Monroe who was barking orders at his bodyguards while flung the remains of the necklace on the floor. Undoubtedly ordering them to find the woman and bring her back to him, his roaring voice not being heard by the patrons of the club who were too focused on partying the night away, but the Agents quickly spread out. Hurrying to search the crowd, trying to find the woman who just a moment before had still been in the room, but who by then had been lost to each of them. Agent Callagher racing to the direction she'd seen Monroe to throw the remnants of the pendant.

"Find her. If she leaves the club with the data, she can go ahead and try to sell the information to someone else", Steve ordered, jumping to his feet as immediately his eyes started to roam about the building, in instinctive expectation of seeing the said woman exit from one of the windows or slip out of one of the back doors. However not seeing anyone as didn't Clint, them taking this as a good sign.

"She's still inside. No one has left the building", Clint mused, also keeping a close eye on all he deemed to be able to be utilized as exists as noticed Steve to abandon his post on top of his viewpoint, swinging himself onto the fire-escape to make a quick descent to the street level. "Are you picking up a trace of her, Nat?"

"No. If I had been watching her the moment she bailed I could've seen where she went", Natasha answered tensely, feverishly going through the heat signatures while trying to locate the only one she needed to find or anyone even remotely suspicious. Quickly however only releasing a frustrated utterance as it was all for naught. The woman to have disappeared, and there was no way for her to find her. "You have to catch up to her. I can't unearth her now that she's vanished from my radar."

"Where did she go? Did anyone see?" Moore asked, thronging through the sweaty mob, the others doing the same as frantically scanned the faces of the people. In vain, as the woman had made a swift exit right after receiving her payment and reclaiming the data from Monroe. Only a stupid person dawdling after practically stealing not only a fortune, but the very thing they'd pretended to sell from the short-tempered arms dealer.

"Negative. She just took off and vanished into the crowd. I couldn't see where", Harvey replied, also struggling to deduce the current location of the Trafficker. "Monroe just realized he was ripped off and he sent his cronies after her as well."

"She couldn't have just left. All exists were watched by us. It's not possible for her to have stepped outside without any of us seeing her leave", Callagher remarked, helping Keller then to think of something as searched the floor, after a while spotting the glimmer of the necklace on the floor among the stomping feet.

"Just find her, now, before Monroe does", Clint urged. "We'll be lobsters in beyond scalding water if she walks…And Fury will feast upon us."

"She won't. Because she never left. She's in the bathroom!" Keller exclaimed, after realizing the target to have not been able to flee the room fathoming her to have simply hid somewhere. After recalling the direction he'd last seen her head to and understanding the actual facilities to be located there as well, immediately charging towards the direction of the restrooms. Others following in tow aside for Callagher, although his colleagues weren't as convinced of that as he was.

"Why would she hide when she must've known to have mere minutes until Monroe would check the authenticity of the merchandise and realize to have been swindled? She wouldn't be so stupid", Moore argued, however ending up proved wrong as Keller was indeed the first one to sprint over to the women's bathroom. However not finding anything remarkable until after scouring all the stalls and scaring several women by kicking in the doors before ending up rushing inside men's bathroom but a single minute later, his eyes instantly fixating onto the sole occupant of the room who was standing in front of the mirror. Putting on make-up, familiar looking clothes all bundled up on the sink counter top next to his wig and rest of the numerous, the man dressed in women's underwear and the same denim shorts the Agent had seen before turning to face him with a questionable raise of a painted brow.

"She would if it was all part of her plan…She changed clothes", Keller said, understanding silence descending on all sides of the open line as Keller then faced the man, addressing him while taking hold of the sequenced top the Trafficker had been wearing just now.

"Where is the woman who gave you these clothes?" Keller asked him, locking earnest gazes with him, where the man only looked him over. Not caring for his urgent tone and simply concentrated on finishing putting on mascara.

"They're mine. She pulled me aside earlier this evening and paid me to borrow my clothes and stay here with her own stuff until she would come back and give me something. That bitch spilled champagne all over my Chanel…"

"Stuff? What was it that she asked you to keep for her?"

"A bag."

"What was in the bag?"

"Some clothes, dark ones. A cellphone, taser, and some weird sticks made of plastic…And a gun. The bag is over there, she dumped it the minute she bailed", the man answered with his broken English, pointing towards the corner of the bathroom were indeed laid a black duffel bag, right next to the pair of heels apparently borrowed from this man. Keller swooping down to perform a swift inspection over it, but although rummaged the bag through found nothing in it to reveal to whom it belonged, dropping it and returning his attention back to the man who'd been hired to become their target's accomplice.

"What did she give you?"

"I don't know…Some weird thing she told me to give to the cops once they'd arrive", the man replied, causing Keller to frown at the mention of that and so did several others who overheard the man's reply through Keller's earpiece concerning the mention of police. Keller watching how the man then extended a hand to point at his make-up pouch, something sticking out of it, and once Agent Keller pulled it out he realized it to be the missing piece of the cross. Only that it was revealed to be a flash drive.

"Why?" Keller questioned, gaining a shrug from the man.

"Dunno. She just told me to give it to them the moment they get here."

"Captain, the Trafficker left the data. I'm holding it right now. What she gave to Monroe was actually a flash drive", Keller said then, turning on his heels as exited the bathroom. Digging out a transporter before pushed the drive into the port, initiating the data transmission.

"Affirmative. The necklace she gave him was used to disguise the drive and perform the exchange unnoticed", Callagher added, looking down at the pendant she'd retrieved as finally joined his comrades, heading out of the club space. "Until she pilfered the drive when he wasn't looking. She probably had him spill the drink all over her on purpose to swipe it."

"Going after her. Sending over the data of the drive now", Keller continued, returning the device into his pocket after waiting for a few seconds for the data to be sent to Natasha.

"Why would she steal the data in the first place, if she then would only steal it the second time before eventually dumping the drive in the hands of a random guy she happened to meet at the club?" Moore wondered, Harvey continuing.

"Was it a mere chance? Was he clean?"

"No, as she'd planned out her escape to a tee beforehand. But the guy's clean, just a civilian she took advantage of to slip away", Keller responded. "But we got to hurry. The Trafficker is several minutes ahead of us and can escape any moment now that we abandoned our stations in search of her."

"We'll get her. Stark, Barton, be ready to intercept her should she exit the building before our team gets hold of her", Steve said, descending two floors during that single sentence until was brought to a halt mid-step by Natasha's following remark.

"This can't be right…"

Everyone went silent at the sound of her baffled voice, the amount of astonishment and puzzlement in her delivery causing all team to pause, and Steve brought a hand to his earpiece. Fazed by her wonder.

"Romanoff? What is it?"

"The contents on the drive…It's not the data we're after. The drive contains tons of pictures and documents concerning Monroe, collected proof of him engaging in illegal arms deals with several terrorist groups and infusing a local gang war by selling weapons to both sides to keep the bloody scuffle going…This is basically a lawyer's wet dream of nabbing the guy, all compiled in one package with a pretty bow tied around it."

"What?" Steve asked, stunned, others sharing his bewilderment.

"So the drive she sold him and stole back…was a bogus one?" Moore surmised, surprised.

"Loaded with incriminating evidence that will land the sucker in slammer...Double cross at its finest", Clint commented, making an approving pout. "Maybe she's not all that bad."

"It doesn't matter. We still need the data, and she's the only one who knows where it is!" Natasha reminded, however the following exclamation of Moore's resuming everyone in action.

"I got her! She's at the second floor!"

"Don't lose her. Engage if you have to, but don't harm her", Steve told him, jumping down to the lower level of the fire escape. Practically hearing Agent Moore to roll his eyes at his ever pacifistic approach, not to mention the impracticality of it which he made clear with his response, Steve's following humorous response not amusing the Agent.

"And if she tries to hurt me?"

"Then… Be a gentleman and let the lady have the first swing."

"Sure. Since they always hit first and never ask questions."

"Chivalry is not yet dead", Clint interjected, Keller sighing at that.

"We'll see about that."

"Keller? Keller, do you copy?" Natasha asked then, sudden disturbance in Agent Keller's earpiece to have caused his previous response to be lost to the buzz of the unfunctioning device, after a couple of more tries calling him and re-establishing the connection not getting through to him. "Anyone have eyes on Keller and the target?"

"Negative. On my way to the second floor."

"Right behind you."

The Trafficker strapped her stun gun and other weapons to their respective holsters as marched across the empty corridor, zipping up her jacket while passed the unused rooms and forlorn portion of the building that had been closed off from the rest of the club. Making it easy for her to slip away while Monroe was busy turning the club upside down in search of her, until he and his men would calculate her escape route…by the time she was already long gone along with his money and dignity. Her flashing a quick smile at the thought of Monroe's probable reaction to the revelation of to have been fooled so easily, her marveling at the man's stupidity to have not checked the contents of the drive before paying, but she had selected Simeon Monroe for the very reason that he wasn't known to be the most clever man…Dangerous yes, but the brains to counter that were quite lacking in him, which was why she hadn't been the least worried about being so daring while dealing with him. And she had had no reason to be.

After sweeping the premises to check nobody to be around the Trafficker dug out the phone from her pocket, pressing the speed dial key and brought the device to her ear, waiting the sole two second for it to connect and the expected monotonous voice to greet her.

"Police is on the way. Ten minutes, tops."

"You told them what I said?" she queried, hearing an indignant tsk sound from the other end.

"That he's meeting with one of his gangster buddies…The detective couldn't have jumped the gun faster after hearing that."

"Monroe?" the Trafficker asked then, turning the corner before exited the corridor, crossing the sub-floor before entered to another corridor while heading towards the second flight of stairs a bit farther away in.

"His thugs are all over the yard, surrounding the building. He isn't intending to let you leave."

"He's too late to stop me now…Besides soon he'll have someone else to play with."

"Why even bother wasting time in having him detained? You got his money."

"Felt like it."

"I got her! She's at the second floor!"

The Trafficker swung around at the sound of the unexpected exclamation coming from behind her, her giving the man currently running towards her a quick confused glance. Noticing the man's hand to drop from the level of his ear, his moving lips indicating him to be talking to someone, but the swift inspection made over him told her to not be one of Monroe's goons as he next made a charge at her. Drawing a gun.

"Freeze!" Keller ordered, taking a stance as exchanged a stare with the Trafficker who was honestly stunned at his unexpected appearance, her eyeing at him in brief wonder until the voice from the phone cleared that passing confusion. "Put your hands up."

"Monroe?"

"No", she replied adamantly, suavely dropping the phone and slipping it into her pocket as after a moment Agent Keller approached her. The Trafficker reacting by retreating a step until made a quick twirl backwards, directing a high kick at Keller and hit him to his ear. Causing the surprised man to stumble and lose his advantage, unprepared for the agility of the woman, and hence lulled to the false sense of security that having a suspect at gunpoint brought to him as a remembrance from his Bureu days, the Trafficker got a jump on him. His earpiece releasing the expected crackle after the direct blow, drowning Agent Romanoff's voice and curtly incapacitating all Agents with the sound disturbance while Keller steadied his legs and hurried to face his attacker. To point the gun at her again to threaten her, but only found his arm to be grabbed by the woman, rendering it unusable, the Trafficker drawing close to him and leveling his arm in front of him. The adrenaline pumping in his veins causing the young Agent to squeeze the trigger and fire a round into the wall as she continued her assault, rotating and using his surprise to throw him against the wall. Her grip to have moved up to his neck while her right hand kept his gun hand seized, although curtly stunned by the direct blow to his face Agent Keller then retaliating by swinging backwards. The Trafficker leaping away from him but wasn't swift enough to avoid contact with him as he charged at her, his old hand in hand combat training kicking in as he brought a fist towards her shoulder, however the woman blocking his following bunches before leveling a few of her own. Curse slipping from between his lips as despite of him landing a few blows to her torso after a brief well-matched skirmish they didn't render her immobile enough for him to take her down, however when she next took the opportunity to knee him to his stomach he grabbed her leg. Releasing an exclamation of exertion as he used all his strength to shove her backwards, tackling her against the wall in turn.

"Keller, what's your status? Keller?" Steve's voice finally got through the returned connection, tensed by the distinct clamor of ongoing fistfight conveyed through the open line. Agent Keller however not being able to respond, as before the man could relish in the assumption of victory while seeing the Trafficker on the ground, she recovered. With a shake of her head to free herself of the stupor claiming her taser and before Agent Keller could prepare zapped him to his ankle, Steve hearing him to let out a pained groan before the loud, audible slam signaled Keller to be down. With a strained breath the Trafficker watching the man to fall on his knees from the power of the zap before rose to her feet and elbowed him to the side of his jaw, sending him flying onto the corridor, his gun slipping from his fingers and sliding several meters away from the subdued Agent. After a swift look given to Keller's writhing form her striding over to the gun, upon working through the pain of the given electric shock and he followed blow Keller hearing his weapon to be dismantled, taken the telltale sound of metallic parts falling to the floor, him turning around to face her in confusion. To have expected to be shot, but after returning his stare shortly he followed the Trafficker to simply abandon the remains of his weapon on the floor and flee. With an anguished frown Keller shifting fully onto his side, his team hearing him to release a wailing grunt.

"Target got away…Heading for the third floor… She was talking with someone."

"What? Who?" Harvey asked, conjuring up a headshake from the as addled Agent.

"She had a phone with her. She was talking to someone when I caught up to her."

"Maybe she was employed by someone else? Perhaps to fool Monroe into buying top secret data concerning S.H.I.E.L.D where her real objective was to entrap him?" Moore offered, Callagher responding with an incredulous click of her tongue.

"Since when did someone like the Trafficker become such a good Samaritan?"

"I don't know…But this whole thing doesn't add up."

"Her reasons are irrelevant. We need to catch her and bring her back to S.H.I.E.L.D…And she isn't alone", Keller told them, grimacing as found it still difficult to stand, making it impossible for him to run after the escaped woman.

"We're on it", was the response of the other Agents, Keller levering himself to a half sitting position groggily, the powerful electric current that had ran through him a moment ago still constraining his muscles. Him this time around letting out a frustrated sigh as re-opened the connection, addressing Steve, rubbing the sore spot on his jaw.

"Followed your advice, sir. Acted like a gentleman, and look where it got me."

"Are you hurt, Agent?" Steve asked, hearing the irritation in the man's voice, him scoffing.

"My pride maybe. But you'd better get yourselves down here."

"Copy that."

Steve jumped back to action, flying the rest of the stairs down, sweeping the street and the restaurant's vicinity with his gaze and seeing all the Monroe's men that had gathered outside. While dashed across the street and begun to make his way towards the flank of the building that was currently yet unmanned in the cover of cars parked by the road, directing a look upward towards Agent Barton. Hiding from the group of four bodyguards who then parted from the rest of their comrades, indeed as their intention of placing a watch to the back of the building to make sure the Trafficker wouldn't get away.

"Monroe's men are swarming the place…Barton, go in and find her. I'll take care of things down here and make sure the coast is clear. And Romanoff, locate the target's other accomplice", Steve said, waiting a moment before abandoned his hideout and started to follow Monroe's men down the alley, hearing Clint's response as watched the men to turn the corner.

"How many are we talking about?"

"Ten. Maybe fifteen…More undoubtedly coming."

"And you can handle it, Cap?"

"Sure he can. He's a national hero who's singlehandedly dispatched battalions of Nazis…What could a handful of nincompoops with firearms do to even scratch that mighty shield?" Tony cut in, causing Steve to leer at the heavens above as if Tony would've been flying right above him, mocking him.

"You are welcome to join me, Stark."

"Maybe later. I see some more gatecrashers flocking by the side door, heading your way."

"Well, keep them busy until I'm done here… And help Romanoff to find the Trafficker's partner", Steve answered, coming up with a quick plan of attack until stepped from behind the building to the full view of the African men, detaching his shield and throwing it at the first taken aback man before made a swift charge. Rendering the man immobile by throwing him on his back, blocking the second man's attack by raising his shield before shoving him back just as he was about to pull his gun at him.

"My exact intention, Rogers."

The Trafficker ran to the end of the corridor, reclaiming her phone as begun to climb the stairs leading to the third floor. The lack of following footsteps telling her the Agent to have given up chase for now and no one else to be following her, the quizzical tone of the man starting to speak to her then only sounding interested as it demanded answers.

"Friends of yours? Old client with a vendetta against you?"

"If only. I don't know who he was", the Trafficker answered, frowning slightly upon trying to figure out the identity of the Agent who had attacked her…and apparently tried to apprehend her.

"Well, I have quite valid of a guess…There seems to be at least two more roaming about outside…I suppose S.H.I.E.L.D didn't take your trading with their secrets at all nicely taken that they didn't sent any common party poopers to spoil our fun. They definitely aren't here for a small fry like Monroe."

The Trafficker paused, thinking his words over, until it all dawned on her in one baffling instant. "S.H.I.E.L.D?"

"Wasn't it obvious when you fought with one of them? S.H.I.E.L.D operatives always stick out like the sorest of all thumbs. Especially the one I'm looking at right now. The Star Spangled Man himself, bashing the tint out of Monroe's men as we speak."

The Trafficker paused yet again, this time for utter astonishment. "Captain America?"

"Along with the Metal Man. He's done a valid job in trying to remain hidden, but I spotted him hovering about the building some time ago. Like they'd actually let you do whatever you want with the data you acquired…This was to be expected."

"And you didn't see it necessary to say anything?" she demanded, now somewhat annoyed for a split of a second, although she knew it not to be at any level surprising him to care shit about details even as major as the involvement of such notable allies of S.H.I.E.L.D as long as he'd do his required bit. "And how is it that they knew about my meeting with Monroe?"

"You have your big girl pants on. Handle it. And maybe you're not so good at keeping secrets as you think."

"Or you."

"Which of us is having a finger on the trigger of a R93? With this assimilated alien tech I could blast a hole to your forehead right through that wall, so shut that pretty mouth before I find you too annoying to let further run it…Or I leave those two Agents coming hot on your trail to take care of you for me."

"You already have the money. Just clear out", the Trafficker stated curtly as a response, squinting as made an instinctive glance behind herself at the mention of the Agents apparently tracking her. Her tone briefly turning more somber as she indeed then could hear the approaching echo of running feet of her pursuers, her resuming her escape and was about to make a turn to the higher sub-floor while listening to the distinct click of a safety to be released against her ear.

"Already gone. I agreed to come here, but certainly am not going to get caught with you. Least of all because of you…Five more minutes."

The Trafficker ended the call, as begun to ascend the final steps snapping the phone in two. However in so doing not noticing Agent Barton who had managed to reach the sub-floor before her due to the distraction provided by the Trafficker's mystery accomplice, giving Clint the needed window to get inside the building and plant an ambush for their target before she reached him. When he saw her dash to sight and when her full attention was on the snapped phone during that brief instant him taking a step forward as swiftly leapt in the air to take hold of the iron railing of the staircase, surprising the woman by kicking her. The Trafficker catapulting backwards and rolling the few last stairs down until made another painful crash with the wall of the landing, hitting the side of her face to the corner of the final step. Clint arming his bow as the briefly disoriented Trafficker heard the sound of the tensed bow, upon feeling droplets of blood to trickle down to the corner of her eye her raising her gaze while straightening and confronting Clint. The man eyeing at her silently the most earnest look on his face until his strict exterior cracked just slightly for interest. The man giving her a fleeting appraising look-over, giving the weapons strapped to her thighs a quick glance until shifted his own, holding the bow sideways while stared at the waylaid target along the shaft of his armed bolt.

"What? Smeared your make-up?" he questioned, jeeringly as gave her a remarkable look at the sight of her countenance. Beckoning to the woman's lipstick that had apparently smeared during her unexpected tumble down the stairs, the Trafficker at first giving him a quizzical look until brought a hand to wipe away the red from her cheek in realization of his words. Rising, starting to ascend the stairs slowly.

"You're with S.H.I.E.L.D?" she asked, receiving a confirming nod in return.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to come with us", Clint answered, nodding officially as a sign for the woman to start make her way over to him. Her however simply staring back at him while narrowing her eyes at the mention of "us" subtly, wondering how many Agents exactly there were on the scene, until Clint saw her eventually shake her head.

"I'm too busy running away to go anywhere with you."

"Then I'm even more sorry, but I have to make you", Clint replied, after a split of a second unarming his bow before swung it towards her, aiming at her head, the woman however only ducking backwards and took hold of it herself. Resulting in them engaging in a momentary tug of war with the woman trying to bring him down with a couple of sharply aimed kicks to his sides, which he withstood, until Clint tried to resolve the rough-and-tumble with a clean kick of his own directed at her waist, the Trafficker however dodging his attack in time and released him. Swiftly drawing two expendable batons, before lunging at him with a couple of fast strikes.

Clint received the other blow with his bow while the second one found its mark, the man warding it off with his arm. Having to step back as the Trafficker directed three more swift lashes at him, Clint bringing his bow down to trap her left hand under his, avoiding a swing directed at his head, until he threw his arm up. Untangling himself from the woman, however getting forced to abandon his weapon of choice as with a small leap the Trafficker came at him, resulting in them ending up exchanging haphazard blows at one another. Some hitting, some missing, until after a couple of minutes swinging of fists and delivering kicks, Clint managed to disarm the target and get her into a headlock thanks to his more polished tactics in hand in hand combat. Despite of this the woman however not surrendering, after a brief moment of Clint trying to restrain her and hearing the confirmative announcements of his nearby teammates to be almost at his location, the Trafficker letting go of his arms after trying to lever them apart from her torso. Tampering with her bracelet a bit before swinging her right fist up towards Clint's head, the man stopping it in the nick of time, but begun to struggle to hold the woman down upon to have been forced to release the grip of his other arm. Watching his hand to begun to waver as he tried to push her arm away, their entwined fists however bit by bit closing in on his temple despite of his effort, and before the man knew what she was up to she turned her wrist. The side of the bracelet making contact with his head, sending a small electric current running across his scalp and with a jolt Clint was stunned. Him letting go of the Trafficker who was swift to twirl around and this time draw her own gun, shooting the man straight to his groin, but despite of the fleeting horror of the man didn't blast him with a bullet. Clint finding himself taken down by excruciating pain but only caused by getting zapped with another electric shock once the special kind of round made contact with him, after fighting against the gravity pulling him downward Clint finding himself collapsing on his back, fidgeting. After giving the incapacitated Agent Barton a fleeting look the Trafficker was alerted by the noise coming from the lower staircase, the two other Agents arriving, to witness her standing over Agent Barton. Callagher and Moore immediately going for their own weapons at the sight of the gun in her hand, but the Trafficker made a suave turn and raised it again, firing two more shots at the Agents and causing them to drop their own weapons once the electricity shot through them. Paralyzing them, leaving them twitching on the floor same as Barton, as the Trafficker holstered her gun. Snatching her fallen batons from beside Clint whom she then noticed to go for his bow regardless of the uncontrollable jerking of his body, her releasing a sigh as softly placed her foot on Clint's wrist, shaking her head.

"Please don't. It'll only hurt more."

Clint released an agonized moan himself as despite of her words went to grab her shin, the woman simply glancing down at his fingers trying to squeeze her leg but due to the trembling hold she simply shoved his hand off, with a strained breath Clint spying the Trafficker to leave from the corner of his eye, for naught him even planning to grab her again as she just casually stepped over him. The pain of ending up zapped right in his groin too great for him to move and give chase, him listening to his fellow Agents wails from small distance away as then heard Natasha calling him. With tardy movements Clint going for his earpiece, clearing his throat as hold back a new groan.

"Agent down…She got me…She got me good", he announced, his hand hovering over the source of pain the modified gun had shocked him to, Natasha's voice full of disbelief as she soon replied. Still serious upon to have heard the sound of the gunshots.

"She shot you?"

"No…much worse", he grumbled, grimacing at the surging pain of the double blow he'd received as tried to sit up. Finding it impossible, settling down relaxed in an attempt to take it easy as long as the twitching would stop, bringing his other hand to rub the smarting spot on his torso. "New plan, Cap…she's playing pretty dirty so…go all out. Gallantry ain't going to cut it…She headed for the exit on the back."

"How is it looking, Captain?" Tony asked, blasting the last of Monroe's mercenaries from their feet who'd tried to come at him with bare fists, as goon like them often miscalculated to have thought to win over him with brute force where anyone who knew enough about him and his capabilities with his suit realized not to make the mistake for being that stupid."Intercept her when she comes out?"

"A little occupied at the moment", was Steve's tense response, the team hearing him release a frustrated breath of exertion as he warded off two of Monroe's men, receiving their respective attacks with his shield and was pushed back only slightly, until took his stance. Stepping to the side and swung his shield right at the closest man, causing him to tumble and giving Steve room to charge at the second one, taking him down with a few sharply aimed punches, however for his continued irritation finding indeed more of Monroe's men to be making their way towards him. With guns, seeing three or four machine guns to be pointed at him. "I'll leave her to you. I can't shake these guys."

"We're making too great of a hassle here. The authorities will soon be on our asses if we don't clear out soon with the target", Harvey commented, Tony responding to him as soared above the building, leveling a fleeting look to battling Steve's direction before returned his attention back to all the possible doors and windows the Trafficker could crawl out from.

"Not us, but Monroe. They will probably think this as a common confrontation between rival gangs."

Steve spotted another car that was parked by the alleyway, making a dash towards it as blocked the first rounds with his shield until slid behind the vehicle, allowing it to absorb the rest of the wasted fire the mercs fired at it in desperate attempt to hit him. A few of them managing to pierce the car and whiz past the hunched Steve, the man this time around letting out a breath of disbelief, peeking at the approaching men from behind the car. "Still…How many men does one arms dealer need?"

"After setting up the meeting he probably prepared a cavalry of his own should things not go as planned…Which they didn't. He isn't fully dumb despite of how he looks…and how easily he was fooled by the Trafficker", Natasha replied, receiving a snappy response back from Steve, who saw the first two mercenaries to reach the car. Holding fire, giving him the chance to counter attack.

"And her partner?" he queried, managing to thrust the car backwards just enough for it to tackle the approaching men, Steve snatching the fallen gun of the other mercenary and fired a few rounds to stop the advancement of the rest of the nearby men. Once they fell back or saught shelter him leaping on top of the car's hood, jumping high to land his shield on the shoulder of the closest mercenary. Briefly kneeling as sought momentum to his following strike, bringing his shield up to throw his next adversary back with a quick hit lined up to his jaw. Then turning around to block a new series of shots fired at him, immediately charging at the man having him in his sights, amongst the angry grunts of his opponents Steve hearing Natasha's own taut answer.

"No sign of them. Whoever they are they are good at hiding. I haven't found anyone nor seen anyone flee from the scene after the skirmish started."

"Stark?" Steve accosted quizzically, smacking his shield on the face of the merc trying to attack him from behind, however in the process receiving a direct hit of a fist to his own jaw once the man recovered from the received blow, countering it far quicker than Steve anticipated. Another one then coming from behind him and wrapping his arms around Steve, rendering him immobile, Steve trying to shake him off of himself while watched the other man to draw a pistol from his shoulder holster after landing a gut punch to his stomach, arming it.

"Haven't seen them. They probably already ran…But, oh…here's something."

Tony didn't go into further detail concerning his previous comment, however as anticipated while hovering about the building and witnessing all the sides to be either watched by Monroe's men or otherwise manned by the group Steve was fighting against and the mercs whose asses he himself had just a moment before whooped, the only exit that remained utterly unobstructed was now naturally utilized by their target whom Tony saw climb out of a ventilation shaft. Clever girl, to have made it seem she'd use one of the common exists with the little chase she'd orchestrated to deceive any pursuers…All except him, and now he'd caught her right on the act of escaping, when she probably reckoned to be all clear to slip away.

"Alright, I see her. She's on the roof."

"When did she get there?" Clint remarked.

"Dunno, but she's here. Going in and all out."

"Don't harm her. S.H.I.E.L.D needs her alive", Steve interjected, as one of the few people who'd seen Tony in action and knew what kind of harm he was capable of doing, for this reason causing the Iron Man to hold back an eye-roll as he cast a jaded glance to his way from the distance.

"I would never hit a woman…Unless she'd throw in the first punch and go for the turned over cheek next…But just out of curiosity, what kind of man do you think I am, Cap?"

"Ever the perfect gentleman", Natasha added, hardly meaning it, but despite of her incredulous tone earning herself an approving utterance from Tony's end.

"Glad you've noticed."

"Stark…"

"Ease up, soldier. She isn't going anywhere now that I'm here…" Tony stated, in so doing proving his words by increasing the power of his suit, swooping down towards the unwitting woman with a twirl until took her by surprise by flying in front of her. Stopping her advancement towards the edge of the roof, switching his intercom to an output microphone for the woman to hear him. "Heads up!"

The Trafficker had heard him coming, but didn't possess fast enough reflexes to shift her gaze upward until the last minute when it was already too late. Alerted by the sound of rapidly approaching thrusters her to have simply glanced up at the sound of his voice before she was tackled by the Iron Man himself, Tony landing a light kick to her torso, but powerful enough to throw her back as he landed on the roof. The woman however not falling down, but was simply shoved backwards a few steps, after finding her balance by dropping to her knees to stabilize herself instinctively taking upon a protective stance. Facing Tony who then immediately raised his hands, firing up the repulsors on his palms to warn her from moving, getting his message across by the slight evaluative look-over he gained from her until she sighed. In clear annoyance, however before neither of them could say anything Tony taking notice the crooked positioning of her suddenly shifted hairline. After she noticed the same and blew some obstructing brown strands from her mien Tony following her to indeed take hold of the now distinct edge of what was then revealed to be a wig, removing it, it to have partly come off during her latest tumble backwards. Tony quirking his eyebrows as observed her to untie her apparently blonde locks, raking through the dark dyed roots to free the flattened strands, until tossed them behind her back. Tony tilting his head at the discovery of her real haircolor, glancing at the tips that reached just past her shoulders in approval.

"Oh, I see. We've got a blonde…We've got a blonde, here, people!…Should've known, since those curls looked quite fake to me…but good you're not a redhead. I dislike redheads these days, and let's face it…all gentlemen prefer blondes", Tony remarked, utterly casually as by that time had been talking into his intercom. Natasha reacting to his comment with a half smirk, picking up the sour undertone of his previous comment and only finding his harbored spite concerning their history flattering, where it only confused Steve who'd by then been released from the mercenary's grip. Grabbing the wrist of the man trying to shoot him, the shot digging into the ground.

"Do they?"

"It's a movie, Steve", Natasha specified, while aware of the made reference her amused voice gaining a jeering, sweet tint at the end of her speech. "Made about ten years after you crashed into ice…You're just so innocent sometimes with your general confusion about pop-culture."

"Guys, I'm talking", Tony cut in, in feigned indignation as returned his focus back to the Trafficker who simply eyed at him silently, him however then noticing her hands to inch towards her batons, but he leveled the repulsors directly at her. "No no, fastest gun of the west…Keep your hands to yourself and stand down. The sheriff's in town and has come to take you in."

"Then I'm in trouble", the Trafficker answered, hardly sounding concerned however as stared at Tony deadpan, eyeing at his repulsors significantly as hoisted her hands up. "Going to draw your gun?"

"Don't make me, magpie. Your days of stealing are over", Tony answered, joining her platitudes with his, partly out of habit.

"Says you?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm just an errand boy."

"Very expensive one. That must piss you off…To send a millionaire to do a common Agent's job."

"Me? I'm simply doing this out of the goodness of my heart. But S.H.I.E.L.D's cooked up quite a posse for just to get an audience with you."

"I didn't realize I was that important."

"Is there a reason why you're monologuing? What, are you stalling?" Tony mused, in amusement as grew understandably bored of their clichéd exchange, glancing about their vicinity as if expecting some form of deus ex-machina to arrive to save her while she was aiming to distract him with her speech. Returning the woman's stoic gaze and watching her to raise her eyebrows.

"No. I'm simply waiting for you to stop talking and get out of my way."

"Oh, I know the tricks you pulled on my friends. I'm not going to fall to any of that, so…just turn in. Quietly", Tony replied, his voice hardening at the end. Although the Trafficker couldn't see his face, the positioning of his body even under all that armor added to his acrid delivery telling her him to be not messing around. However neither of them expecting what happened next, J.A.R.V.I.S's voice abruptly stealing Tony's focus.

"Sir, there's an unidentified object flying your way from east. Impact time, three seconds."

Tony shifted, just slightly to indeed spot something flying straight at him but not having time to turn nor question J.A.R.V.I.S for details when he was unexpectedly rammed by a powerful projectile. Not a strong one, but catching Tony completely off guard, the sudden impact pushing him to the side and putting the equally taken aback woman out of his line of fire. The Trafficker's eyes flying to stare at the spot the ammunition had hit, to the joint of the arm of Tony's suit as did the Iron Man's once he recovered from the sudden occurrence. The ensued blast of green, resembling eerie flames infusing with his armor, that had momentarily blinded Tony now waning and giving him the chance to inspect the damage regardless of not expecting any. However his discovery rendering him even further surprised as instead of a pristine metal he saw actual dints on the suit, for his following confusion him witnessing how something started to dissipate the metal. Eating it away, practically liquifying it directly from the spot the strange ammo had made contact, upon witnessing the apparent damage dealt for the man's suit the Trafficker glancing to the direction the unforeseen shot had come. Recognizing it, realizing that her partner hadn't after all fled the moment S.H.I.E.L.D had been revealed to have made an appearance and instead had stuck around. The effects of the blast intensifying rapidly and Tony could only watch his suit to fall apart, him raising his arm in bewilderment as behold his skin to begin to show through the spreading gaps as the metal kept deteriorating.

"J.A.R.V.I.S, damage report?" he asked, although it was obvious. Being however so stunned that that was all he could say, stupefied.

"The foreign substance that the suit absorbed appears to be affecting the cellular structure of the metal, destructing it."

"Any way to reverse it?"

"None, sir. You should exit the suit immediately."

Tony refused to believe it, struggling a bit as if he could've stopped the destruction of his suit that had occurred so easily in a blink of an eye with a power of his mind, but he knew J.A.R.V.I.S was right. If he didn't get out of the suit the whatever stuff corroding it could eventually eat into him, in the nick of time as the corrosion moved over to the chest panels Tony slipping out of the suit. In his hurry collapsing on his knees, the Trafficker giving his Iron Maiden t-shirt, pajama pants and half trimmed goatee a curious look as Tony supported himself on his arms. Releasing a stunned breath of part relief, until noticed the woman's wondering expression, rising.

"I was in middle of preparing for a party when the call came. Wasn't given time to change into something more commando", he offered as an unrequested explanation, the Trafficker simply inclining her head as now that the man wasn't anymore protected by his suit clasped her gun.

"Move", she told him, ordering him. Tony simply confronting her with an expression that made him look like a petulant child, where his eyes were but grim…as was his reply, him taking a subtle, mockery stance as if he were a karate master.

"Move me."

The Trafficker wasted no time, coming at Tony with a suave attack, not utilizing her gun but tried to tackle the man by rotating her torso and going for his legs. Tony barely dodging, not all that accustomed for fistfights without the advantage brought by his suit that so far had become self-evidence to him not proving himself all that great of an opponent as he'd hoped, hopping backwards where the woman this time came forth with her left elbow directed at his chest. Making impact, Tony however stepping back just in time to clasp to her arm. The Trafficker responding by swinging her right arm down, about to strike the butt of her handgun on Tony's shoulder to incapacitate him. Tony's other hand shooting to the side to grab her wrist, them standing there for a while, testing each other's strength. Staring each other square in the eye during their power struggle, until the Trafficker reacted by going slightly slack in Tony's hold, sliding down so that her right leg settled between Tony's. Tony looking down to see her legs then clamp his, the Trafficker then taking advantage of his hold of her by rotating her body again. Using the trapped leg of Tony's to shift their bodies to the side, tackling them both on the rooftop, using the man's stupefaction in her advantage by hauling her left leg upward as her gun slipped from her grasp. For her knee to press against the man's chest and shoulder once she then pushed Tony down. His grip of her forearm loosening once he could feel her knee to dig into the soft spot on his throat, threatening to cut his airflow with a slightly harder press as she faced him, half on top of him. Pinning him in place, until after a brief moment released him, and rose to her feet. Once Tony refused to let go of her wrist her twisting again, this time managing to land a painful blow to his chest which did the trick, Tony's hold unfastening. Sending him stumbling backwards in turn and giving the woman time to pick up the gun, shooting a round at Tony, electrocuting him.

"Stark? Stark, do you copy?" Steve called, them to have abruptly lost contact with him. However upon not gaining a response him addressing Natasha. "Romanoff, what happened?"

"Tony was shot with some kind of long range weapon. The round caused some kind of a reaction with his suit and started to dismantle it…" Natasha told him, baffling all of the team members. "It came from the east side building. It had to be her partner."

"Is that possible?" Keller asked, surprised.

"Find them, now!" Steve commanded, Natasha abandoning her own station and left their effects where they stood, heading for the exit of the building they'd been using as a base.

"I'm on it."

The Trafficker left Tony to gasp for air as immediately left, running towards the edge of the roof, wasting no time in dawdling at the scene and jumped on the roof of the proximate building, calculating to go down to the street level by using the next fire-escape she'd come upon. Seeing no more S.H.I.E.L.D operatives around figuring to be finally free of further distractions thanks to the unexpected backup, indeed after dropping herself to the staircase and checking there to be no one at the alley, starting to make her way down. In a manner of minute reaching the street, just as Steve was finishing his own prolonged, ongoing skirmish, taking out the last of the standing Monroe's men. Now once freed of the hindrances him trying to re-establish the connection with Tony, canvasing the nearby rooftops for any visual sightings of either him or the target.

"Stark? Stark, do you hear me?"

"She bounced. Headed for the next building."

"What happened? Why didn't you respond?"

"Try having 40,000 volts ran through you and then try to pick yourself up enough to find a nearest payphone to make a call back to the office", Tony said, understandably grimly. Talking to Clint's earpiece, the Agent to have arrived to the roof with Keller and Callagher and was currently removing the stuck on ammunition that had released the electric shock from Tony's shirt. "She defeated me. Her partner took out my suit and she used that to have a jump on me. Not all of us have undefeatable supersoldier serum to draw from."

"So she ran?" Harvey asked, as of late no one knowing his current status.

"No, I see her. She's coming down, to an alley not far from you, Cap. She's at the fire-escape", Natasha cut in, from her own vantage point spotting the fleeing form of the Trafficker at the stairs, Steve immediately taking off running. "I can't get to her in time. She's going to vanish if you don't get to her now."

"And her partner?"

"Got away. No trace of them."

"Leave her to me", Steve said after a slight pause, sprinting along the street in a hurry, however as he reached the end of the alleyway and turned a corner, he took but a couple of running steps more as spotted the Trafficker to come to an abrupt halt just before arriving to one of the main streets. The woman hearing a sudden noise from the narrow alley on her left, but just as was about to face whatever came at her she was grabbed. Her arms caught by a pair of strong arms, her eyes jumping to her right to see more of Monroe's men to appear from their apparent hiding. To have managed to plant an ambush on her, where total of three cars pulled up to block the fairway to the street to prevent her from running, surrounding her in an instant, however her having no time to do anything else than cast bewildered glances at the mercenaries until her taser was snatched from its holder and she blacked out once she was shocked directly to the base of her neck. Steve following Monroe's men to pull a bag over her head and begin to drag her limp body towards one of the SUVs, encouraging him into another furious run as he saw the men to begin to withdraw once they had the Trafficker ensnared and captured. Steve watching an orange sports car to be the first to pull away from the street, followed by the car filled with Monroe's mercs. Steve exerting his feet to the maximum as he saw the last SUV begin to leave, but finally he closed the distance between him and the cars and leapt forth just in time to tackle the last two bodyguards trying to enter the SUV. However while taking out the mercs Steve not being able to stop the car from leaving, while the men kept him occupied the other men already inside the car shut the doors. The car making a radical turn, almost crashing the wall as Steve kneed his second adversary to his jaw, throwing his shield at the vehicle. Aiming at the car's back tire, but missed just barely once the SUV sped into motion and scudded out of the alleyway, sudden police sirens beginning to ring at the background as Steve swooped down to pick up his shield, stopping before came to a halt with a defeated sigh. Jogging after the cars to the sidewalk, simply watching the cars to drive away, damning their luck to have had Tony targeted by the Trafficker's partner so that he couldn't fly after them to find out where they were going.

"I was too late. Monroe's got her", he imparted, hearing a surprised utterance from his earpiece as Clint answered.

"How's that possible? If she ran from us, how in hell did Monroe get his hands on her?"

"Maybe she underestimated him…As did we", Steve replied, his head snapping to his right once he heard the footsteps of arriving Natasha who then sided him, also looking after the cars that now disappeared from sight brakes screeching. Finally the distinct clamor of loud sirens waking his attention, Steve turning around to gaze to the direction of the club building. "What's that commotion about?"

"It's the police. They just pulled up by the restaurant and are beginning to raid the club", Harvey informed them, however not being able to continue as while trying to exit the club along with several other people currently thronging out of the establishment at the sight of invading police officers he found himself surrounded…Steve and the rest of the team hearing the snappy commands of the cops through Harvey's intercom as they commanded him to get to the ground, to surrender.

"Did he just get…busted by the cops?" Keller questioned, out loud, as also he and Callagher had joined Steve and Natasha on the ground level, leaving Clint and Tony still on the roof since the Iron Man was still struggling to recover from the electric shock. However the Agent not receiving an answer as at that same moment a couple of patrol cars drove to the alley, speeding their way while the team turned around. Everyone except Steve, who simply listened to the sound of slamming car doors once a handful of officers exited the vehicle, leveling guns at them in clear mind of arresting them.

"Police! Surrender your weapons and put your hands up! Now!" grim voice shouted, the Agents giving the appeared cops baffled looks as hadn't expected to end up circled by a local authorities like common criminals. For that sole reason not responding to their orders, a couple of them approaching them while positioned their guns at them higher. Tilting them threateningly. "Put your hands up now! And you, drop your…shield…"

A sudden glimpse at Steve's shield silenced the lastly spoken officer, now him and the rest of his colleagues pausing as took a better look at the brawny man standing at the back of this odd bunch they'd only assumed as Monroe's mercenaries. However starting to think that not to be the case as the red, blue and white coloring of Steve's suit and the very out of place appearance of his comrades made them realize to have made an error in their judgment, Steve proving this by finally turning around and confronting the cops. Several of them gasping when as expected they immediately recognized him, their weapons lowering in awe as Steve fixated his gaze to the nearest police officer.

"Who of you is in charge?" he questioned. Not quite understanding either how had they ended up apprehended by the local police despite of their target's apparent involvement in their unexpected arrival taken the testimony of her hired accomplice, but had no choice but to comply to the situation. After a brief silence from behind one of the cars' open doors stepping out a man who certainly looked like a senior detective, not old in age per se but having an experienced air about him as he holstered his pistol, returning Steve's stare surprised but also extremely curious. Walking over to him as eyed at Steve's team quizzically, quirking a brow at the instantly recognizable appearance of the blonde man familiar to him from the news, following Steve to attach his characteristic shield to his back.

"Detective Horace, at your service. But as we're making introductions, would you mind explaining who are these people with you, and what exactly has brought Captain America himself in middle of a mere police raid all the way in South Africa?" he spoke, sizing Steve up in wonder. Steve approaching the detective as met his gaze, offering his hand for a shake.

"We need to talk. It is urgent, and concerning the owner of the club you just raided, Simeon Monroe…And a certain person he's been affiliated with that interests us."

---

AN = I have a following scene thought up as well that was supposed to be part of this chapter, but...I think this became enough long as it was ;DD

So will probably post that when I get around writing it.

Thanks for reading!