Agent Orange

"You don't look so pleased to see me." Agent Bronze crooned. Of course, she thought, it would be him.

"Somebody must want you dead very badly, if they came to me for help." She replied, ignoring his taunt. 

"So that's what you've been doing these days," Bronze mused. "How does it feel to betray a country you've bled for, for over ten years?"

"Why? Are you considering it?" In a moment of weakness, her eyes darted towards the gun in his hand, and then quickly up to his face to see if he had noticed. He had. 

"I privatized, big deal." She sneered, trying to regain the upper-hand. "You're American, I thought you would be pleased. Capitalism at work, the free-market economy and the all mighty dollar deciding who live and who dies."

"And whose all-mighty dollar made you decide to kill me?"

"Client confidentiality, I'm afraid." She raised her chin and dared him to try coercion on her. They both knew it was pointless.He knew what she was capable of back when she was still learning the ropes. He had been in training with her, back when she was Agent Red, and he Agent Orange. The Scarlet and Bronze came later.

"So I suppose you're going to kill me?" 

He laughed, and tossed the gun aside. It was hardly a reassuring move, given his specialty.

"Luckily for you, the almighty dollar has decided otherwise. My people want to offer you a consulting position. I'm authorized to negotiate a deal with you, one that your little assassination stunt now tilts heavily in my favor."

"Darling," She said, suddenly coy, "You only need ask nicely."

She wasn't ever going to be free again. That era of her life must die. But for the price of her actual life, Scarlet could hardly mourn the loss. There also was the little matter of working with him again. That might make it all worth while.