Iron Man was once again causing a commotion, something Nick Fury—director of S.H.I.E.L.D.—was used to.
This time, however, was different. Usually, the inventor's jokes were kind of funny, his appearances stylish and not at all threatening. All in all, they were amusing.
"There ain't anything amusing in this shit." He thought inwardly, the realm where his accent didn't matter.
"Widow, what am I looking at?" He said, not separating his eyes from the screen, replaying the damn thing again and again. Even in slow motion, it didn't help.
No matter how he looked at it, that woman just disappeared and appeared somewhere else. It must be teleportation!
"You're looking at a woman moving very fast, Fury." The redhead leaned against the office's steel wall while rubbing her forehead.
"I knew Cassandra White was nothing normal. Cousin... really, Stark?"
"A woman? I can't see a single fucking shit. All I can see is some bloke gets his ass handed to him, and I can't even see how it happened."
"Director..." Commander Maria Hill was astounded, but it was nothing to be surprised about. It happens when the director is pissed, or something happened that he just can't explain logically.
Sadly for the black pirate, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s job is always to deal with things that can't be explained logically.
Nick Fury caressed his bald head, inhaled, exhaled, and regained his calm.
"Who is that woman with Stark…?" He asked.
"Her name is Cassandra White, his cousin... or that's what he said. It is obviously fake. There is no data of any White family being associated with the Stark family in any genealogical tree for the last ten generations. I already searched."
"Well, how do we explain this ridiculous movement speed?"
"She might be an enhanced…" She said those words, but even she didn't believe it. Comparing this woman to an 'enhanced' was like comparing an ant with a puma.
Or a Beretta with a rocket launcher, and both were monstrous comparisons.
"Enhanced? Does that look like speed that can be tracked by the human eye!?"
"…" She didn't need to be told twice. She was asked for an answer, and she answered, regardless of how ridiculous the answer had been.
"I want you to research everything you can about her. I'll have to meet Stark in Monaco. Dammit, why is it always something new... where is Agent Barton?"
"He's on a mission in Thailand."
"When he comes back, I want him working with you on this... this woman is one of our biggest priorities now. Erase all the footage of the incident at Wells Fargo. I don't want anyone in this world aside from us to know about her, understood?"
"Yes!"
**
After their little date, it was once again time to work, and Cassandra patiently served some juice for Tony. His research seemed to have advanced as he looked more enthusiastic. They didn't talk about her prowess yet; he wanted to tackle this subject under a more appropriate mood, perhaps over a luxurious dish at a table in Monaco.
The beauty took away the glass after he drank it before sending him a worried gaze. It was almost midnight, and he was still pumped up and brimming with energy.
"It's late." Cassandra said, caressing his hair. Tony hadn't stopped researching new elements for the entire day, his enthusiasm categorically greater than before.
As if now he had a certain reason why he wanted to stay alive no matter what.
"I can keep for another hour."
"No, you can't… Tony, you need to rest. Tomorrow, I can wake you up very early. Don't kill yourself in order to survive, alright?"
"Tch! You're like Pepper..." He caressed his head and clicked his tongue in a mock-annoyed tone, only to notice how Cassandra's eyes shivered at the comment.
"..." She didn't say anything but was visibly uncomfortable. The problem is... she didn't know why. What exactly made her uncomfortable?
The fact that she was compared to Pepper, or the fact that he mentioned her at all... or was it guilt? The guilt of stealing something that wasn't supposed to belong to her.
"Sorry, that's not what I meant." He apologized. It had been a foolish comment, especially since he still didn't know what he felt himself... Cassandra's face was becoming more and more prominent, and he felt apprehension at the fact that a woman he met merely a week ago was becoming so... fundamental to him.
"I know that you didn't mean anything bad. I'm merely worried about you. I don't want you to get ill." She embraced him again, trying to let the previous pass like a river through a canal.
"You're more talkative now than before~" Rubbing the woman's head, Tony yawned and decided to do as she said. He could wake up tomorrow early, and it would be way more productive.
"Put everything to sleep, Jarvis. I'll be back tomorrow."
[Yes, Mr. Stark. Have a good night, you too, Mrs. White.]
**
Cassandra touched her hair, feeling warm as well as in conflict as they entered their room for yet another cozy night. She could hear the noise of rain falling outside of the penthouse.
Tony technically threw himself on the bed, ready to sleep and wake up tomorrow with greater strength. He felt like he was finally reaching some progress.
Several seconds passed in which there was no movement coming from beside him or anywhere. Why is Cassandra not coming?
"Cassandra, aren't you coming?" He had gotten so used to using this lady as his pillow that he didn't even realize how intimate were the words he just said.
"One moment, I'll be with you in a minute. Let me use the bathroom." Cassandra smiled and entered the bathroom quickly. She had something in her hands.
After entering, she closed the door softly and leaned against it. It took a mere second for her face to morph from its healthy shade to a tomato.
Opening her hands, there it was.
That lingerie with a garter belt, the translucent one that would lay everything bare in front of him if she used it, the hidden weapon.