Forgotten Ghost | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 88: Thank You For Staying

Even when you are one of the best trained assassins in the world, it probably wasn't a good idea to walk into the headquarters of the local gang. But that is exactly what Katya did. 

Rhodey had obtained the autopsy reports from the victims. Unsurprisingly, they weren't killed with arrows. Clint had ditched the bow and quiver to choose something a bit more anonymous: katanas. 

However, it was such a specific weapon, the Avengers could easily trace him around the world. But they didn't get further than the victims on most cases. Clint was really good at erasing his tracks and was gone before Rhodey could catch up. 

Katya knew the chances of them finding Clint were nil, but she wasn't giving up.

The Italian restaurant was a front for the crimes going on in the back. Every citizen knew this and didn't come in, but Katya did, the whole place falling silent as all the men and women stared at her.

''It's the Black Widow,'' she heard someone whisper from her right. The place was half dark, the smell of alcohol and cigarettes in the air. The couches of the booths were made of a red leather that had seen better days.  

Katya rolled her eyes, turning to the man who said it. ''Oh please, I never graduated and that title belongs to my wife.'' She knew she was being stupid, irrational really. With her one gun and a couple knives, the crew outgunned her by a lot.

Something moved behind her. She didn't see it as much as feel it. Within the blink of an eye, she had pulled the gun from the back of her jeans, spun around and aimed the weapon at the person's head.

''I wouldn't try that.'' Katya cocked her head, feeling the tension in the room but having the advantage of her reputation. ''Natasha will track you down and rip you to pieces if you kill me.'' 

The man was quick to freeze and lower his weapon, eyes so wide they could fall out of his head. Honestly, they didn't know what to do with this situation. 

Katya sighed exasperated, looking around at the tense faces. ''Everyone please calm you asses down. I'm not here to kill anyone. I'm simply looking for information. A couple of your friends were killed yesterday and I know you know more about who did it.''

Finally, someone stood, gesturing his colleagues to settle down and let him deal with this. ''Isn't he your friend?'' He stopped in front of Katya, tattoos decorating his body. ''Tell me why we shouldn't just kill you.''

She smiled, admiring his boldness. It wasn't often people dared to stand up to her like this. ''You can try, but I have another friend outside with one of Stark's suits that is able to put a bullet through that pretty head before you can move.'' She jabbed her thumb towards the entrance, where Rhodey was nowhere to be found. He was outside, but didn't have the suit on, that would be too conspicuous. The mobster didn't know that though.

The man's eyes widened the slightest, but it was more than enough for her to see. Crossing his arms, he tried to look tough by giving in at the same time. ''What do you want to know?''

''Whatever you can tell me,'' Katya smirked, placing her gun back in the band of her jeans.

~~~~

''You're lucky Nat didn't see this. She would have had a heart attack seeing you walk into Gang Central.'' Rhodey stood just around the corner of the building, waiting for a smiling Katya. She hadn't expected to get the information so quickly, but even after giving up the life of a criminal a decade ago, people were still scared of her. 

She shrugged, excited to work with the info she had gotten. ''Nat has seen me walk into much more dangerous places.'' It was only their second day on Sicily, but already they had gotten quite far. She had gotten an address where they believed Clint had stayed. Had, because he was gone long before the gang had combed the place out.