The Ghost [Marvel | Steve Rogers]

Chapter 14

Lagos, Nigeria

Spring 2016

The instant she burst onto the roof of the hotel, Nadine was spinning, orienting herself in the direction of the market and forcing her pulse to calm after hurtling up the stairs from the room serving as their home base below.

Not only was the hotel they had set up their base in chosen because it was conveniently situated across the street from their originally presumed target, but they had also settled on it for another reason. It was one of the tallest buildings in the immediate area. And it had the best sightlines.

Perfect for Nadine's current task.

As she'd hurtled up the stairs, she was half listening in on the rest of the Team's chatter, taking note of Sam's warning that Rumlow's remaining men had split up and Steve's that they were looking to disappear into the crowd. She only faltered for a heartbeat at the sound of Rumlow engaging the Captain and when Sam relayed with a trace of alarm that the two mercenaries he'd been chasing were decoys.

The rest of her attention was focused wholly on the task ahead of her specifically; in a last minute check of her immaculately prepped rifle and a mental orientation of her position and her assignment as she burst out onto the roof.

She didn't even do more than spare a relieved breath as Natasha confirmed that she'd secured the payload.

Though, as she settled herself at the north face of the building, her rifle securely braced on the ledge as she positioned herself, she couldn't help but let her lip quirk in distant amusement as Sam teased her sister.

"I'm not thanking that thing," Natasha's voice sounded, rather unimpressed in her ear, as Nadine began to scan the market through her sight, searching...

"His name is Redwing," Sam was correcting, his amusement obvious at what Nadine could only imagine the nearly affronted expression her sister had to be wearing based on her tone looked like. Nadine let the relieved banter of the two teammates help relax her, knowing she needed to dispel the anxious tension flooding her body as each heartbeat passed without finding her target. She couldn't spoil her shot.

She might only get the one.

And she was running out of time. Beneath Sam and Nat's banter, she could hear each hit that landed between the Captain and his assailant.

"I'm still not thanking it," Natasha countered dubiously even as Sam laughed.

"He's cute," the former paratrooper all but cooed in reply. "Go ahead, pet him." And Nadine nearly groaned, huffing out a gusting breath instead.

"Flirt later, guys," Nadine cut in dryly, earning an indignant huff from her sister and a sound suspiciously like a suppressed chuckle from Sam, "I'm trying to—" and the words died on her lips, a smile breaking out instead. "Found you," she murmured.

There, directly between her crosshairs, was Steve and Crossbones.

Immediately, her smile died to be replaced by a grimace of concentration. She couldn't get a clean shot. Not only did they both keep ducking out of her line of sight, but they were moving too quickly, their fight much too involved for her to risk firing. Not unless she wanted to hit Steve. And given the rounds she was packing in preparation for the body armour they had been right to assume Crossbones would be wearing?

Enhanced or not, she could kill him.

That was not a risk she was willing to take. So she would bide her time, waiting for the perfect shot.

Because one always came. One just needed to be able to recognize it. And Nadine? There was a reason she was the best. She always recognized it.

She forced her breathing to slow, her heartbeat slowing with it as she willed her frame to loosen. Instinctively she paid attention to the breeze brushing through her hair and the similar faint movement of the flaps edging the umbrellas around where her target fought her friend. She was dimly aware of the movement of fleeing civilians around them, scrambling away from the brutal fight. But her focus was centred almost wholly on the two men fighting in the distance, narrowing on the scene she watched through her scope.