When Spies Collide // WandaNat Spy AU

Rome

"You know, I pictured my first trip to Rome unfolding very differently," Wanda mused, strapping a pistol holster to her thigh.

"What, breaking into a museum isn't your idea of vacation?" Clint joked, handing her two glocks across the center console of their bullet proof, blacked out SUV.

"Not quite. Maybe more sightseeing, fewer gunfights."

"This is more fun though."

"Yeah, definitely."

As night descended on the ancient city of Rome, Wanda steeled herself for perhaps her most dangerous endeavor yet. In Monaco, Scooter had escaped with the spear on his jet, and upon tracking him, the spies discovered he'd placed it in the care of a museum. Why, they didn't know, but the pair felt like it had to do with the top tier security in the museum. The two could only assume that Scooter hoped this would dissuade any attempts by the FBI or otherwise to steal it, while Scooter could waltz in and reclaim the relic at any time.

So tonight, the main mission was to attempt the impossible and swipe an artifact from one of the most secure museums in Europe. On the side, Clint continuously tracked Scooter's car, so if all else failed, that lead remained intact.

Across the city, Natasha and Steve sat at a scenic cafe, sipping espresso. They'd been watching out for the man in the purple suit, simply dubbed 'Mark' by the pair. Later in the night, Natasha planned to storm the museum as well, and was actually particularly excited for it, as stealth was her specialty. For now, though, the two settled for casual spying, watching Mark as he chatted with a young woman across the street in an upscale restaurant.

"You think he'll recognize us?" Steve asked, adjusting his sunglasses.

"We have shades and baseball caps, we're unrecognizable," Natasha quipped. "But no. Mark is too focused on his lady friend."

"Who do you think she is? A date, or a colleague?"

"Can't tell yet. He's talking her up, though, that's for sure."

"You think other people think we're on a date?"

Natahsa snorted. "Good one, Rogers."

"Relax, relax. I know you're out of my league. And that you have your eye on someone."

The redhead's eyes snapped up to meet Steve's playful gaze. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I've said too much." Steve directed his attention back to Mark. "Looks like he's on the move."

"It's go time, Steve." Natahsa finished off her espresso and stood. "My suit's still in the car, right?"

-

As the moon rose ever higher, the usually bustling museum stilled, leaving only a few guards and a multitude of cameras. Wanda took a shaky breath, slinging on her black tactical jacket over her bullet proof vests and quadruple checking that her pistols were loaded.

"You nervous? You've checked your guns like 6 times now," Clint observed from beside her.

Wanda shushed him as they exited the SUV situated a few blocks down, creeping up to hide behind overgrown shrubbery near the museum's front door. All she had to do now was wait for an opening. Clint would handle all of the outside guards and play lookout, while Wanda had to avoid the inside patrols and if possible, the cameras, on her way to the spear. Best case scenario, they narrowly escape with the spear. Worst case, spend a few years in Italian prison.

A pair of guards rounded a corner, speaking animatedly to each other in Italian. Clint assured Wanda he had it handled, so the woman slinked to the side of the building the guards just left, preparing to disengage the door's lock. To her amazement, the door swung open when Wanda applied pressure, unlocked. She shrugged it off as a gift from above as she drew a handgun and prepared to sweep the building.

The sweep proceeded as planned, no guards in places where they shouldn't be, and no alarms tripped so far. The museum was almost... quiet. Maybe too quiet.

Upon reaching the end of a long hallway, Wanda discovered something wholly unexpected. Two guards lay motionless, propped up against a wall. Wanda gripped her handgun tighter, raising it cautiously.

"Wanda, if that's you, just get down here already," a voice called from an adjacent room.

"God damn it, Romanoff, you nearly gave me a heart attack," Wanda cursed, lowering her weapon. She followed the voice, finding Natasha in the guard's control room, typing furiously on a laptop.

"My sincerest apologies."

"How'd you get in here so fast?" Wanda asked before noticing Natasha's attire- a skin tight, full body tactical suit. "Holy hell, nice outfit. You look like Batman."

Natasha gave the faintest hint of a smirk, eyeing Wanda's simple cargo pants and bulletproof vest. "And you look like a school resource officer. You're about as stealthy as one, too." She continued typing, frowning at the screen.

"What are you doing now?"

"Trying to unlock the archives. I think the spear's back there. Not that I should be telling you any of this..."

Wanda bit her cheek, reading the situation. She thought about the weapon itself, and SHIELD's reputation for alien tech, and how she didn't trust SHIELD's intentions, but to be fair she didn't trust the FBI's either. She wondered why the FBI would prioritize the artifact over Scooter- what would they do with a relic this old? But most of all, she thought of Natasha, and how, when given the choice between herself and the spear, Natasha chose her. With all of this running through her consciousness, Wanda blurted, "I'll tell you what, Romanoff. I'll give you the spear, no contest."

Natasha's rapid typing stilled. "What?"

"The spear, it's yours. You got to the museum first, anyway. Think of it was a thank you for saving me back in Monaco. We're even."

Natasha stood to her full height, examining Wanda fully. "Yeah... even."

Frankly, the redhead was shocked. A simple spoken 'thank you' would've sufficed, but to give up a valuable artifact? Maybe Wanda just saw the writing on the wall, that Natasha would end up leaving with it anyway, or maybe she was making a genuine attempt at a connection. Either way, Natasha was almost grateful. Almost.

"What will you tell Clint?" Natasha asked, continuing her work on the wifi-entangled locks.

"Eh, I don't know. That you just managed to snag it before me. Maybe you tripped me."

"Tripped you? I'm no villain, Wanda."

"No, you're not. At least not tonight." Wanda stepped up, peering over Natasha's shoulder at the series of binary and computer programs blinking about the screen. "You know, me and Clint have actually been thinking..."

"Clint, thinking? That's a first."

Wanda chuckled. "We were just-"

"God, finally!" Natasha exclaimed as the lock disengaged. "I'm gonna get the spear and bolt. You should get outta here too."

"I- yeah, yeah, you're right."

"I'll see you soon, I'm sure, Maximoff," Natasha called as she jogged down the hall, one gun drawn.

Wanda sighed. "Yeah, see you soon."