It had to be said, Natasha Romanoff truly was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents.
Dressed in casual clothes, she sat across from Lance, bearing little resemblance to the sharp, decisive operative she was known to be. Instead, she looked like an ordinary woman one might pass on the street.
It made sense. If she had walked into Hell's Kitchen in a black bodysuit loaded with weapons like in the movies, she would not have been met with greetings, but with gunfire.
She would have had to carve her way through at least two blocks just to reach the door of Lance Prescott's law firm.
After throwing out the heavy bait of Captain America, she gave Lance no time to respond and continued speaking at a steady pace.
"First, I would like to apologize on behalf of Coulson. Mr. Prescott, I am very sorry. Our initial contact with you was intended to gain a degree of initiative, and, in part, because of Tony Stark."
"As you know, his mental state at the time was far from stable. He isolated himself and refused to communicate with anyone. Yet you were the only person, aside from Miss Pepper, who could speak with him calmly. You have even become friends."
"Because of that, we approached you to observe Stark Industries' movements. As you are aware, Stark Industries is a massive enterprise within the United States. If it were to collapse, the consequences would bring unpredictable turmoil to the entire country."
After finishing her explanation and confirming that Lance showed no sign of resistance, Natasha let out a subtle breath and continued.
"However, we are approaching you now because we have confirmed that while you appear to be an extreme egoist on the surface, you still possess your own moral code. I believe you are simply... an unconventional good person."
She offered a faint, apologetic smile before continuing.
"This time, we have come to you because we truly need your help. There is a case we need you to take on. The individual involved cannot be disclosed to the public for now. We required someone both professional and discreet, and when we searched for a suitable candidate, you were the first person we thought of."
"And so, here I am."
It had to be said, as an agent, Natasha's rhetoric was exceptionally polished.
A truly skilled lobbyist never lies. They simply present the truth, carefully arranged into something far more pleasant to hear.
At the moment, Lance was thoroughly enjoying being flattered.
After all, having a woman like Miss Romanoff sit across from him, sincerely apologizing while subtly praising him, was more than enough to lift anyone's mood.
Still, Lance remained Lance.
"Did Coulson tell you my rate?"
"Yes," Natasha replied. "Four million dollars. We..."
Lance raised a hand, cutting her off. "That was my previous rate."
"At the time, I hadn't finished Tony Stark's case, nor had I made every law firm in New York green with envy. Things are different now. Since you've already acknowledged that I'm a friend of Tony Stark, as the lawyer of a top billionaire, my rate has naturally been adjusted."
He gestured toward her.
"Eight million dollars. That's my current rate."
Natasha calculated quickly. The number was still within their acceptable range. She nodded.
"No problem, we..."
"But," Lance interrupted her again.
"Given the client's identity. As you said, this is Captain America. I've read about her deeds since I was a child. For a national figure like her, eight million dollars... feels like it diminishes both her status and the respect I hold for her."
Natasha studied him closely.
He spoke of respect, yet she could not sense even a trace of it.
If that was the case... was he about to lower the price?
A flicker of hope rose in her chest. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s budget was limited. If they spent too much here, other operations would suffer. Any reduction would be welcome.
In the next moment, Lance smiled.
Every instinct in Natasha's body tightened.
"How could eight million possibly reflect my respect for Captain America?"
He bared a neat row of white teeth. The smile was wrong. Not human. It felt more like the instinctive signal of a predator just before it fed.
"My point is simple. Add a zero. Eighty million dollars."
"..."
What?!
Even Natasha nearly lost control of her expression. Through the miniature earpiece concealed on her, a series of sharp intakes of breath echoed faintly.
Lance only shrugged, still smiling.
"Can't be helped. I'm someone who believes in showing respect. And for me, respect is measured in money."
"Mr. Prescott is certainly... unusual." This time, Natasha's smile was visibly strained.
"But eighty million..." she said, "isn't that a bit excessive? S.H.I.E.L.D. can't just produce that amount of money at once."
"Then Nick Fury can figure out how to steal it or borrow it," Lance replied with a dismissive wave.
"Don't think I don't know what he's planning. Captain America? Those are stories from decades ago. If you're asking me to take this case now, it means the hero is back."
"And once a hero returns, problems follow. Problems that won't be solved with one or two lawsuits."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"Let me think. Given her current classified status, you won't let her get dragged into public civil or criminal cases that require a lawyer. But that doesn't mean her troubles are few. In fact, the real issues lie deeper, at the level of identity and law."
Lance raised his hand, counting off on his fingers.
"If I recall correctly, she was officially declared dead in 1945. Her citizenship and property were revoked. Now that she's awake, she'll need to re-establish her legal identity, restore her civil rights, reclaim any inheritance, and deal with debts and contracts left over from World War II. All of that requires legal representation. Identity verification, inheritance claims, administrative reconsideration."
"On top of that, she is the only surviving super soldier. The military and Congress already want a piece of Tony Stark's assets. A soldier who was originally theirs? They'll be even more aggressive. Now that she's back, both the military and Congress will become major obstacles. They may try to define her as government property, a military asset, rather than an independent citizen."
"And as her lawyer, I would have to do exactly what I did for Stark. Fight for her personal freedom, her privacy, her autonomy. Stand against those control-obsessed factions in the government and the military."
Lance laid it all out in one breath, then looked up at Natasha.
"I assume that's the real reason you came to me. Because I've already dealt with the military and Congress on Tony Stark's behalf."
...Completely accurate.
Natasha looked at Lance Prescott again, her perspective entirely changed.
She had to admit that most of S.H.I.E.L.D. had seriously underestimated the lawyer sitting in front of her.
That included herself.
At that moment, Nick Fury's voice came through the miniature earpiece in her ear.
"Accept it."
Nick Fury said... calmly.
___
Read 12 chapters ahead of WN:
Patreon.com/CorruptElf