Chapter Eight: Fly In Her Web

"I find that's it's easier to keep your true self buried under several layers of untrue selves, to protect yourself." (Natasha)

"That's not a good way to live." (Steve)

"No, but it's a good way not to die." (Natasha)

-Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The small plane headed towards New York City gave a small hum as it flew over the ocean. In exactly six hours and forty five minutes Katherine would be in American soil, more importantly home of the Avengers, earth's mightiest heroes and all of that.

Katherine had gone on these type of missions before, but usually she dealt with one or two, not five people (since Thor was in Asgard) so she thought that she should get to know them a little better. In front of them spread out over the small table was the photos and resumes of the Avengers.

A perky flight attendant stopped in front of her. "Water, miss?"

Katherine shook her head. She looked at her reflection in the mirror she could hardly recognize herself, she was wearing so much make up that she looked like a doll, her brown eyes were now green thanks to contacts, and the tips of her chocolate brown hair were blond. She wondered why HYDRA insisted on this transformation.

She looked back at her files. Tony Stark. Natasha Romanoff. Clint Barton. Bruce Banner. And the leader Steve Rogers. They really were a talented group, too bad they had to die.

Her eyes stopped on the person that she would be getting information for-Peter Parker. She wondered why HYDRA was interested in a seventeen year old boy. Katherine wondered if these so called powerful Avengers would be easy to kill.

A slow smirk crossed her face as she looked out the window. Let the games begin.

"Hello, Mrs. Goldberg?" Katherine said chirpily as she stood over an empty street in downtown Brooklyn.

Mrs. Goldberg turned around confused. "Yes, can I help you?"

"You teach English at Midtown high school, correct? The same school where Peter Parker attends correct?"

She nodded. "Why?"

"We need to have a little chat."

"So can you come over after school?" Gwen asked as she leaned over her seat. Their English teacher, Mrs. Goldberg was late which was weird, but Gwen used that moment to talk to Peter. "My mom is making lasagna."

"Uh," Peter trailed off. The last time he had visited Gwen and her parents for dinner was when Officer Stacy was still alive. Now everything had changed. Officer Stacy was dead. Peter was Spiderman. And he was part of the Avengers. Not to mention that it would be awkward enough having him there. "I can't."

Gwen's smiled fell. "Oh, come on don't tell me you have some superhero thing plan."

"Actually I do." Peter said, relived that he had an excuse. He saw Gwen's disappointed face. "You can come too, I'm sure they won't mind. Everyone liked you."

Gwen looked pleased. "Really?"

Peter nodded. "Really, and I promise that we'll do something tomorrow."

Gwen nodded pleased as she accidently dropped her pencil. Peter managed to catch it at rapid speed. "Peter." Gwen threw him a half teasing half stern look. "You need to be careful." She whispered.

"Sorry." He threw her a sheepish smile. "Still need to learn how to control it."

The entire classroom quieted down when Mr. Boyd, the principal came in followed by a pretty dark hair/blond girl.

"What's going on?" Gwen whispered. "Where's Mrs. Goldberg?"

"I don't know."

"Students," Mr. Boyd said. "I have just been informed that Mrs. Goldberg will no longer be teaching here due to a family emergency and personal illness."

Drowning, Katherine couldn't help but smile. She wondered how long it would take them to fish out Mrs. Goldberg's body from under the Brooklyn Bridge.

". . . Miss Peyton will be your English teacher for the rest of the year." Mr. Boyd coughed. "Miss Peyton."

"Thank you, Mr. Boyd for those kind words of welcome." Katherine said chirpily. "Hello students, I am Katrina Peyton your new English teacher, we're going to have so much fun together."

Her eyes settled on the dark hair boy. Peter Parker. She wondered what was so special about him.

"For the last time, Rogers would you let that idea go?" Fury tried not to snap at Steve, but he was standing on Fury's last nerve. "We've already talked about this, there is no HYDRA and even if there was we don't have enough proof."

"Oh, and those murders you've tried to keep from us." Fury raised an eyebrow. "Stark, Director Siren has been killing dozens of men, families even by the day. Mostly scientists and their families, and are you still trying to convince me that it isn't HYDRA related."

Fury rubbed his temples. "Where is this going Steve?"

"I'm thinking Bucky is still alive." Steve said firmly. "They were experimenting on him before. Who says there aren't now?"

"Bucky? Your old friend, whose is dead?"

"But what is he isn't?"

"It's been seventy years Steve." Fury said flatly. "We already had this conversation and I'm not having it again, and tell Stark to keep Jarvis out of our files." He paused. "I get what you're feeling Rogers I really do, but it's kind of hopeless to root for something that might not even be real. Bring Parker to Avengers tower, Bruce wants to get a blood sample."

-End of Chapter Eight-