Chapter 52: Arc 2: Chapter 8: Town Phantom

Eastern Europe, Albanian Harbor, 9.30-pm.

Merlin and Barton were saying goodbye to the shipowner on the dock, if Baton hadn't told him the identity of this 30-year-old man in front of him beforehand, Merlin would've never related this handsome fellow in a suit to a successful opportunistic arms dealer.

The arms dealer named Yuri was enthusiastic, considerate, and a very good businessman.

"My dear friends, where you're going is a dangerous place, do you need some more things for self-defense?"

Yuri gifts a box of top-class cigars to Barton, he rubs his hands, and tells Merlin:

"I still have some good stuff on the ship, and for Fury's sake, I'll give you a 20% discount! I'll throw in a free box of grenades too!"

"No need."

Barton coldly rejects this shrewd businessman's offer, this senior agent seemed to only need his bow in any mission.

Merlin on the other hand was hesitant, he only had a gun and some ammo, the shadow of being lacking in firepower has been looming above this rookie's head ever since they departed. 

Eventually, Merlin could not resist Yuri's enticement; 5 minutes later, he had a brand new, silver weaponry with good firepower, and 3 ammo clips as a gift.

If he had a bigger bag, the inexperienced Merlin may purchase some more 'self-defense goods' under Yuri's persuasive enticement. To be honest, Yuri's stash amazed a 'country bumpkin' like Merlin.

It was practically a miniature arsenal, whatever weapon Merlin could think of, it was in there.

Under the cover of the night, the two agents politely decline the grenades Yuri wanted to gift them. They then rented a taxi and headed towards the small town of Sokovia along the roads of the pier.

Fury was waiting for them there.

---

Sokovia, an inner-city in Eastern Europe, home to 2 million people, has a very strong Soviet style.

This was nothing to be surprised about, in the decades after the end of WWII, this place had always been under the ex-Soviet influence. But in honesty, the law and order in this city were very unlike the other cities under Russian rule. There were sharp ethnic conflicts, and racial wars broke out now and then; especially after the collapse of the ex-Soviet Union, the law and order in the city took a turn for the worse.

A year ago, this city was under air traffic control, and following the intervention of Western powers in its neighboring areas, a new storm had been stirred up in this infighting city.

According to estimations by the SSR, a real war will break out here in no more than a year. But then, true order will be established after the end of said war.

Though, all of this had nothing to do with Fury.

Right now, under the not-so-hot sunlight, he was bearing the title of embassy attache sitting in an outdoor cafe 3 blocks from the embassy. This black man was leisurely reading the newspaper, like a pleasure-seeking foreigner.

But from how Fury checked his watch now and then, it wasn't hard to guess that he wasn't spending his time resting, but he was waiting for someone to come.

"Di Di Di"

As Fury finishes a cup of coffee, the brick phone he put on the table begins ringing.

Fury picks up the phone and puts it by his ear, under the optical glasses used for disguise, his sharp gaze observes the surroundings for any suspicious person, and says:

"Natasha?"

"Mmm, it's me."

A sweet yet slightly coarse female voice resounds by Fury's ear, just like a conversation between old friends; in some hidden corner, the ex-Soviet agent Natasha Romanoff gently says:

"Mr. Fury, how was your trip to Sokovia?"

"It was smooth."

Fury replies:

"Other than the fact that someone I was going to meet had already been 2 days late, everything's fine. The people here are enthusiastic, I like it here...alright, no more playing around, Natasha. I remember we had a deal, I come here to see you express the sincerity of the SSR. And you, would join us, right?"

"Yes, we had a deal."

Natasha answers:

"Not only did I have a deal with you, but I also had a deal with Mr. Silver Bullet, and with Miss Carter, plus a late appointment with Mr. Howard...but, so what? Fury."

The phantom-like female agent had a playful yet sarcastic tone, she says:

"I promised them, but I went against their promises. I promised you, and I'll do the same. We are agents, lies are our weapons...alright, time's up. Hope you have a wonderful time with your new 'friends'."

As Natasha finishes, the other people sitting in the outdoor cafe stand up and approach Fury with cold faces.

It's clear that they weren't here to have coffee.

But Fury did not panic, instead, he kept talking to Natasha, he took off his glasses used for disguise and said:

"You used me as bait to lure out the 'Red Room' agents that are hunting you? Natasha...you sure are cunning."

"Same here."

The lady chuckled:

"This isn't your first day as an agent either, Fury, those 'friends' you stationed in the surroundings can't hide from me. Although far apart, I know that you are an elite that Peggy Carter had recruited herself, she values you! And more than 20 years ago, Miss Carter was my best opponent...so play any tricks you have, Fury."

"You want to catch the Black Widow? You want to accomplish what your predecessors couldn't do?"

"Then, how could you not bleed?"

Following a slightly sharp chuckle, the communication in Fury's phone ends.

He calmly shakes his head and looks at the people surrounding him, they were 'Red Room' agents with Slavic features, and Fury calmly says:

"Make way, please."

"You're blocking my sunlight."

"Bang"

The man in front of Fury collapses following a gunshot.

Then the second, third, fourth; in a few seconds, the unsuspecting agents were killed by the snipers ambushed here before they even had the chance to pull out their guns.

Fury who still sat on his chair wiped the blood off his arm with a cloth as if he didn't see the blood and corpses under his feet, he presses a button on his watch and tells the two trump cards he hid in the shadows:

"Mission go!"

---

Natasha tosses her supple wine-red hair, she wore a red coat, with a small handbag and high heels, she sways as she walks on the street.

All the good points of a Slavic woman had been concentrated on her, even with the obstruction of her coat, she still attracted the gazes of all the men around her. Her other-worldly posture made her look like a supermodel who had just gone off work. Even the hint of exhaustion in her free spirit made her look like a real urban beauty.

She stops by the road, seemingly waiting for her ride. After looking at her watch, the beauty takes out a box of lady smoke from her handbag and lights a cigar with a golden lighter. She tosses her hair, raises her head, and exhales a puff of smoke.

In the crowd behind her, a tall yet slim man with sunglasses and a backpack was slowly approaching her. As the two are within 10 meters of each other, the beautiful lady seemed to have a premonition; coincidentally, the red light on the street glows, so she moves her shoulders, picks up her handbag, and walks to the other side of the street.

A few minutes later, she enters an alleyway, behind him, the tall skinny man followed her.

"Bang"

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Following a gunshot, the bullet practically rubbed against agent Barton's scalp as it flew past him.

In front of him, Natasha who had taken off her coat used for disguise and wore a black combat suit was looking at him coldly while holding two guns.

"Bang Bang Bang Bang"

The top agent of the ex-Soviet Union was truly a ruthless one with little words; without conversing or hesitating, she rapidly fires the twin guns at hand, each shot being extremely lethal.

Barton rolls on the ground and throws his backpack towards the female agent in front of him, he tosses the short stick outwards, and a black combat bow appears in his hand.

 "Shoo"

The first arrow that Barton shot out had shown Hawkeye's true capabilities, the arrow curves through the air at a strange angle and flies towards Natasha, forcing the female agent to dodge away; but the second arrow quickly arrived, causing her to not even have time to aim.

As Hawkeye fast approached, the arrows he shot also forced Natasha backward. Most importantly, the arrows that he shot had special attributes, some would release paralyzing electric currents when they got close to the female agent, others would split into more arrows; in a short 3 minutes, the female agent had 3 bloodstains, and her left arm had been incapacitated by the split arrows.

"Bam"

As the distance between the two got closer, the female agent who sensed the impending danger threw her gun at Barton and flashes into the corner of the alleyway. But as Hawkeye continued his pursuit, Natasha pounces out of the corner with a dagger at hand, she kicks agent Barton's wrist, knocking his bow out of his hand, and the two begin fighting in melee combat.

The female agent was truly a ruthless one.

She knew clearly that turning her back and running from an enemy who excels in tracking and ranged attacks would be suicide, and that her only chance was close combat.

But with the injury on her left arm, she soon began to lose her close combat with Barton.

Barton's technique with the dagger was equal to his technique with the bow, in a short dozen seconds, Natasha was soon forced to a corner after exchanging blows with agent Barton.

"Put down your weapon! Come with me!"

Barton swings his dagger and blocks Natasha's attack, he then uses his other hand to form a fist, smashing it on her wrist and sending her dagger flying. He moves his fingers and the two daggers in his hand disappear. Barton then steps forward and locks onto Natasha's body using jujitsu.

He looks at the struggling beauty in front of him and says:

"I come in peace!"

"Didn't your mother tell you?"

The female agent who was still bleeding grits her teeth and says:

"To be careful when you get close to a spider!"

"Shlaa"

Bright blue electricity bursts out from Natasha's wrist, and like a taser being turned on, agent Barton who had the upper hand was electrocuted. The electric shock was brief, but it was enough to incapacitate him.

"Bam"

Natasha lifts her leg and kicks Barton in the abdomen, causing him to collapse due to the paralysis. Then a cold dagger holds his neck.

The female agent wiped the blood on her face with difficulty, the bloodstain gave her a special temperament; she looks at the paralyzed Barton and says:

"Not bad, little agent."

"It's a pity that Fury sent you to hell."

"Farewell!"

Just as she was about to twist the dagger and cut off Hawkeye's neck, a shadow appears behind her and karate chops Natasha's neck.

"Bam"

The female agent was knocked onto the floor by the hit, but she didn't faint, instead she tried to get back up with her head spinning.

"Huh? How come she didn't faint?"

A young voice resounds behind her, and then, black metal cuffs cuff on Natasha's wrists, ending her last chance of escape.

"Cough Cough"

Agent Barton gets back up with difficulty due to the strong electric paralysis, he grabs his bow and tells Merlin with an ugly expression:

"First, she's an agent that's been enhanced before, so they don't faint that easily."

"Second, you used the wrong technique! You hit the wrong spot...you rookie!"

As he finishes, he looks not at the awkward Merlin and squats down, he lifts Natasha's head and stares at those beautiful grey eyes, then he says:

"Hello, Natasha. Fury would like to talk to you."

But Natasha ignored Barton, she turned around and looked at Merlin who had appeared like a phantom, disdain flashes on her face:

"Mutants? When did freaks like you start working for the government?"

"I'm not a mutant, Miss Natasha."

Merlin grabs Natasha's wine red hair and roughly pulls her up from the ground. He looks at Natasha's cuffed hands, and with an odd smile, tells the female agent:

"Stop trying, these cuffs have 4 locks, you won't be getting them open anytime soon."

"Do I need to open them?"

The gloomy Natasha lets out a playful smile, following heavy footsteps resounding in the nearby alleys, the female agent gently tells the two agents in front of her:

"Didn't Fury tell you? 'Red Room' sent hundreds of killers to catch me. They'll follow behind me when sighted, and kill me, along with all other witnesses."

"Shwa"

Agent Barton's expression turns ugly, beside the two, Natasha used a tone of confidence and says:

"Free me, gentlemen. I can get you out of here...after all, I grew up here, I'm familiar with the town, and I know how to get them off our tails."

"No need!"

Before agent Barton could say, Merlin keeps the gun in his hand in pity and moves his fingers.

He takes a step forward, stands in front of Barton, and tells him:

"Do me a favor, cover her eyes, and find a safe spot to hide."

"Although I don't want to do this..."

Merlin's body begins to turn into fog, he looks at the cold and armed killers in front of him and says in a pity:

"But, today, this city will probably have to shed some blood."

 

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