Agent Peggy Carter had tackled many missions during her lifetime – missions that would've reduced a grown man to tears – yet she'd never batted an eye at them. She'd battled Hydra, faced down Nazis, jumped out of airplanes while being shot at and had even managed to ward off multiple passes from Howard Stark.

Not even the blatant sexism of her office coworkers – she being the only female agent in the male-dominated SSR office – seemed to rattle the self-possessed woman. No, Peggy Carter had a reputation as an ice queen, a woman who could stare down death and not be fazed. She was seemingly unflappable.

Until now.

Everything had been manageable until Chief Thompson had handed her a file yesterday and smirked, "Your new mission."

Peggy took the file warily. "Code breaking?"

Thompson shook his head and leaned against her desk. "Nah, Carter. You proved your worth with that break in the O'Hallihan case last month. This one will require a little more finesse than that, but if anyone can do it, it's you."

Peggy's eyes flickered to the dossier and she started reading. A moment later, she began coughing as the air suddenly left her lungs. Thompson reached over and helpfully gave her a few sharp raps on her back.

"You all right there, Carter?" he chuckled.

Peggy shook her head vehemently. "I most certainly am not."

"What seems to be the problem?"

Her eyes widened incredulously. "You can't honestly expect me to go undercover at this… this…"

Thompson grinned. "It's a club, Carter."

"It's the Playboy Club, Jack!"

Thompson shrugged. "So it is."

Peggy glared at him. "It caters exclusively to men. Men with certain eclectic tastes."

"What are you trying to say, Carter?"

Peggy gritted her teeth. Thompson was enjoying this far too much. "I'm saying that men go there to ogle scantily clad women dressed as bunnies. And if I'm not mistaken, they probably do far more than simply ogle."

Thompson clucked disapprovingly and waggled a finger. "Now, now Carter. They have strict rules about their girls and customers. Besides, women patronize the club, too. No need for nasty insinuations."

Peggy rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "Frankly, I'm shocked you even know such a big word." She released a sigh. "The only women I've ever heard of visiting are celebrities, something I am clearly not. Why would you ever think I'm the agent best suited for this assignment? Shouldn't you send Johnson or Smithton?"

Jack grinned. "If you'd bothered to read the whole dossier, you'd realize why I asked you."

Peggy retrieved the file and opened it again. Scanning the pages, her eyes widened and mouth formed a surprised "o" as she took in the information. When she was done, she closed the pages and let out a resigned sigh. "Well, that certainly makes more sense now."

"It does, doesn't it," Thompson smirked. He sat down on the edge of the desk and nodded at the folder. "Your mark is a Leviathan defector who, up until recently, was working on their chemical arms program. A foreign government was able to smuggle him out of Russia, but those darn Ruskies caught wind of it and sent a retrieval team after him. He's been holed up at the New York club ever since, just awaiting extraction. We figure now's our best chance to beat the other guys and bring him to our side, and since he has a predilection for leggy brunettes, you're our best option."

Peggy groaned. "You want me to go undercover as a bunny."

Thompson roared with laughter. "Oh Carter, as entertaining as that would be, I do value my life. No, there's no bunny suit in your future. You'll simply show up and flirt a little with some of the men there until you're able to make contact with our Soviet professor. A few drinks in, you make it obvious to anyone watching you're available to this guy and then you'll leave on his arm and into the car we'll have waiting for you outside."

Peggy had to admit it seemed a rather flawless plan. "I assume you have a key for me?"

Thompson retrieved a key from his coat pocket. "As a matter of fact, I'm sending you with my own personal membership."

Peggy scoffed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I expect it to be returned in mint condition, Carter."

She swiped the offensive token from his open palm and pocketed it. "I can't make any promises, Jack."

Thompson just chuckled. "You go in tomorrow, so take the rest of the day off and go buy something real nice courtesy of the SSR. I want that professor falling all over you. I'll have Sousa phone you later about your ride." He turned and headed for the door, but stopped to call, "Oh and Carter?"

Peggy growled. "What?"

"Don't stay too out late!"