Chapter 7: Deal Or No Deal
The week sped by and Saturday arrived. They had a bag packed with all the tech and weapons they could possibly need, their outfits for the gala were in a garment bag in the back of Natasha's car, and Tony had finished putting together the file.
"I specifically left out a few little details here and there," Tony said, handing the drive to Pietro. "Nothing Stormfields will notice. But just enough to make sure they don't actually manage to replicate any of this stuff."
"Are you sure that's a good idea? She said she'd blow us all up if we faked any of it," said Pietro.
"What, like she's gonna be able to tell just by looking at the drive?" said Tony. "By the time she realizes I tampered with it, you guys will be long gone and she'll have probably just blown up one of her friends."
"Oh, that's very nice," said Pietro sarcastically. "I'm gonna go now."
"Good luck," Wanda said, coming over to hug him.
Pietro hugged her back and kissed the top of her head before letting go.
"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."
Four hours later, Pietro and Natasha arrived in D.C.. They stopped at a gas station to top off the car and get changed in the bathroom. They got back in the car, Pietro in a tux and Natasha in a slinky black gown, and drove to the gala venue. They parked and got the bag of supplies from the back seat. Pietro wasn't usually one for weapons, but he stuck a gun and some extra ammunition into his breast pocket just in case. He put the drive in his other jacket pocket, then looked over to see that Natasha had taken the other gun, a knife, and several pieces of tech from the bag.
"Where the hell are you sticking all this stuff?" Pietro asked.
"Ladies' secret," Natasha replied with a wink.
"Seriously though, that dress is like cellophane and you'd never know you're hiding an arsenal up your skirts. How are you doing it?"
Natasha rolled her eyes.
"Are you ready to go?"
"Well yeah, but you're still gonna tell me how you managed this before the night is over."
"Whatever, let's go."
They got out of the car and went up to the front door, where they gave the doorman their tickets and went inside. There was a lobby and a short set of marble stairs leading up to the ballroom where the party was taking place. Pietro offered Natasha his arm and they climbed the stairs.
"Okay, at the first sign of Stormfields and Clint, we make contact and then get the fuck out, got it?" Natasha said under her breath.
"I certainly don't need telling twice," said Pietro. "Want a drink?"
"Need one is more like it," said Natasha.
They went over to the bar and ordered drinks, then went to sit where they could keep an eye on the rest of the party.
"You know, it's kind of annoying that she didn't give us a specific meeting time," said Natasha. "It's sorta 'rendezvous 101'. Not to mention common courtesy."
"Yeah, well, she's a terrorist, they're not exactly known for being courteous," Pietro said.
They sat in silence for a while, sipping their drinks and combing the crowd. After a while, Pietro got bored, so he fished the cherry out of his glass and tried to tie a knot in the stem with his tongue.
"If you choke on that thing, I'm not giving you CPR," said Natasha.
"Wow, thanks."
"Also, you're making ridiculous faces."
"Oh yeah, well guess what?"
Pietro triumphantly held up the cherry stem, which had a little knot in it that was barely hanging on.
"Very impressive," said Natasha, sounding thoroughly unimpressed. "Let's go dance."
"I don't wanna dance," Pietro said.
"Too bad. Stormfields is bound to be here by now but we're not gonna find her by sitting in a corner."
Pietro sighed and got up, following Natasha out onto the dance floor.
"I don't know how to dance, you know," he said.
"Just follow my lead and keep an eye out for Stormfields," said Natasha.
She placed his left hand on her waist and took his right hand and started to sway to the music. Pietro had to admit this wasn't so hard, but he still felt rather awkward doing it. The song had just ended when Pietro caught sight of Stormfields and Clint standing near the edge of the dance floor.
"Found them," he said.
"Let's go finish this then," said Natasha.
They left the dance floor and met them over in a corner, away from prying eyes.
"Oh look, Clinton, your girlfriends have come to rescue you," Leah teased.
"Let's get this over with," said Natasha.
"You've got my file?"
Pietro reached into his pocket and held up the drive.
"Right here," he said. "Now give us Clint and I'll hand it over."
"You're free to go, Hawkeye," said Leah, giving Clint a poke in the ribs.
Clint scowled and went to stand between Pietro and Natasha.
"Now give me the file," said Leah.
Pietro held it out and she took it.
"Buh-bye, suckers," she said.
She gave them a little wave, then left, vanishing into the crowd. Pietro let out a sigh of relief and turned to Clint.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he asked.
"I'm fine," said Clint. "What the hell was on that file?"
"Information on the Avengers," said Natasha. "But don't worry about that right now, let's just get out of here."
"Jesus Christ, guys, seriously? I am not worth that," Clint said.
"Yes you are," said Pietro. "You heard Natasha, let's go."
"We can't go yet," said Clint.
"We made the trade, we're done here."
"No, we're not," Clint insisted. "There's a bomb."
"Yeah, in case we didn't hold up our end of the deal, but we did, so let's go," said Natasha.
"There was no deal," said Clint. "It was a trap. She was just trying to get Pietro here. She wants to get back at us for what we did to Charles. She wants to finish what she started back in Boston. She wants to kill us."