The team was broke.
Three months earlier they'd made a haul on the weapons front in the Bahamas, but the hotel hideout cost them a lot more than they thought it would. They'd saved money spending Christmas stateside, but they had nothing coming in.
The worst was the lack of food. Steve and Kayla were starving. They had to make their money last, so the team settled for only two meals a day, sometimes one if they could stomach it. Natasha would often give her leftovers to Steve, seeing as he would never ask for more than he needed.
The team never stayed in nice hotels anymore. Sometimes they only had one small bed, and Steve and Sam would be gentlemen and take the floor while Nat and Kayla shared the bed. Steve and Sam found the beds too soft anyway.
Kayla quickly placed her fake ID on the receptionist's desk. She smiled meekly at the German woman, looking around nervously at the old hotel they'd found. With only a hundred dollars between the four of them, they had to make it work. The German woman picked up the ID and studied the photo of Kayla before evaluating if it was the same woman.
After a moment the woman pushed the plastic back to Kayla, content with her investigation, "Room 204. Check out is at eleven."
"Thank you." Kayla readjusted her backpack, running her free hand through her tangled hair. She turned on the heels of her black boots and made her way to the stairs. She untied Zawadi's leash from his hiding place under the stairwell and led him up the stairs to the second floor to find their room.
Once she was inside the room, she put down her backpack and began unpacking her laptop. She flipped open the black computer and began typing in her password feverishly until her home screen popped up. She clicked on an icon of a little red wing and a camera popped up, Sam Wilson on the other side.
"How's the room Kay?" Sam asked as his Redwing drone hovered in front of him. His wings were compacted but he was prepared for flight.
Kayla rolled her eyes, moving the computer around so Sam could see in his goggles. "It's got walls, a bed, and a toilet. It'll do. Do you have eyes on the target?"
"Not yet. But she'll be around. Natasha arranged a meeting under the alias of Natalie Rushman. She's contacting Lee under the orders of Stark." Sam explained as he fiddled with his gloves.
"And we think Stark's name is going to attract a Hydra agent?" Kayla presses, hacking into the city's street cameras.
"It seemed to. I think she's curious why Stark wants information about her former employment. If anything, it's a trap." Sam looked over the edge of the building he was standing on, peering down into the street with his binoculars.
Kayla zoomed in on the intersection that Redwing was scanning, allowing her to see Natasha standing on the street corner in a heavy brown jacket. It was cold that evening in Germany, and none of them had really dressed for the occasion. Sam shivered in his short-sleeved suit. Kayla was thankful to be inside, even if she was pretty sure she'd seen several roaches run under the bed. Zawadi saw them too, and made it his mission to rid the hotel of its vermin.
"Target is around the corner," Sam said, moving his binoculars. Redwing kept the feed on Natasha, while Kayla moved the traffic cams to see Miss Lee moving slowly through the crowd, her hands shoved in the pockets of her black fur coat.
"Nat, do you copy? She's almost to you. She should pass you a hard drive. If she gives you any trouble we'll have reinforcements at your location within thirty seconds." Kayla explained, setting up all her cameras where she wanted them before pulling a pen and pad out of her pack and placing it on her crossed legs.
"I copy," Natasha muttered, a shiver running through her body as a gust of wind blew her hair across her face.
"Miss Rushman?" A voice asked from behind Nat, causing the redhead to turn and face the brunette woman before her.
Natasha nodded once, eyes focused on Miss Lee. "Do you have what Mr. Stark is looking for?"
"What makes you think I'll turn over information on the remaining members of Hydra? What makes you think I'll betray my team?" She hissed, looking around to see a family walk by, not noticing the two spies.
Natasha smiled coyly at Lee, her voice low and threatening, "To save your own life. The Avengers will wipe away Hydra. Every. Last. Person. And you have been given the chance to deflect and save your own hide. Or you can rot in prison like everyone else we find. Or worse."
Miss Lee tilted her head to the side thoughtfully, her long green coat loose despite the freezing wind that tugged at it, "Last I heard the Avengers were no more. The damage they did to the airport here in Germany cost the country millions of dollars. I don't think Mr. Stark is in the position to be making such threats. And I don't think you are working for Stark anyway."
Natasha was suddenly very aware of the gun being pressed into her abdomen under the woman's green trenchcoat. Luckily Kayla saw it too and called for reinforcements. "Steve, get to Nat. Now!"
No answer.
"Steve? Steve, do you copy?"
No answer.
"Falcon!" Kayla yelped into her comm, seeing Lee begin to press Natasha back towards an alleyway. Kayla moved to a different camera, seeing a black van parked nearby. "Sam she's gonna take Nat, go now!"
"On it!" Sam flew down from the roof of the building he'd been perched on. Lee wasn't expecting an aerial assault and was taken by surprise as Sam knocked her harshly to the ground when they turned into the alley. As she whipped her gun to aim at him, she found two more guns facing down at her, plus Natasha brandishing one to her side.
"Alright! Alright." Candice Lee accepted she was out of options and used her free hand that wasn't pointing a gun at Falcon to reach into her pocket and pull out a flash drive.
"So you brought the info after all." Natasha smugly mocked the woman on the ground. "I thought you knew our play?"
"I like to keep my options open."
"We won't kill you today, but if we find you during our travels, we won't make any promises," Sam vowed as Natasha grabbed the flash drive quickly and shoved it into her pocket. Natasha began to walk away after shoving her gun back into her pants, and once she was around the corner, Sam followed, never lowering his guns until he brandished his wings and took to the sky.
Natasha made a beeline for the hotel they had chosen, stomping her way down the street alone. Anger filled every footstep, and Kayla watched her rampage on the traffic cameras. When Nat reached the entrance of the hotel, Kayla gave her the room number and waited with bated breath for the loud pounding on the door.
She's really mad...
The knock on the door came lighter than Kayla expected, but she moved quickly just the same, putting up a hand to quiet Zawadi. The assassin would have no patience for her dog today. When Kayla opened the door, Natasha barged inside, causing the door to pin Kayla against the wall. But Natasha didn't notice, clearly upset with the world.
"Where the hell is he?" She snarled at Kayla after looking around the room quickly. "Was he here with you?"
"No! Of course not!" Kayla barked back, suddenly on the defensive, "You think he'd just abandon you for some alone time?"
"I don't know, maybe? He clearly wasn't in position to save me when I had a gun to my stomach. We had a plan, his plan. Where the hell is he?" Natasha growled, looking around wildly for their missing leader.
"I don't know Nat. I haven't seen him since I left you three on the quinjet! I don't know where he is. I've had the traffic cams up for every street near you for the past hour and I haven't seen him once. I don't know where he is." Kayla repeated sadly, wanting to defend her husband, but also unsure of why he let down Natasha.
Natasha's demeanor changed once she'd determined Kayla was telling the truth. She didn't know where Steve was either. "I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated. We depend on each other. Times are getting harder. We can't lose focus now."
Another gentle knock came from the door, and Kayla looked into the peephole and her whole body stiffened. She swung open the door so Sam could enter, Steve right on his heels. Zawadi ran happily toward Steve, jumping up on him lovingly, but Steve was as rigid as Kayla and he didn't respond to the dog's whimpers for attention. He knew he'd made a grave mistake.
Once the door was closed, Steve looked up from the ground he'd been studying so carefully to meet Natasha fuming gaze. "I'm sorry Nat."
"You're...sorry?" Natasha questioned, her voice shaking at the words. "You were my backup. You weren't there. She could have shot me then and there-"
Steve reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash, throwing it down onto the bed. Natasha, Sam, and Kayla just stared at the money, and one by one their gaze found Steve, Kayla being the last to look up at her husband. "What is this?"
"We needed more cash. I thought I had more time. I got this off of several people-"
"You stole it?" Kayla questioned, her deep frown only growing. "You mugged someone?"
"I pickpocketed it." Steve defended. "I'd never hurt anyone Kay, you know that..."
"But you stole their money." Kayla repeated, not liking the man in front of her, "We don't need to stoop this low Steve..."
"I need to provide for my team. For my family. By any means necessary." Steve answered darkly, crossing his arms across his chest. "You want to eat or not?"
Sam and Natasha stood silently, the former shifting his weight uncomfortably. They had nothing to say in argument of Steve's claims. It was terrifying, but true. They were desperate.
Kayla though didn't see it that way. It was her husband who was stealing from people so they could survive. There had to be a better way. She wouldn't watch Steve fall into such darkness, not even for her. She couldn't. He'd lose the part of himself that she loved so much. The part that stood up for the little guy. No. This was not acceptable. This was not how she lost him.
But Kayla couldn't argue with Steve now. He'd already done it, and they could argue until they were blue in the face, but he'd already stolen the money. And she was hungry. And tired. And damn could she use a good meal and a hot shower. So Kayla resolved to end the fight for now and pick it up later when they were alone. "Fine. We'll talk about this later."
Steve didn't acknowledge Kayla's words, but instead turned to Natasha, unfolding his arms to let them fall to his side, "I'm sorry Nat. I really am."
She nodded, accepting his apology without admitting it, "Let's get something to eat. It's been a long day."
Sam unhooked his backpack and set it on the dirty old chair provided in the hotel room. Natasha pulled her long hair back into a low bun, pulling a hat over her hair to keep her head warm. Steve turned to Kayla, holding out his hand for her to take, but she just stared at it for a moment before speaking. "I'm not hungry. I'll stay here. Bring something back for Zawadi though?"
Steve exhaled, his shoulders deflating at her words, "Kay-"
"You need to eat." Sam demanded, knowing she wasn't going to listen to Steve in that moment. "We'll bring you back something."
"I'm fine." Kayla repeated cooly, eyes locked onto Steve's, "I'll be fine."
"Fine then." Steve barked back, and he left the room, letting the door slam loudly as he went.
Sam let his head fall into his hand, holding his temples to fight off his frustration, "Can you not do this now Kayla? Come with us for food."
"No. I can't... I can't look at him right now. I'm ashamed of him." Kayla mumbled in response, admitting the terrible feelings that made her heart feel like it was a brick.
"Alright. We're still going to bring you food. If you don't want it I'm sure Zawadi will eat both of your meals." Sam finished, following Natasha who was holding open the door for him, silently taking in Kayla's mood.
Once alone, Kayla began packing up her equipment. She put her laptop back in its case in her backpack and loaded up all the communication equipment. Once the bed was cleaned off she sat down with her pen and pad and began to doodle. She wasn't very good, not at all compared to Steve, but it eased her mind a bit, gave her something to do. Zawadi jumped up onto the bed and rested his head on her thigh as she leaned back against the headboard.
A few moments later though, Zawadi's head perked up, and he looked toward the door before diving off the bed. Kayla watched him wearily, unsure of what had caught the dog's attention. Had the Hydra agent found them out? Were they coming for the flash drive? Or worse, to kill the team?
Zawadi was pretty good at detecting threats. He'd bark and the ridge on his back would raise as he growled, usually warning any danger that it wasn't a fight they wanted to get into. Zawadi was incredibly protective of his mom, and she knew she'd be safe in his presence.
But Zawadi didn't growl. He didn't bark. He just stood at the door, tail wagging and tongue hanging out. Kayla moved silently from the bed to the door, unsure of what awaited her on the other side. She pressed her hand against the door, beginning to lean in to look through the peephole, but before she had a chance the door opened on its own, causing her to be trapped against the wall again.
When the door closed, Steve stood across from Kayla, looking her up and down. His jaw was tight, but his blue eyes weren't angry. He took a step closer to Kayla, effectively pinning her against the wall so he could talk to her without her escaping. She was almost eye level with the soldier, and she was imposing, even to him in this moment of weakness. "I'm sorry Kay."
Kayla grabbed him greedily, driving her lips against his as he met her and shoved her into the wall. Steve pushed his tongue into her mouth, making out with his girl desperately, in case she remembered she was mad at him and his time would be cut short.
He was right.
"Steve," she breathed, pulling away from him slightly, "I know things are bad, but there has to be a better way-" He swallowed her words with another kiss, trying to distract her from her frustrations.
"I'm sorry Kay, we just needed more money. I was worried about you all. You haven't been eating and it scares me. I just want to provide for you somehow."
"What you did isn't providing, its stealing. And I won't allow it again. Understood?" Kayla looked at Steve under her eyelashes, tilting her head down enough that he couldn't kiss her until he agreed.
"Yes ma'am." He moaned, trying to catch her lips again. She let him and he hoisted her up by the butt so she was higher than him and walked them over to the bed, lips never pulling apart. He threw her down roughly and looked at her as she grabbed the sheets with her dainty fingers. "Let me make it up to you Kay."
"Please do. And make it fast before Sam and Nat get back."
As if he understood, Zawadi stationed himself by the door and placed his snout under his paws, shielding himself from the view of Steve thrusting Kayla into the bed.