The Tape p.2

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"It's legit. The card, ma'am."

Jim looked at Madame Masque as they sat in the front of the auction room. Ana wished she could shove him away, his breath smelled. She rolled her eyes when he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "What you, uh, recovered from Barton's nethers, ma'am. It's legitimate " He said.

"The black card means no spending limit, correct?" Ana asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well, well, well. SHIELD must want this tape back quite badly." Ana chuckled, trying to pull it off as cunning. She guessed it worked when Jim smirked and turned his attention to the front when the presenter started speaking.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's begin then. Today you are bidding on one videotape. It has been viewed by two people, both now deceased. It's credentials are impeccable. It's content one of a kind. Footage of a political assassination sanctioned by the United States government."

Ana was growing nervous when she noticed a few mafia and gang lords stare at her. She played it cool and kept her head high. This was her first mission, and so far it was going unexpectedly well.

"Let's start the bidding at one hundred million euros. Do I hear one hundred?" He asked.

A guy with a red ski mask put his hand up and the auctioneer nodded his way, "Agencé Byzantine comes in. Who has one twenty? One twenty out there?"

"The Maggia gets interested." The auctioneer pointed at a crime syndicate.

"One fifty? Who says- oh, our friend from China says hello at one fifty." He pointed at an old Chinese man sat behind Ana. "How does the room feel about two hundred million?"

As the price rose, so did the number of people bidding. Ana was going to loose if she didn't go higher. She went for it and raised her hand, "One billion." She stated.

The whole room grew quiet, save a few gasps, and she thought that was a good thing. The auctioneer nodded her way, "Yes, well. Excellent. One billion euros, then, for the videotape. Going once." Ana pleaded mentally that no one would top her deal.

"Going twice. Anyone?" The auctioneer looked at all the pissed faces and shrugged, slamming the table and pointing at 'Madame Masque', "Sold! To Madame Masque for the startling price of one billion euros."

Ana stood up and placed her hands on her hips, waiting for the auctioneer to hand her the videotape. "Congratulations." He said, giving her the package, "Enjoy, ma'am."

Ana took the tape in her hands and shook his hand, "Notify the hotel to have security posted at all points around my room. I shan't leave until my flight tonight. If anyone opens any doors or windows, then there's a billion euro theft happening under their noses." She openly glared at him. She needed to get Natasha and Clint out before anyone finds out she wasn't really Madame Masque.

She left the auction hall and went straight up to her room, looking back at her goons. "Close the door, boys. And leave me alone." She ordered.

The real Madame Masque started screaming behind her gag and Ana shot her a look, "Please shut up. You'll get your onesie after." She said, pointing at the black and white suit she stole off her.

Ana removed the mask, gloves and boots as she started changing into her own clothes. The videotape sat there, on the bed. She kept glancing at it, growing more and more interested as to what it held. There was a VCR next to the tv and nobody would know she saw it.

And she watched it, wide eyed and shocked. There were men, two of them as they snuck into a parliament house and shot and killed a government body. And what confused her the most was that the two men had SHIELD uniform on. She heard a faint crash but thought nothing of it until there was knocking on her door.

"Ma'am? Everything alright in there?"

Ana quickly shoved the real Madame Masque into the closet. She looked down at her attire and cursed placing a black robe over it, she then grabbed the gold mask and placed it on before opening the door just enough for the people on the other side to see her face. "I told you not to disturb me!" She exclaimed.

Jim nodded, "Yes, ma'am. And I'm sorry ma'am but we heard a-"

There was a crash behind the closet door and Ana cringed. Jim pushed the door open and walked by her, "Please, stand back ma'am." He said.

"All points, we've got a disturbance in delta suite." Jim reported over the comms.

Ana huffed, "There's no disturbance!"

Jim opened the closet door and saw Madame Masque tied up with a gag over her mouth. Ana glared at her, "No McDonalds for you!" She shouted before the men pointed their guns at her.

She put her hands up, "Whoa. Hey. We have a problem here or what?"

She did not see Natasha and Clint fall down the building behind her through the windows. Madame Masque took the abandoned suit off the bed and put it on quickly, "Take her!" She yelled pointing at Ana.

Ana ditched the robe and mask, "You know what? I think we can call it even." She shrugged. "I got my tape, you got your onesie back." She told Madame Masque.

"But you knocked me out and tied me up!" Madame Masque yelled in anger.

Ana glared right back, "Yeah and it doesn't fell nice, does it?!"

The goons went to grab Ana but she side stepped and used their stance to throw them out of the building. There was a balcony on the lower level so he wouldn't die. She kicked the other one down and flipped forward, grabbing the tape before Madame Masque could get it and put it in the waistband of her jeans.

"You are infuriating!" She yelled at Ana, swiping at her with her nails.

Ana avoided her hands and punched her in the ribs, "Same goes for you! Did anyone ever tell you that you can't keep your mouth shut for two seconds?" She asked.

Madame Masque gasped at the blow, the verbal and physical, and went to knee her in the chest. Ana blocked the hit and threw her fist, knocking Madame Masque down. Ana dashed out of the room and went down the flight of stairs, needing to escape Masque and her goons.

She made it to the lobby, where all the people who wanted to bid for the videotape stood, discussing something privately. She skidded to a stop and reached out to stable herself on the table, accidentally knocking over the very expensive looking vase.

The crash alerted the people and Ana heard Madame Masque and her goons approach form behind her. She gave them all a small fleeting wave before swinging the table behind her and knocking over the goons.

Madame Masque took out her gun and started shooting at Ana. There was a whizzing sound before a large boom. Ana ducked when the windows of the lobby broke and glass sprinkled over her. She looked at the purple arrow and grabbed it, lifting her head.

"Hawkeye."

Ana grinned, looking at Clint as he knocked another arrow on his bow. Natasha threw one of her grenade disks toward Madame Masque and ran inside the hotel to Ana.

"Hey stranger, you good?" She asked, lifting Ana off the ground as an explosion sounded behind them.

Ana showed her the tape and shrugged, "Well, I got this." She said.

Natasha shook her head with a smirk, "I knew it." She whispered, looking at her proudly.

"Hey, guys! I'm running out of explosive arrows here!" They heard Clint yell.

He came running and the three of them ran to the side exit seeing as there were too much men at the front. Ana held the tape in her hands as Natasha and Clint lead the way. Clint then stopped, looking back at Ana.

"Wait. That was you as Madame Masque that dug around in my-"

Ana blushed, "Yes, and please let's never speak of it again." She said. Natasha had alerted SHIELD and they stopped at the elevator, "Our ride's on the rooftop. Good work, Michaels." She grinned.

Ana smiled at them as the doors to the elevator opened. They were about to step in when there was a yell.

"You!"

Ana turned around and saw Madame Masque come at them with a gun. She pointed it at Ana, "I'm not finished with you!" She shouted.

She pulled the trigger and Ana gasped, lifting her hands to her chest. She stumbled back from the blow and looked down at the tape that was pressed on her chest, the bullet inside. Clint quickly dragged her in the elevator before Madame Masque could shoot again.

"Ow, ow, ow..." Ana breathed out, clutching her chest. She pressed her back onto the elevator wall and slid down.

Natasha looked at the large red spot on Ana's chest and pressed a hand to her shoulder, "Oh, that's gonna bruise."

Clint looked at the ruined tape and threw it aside with a shrug. "Well, we got the tape, one with a hole inside it."

Natasha and Ana both snapped their heads his way, glaring at him. He put his hands up defensively,

"Sorry!"

- - -

"Congratulations, Ana. You just completed your first mission."

Ana grinned and shook Nick's outstretched hand. They were back at base and she was taken to the infirmary for someone to look at the large bruise on her chest. Maria Hill was on the other side of her bed, pressing on the tablet in her hands.

"You got shot in the chest point blank, vest or not, that's gonna leave a mark." She told Ana.

Natasha and Clint stood at the head of the bed. Natasha patted Ana's leg with a smirk, "She was real useful, going in and impersonating Madame Masque. That was smart, Ana." She said.

Ana laughed, "Yeah, well I had to tie her up and take her suit — which by the way does not compare to the way I had to take the card out of Barton's a-"

"Yeah, okay!" Clint interrupted, "Let's leave her to get some rest." He said, waving his arms to the door for everyone to get out.

Natasha gave Ana one last smile before following Maria out. Clint gave her a small look and left. Ana looked up at Nick and sighed with a smile, "So, when's my next mission?" She asked eagerly.

Nick chuckled, placing his hands in his leather coat pockets, "First you gotta settle down, I'm sure there will be one soon. Good job." He said, before walking to the door.

"Thanks, boss."

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Q- What is your favourite comic series?