96 Stark’s invitation -94

Alexandra Ricci lay at the side of a pool and enjoyed a glass of fine wine, allowing herself to celebrate the successful acquisition of yet another Avenger. However, the price wasn't small.

Steve's unwavering commitment to his principles, even in the face of a chance to live another lifetime with Peggy and heal Bucky, was a source of both admiration and frustration for Alex. It was a struggle that had her teetering on the edge of giving up on him entirely.

After a careful reminder of the high stakes and a touch of emotional manipulation, Steve had finally relented. His own desires and the flicker of logic in his mind had triumphed, leading him to agree to Alex's complex plan.

'Once Carter is cured, she will hopefully be able to deal with that man, and she should be far easier to deal with, far more pragmatic.' Alex mused as she swirled the wine around in her glass.

There was no doubt that Steve would still need plenty of time and help to fully deal with the realization that he had been asleep for so long, yet with Peggy and Bucky with him the entire way, he should deal with it better than he had in canon.

Not to mention that he could just throw himself right back into the fight against Hydra; it would almost be like he never even stopped. Even after that, the Foundation would ensure that he was kept busy doing good, meaningful work all the time.

Not giving him even the time to mourn all the things he lost, there was no doubt plenty of objects he could help deal with, not to mention that his blood was being worked on already now. Hopefully, they would be able to unlock the secret of the serum within, and the Foundation would get its own army of super soldiers soon enough.

The signal from one of her guards broke her out of a musing. Looking over, Alex saw her guest, Natasha Romanoff, being escorted over.

"Good evening, Miss Romanoff; I do hope you are enjoying your stay here at my Mansion." Alex greeted the spy by raising her glass.

"Good evening, Ms. Ricci," Natasha responded, her voice smooth and controlled. "Your hospitality has been... notable," she continued, her eyes scanning the luxurious surroundings with a critical yet appreciative eye. From what she had heard from Coulson, even the late Alexander Ricci had enjoyed laying about here sipping wine.

Looking at the place, she could somewhat see why that was and why Alexandra Ricci enjoyed it as well. This place was very tranquil, a break from the stress and worry of the rest of the city and world.

With a smirk on her lips, Alexandra spoke. "So, how are you finding the work? Our work? The Foundation?"

Natasha had expected to hear a question like this from the moment she learned that she had been summoned to have a talk with Ricci. She had to admit, she hadn't really thought much about this for a few weeks now, mostly just focusing on her work.

"The work the Foundation does is challenging, but it's worth doing. I understand why the agents find this rewarding, it does remind me of the work SHIELD does. Only, its also better, easier to see why we do what we do." She admitted.

Alex smiled, hearing her, and quickly took a sip of her wine to try and hide it. "Yes, they try to protect the world, a noble goal, but they have been perverted they just can't do what we do."

Natasha hated how she agreed with that. She had been given access to some of the information the Foundation had on SHIELD, and it didn't look good. While some of their missions were still for the greater good, so many of them ended up being in the service of either Hydra or some corrupt politician who had the money and power to influence what should have been a noble organization.

 Even some of the missions she had done had been in the service of Hydra, or in other cases like the last one, had Hydra trying to sabotage it. Those who couldn't be bought were killed. It saddened Natasha to think about how many good people had given their lives for SHIELD.

Yet, I couldn't have guessed that their very death was also due to certain elements within the very organization. Had someone else taken her last mission, that would likely have been their fate.

While the Foundation had its own share of problems, she did get the feeling that while it wasn't shy about throwing lives away, they at least only did it for the good of the world. Since those in power within the Foundation already had near-unlimited powers, there weren't many fights for more.

Not wanting to think too much about this, Natasha quickly broke the silence. "Did you have anything you wanted to talk about?"

Alexandra took another sip of wine. "Natasha, I'm rather invested in you. My position isn't nearly as secure as my brother's. While the Ricci family, as an asset of the Foundation, will remain stable even without him, my own position could be replaced. I wish to prove myself capable, and I can do that by finding capable people like you."

Alexandra lied as easily as she breathed, letting Natasha believe exactly what she wanted her to believe, all to ensure that the master spy would quickly become an asset. The Foundation needed more high-ranking people in Shield, and Natasha was their best bet.

However, having Natasha work for them and letting her go back to Shield were two very different things. They would have to ensure that she was entirely loyal to the Foundation, and currently, they didn't have any SCP objects to help with that, which meant they had to do it the old-fashioned way.

So far, they had already used her desires to do good, to make a positive change in the world. They had allowed her to know about SCP-407 and its possible ability to restore her ability to have children.

She had been allowed to talk and bond with Foundation personnel, even sneaking off to drink with them a few times.

Now, she was being allowed to feel like she had some measure of control, that she wasn't being forced but chose to do the undercover work.

It wouldn't be easy, and it was a task far more difficult than what Alex could plan. Thankfully, she had full access to the Foundation think tank, so they had made plans to ensure that Natasha would end up being a loyal asset.

Alexandra watched Natasha closely, noting the subtle shifts in her posture and expression. She knew the importance of this moment, the delicacy of the balance she was trying to maintain. On one hand, she had to offer enough to entice the spy, to make her believe in the mission and her role in it. On the other, she needed to ensure that Natasha's loyalty would be to the Foundation first, a task that required finesse and a deep understanding of human motivation.

"As you've seen firsthand, the challenges we face at the Foundation go beyond the typical espionage and political intrigue you might have encountered with Shield." Alexandra continued, her tone earnest yet calculated. "We're dealing with anomalies that could change or destroy the world as we know it. Your skills could be instrumental in navigating these challenges."

Natasha nodded slowly, her mind racing. The idea of facing threats of such magnitude was both daunting and exhilarating. The prospect of doing meaningful work, of truly making a difference, appealed to her deeply ingrained desire to redeem her past.

"And what about my position within SHIELD? How do you see that playing into this?" Natasha asked, her voice betraying a hint of the strategic thinking that had made her one of the world's most formidable spies.

Alexandra leaned back, her expression contemplative. "Your position within Shield is invaluable to us, not just for the information you can provide but also for the influence you wield. We don't want to pull you out of there; rather, we want quite the opposite in fact."

The words hung in the air between them, a tacit acknowledgment of the delicate dance of loyalty and deception they were both well versed in. Natasha understood the implications and the weight of the role Alexandra was proposing. She was one of the best spies out there; even now, she was sent into an organization to spy on them.

 But to be sent back into SHIELD as an undercover spy? It wasn't what she had expected when she went undercover at Ricci's, but it was an opportunity to return back, to try and ensure that those who could be saved from Hydra would be saved, people like Clint. However it meant walking a razor's edge, balancing her allegiances carefully.

"I need to think about this," Natasha finally said, her gaze meeting Alexandra's with a steely resolve. "What you're asking isn't small. I believe in the Foundation's mission, at least from what I've seen. But I need to be sure that my actions, our actions, are truly for the greater good."

Alexandra nodded, recognizing the importance of Natasha's decision. "Take all the time you need. We're not in the business of coercion. We want you on our team because you believe in what we're doing and because you see the potential for real change. And Natasha, believe me when I say, with your help, we can reshape the future for the better."

As Natasha stood up to leave, Alexandra couldn't help but feel a twinge of anticipation mixed with apprehension. She had played her part well, but the final decision rested with Natasha. The fate of their operation, perhaps even the Foundation's influence within Shield, hinged on what the spy would decide.

With Natasha gone, Alexandra leaned back again, finished with today's work. She could finally fully relax and celebrate the recent success she had encountered.

"Excuse me sir… I mean mistress."

Alex's peace was soon enough broken by one of the many aides who helped deal with the massive amount of work she had to deal with every day.

"What is so important that you have to bother me right now?" Alex asked curiously and slightly worried.

"It's not particularly important, but it is rather time sensitive. The mistress has been invited to a party tomorrow, which is on rather short notice. Normally, I wouldn't bother with bringing it to your attention, but the sending is a VIP."

Alex was less interested and far less worried as the aide went on with his explanation. After making a public appearance as Alexandra Ricci there had been many invitations for all kinds of meetings, many wanting to either get in her good graces as the new head of the Ricci family or for those that didn't know the truth about the Ricci empire want to take advantage of her.

"For tomorrow? That is indeed on short notice. Anyway, who is this invitation from that you still decided to bring it up to me?"

"Tony Stark invites you to be his plus one for the Annual Technology and Innovations Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas, where he will receive the Apogee Award for his contributions to technology and defense." The aide explained.

Alex herself was rather surprised. She hadn't realized she had caught Stark's eye. Sure, the female form she was using wasn't hard on the eye, but she wasn't quite the usual Stark target.

He liked his girls to look more at the brain, with the exception of Pepper Pots. Alexandra Ricci was portrayed to be just as much brain as she was looks, something that should have taken her off Starks's list.

"Well, even if it is Stark, tomorrow is far too soon, even if I wanted to go. There would be no time to ensure my safety there, so politely decline him. You know, something like not being able to find a proper dress in the time given or something." Alex said after a moment of thought.

As the aide gave an affirmative answer and turned to take his leave. Alex couldn't help but muse about the event, and how things might have turned out if he went. Sure, she wouldn't lower herself to become another of Tony's conquests, but it was a chance to play around with him.

"Wait a moment. What did you say the party was?" Alex asked, as the name suddenly started to feel a little familiar.

"The Annual Technology and Innovations Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas, the military has arranged for Stark to be awarded the Apogee award due to his new Jericho missile I believe."

*Crash*

A/N

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