Chapter 32

Looking elsewhere we find ourselves in a non-descript alley in Brooklyn at a certain group of spies pulling their hair out in frustration, in no small part due to our MC.

The older man in the group was speaking on a phone seeming frustrated either at himself or the groups outcomes.

"Yes Director, we still have nothing on our man. We have been casing some of the higher crime areas and apart from glimpses he moves too quick.

One moment he's there and the next gone. This can almost confirm we have a teleporter on our hands."

It continued for awhile until with a sigh he pocketed the phone and turned to the other two watching the interaction.

"Alright we got our orders, the Director has been pressured by the council to increase the boots on the ground. They aren't happy with our progress and want some results."

"They are aware we are dealing with an enhanced individual and unknown creatures with abilities ?" the red head brought up.

"Yes Romanov", Coulson responded with a sigh. "They expect us to deliver regardless, any less and it insults SHIELD's strength."

"Well that's just idiotic, firstly we have no idea of his capabilities and secondly we have seen pictures and reports of a literal fire breathing lizard," the second man retorted in disbelief.

"I know it's not going to be easy, but all we can do is to spread out and try to cover more ground, maybe use some other intermediaries and just try to get in touch with our man." Looking over a map of the area he turned to see both of the individuals watching him with bated breaths.

"Romanov I want you to cover the west to north area, Barton I want you north to east and I'll cover the left over," looking down at the map with Brooklyn divided into 3 sections.

Getting a confirmation from both they promptly left the alley liaising with their teams to set the plans into motion.

Looking back we can see Coulson starring intently at the map muttering to himself, "just where are you?!?"

Meanwhile with Romanov

"Alright you have your orders, let's move out, I want cameras set up at all the main intersections and teams ready to go at a minute's notice."

Watching the agents move out she thought long and hard on how they were going to track their target. It had been an exercise in futility so far and it didn't see like the status quo was going to change anytime soon.

Hopefully the increase in numbers would mean they could cover a larger area and limit his area of operations. Just being able to narrow down the area for location of his home base would be classified as a win.

She loved a good hunt but when her target is this elusive and virtually impossible to pin down, then it gives her a bit of a rush, the chance to finally get a hold of the man who had been causing them innumerable problems would be so…..satisfying.

Putting her many years in the Red Room and Shield into use, saw her moving quickly and quietly through the shadows never staying in view too long.

She had learnt long ago that a visible target was a dead target and the less anyone saw the bet... what was that? She could have sworn that the shadow in the alley across from her moved or... shifted?

'We had gotten some reports on strange happenings and eye witness accounts, but due to the trauma from some of them we didn't have anything concrete.'

Thinking that she might be onto something and watching to make sure there wasn't any traps around the area she slowly made her way over continually looking out for anything out of the ordinary.

Not seeing anything on top of not hearing anything gave her the confidence to move into the alley and case the area for anything resembling what she saw. But at first glance there was nothing, just a normal alley, with normal dumpsters, and normal trash cans, and normal oil stains and normal.... Shadows??

Looking closely the trash can closest to the mouth of the alley seemed tiny in comparison to the shadow it portrayed.

Feeling her instincts kick into gear she could feel a chill run down her spine as the shadow seemed to notice it was found out and with a roiling bubbling motion two pairs of eyes appeared from the depth of the darkness, followed by a large grinning mouth.

Instantly realising that she had walked into a trap, throwing caution to the wind she tore out of the alley making a beeline towards the opposite side of the street and the sequence of lane ways and passages back to their HQ.

In her mad scramble to get out of her precarious position she didn't notice a certain yellow and brown fox-like creature watching her from a distance always keeping just ahead but out of view.

Bringing her mic up she radioed in, "COULSON, I've been compromised, currently en route to HQ with unknown creature in pursuit."

"Widow, make your way to the rendezvous, everyone converge on Widow." Getting a prompt response to her issue.

Focusing on her progress saw the spy weaving through the lane ways utilising anything that could distance her from the creature following behind.

Looking behind then led to her slowing down as it seemed in her mad dash she had lost the creature and was in the clear, however her instincts that had been honed through years on the job just weren't letting up.

Clearly telling her that something was still wrong, looking around showed nothing and while staying on her toes carefully made her way back to the HQ.

Unbeknownst to her a particular set of eyes was watching the Widow as she made her way through the alley. It could tell that she was cautious and prepared and was waiting on the opportune time, just watching and waiting.

And it happened, when Romanov was coming up on the rendezvous and was within sight of it and the agents, she felt herself relax until the air behind her was displaced.

Spinning around saw a yellow/ brown fox-like creature within touching distance and in an instant, she saw herself in a room, reasonably well furnished with a male figure wearing a mask and sitting in an extremely comfortable looking arm chair.

Meeting his eyes saw him nod to a similar chair opposite the coffee table, "please; sit", with a calm, controlled voice.