As a native of Soviet union from the pre-SU era, she had been trained since childhood by KGB intelligence operatives, honing a myriad of skills as a special agent.
Black Widow couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity towards the man standing before her.
There was something about him, she thought, that hinted at a depth beyond the ordinary.
"Very well," Black Widow agreed without hesitation, signaling to the dealer to commence the deal.
This time, to ensure absolute certainty, the dealer decided to stack the deck in Black Widow's favor, dealing her a hand totaling 21 points.
During the shuffle, the dealer discreetly marked the cards designated for Black Widow.
Given the presence of bystanders, the markings had to be subtle, almost imperceptible.
Once everything was in place, the dealer, exuding confidence, exchanged a glance with Black Widow and nodded in assurance.
Drawing a deep breath, Black Widow silently resolved, "I must reclaim every penny lost. It's my mission fund, after all!"
With determination fueling her, she confidently declared, "500,000."
Indra's smile remained unwavering as he replied, "I'm in."
Then, as if struck by a sudden impulse, he added, "And another 200 dollars for good measure."
A smirk played at the corners of Black Widow's lips as she retorted, "Rest assured, I'll make sure to atlest give you your 200$."
As a precautionary measure, Black Widow opted to let Indra reveal his cards first.
Black Widow maintained her enigmatic expression, reveling in the psychological tension of the moment.
With deliberate precision, she slowly unveiled her own hand, savoring the anticipation that hung in the air.
Ace, five, four, nine...
Indra knew well of Black Widow's expertise in These things, and today, her reputation was proving to be well-earned.
As each card was revealed, Black Widow's confidence only seemed to grow, her gaze locked onto Indra with unwavering intensity.
When the final card was revealed, Black Widow arched an eyebrow, fixing Indra with a challenging stare as she inquired, "Well?"
Indra's furrowed brow betrayed his inner conflict as he hesitated before responding, "A shame... just a hair short."
Black Widow's confusion was palpable as she glanced down at her hand.
It was a devastating blow—22 points!
The cards had added up to 19 already, and with a final card of three, victory had slipped through her fingers.
"How is this possible?" Black Widow and the dealer exclaimed simultaneously.
Black Widow's mask of composure cracked, her expression betraying a hint of frustration.
The dealer, equally bewildered, frantically searched for an explanation.
Had he made a mistake in his calculations? It seemed unlikely, given his years of experience in the field.
That left only one possibility: an error in marking the cards.
A rookie mistake, to be sure, but one that had potentially cost them the game.
As the reality of their defeat sank in, Indra's jubilant smile only widened, his victory all the sweeter for its unexpectedness.
In the face of defeat, Black Widow's resolve remained unshaken.
With a determined glint in her eye, she issued her challenge to Indra once more.
Indra met her gaze with a playful smirk, feigning reluctance as he acquiesced to her proposal.
And so, the game continued, each player eager to test the limits of their luck in the high-stakes world of the casino.
Twenty minutes later...
"Captain, stop gambling, the mission funds are gone," a voice said with a tone of resignation over the communicator, but Black Widow ignored it.
She glanced at her dwindling stack of chips, now barely a fraction of its original amount, and couldn't fathom how this man kept winning.
His demeanor remained composed, his hands resting neatly on the table with no signs of deceit. Every time she spoke to him, his responses were quick and confident. Using telekinetic powers or similar abilities required intense concentration, yet there was no sign of strain on his part.
"Captain, we haven't found any information on him," the voice repeated.
Black Widow frowned, casting a suspicious glance at Indra. He was the first person that S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't track down, leaving her with growing doubts.
"Captain, the viper has left its den. We can move in now," the communicator crackled once more.
Black Widow took a deep breath, a faint smile playing on her lips. She couldn't afford to let any suspect slip through her fingers.
With a confident stride in her high heels, she gracefully navigated through the crowd, heading towards Indra. Indra, who had been jubilant over his winnings, suddenly saw Black Widow approaching and felt a hand on his shoulder. Before he knew it, something was pressing against his waist.
"Stand up, and come with me," Black Widow whispered into Indra's ear.
Indra furrowed his brow.Is it because I won too much from her? Is she upset now? Refusing to pay?!
Seeing Indra's lack of response, Black Widow grabbed his hand and pulled him up with considerable strength.
"Who sent you?" she asked quietly as they walked through the casino, her grip firm.
Indra blinked, utterly bewildered. "What do you mean, who sent me?"
A hint of disdain crossed Black Widow's face. "Stop pretending. Tell me, who are you?"
Indra was even more baffled. "I'm just a guy..."
Black Widow shot him a glance, but said nothing more, leading Indra to the second floor of the casino. The second floor consisted mostly of private rooms, reserved for the privileged few.
"Captain, the surveillance on the second-floor corridor has been disabled."
"We have five minutes left."
Expressionless, Black Widow guided Indra to the end of the hallway, where she produced a chip and a wristwatch from her pocket. She placed the watch on Indra's wrist and affixed the chip to the wall.
As soon as the chip made contact, the wall emitted a blue light and slid open, revealing an elevator.
"I've equipped the watch with shock and tracking functions," Black Widow explained with a smile. "If you attempt to escape, I'll activate the electric shock immediately. This is an advanced energy source from outer space, so I advise against trying anything foolish."
With that, she stepped into the elevator.
Indra frowned. "What's going on? I only won a bit of money from you?!"
He sighed but due to strength of Black Widow he got dragged into the elevator. The elevator was small and surprisingly shaky, which puzzled Indra. Surely, the owner of such a lavish casino wouldn't skimp on elevator maintenance?
As Indra pondered, the elevator suddenly jolted violently. Unable to steady himself, he stumbled into Black Widow.
"Move your right hand," Black Widow's voice came from close proximity. Indra realized that his right hand was currently grasping onto Black Widow's...
.....
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