Chapter 4
Steve was couple minutes away from Sharon's apartment building when his phone started buzzing.
- Isn't man your age supposed to be in bed by this hour?
- Hasn't your mother ever teach you how to treat men my age?
Sam laughed at the sharp, but very cheerful remark Steve did. – Honestly, I am not sure what age you are even suppose to be. The years look good on you. How is your little trip turning out so far?
- Well, it's turning out like a lot of work!
- What did you expect, an open invitation to their business; this guys aren't known for their sharing policies.
- Tell me about it. Steve got to the building. He turned his head up and his look climbed every store till his eyes got to Sharon's window; as if he was expecting to be able to steal a glimpse of her from down here.
- How's the company? Sam knew that Steve's only chance in was through this girl Carter. For quite some time the name sounded fairly familiar to him, but nothing more. Couple weeks after the events with SHIELD and HYDRA Steve shared his story with Sam. Unfortunately Sam found the turnout of evens way to amusing for Steve's taste. But at least he could talk to someone about it. Natasha wasn't much of a help. Even hiding and lurking from the shadows on an occasion she would call and try to fix him up with someone she knew. Sharon's name may or may not have been dropped a time too many. That was a whole another chance for Sam to tease Steve and he didn't particularly like it.
- She is something! Steve tried not to sound too different from his usual self, but the deep sigh before answering Sam tipped him off right away.
- Woooo, brother, you are in deep trouble… if I am getting you right.
- Curb your enthusiasm, Falcon, nothing is happening!
- Yet, nothing has happened yet! I have seen her file… the girl has something to give. Too sad I didn't meet her first…
- There still time. You can be here in the morning. Maybe Carter will find your wit amusing. Steve didn't even realize that he still was looking at the direction of her big window.
- Brother, you are way too complicated for my taste. I'd feel saver being dropped over a war zone, before involving myself with your girl.
- She is not my girl, Sam, we just work together… Sam could hear Steve anger rising just by picking up oh his annoyance over the phone. – I should better drop this, before I find you standing on my door step tomorrow. Sam's laugh brought the tension down.
- Speaking of work, anything new on our case.
- Nothing! Everything goes cold, sorry!
- Well, I was expecting something like that. Bucky is too smart to let anyone find him; even me.
- Then, why are you still there. Your bionic friend clearly wants to be left alone.
Steve rubbed his temples, asking himself this question for days now and still having no valid answer to it. – I feel like if don't cover everything I will miss something, how about that kind of an answer.
- Whatever helps you sleep at night, brother! Sam always found a way to cheer him up.
- Just keep me posted!
- Yes, Captain!
Steve finished his conversation with Sam, but didn't want to rush in. It was little after 10 pm and the street was quiet; no cars, no people… Well after the 7 hours worth of heavy snow, now there was a thick layer of the white cotton like thing on the ground. The snow was still clean white, something that would stay this way till the morning, when the traffic and the rushing to get to their workplaces people would ruin it and turn it into a yellowish mud pool.
….
- It's open! Sharon didn't even bother to check who was at the door; she simply yelled from the bedroom, still dressing for the night out. The problem was that she was yet calling it a "night out' and not a "late night - work assignment".
- You know, even for a trained person, you are far too reckless. Steve walked in the living room, took off his coat and tossed it on the sofa.
- Oh, please, I saw you talking on your phone like 10 minutes ago. Steve could hear the commotion coming from the bedroom. He saw a glimpse of her walking back and forth, still wearing her bathroom robe. – There aren't many people that know about my location… and once again. Sharon peaked from the bedroom – I told you I can take care for myself.
- My bad then! Steve smiled at her. She nodded toward something and he turned his attention to the folder on the coffee table. – If you need to know where we are going and what we are doing tonight, you might as well want to be prepared. Her voice sounded a little more distant and loud from before. Steve thought that she was talking from the bathroom.
- What's this? Steve gave the folder a quick glance.
- A little head start.
- Ok! Steve went through some of the pages. He got most interested in the picture of some old brick building, that now clearly was home of a night club; very high-end night club, giving the men at the door that clearly were packing. – Fancy place!
- You have no idea! Sharon was still prepping herself. Steve didn't even know what she was still doing in there. – It's Anatoly second favorite place.
- Watching the picture I really want to know what is his favorite place.
- His bedroom, of course. Sharon was finally ready and stepped out the bedroom in the living room. Honestly, it would have been better if she had stayed there all night.
- You are… Steve truly struggled to find the right words to describe her. The only thing that came in mind was that time when he went to the multiplex to watch some ridiculous movie and every poster in the cinema read something like this: breath taking, heart stopping, jaw dropping, life changing or whatever in that tone. He didn't get it back then, but now it was obvious that these tittles could have only been used to describe the way the woman before him looked tonight… She was breath taking, heart stopping, and jaw dropping, definitely not something he needed after his talk with Sam… So he said the next best thing - You are a brunette?
- Actually, it's little more on the red side, but I can pull off a brunette too! Dressed in a very tight, very short black leathered dress, Sharon enjoyed the stunned look on Steve's face. She could count the few precious moments when he completely lost touch with reality; with his gaze drifting somewhere. Sharon fixed her dress and zhuzhed her hair with her fingers. – So, how do I look?
- You… look… different? Steve's throat was so dry when he tried to nervously swallow his discomfort. How did she look? It shouldn't be a hard question to answer, right? The dress fit perfectly, even though it was short… very short; the stocking that were few shades darker than her natural skin color made her look taller; she chose a wig that totally change the contour of her face; with long bangs, combed on the right side while the rest of the hair cascaded all the way to her mid-back. Even the makeup on her face was far different that what he used to see on Sharon; it was much darker and alluring; black eyeliner; smoky eye shadows and thick red lipstick. As if she no longer was Sharon Carter.
- That's the idea! Being undercover and all.
- Aren't you gonna be cold in… Steve frowned a little when he once again measured the length of the dress… this?
Sharon chuckled a little. – Occupational hazard, I suppose. You didn't have to be much of a psychic to know that Steve wasn't feeling the situation… or the dress.
- I hope you have good cover to go with that dress...
- The best one… But first shoes! Sharon returned to the bedroom and sat on the bed to put on her black booties. They were the only pair that looked good with the dress and was ok with the weather outside.
- What is it… your cover?
Sharon put her left bootie and looked up at Steve, who casually was leaning against the door frame. – For tonight or in general?
- Both.
- Well, Kate the nurse from Iowa would never visit a place like this one, but Vivianna the working girl totally would.
- You are using the same cover as before? Steve was more than surprised. He was little be rattled.
- I liked Kate, she was nice and she's the complete opposite to what Anatoly finds in his girls, aside from their physical appearance. It was easier to pick someone different from his usual dates to be sure I'll secure his attention. She was done with the shoes; she once again fixed her dress and now was able to look directly in Steve's eyes. The 4 inch heels made her exactly as tall as him; now they both fell equal. – Now, shall we?
- And what about me? Steve followed her in the living room. – What's my cover?
- You're my date? Working girl, remember!
- Oh, I remember. Was he even trying to be anything but prejudice? No, she thought. –
- Look, I know you probably have versioned something different, but not everything can be dealt with on the field. She was putting some things in her far too small clutch, but she pretend to be more occupied with this, than just face him.
- I just don't like pretending! Steve got his coat and put it on. – I like approaching this directly.
Sharon smile lit her face. – Then, it turns out you are in the wrong field, Rogers!
- Everyone keeps telling me that! Now they both were smiling.
- You should listen to them. Now, lets go! She put her coat on. Not that there was any difference; it was as short as the dress. Steve sighed and once again somewhat snapped at her. – You know, Carter, the thing you would be doing next, is probably buying pills, for all the colds you're gonna catch.
Sharon only managed to grin and walked to the door; having Captain America following her. Steve was shaking his head at the woman in front of him. As he was putting his coat on, he thought about all the things Sam would have said if he knew about everything that was about to happen. It was going to be a long night.
