Killian's incident was finally over, and Coulson's team had nothing urgent for now — which meant Kai finally earned himself three glorious days of vacation.
After escaping his so-called "busy" work schedule, Kai was determined to spend those days doing absolutely nothing.
At ten in the morning, he sat outside a sunny café in the square, sipping coffee and people-watching.
Occasionally, fans came up asking for photos with "Flashman," the superhero who kicked missiles and fought aliens, but overall it was peaceful.
If it weren't for the tiny receiver in his ear and Natasha's constant chatter coming through it —
it might've been the perfect day.
"Target in sight, Kai. Alice is walking toward you," Natasha said through the earpiece.
Sure enough, from down the street came Alice — short skirt, black stockings, and a coffee in hand — walking straight toward him like a scene from a romantic drama.
"Well, what a coincidence," she said with a bright smile. "Didn't expect to meet you here, Mr. Kai. Do you remember me? Mind if I sit?"
Kai flashed his usual easy grin. "Of course not. You're Alice, right? You work at Stark Industries."
"That's right!" she said, sitting down gracefully. "We met at Stark Industries — I even delivered some documents to you."
She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice just a bit. "Don't you have work today? I thought you'd be in the lab this time of day."
"I'm off," Kai said, smiling. "Been busy for a while. Finally got a few days of freedom. What about you?"
"I'm on compensatory leave," she replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "After a full week of overtime, I think the labor union would've stormed Stark Tower if I didn't take a break."
She laughed lightly, then set down her cup. "By the way, my lease expired recently, so I had to move. Imagine my surprise when my landlord said the famous superhero Flashman was my new neighbor."
"Oh my God, I was so shocked!" she continued, laughing again. "I always thought superheroes stayed mysterious — you know, like Batman pretending to be a billionaire playboy, but no one ever knowing who he really is."
As Alice spoke, she carefully watched Kai's expressions — measuring every reaction, every smile. It was second nature to her.
She was, after all, a trained Hydra intelligence agent.
How to build emotional rapport, when to act soft, when to act bold — all part of the job.
"Mr. Kai," she said suddenly, her tone softening, "I knocked on your door the other morning. I even made breakfast — thought we could help each other out as neighbors. But you weren't home."
She pouted just slightly, her eyes shining with practiced innocence. "You know, I woke up so early just to make that meal. Two hours of effort… gone."
If Kai hadn't known she was Hydra, he might've felt guilty. She played the part of the sweet, gentle girl too perfectly.
"Sorry about that," Kai said, smiling. "I was out on a work trip. You know how it is — can't really say no when your boss calls."
Alice chuckled. "You're right. Unless you're Tony Stark himself, you just do what the job demands."
The conversation flowed naturally after that — laughs, small talk, playful banter. Alice slowly shifted from "Mr. Kai" to just "Kai," each word bringing her closer.
Two hours passed like nothing.
If Kai didn't already know she was Hydra, he might've sworn he'd just spent a lovely morning chatting with an old friend.
As they stood to leave, Alice smiled warmly. "Dinner tomorrow? Same place?"
"Sure," Kai said casually. "I'll be here."
Once she walked away, Natasha's voice came through the earpiece, half teasing, half impressed.
"Well? Not bad, huh? Professional intelligence work at its finest."
Kai chuckled, ordering a refill of coffee before moving to another table. "Yeah. Smooth, patient, builds trust without pressure. Even makes you drop your guard."
He sipped his drink and muttered under his breath, barely moving his lips. "Funny though… I never feel that 'pleasant' when talking to you."
"That's because I'm not trying to extract information or manipulate you," Natasha said dryly. "If I were, you'd be having the time of your life right now."
Kai smirked. "So, when do you think she'll drop the act?"
"Hard to say. Definitely not yet. She's using the 'sunk cost' strategy — classic intel move. Make you invest emotionally before making the pitch."
From two hundred meters away, Natasha — disguised under a hat and sunglasses — smiled as she glanced in his direction.
"It's noon. I'm going for lunch. Enjoy your peaceful afternoon, rich boy."
"Sure you don't want me to treat?" Kai asked quietly.
"I can't afford someone who makes two million a month with a six-million bonus," she shot back with a laugh.
Kai snorted as her signal faded out.
He drained his coffee, glanced at the lunchtime crowd, then stood up and walked away in the opposite direction.
Meanwhile…
"Initial contact successful," Alice reported softly from a corner booth in a nearby restaurant.
She stirred her pasta absentmindedly, phone pressed to her ear.
"Despite his reputation as a powerful superhero, Kai is still an eighteen-year-old boy," she said confidently. "And the main reason he joined Stark Industries was Tony Stark's generous salary."
A pause on the other end. Then a woman's voice replied coldly:
"Understood. Proceed. If necessary… take him down at all costs."
Alice's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Yes, ma'am. Consider it done."