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꧁꧂
THE TWO HAD been called in.
Maleficent and the Winter Soldier had located themselves at Pierce's mansion.
The house was huge. Bigger than anything Maleficent had ever seen.
It was night time, crickets chirping outside the windows.
The two sat at a table in the dark, only a small stream of moonlight filling the room.
There's a gun on the table. Maleficent had put it there.
The two heard footsteps, only one pair. Alexander walks down a hall, entering his kitchen.
He opens the fridge, oblivious to the assassins sitting behind him. Pierce grabs a milk carton, turning around with it in his hands.
He places it down on the counter, eyes flickering up for a second before turning around again.
Pierce paused.
He turns around slowly, sighing as his eyes rest on Maleficent and the Winter Soldier.
Their stares are cold and solid.
"I'm going to go, Mr. Pierce. You need anything before I leave?" A woman's voice calls from the other room.
Maleficent lifts her eyes to Pierce, watching for what he'll say.
"No... Uh, it's fine, Renata, you can go home." Alexander says as calmly as he can.
"Okay. Night-night."
"Good night."
Maleficent doesn't move besides the occasional tick of her hand.
The door closes after a short minute.
"Want some milk?" Pierce teases the assets. He knows they can't speak or accept anything from anyone.
He grabs a glass from the cabinet, pouring himself a drink of milk.
"The timetable has moved. Our window is limited."
Maleficent blinks.
"Two targets, Level Six." Pierce moves over to the table the assassins are sitting at. "They already cost me Zola." He sits down.
He doesn't give a second glance to the gun on the table. It was something they had been trained to do. They were trained to arm any of their handlers who are not already armed while is their presence so that, if they choose so, the handlers can put either of them down at any time.
"I want confirmed death in ten hours."
"Sorry, Mr. Pierce, I..." Renata stops, eyes flickering between the three people in the room. "I forgot my... phone."
She stills with fear, eyes wide.
Maleficent and the Winter Soldier's expressions darken, knowing what's about to come.
"Oh, Renata, I wish you would have knocked." Pierce drags the gun across the table, pulling the trigger twice.
The woman bled out on the floor, dying painfully.
Maleficent didn't even flinch. Her eyes still forward, waiting for Pierce to give her some sort of command.
"Ten hours. You may go, you stay back." Pierce holds Maleficent back as the Winter Soldier leaves the home.
Though, he waits right outside for her.
The Soldier knows he can't do anything to protect her while in the hands of Pierce, but he'd be there for her afterwards.
Back inside, Pierce places in front of Maleficent two folders. "These are the targets. Keep your identity a secret. I do not want these targets to know your identity."
Maleficent stares ahead, only nodding slightly in acknowledgement.
"You are also given a separate assignment from the Winter Soldier. You are assigned to watch Jasper Sitwell. He's bound to leak any day now. If he does so, kill him."
Maleficent keeps her expression blank.
"Witnesses?" She speaks for the first time in an hour.
Mistake.
Alexander breathes a deep breath of disappointment in. She had spoken without permission.
"Come here."
The two words send shivers up and down Maleficent's spine. She didn't want to. But she didn't have a choice.
Maleficent stood stiffly, walking slowly in front of Pierce's chair.
Pierce raised a hand. Maleficent didn't even flinch, eyes staring down at his figure.
Pierce lowered his hand, moving a piece of her hair to the other side of her ear. "Now, now. We know better than this, yes?"
Maleficent didn't answer.
Alexander nodded, mood improving slightly. "There are allowed witnesses."
Pierce suddenly slammed his fist into her ribs, an audible crack sound following.
A breath released from her. But that was all.
"Just complete the mission."
Pierce stood, leaving the room to go to bed.
Maleficent waited a solid ten minutes before leaving the house with the two folders in hand. She ignored the pain in her ribs, breathing heavily.
She also ignored the worried eyes of the Winter Soldier as she walked right past him to the motorcycle.
They had to make the drive back to the city tonight.
She sits on the front, waiting for him to get on the back.
"Are you alright?" The Winter Soldier asked quietly, getting on the motorcycle.
Maleficent didn't answer. She instead, started the engine and took off back into the city.
The Winter Soldier sighs, knowing he'll get nothing out of her for the rest of the night.
——————————————
The Soldier goes into his spy mode, putting on a fake smile to rent a run down apartment.
"Hello, miss. I need a two bed conjoined, please."
The lady at the front desk looks him up and down, putting on a flirtatious smile. "Is that all I can do for you?"
"Yes ma'am," the Winter Soldier nods, oblivious to the lady's change of mood.
"Oh." Her mood turns to a darker one. She eyes Maleficent, who stands, searching around her for anything out of the ordinary. "Okay. Rooms 12A and 13A. Enjoy your stay."
"Thanks."
He leaves with Maleficent trailing behind.
"Mal, you're staying in this one. I'll see you in the morning?"
She takes the key, not saying anything. Maleficent doesn't even nod.
The Winter Soldier takes a deep breath in, reining in his irritation.
——————————————
The next morning, the Winter Soldier did not see Maleficent.
• • • Author's Note: I saw a head cannon on the gun on the table thing and decided to include it. Remember it for later chapters. - J.S.
