Chapter 2 — The Mission Brief

Third Person

The conference room in the Avengers Tower was a study in futuristic sophistication. Holographic projections hovered like restless ghosts in the air, scattering faint, shifting light over the polished black table. Interactive displays buzzed softly, cycling through maps, mission outlines, and encrypted schematics. The scent of Tony Stark’s dark roast coffee mingled with the sharper, metallic tang of cutting-edge technology, creating an atmosphere of sleek urgency.

Nellie sat back in one of the sleek chairs, her long legs crossed as her fingers drummed idly against her forearm. Her emerald-green eyes skimmed the holographic ballroom schematic with practiced disinterest, though the subtle tension in her posture betrayed a deeper focus. Across the table, Bucky was the picture of quiet intensity, his vibranium arm resting lightly but purposefully against the table’s edge. His piercing blue eyes remained locked on the visuals, though a faint tightening of his jaw betrayed his unease at Tony’s typically theatrical presentation.

Tony, always the showman, leaned casually against the table, his smirk firmly in place. With a dramatic clap, he straightened and spread his arms wide, as if unveiling a masterpiece. “Alright, team. Let me paint you a picture. Hydra. Masquerade ball. Bioweapon. Honestly, it’s like they’re auditioning for Supervillain Cliché of the Year. But hey, who am I to judge? Keeps things exciting.”

A casual flick of his wrist sent the holograms shifting, magnifying the intricate details of an ornate ballroom. Gilded columns stretched toward a ceiling dripping with crystal chandeliers, and masked figures swirled elegantly across polished marble floors. The opulence was undeniable, but there was an underlying menace—something in the way the masked attendees seemed to blend the theatrical with the predatory.

Nellie tilted her head, her interest betraying itself in the slightest arch of her brow. She quickly masked it with a skeptical snort, leaning into her chair. “A masquerade ball? Really? I didn’t realize Hydra was running a side hustle as wedding planners.”

Tony grinned, undeterred. “Oh, it gets better,” he said, his voice practically dripping with amusement. “The mission is deceptively simple. You two—yes, you specifically—are going undercover as a couple.”

Nellie’s sharp laugh filled the room, a sound laced with incredulity and just the faintest edge of derision. “A couple?” she repeated, sitting forward. “You’re joking. Tell me you’re joking.”

Bucky’s discomfort radiated from him in subtle, telltale signs—a slight shift in his seat, the faintest twitch in his eye. “This doesn’t seem like the best idea,” he said, his voice level and low but carrying an undercurrent of unease.

“Not a joke,” Tony replied smoothly, gesturing between them with the flair of a confident director. “And it’s the best idea I’ve had all week. You’ve got the whole ‘spy-and-soldier’ aesthetic. Hydra’s elite loves a power couple. Plus, you’re both ridiculously good at what you do. Separately? Great. Together? Revolutionary.”

“Not sure I see the ‘revolutionary’ part,” Nellie muttered, slumping back. “We can’t even spar without one of us trying to take the other’s head off.”

“That’s exactly why it’ll work.” Tony snapped his fingers, grinning as if he’d just solved a mathematical proof. “That spark? That tension? Gold. Channel it. You’ll be so convincing, Hydra won’t know what hit them.”

Bucky’s vibranium fingers tapped the table once, the sound sharp against the quiet hum of the room. “What’s the actual objective?” he asked, cutting through Tony’s theatrics with his usual no-nonsense demeanor.

Tony’s smirk softened, though the glint of mischief in his eyes didn’t fade entirely. With another wave, the holographic ballroom was replaced by the image of a delicate emerald pendant suspended on a silver chain. The teardrop-shaped jewel shimmered in the air, circuitry etched faintly into its surface. “This beauty here? The Emerald Pendant Decoder. Wakandan tech, obviously. Nellie gets to wear it. Not just a pretty accessory—it’s a state-of-the-art decryption device capable of breaking through Hydra’s archive encryption faster than I can say ‘genius.’”

Now Nellie leaned forward, her gaze narrowing as she studied the intricate design. “And how exactly does this fit into the masquerade?” she asked, her voice edged with skepticism.

“You’ll use it to retrieve encrypted files containing Hydra’s plans for a bioweapon,” Tony explained, his tone turning slightly more serious. “And not just any bioweapon. We’re talking a pathogen engineered to adapt to its environment. Targeted. Devastating. If Hydra finishes development, it’s game over on a global scale.”

The room seemed to grow colder at his words. Nellie’s sharp wit faltered, her green eyes darkening as the full weight of the mission settled over her. Bucky, too, sat straighter, his jaw clenching slightly.

“The pendant will do its magic when you’re close enough to Hydra’s archive systems,” Tony continued, “but you’ll need to stay undetected while it decrypts and transmits the data. That’s where the whole ‘power couple’ thing comes in. Nellie, you’ll distract them with charm and wit. Bucky, you’ll keep her alive and make sure she doesn’t do anything too reckless.”

“Excuse me?” Nellie interjected, her voice sharp, though Tony pressed on before she could continue.

“Oh, and you’ll both need to waltz,” he added with a grin, gesturing for dramatic effect. “It’s a masquerade. Classy affair. Natasha’s volunteered to teach you the basics.”

Bucky’s discomfort deepened, visible now in the way his shoulders stiffened. “I don’t waltz,” he muttered, almost to himself.

Tony waved off his protest. “You’ll figure it out. And before you ask, yes, you’re both getting custom outfits. Shuri’s designing them—vibranium-laced for added flair. You’ll look stunning, I promise.”

Nellie rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “Fantastic. I’ll be a walking metaphor for overkill.”

Before Tony could respond, Maria Hill’s voice cut through the room like a blade. “Enough.” Her heels clicked against the floor as she stepped into the center of the room, her expression sharp and unreadable. “This isn’t a game. The stakes are real. If something goes wrong, we lose the files. Hydra wins. You’ve both been chosen for this mission because you’re the best at what you do.”

Her cold, blue-gray gaze swept over Nellie and Bucky, lingering just long enough to make her point. “Nellie, you’re adaptable, resourceful, and nearly impossible to pin down. And Bucky, no one knows Hydra’s tactics better than you do. Together, you’re the best shot we have.”

Nellie’s jaw tightened, her skepticism giving way to quiet acceptance. Bucky gave a short nod, though his unease remained clear in the slight downturn of his mouth.

“And what happens if it all goes sideways?” Nellie asked quietly.

“Then you adapt,” Maria replied simply. “And you’d better be ready for that.”

A calm voice broke the tension. “It’s not impossible, you know,” Natasha Romanoff said, stepping forward from her place by the door. Her tone was measured, her gaze steady as it met Nellie’s. “Trust isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. If you let it, it can make you stronger.”

Nellie’s laugh was bitter, her smirk returning like armor. “Trust? That’s rich, coming from you.”

Natasha didn’t flinch. “Exactly. I know what it costs. But I also know what it gives.”

For a fleeting moment, Nellie’s façade cracked. Something flickered in her eyes—a vulnerability quickly buried beneath her sarcasm. “We’ll see,” she said, leaning back with a shrug.

As they rose to leave, Tony’s voice rang out one last time. “Chemistry, kids. Make it believable.”

Nellie shot Bucky a wry glance as they walked down the corridor. “This ought to be a blast.”

Bucky didn’t reply, but the faint, reluctant twitch of his lips spoke volumes.

Back in the conference room, Maria turned to Tony, her expression grim. “You’re sure about this pairing?”

Tony shrugged, his smirk softening. “Sure? No. But let’s call it a calculated risk. I think they’ll surprise us.”

Natasha lingered by the door, her arms crossed as she watched the hallway where Nellie and Bucky had disappeared. “We’ll see,” she murmured.