Chapter 16: You Know Who I Am

August 12

Howlett Manor

"I think… I might have something," Jessica Jones said, and both Bobbi and Natasha's heads came up at the pronouncement as they looked toward the door.

"Something's better than the total zilch we've had for days now," Bobbi said, waving her over. "What've you got?"

"It's nothing solid, but there have been a lot more communications in and out of One," Jessica said. "And a lot of what I'm seeing is filled with red flags. I mean… One's always got a lot of red flags because of how Capitol-heavy it was, not to mention it's got a heavy concentration of ex-Nova Corps and corrupt former politicians. But some of this seems…" She put her hands on her hips. "Call it a hunch, but this doesn't feel like your straightforward 'rich guys being horrible' kind of thing."

Natasha looked over Bobbi's shoulder at the communications that Jessica had flagged and had to nod her agreement. They were far enough apart and not in an easily discernible pattern — easy to miss with a wide net. But the kinds of projects and specialities being talked about for 'mergers' and 'business' were incredibly familiar. The kind of thing that Fitz or Tony would work on — or Peter and Miles.

"It could be nothing," Jessica said. "I know some of the big families in Three are trying to get a good hold on One's market."

"Give the girl a few days and she knows the whole scene," Bobbi said Natasha's way with a smirk that Natasha returned.

Jessica rolled her eyes. "The point is: the interesting thing about these is that they don't trace back to a name or a company."

That got both Bobbi and Natasha to raise their eyebrows. "So some anonymous person in One is asking about just the kind of thing the Tahiti lab rats would be up to?"

"Told you I might have something," Jessica said, smirking hard.

"Well we're not going to find anything just sifting through these," Bobbi pointed out with a small frown. "If they don't tie back to a name, we can only get so far with remote intelligence."

"So we need an 'in'," Bobbi said with a smirk. "Someone who will be your skeleton key for tech."

"That's easy," Natasha said. "We send in Stark. He's a big enough name that he'll be harder to just … disappear without someone noticing, especially in a place like One."

"You mean if he wants to go," Bobbi pointed out. "Isn't he more flash than actual action?"

"So we send him with someone," Natasha said with a shrug. "But he'll want to go — trust me. I'll tell him as much," she added, this time with a little smirk.

"Then I guess … we figure out who goes with him," Bobbi said. "I'm out, for oh, so many reasons."

"Can't be Pepper," Jessica added. "Even if that's who he's going to pick anyway."

"Should be someone who can fit in with the atmosphere of One," Natasha pointed out.

"You could do it," Bobbi said.

"The last time I was on a mission just me and Tony, I very nearly killed him," Natasha countered.

"Yeah, that's pretty much true of everyone who has to work with him," Jessica pointed out with a smirk.

"So, do we ask someone else to play bait?" Bobbi asked.

"He's very, very good for bait," Natasha said with a small frown as she thought it over.

They bounced around a few more ideas after that, but for the most part, the matter came down to the fact that whoever they sent would have to spend several days in close quarters with nobody but Tony… and whoever they sent had to be able to keep up with the culture of One. And there were very few people who fit that list.

So it was almost like a cue for Kate to pop her head in, chewing a piece of Jubilee's bubble gum happily as she did so. "Whatcha up to?" she asked around the big bubble she blew.

The other girls all looked her way at the same time with identical looks on their faces. "Waiting for you, apparently," Bobbi said with a growing smile.

"Of course," Kate said as if this was obvious. "And what miracle do you need me for today?"

"Do you think you can manage to tolerate Tony Stark for a mission?" Natasha asked.

"You'll be the heavy hitter," Bobbi added.

"Well," Kate said, surprising the girls when she hesitated — since she would usually rush into any chance to play hero. "What kind of mission?"

"One you're not used to," Bobbi admitted. "Mostly dressing up and playing it up as arm candy."

"Sounds cushy," Kate said, starting to grin. "I thought you said I was the heavy hitter."

"Well, seeing as Stark isn't a field operative …" Jessica said haltingly.

"He'll need someone to cover his butt," Bobbi finished.

"So, arm candy for 'just in case' purposes," Kate summed up before she shrugged. "Sure. Why not? Can't be too horrible if you're sending in Tony," she said with a teasing grin.

"Well," Jessica hedged. "He's kind of our bait."

Kate paused at that. "Then we're going to need … let's see... couple thigh holsters at least, and I want someone on standby. I do not need to get hit with those darts that got Logan and Kurt," she said, pulling a face.

"Who do you want?"

She had to stop to consider it, then shrugged. "Clint or Kurt," she said.

"Well, seeing as Coulson asked us to keep couples off of the same mission for now," Bobbi said with a tight smile, "I guess that narrows it down."

"I didn't hear about that rule," Kate said with a little frown.

"It's new," she replied. "Coulson thinks we'll go rushing in selflessly if it's someone we're involved with." She paused. "I mean, he's not wrong. If you or Clint or Hunter were in trouble, I'd be there in a heartbeat."

"And your whole team kind of has this … stupid selfless thing for its members," Jessica added. "So double whammy for you when it's Kurt."

"This is true," Kate nodded, though she took a second to think it over again. "Alright. Send Clint with me, and we'll both have emergency comms on. We'll stick to the good parties and keep our eyes out — not like anyone is going to just grab us when there are images to be upheld," she said, almost more to herself than anything else. She straightened out her shirt the slightest bit and then nodded. "Alright. But one of you two has to talk to Tony, because I'm not enduring the jokes and the flirting for any longer than I have to."

"You got it," Jessica said, pushing back from the computer. "I'll break it to him that he's got to toe the line or pay the price."

"Yes; he'll believe it from you," Kate said with a little laugh. "Just let me get some things set before I go. I had a thing."

"Best parties aren't scheduled to happen until at least nine or ten," Bobbi said without looking up. "Nothing useful happens before then."

"Perfect. Plenty of time," Kate said, breaking into a wide grin before she simply bounded off, pleased with the mission she had. It didn't sound like it would be too horrible — just play a little bait and let everyone else handle the big bads. She could totally pull this off.

One more mission. Just the one.

District One

Tony and Kate arrived in District One dressed to impress. He had been going a little stir crazy being cooped up in District Seven anyway, and it was obvious that Kate desperately wanted to get out and go on a mission, though she was a little more fidgety than usual.

Still, they looked stunning as a matched set. Kate had on an elegant, backless purple dress that reached all the way to the floor and concealed two thigh holsters, and Tony's suit was tailor-made, with a perfectly color-matched bow tie.

They were both outfits from The Line.

Bobbi had been right about what time to make their entrance, too — it seemed like the party was really getting going when they got there.

It was almost like a who's who of Marvel. All the most established businessmen and women were there — those that hadn't met a sticky end in the revolution, anyhow — which meant they weren't shady in one area of life.

Of course, Tony was instantly recognizable to anyone who saw him, so they weren't going to want for company. Almost as soon as they walked in the door, the people who had come to schmooze were there, all of them offering congratulations on some new Stark Industries something or other or else just congratulating him on being alive at all, all things considered.

Kate had been to plenty of these kinds of events — though not quite to this level of snobbery — both before and after being part of Tahiti. She had slipped into her smiling and polite but never the center of attention merchant's daughter routine. She'd been through it enough times with her dad; she was there to look nice and to answer meaningless questions. Only this time, she was also there to watch for any potential threats, her gaze sweeping corners and exits and hallways without being obvious about it, the way she had been trained to do.

The real problem wasn't that it was hard to spot anyone who might be trouble; the problem was that they were all shady characters. Not a one of these people looked that clean, and honestly, Kate didn't like the look of almost everyone she was introduced to.

But after making the rounds, the two of them finally got a few seconds to themselves, and Tony was already pouring himself some champagne to "deal with all these…" He waved a hand in the general direction of the gathered people as if that was a good enough description, and it really kind of was.

"Can't exactly bait out the bad guys when they're already gathered," Kate pointed out with a little frown.

"No, but we can wait and see which ones are most interested, outside of the polite ass kissing that's happened so far," Tony replied as he raised his glass to his lips and then quickly drained it.

"Oh, is that what that blonde was doing? That's a different kind of…" Kate trailed off with an impish smirk.

He gave her a devilish sort of grin. "Well, it is what it is. In the meantime," he said as he picked up a second flute of bubbly. "This does tend to ease the pain of the whole fiasco."

She just laughed and shook her head. "No, thanks. Remember, I'm the big, strong bodyguard."

"And I have full faith that you might loosen up enough after a glass to do backward kick flips or whatever the heck it is you guys do up there playing kung fu fighter."

"Really, I'm good," Kate assured him. "I appreciate it, but I'm good."

"Oh, come on. I know you had some at the marathon of weddings. You even said you liked it."

"I did, and I do. But we're kind of on a mission right now," Kate said.

He narrowed his eyes slightly and again offered her the glass. "Then hold it as a cover. I promise I'll drink it for you."

She tipped her head to the side, shrugged, and took the flute. "Sure, but now I'm just going to have to tease you that I'm nothing but a champagne-holder. Candy striper, but different."

"World's sassiest champagne charger," Tony countered.

"Mmm, no, I think you're forgetting a few adjectives there. Should be 'awesome' and 'beautiful' in there somewhere," Kate said, grinning.

"Well. Clearly those are givens," he replied with a little roll of his eyes.

"Oh, obviously," she agreed with a little laugh before she took his arm again. "Well, shall we test the waters, oh champagne-buzzed bait boy?"

"Are you saying I smell fishy? Because that sounds fishy. Just don't call me chum as you work through the sharks."

"Oh, never out loud," she agreed as she leaned on him a little more for effect.

"Tease," he said, chin high.

"And that's only halfway for my cover," she laughed.

He stopped, turned her way, and gave her a look. "Okay, we need to get you back to your Elf."

"Tony, I was teasing," she said, shaking her head at him as she lightly squeezed his arm. "You've never been serious before."

He tipped his head her way but kept his eyes on the crowd. "And you've never turned down champagne before."

To Kate's credit, she didn't take her gaze off the crowd, either, but she did come to a stop beside him. "I told you," she said quietly, "I just… don't want to drink in this crowd."

He finally seemed to roll his entire body her way with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "Can you say that while looking me in the eyes?" He was clearly fighting to keep from smirking outright, but his amusement still came through crystal clear.

Kate turned to face him, and after a long moment, she tried for a little smirk. "That."

"Ah…." Tony said, stopping her from flat out lying. "Come on now. Fess up."

She let out a breath and finally leaned in a little closer so they could speak at a whisper no one would overhear. "It's my last mission, alright? I just wanted to do something before they grounded me!"

His eyes were sparkling when she finally leaned back, and the grin was positively uncontrollable. "I knew it."

"Don't say anything," she said, shaking her head. "Just… don't… I haven't told Kurt yet, or you know he wouldn't let me out, and this is an easy mission."

"Got it, got it.… My lips are sealed," he promised, though he was still grinning broadly.

"Stop looking at me like that," she grumbled, though there really wasn't much heat to it.

"Like what? Like I'm enjoying our time together?"

She turned toward him so he could fully appreciate the eye roll that she had going on. "Right," she said. She seemed to straighten up and lean on him further all at the same time. "Lead the way. I'm just the champagne coaster."

"An amazingly awesome, lovely, glowing coaster."

"Shut up, Tony," she grumbled good-naturedly.

"Don't worry; no one will overhear me," he said, half laughing. "And I won't breathe a word when we get back. Pinkie promise."

"Good." She grinned at him and looked a little more the part of a girl enjoying his company as she added, quieter, "I've got it all set up to tell him when I get back. You'll probably hear him from across the manor."

He rested one hand over his heart. "I promise to be surprised." With a grin, he set both champagne glasses down and gently twirled her onto the dance floor. "Come on, Hawkeye — we need to make them all jealous."

The two of them stayed on the floor for a few songs, until Kate was laughing a little too hard and Tony was almost as out of breath as she was. "Enough for now?" he asked, prompting her to nod her head with a grin. Until she spotted some trouble brewing.

Kate recognized the cut of the suits of a few of the men approaching them when they made it off the dance floor again — she'd seen similarly dressed men placed throughout most of the party. She nudged Tony with her elbow and shot him a significant look before she painted on a giggly sort of smile by the time the men arrived.

Tony leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "What do you think they're after? Be precise now."

"Trouble, probably," she whispered back. "We'll see."

"You cannot possibly be Tony Stark," one of them said warmly as he extended a hand. "What brings someone of your renown to this little corner of the world?"

"In spite of the condition of things, it is still one of the best places in Marvel — even if it's not what I'm used to," Tony replied easily, with a practiced smile, before he tipped his head once. "You know who I am. And you are?"

"James Wesley," the man said, matching Tony's smile.

"A pleasure, I'm sure."

"So, I hate to bring up something as dull as business, but I do feel the need to ask," Wesley said with a concerned look. "What have you been up to for the duration?"

"Oh, you know how it is," Tony said with a wave. "Just being clever enough not to die again. Really."

"I would hope your more creative skills haven't atrophied while dodging trouble for so long," Wesley said seriously.

"Not possible," Tony said with a light shake of his head. "I only get better with age."

Wesley laughed. "The best things in life tend to follow that rule," he said. He paused before he began again. "May I ask: are you here on business or simple pleasure?"

"Oh, pleasure for sure," Tony said with a nod. "Needed a break. Figured I'd dust off this old suit and take a pretty friend of mine to a good party."

Wesley gave him a practiced smile. "Perhaps you could spend more than a little time here," he said. "I'm sure with your standing, you would warrant more than a short escape, especially after such trying times."

"That is entirely possible," Tony said with a thoughtful look. "Can you recommend a place to stay? Security is kind of an issue for me. I try not to take it lightly, all things considered."

Wesley regarded him carefully for a long moment before the smile widened the slightest bit and he reached into his suit pocket. "My card," he said with the usual drawl that accompanied such a statement before he scribbled something on the back with a pen handed to him by one of the much bigger men on either side of him.

"Could you—" Tony gestured to Kate. "I don't like being handed things."

It was a mark of how often she'd had to endure parties like this that Kate didn't outright roll her eyes at Tony as she took the card from Wesley with a polite smile and tucked it into Tony's suit pocket with a look in her eyes that she hoped conveyed how much she was going to get him in trouble later.

He smiled at her as he pulled the card from his pocket and read it quickly. "Thank you," Tony said distractedly. "Both of you. I'll be in touch." He gave Kate a warm smile before turning back to Wesley. "Now, if you gentlemen don't mind — it's still rude to ignore a pretty girl, isn't it?"

"Of course," Wesley said, taking his two associates with him.

When they were well out of earshot, Tony turned to Kate with a grin. "Nat makes it sound like it's hard or something."

Kate had to keep from laughing. "Well, she doesn't have a name that makes people fall over frontward just to talk to her," she pointed out.

"I don't know; I think it's just luck."

She snorted. "Sure." She put on a slightly more practiced accent and imitated Wesley's manner. "Oh, Mister Stark. Could you possibly please speak with us peasants? Oh, Mister Stark, you're so very wonderful. Oh, Mister Stark…" She grinned at him.

"I am going to refrain from my usual commentary because I think you might actually be having a good time."

"If you tell anybody I admitted it, I'll flat out deny it and then get creative," she warned him. "But yeah. This is kind of fun."

"So, we ride out the party until it really gets rocking and leave; that's what I usually do anyhow," Tony told her. "Makes them think I have somewhere better to be."

"Well apparently you're in charge of this circus act," she told him.

He couldn't help but give her an obnoxious sort of smile and waggle his eyebrows. "I'll get my top hat and whip and it'll really get interesting."

She rolled her eyes. "Just dance with me, Tony. Before I decide I'm not having fun anymore."

He grinned as he pulled her out onto the floor without another word. The two of them were a whirlwind of social activity by the time the party really started to peak, and Kate was actually laughing her way through a good conversation with a group of well-dressed socialites when Tony seemed to think it was time to leave.

He approached the group with a tight, well-practiced polite smile as he took Kate by the arm and wordlessly pulled her back from the crowd. "Let's find something better to do," he said, just loud enough for those closest to hear. "This party's kind of … over."

Kate would have protested except for the fact that she knew she'd told Tony he was in charge of the leaving thing, so... "Lead the way," she told him sweetly.

They were halfway down the steps when they ran into Wesley again, and he was smiling a bit wider. "Mister Stark," he said politely, "If you wouldn't mind, my employer was hoping to take a moment of your time."

Kate and Tony glanced at each other with well-hidden frowns that were quickly replaced with more business-like expressions. They had been hoping to be bait, but a man like Wesley just wasn't the name they actually needed.

Tony paused before his answer as he glanced between Kate and Wesley. "We sort of had plans…" he said with one arm around her.

"We won't be long," Wesley said. "I'll have your lovely companion sent ahead — if you're still interested in a place to stay, that is. She can wait for you there."

Kate didn't like it, but she and Tony shared a look, and he nodded at her, still wearing his 'public' smile. It was their best option to find a name, but all the same, she pretended to be tucking her hair behind her ear as she tapped out a quick signal to Clint that he'd better hurry up and get to their position now that someone had taken the bait as she walked ahead of the two muscle-bound men and kept glancing back Tony's way. She was worried. And he looked just as concerned for her — all things considered.

They'd hardly gone out of the line of sight of the stairs to the mansion, though, when Kate found a whole new set of problems as one of the guys shoved her from behind and she went stumbling forward, careening into an alley between houses. She only just managed to stay on her feet before one of them grabbed her while she was still a little bit teetering and slammed her against the wall, stepping in close with a leering smile.

He had his hands on her arms and was just tightening his grip when she jammed the pointy heel of her shoe into his foot. He gasped in pain and released her enough that she was able to follow it up with a knee to his gut and then a sharp blow to his neck that knocked him out, and he crumpled at her feet.

The second guy was bigger than his counterpart and had the advantage of now having seen his partner get taken down by the girl they'd obviously marked as easy prey. He lunged forward toward her and managed to grab her arm and try to twist it behind her, but before he could, she grabbed his arm with her free hand and pulled with him, so that he was thrown off balance enough that she could get her shoulder into his gut, and he released her with a gasp. She quickly spun with a kick that put her heel right through his middle and then followed it up with a punch that left him stunned on the ground.

Now thoroughly annoyed, Kate glared down at the still-conscious creep and sneered. "What, did you think Tony Stark just kept me around cuz I was pretty?" she asked, batting her eyelashes, before she turned and stormed back toward the mansion, wondering if she'd be in time to intercept that Wesley guy before he drove off with Tony. Plan or no plan, she was not putting up with this anymore.

She saw that there was a long black car parked nearby and decided she was done playing at being a simpering little girl. That was clearly not going to get her anywhere in this place. She took off her shoes, held them in one hand, and opened the door of the limo with a hard yank and slid into the seat next to Tony. She looked up at the other occupants of the car as she very pointedly took off her gloves and folded one underneath her shoes while she used the other to wipe from the shoes some of the blood splatter from putting her heel through that guy's stomach.

The other occupants of the car looked a little shocked to see her, though Tony seemed to be doing his best not to smirk. There was Wesley, looking a bit scandalized at her forwardness just inviting herself in — and then there was a man who looked like he was made up of about four guys. Seriously, the guy was a giant. Wesley looked like he was about to have her thrown out or killed or something for daring to interrupt, but the giant guy was studying her with a strange expression.

"I'm done with my walk, thanks," she told all three of the occupants of the car. "The company was horrendous."

The big man seemed to relax slightly and even smiled as he settled his gaze on her. "Of course, Miss Bishop," he said quietly. "Such a refined and obviously talented young lady as yourself deserves more respectable company. Please, forgive my associates for any disrespect they may have directed your way. They're not always as sophisticated as I'd like them to be."

She smiled lightly. "I'm sure they've learned the error of their ways," she said simply. "I accept your apologies on their behalf." She was already planning ways to teach other 'associates,' too, but he didn't need to know that part.

"Had I known that you were something more than young Mr. Stark's company, I would have extended my invitation for you to join us as well. I can see that was an extreme oversight on my part, and again, I cannot apologize enough."

She pulled out her best beaming smile. "Tony did mention to you that security was a concern, didn't he? That's why I'm here," she said.

"He did indeed," the large man told her. "I simply didn't consider that he'd found such a charming bodyguard. If you don't mind my saying: you were never much of a contender in your Games until the bitter end. Where does a charming young lady such as yourself learn to be so disarming?"

Kate barely kept her smile in place at what was obviously a backhanded compliment. "Trade secret," she told him. "But please, don't let me interrupt."

"Of course. I'd already extended my offer to your … employer." He turned his attention back to Tony. "Full access to our workshops for an exclusive contract. We would of course provide any additional security that you'd require. I would never presume to replace that which so clearly works to your benefit, only to supplement your security needs while you're a guest in this district. And, of course, if you were to seriously consider working in tandem, that would only grant you more of whatever you desire."

"I'll have to put some thought to it," Tony told him. "There may or may not be other interested parties."

"I'm sure there are," the man replied with a growing smile that simply didn't reach his eyes. "May we escort you to your temporary residence? The streets here can be dangerous after dark — even with a talented assistant."

Tony didn't drop his gaze for an instant, though. "I think we'll be fine on our own. We had a place arranged for the night already, and I could use a little fresh air — but I'll let you know if I change my mind on anything ... or come to a decision on your generous offer." Tony flashed him the fake smile that clearly meant the discussion was over before he reached over Kate to open the door without looking at the handle. "Nice talking to you."

The big man watched them go with a clear look of restraint but kept his polite facade. Once they were out of the car, Tony offered Kate his arm, and once again, the two of them took off down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace, though one glance at him and it was clear that he was highly uncomfortable with how that had gone.

"Did he give you his name?" Kate asked quietly.

"Didn't need to," Tony replied. "He was the escort for One. Biggest man I've ever seen in my life. Hard to forget it."

"I was all the way over in the outer districts. Didn't get the pleasure," Kate said mildly.

"Wilson Fisk — he goes by Kingpin," Tony informed her. "And he's even creepier up close."

"Then I'm kind of glad I came to rescue you," she told him.

"Me too, to be perfectly honest," he admitted. "That wasn't staged to be an offer. Not really."

"You okay? Need to sit down?"

"I'll be fine," he replied. "I just ... kind of got the impression that his bodyguards are just for show, that's all."

"A guy that big? Wouldn't surprise me," Kate said. She tightened her grip on his arm. "Don't worry. Got your back."

He gave her a tight smile and let out a breath. "I know. Thanks. Same to you, you know."

He'd barely gotten the words out of his mouth when a black SUV rounded the corner at speed, tires screeching. They took a step back from the road as more black cars zipped in around them, all of them facing them and blocking off all their exits...

"Okay," Kate said, taking a slight step back. "This looks bad."

The cars unloaded, and they were quickly surrounded by men in suits telling them to quietly come with them.

Kate gave Tony a little wink and said, "Got your back, remember?" before she pulled out the two hidden guns and shot out a couple of the tires on the last few approaching cars, though she didn't get much further before the sound of guns chambering live rounds echoed the street, and when Kate turned back to the line of men, every one of them had a weapon drawn and pointed their way. "Drop the guns, honey," one of them told her. "I'd hate to ruin your pretty dress."

"Woah, wait!" Tony said, stepping in front of Kate with both hands extended. "She's off limits guys, come on. You don't want to do that. Lay off and I'll go peacefully."

Kate glared at Tony for a moment, but the look he was giving her was so unmistakable that she had to sigh and let the guns clatter to the ground, sorely missing her bow — though it would've been hard to sneak arrows in.

In the matter of mere minutes, both of them were restrained with their hands behind their backs and escorted to one of the blacked-out SUV's. When they were seated, both of them were searched, and their comms were taken before the black bags were put over their heads.