Widow Sisters and Friends (Restoring Our Broken Hearts): Book 2

A First Time for Everything: Part 1

Summary: It is finally time. Kate is having the mission to beat all missions-- the one that will determine whether she is ready to become an actual Avenger. However, when comms to the compound go out and enemies manage to get the drop on her, things go awry quickly. It is up to Natasha, Yelena, and Clint with the help of Darcy to find her as they take on the last person that anyone expected to have to face again.

   "Whoo... Avenger initiation... Definitely isn't at all like what Elizabeth said about sorority initiations," Kate muttered softly in an attempt to lighten the mood and ease her nerves, hiding her words by pretending to sip the wine in her cup.

She was concentratedly trying to avoid actually drinking any of it, not being able to afford getting even slightly drunk and causing something to go wrong. She was not even really a huge fan of getting drinks and it was usually only something she did if she thought someone else would be interested.

This was it. This was her big chance. She could not afford to blow it. It was the mission to beat all missions and it was the big one. The one that would determine whether she was worthy to be an actual Avenger and serve as an unofficial replacement for Clint since he was basically retired now.

She just had not expected to have to go undercover and play a part that was basically just like her mother at all of those accursed balls that she had forced Kate to participate in over the years.

However, she was currently wearing a nice suit jacket with a blouse underneath along with matching suit pants and heels, so things were not all bad for her. At least she did not have to wear a dress.

"It's not an initiation. Focus on the mission, Kate," Clint's voice came in carefully.

"Sorry! I guess I just expected a little more candles and creepiness and a little less wining and dining these idiots," Kate pointed out, and Clint sighed deeply. Natasha's voice came in, warm and affectionate despite the need for business.

"Stick with your training," Natasha told her, hope and care in her voice, and Kate sighed as she looked around, taking Natasha's cue as she continued the test. She knew that they were limited in what they were allowed to say to her. After all, this was her test, and she was supposed to do it without help unless things went wrong.

She took Natasha's words as a cue to offer a status update on her current situation despite the fact that Natasha likely already knew. She always had her ways.

"Okay... I've got eyes on some of the greatest criminal masterminds in underground New York. But not my guy," Kate whispered as she dropped her chin to try to hide the fact that she was talking on her earpiece.

"Ugh, she's killing me. Can we just tell her?" Yelena's voice came in somewhat distantly, and Natasha shushed her, saying something in Russian that was far beyond Kate's understanding. Kate looked around, mustering a smile as she awaited the man she was looking for.

Sir Costello Bronte. A stupid name, but she knew he was renowned amongst these disgusting creeps with his unashamed child trafficking and his cruelty toward his merchandise.

A waiter came by, and Kate had to swallow some of her wine to look like she was a genuine party-goer instead of a woman on a mission. As soon as he was gone, Kate let out a deep breath.

"Y'know, I'm beginning to think my guy isn't here or isn't going to show up," Kate informed them as she wandered around the party, sticking to the outskirts of the action. Natasha let out a soft huff.

"Don't worry, he'll be there," Clint assured her, and Kate let out a soft breath.

"He should be. We have got a visual of him on this stupid map from where we put the tracker on his limo a couple of days ago," Yelena complained and despite how soft she had obviously meant for it to be, it still managed to come through over Kate's comm-link.