Difficult to say she'd never suspect me, under the circumstances. It's a locked room, and my reputation isn't entirely unknown here. [Her lip twitches, a minor annoyance but an annoyance none the less. Somehow, some other versions of herself here before her arrival outed her before she even arrived.

There's little she hates more than having her cover blown early.]

But that's not what I said. That would be expensive. Very expensive. Hard to say if you could cover it.

[Hydra. That's the second time he's mentioned them. She turns that information over in her head. There's no immediate revulsion or rejection. There wouldn't be. Natasha doesn't much take sides, these days.

But it is new information, and she remembers trainers she had, men and women who were old enough to speak about Nazis with a particular, personal sort of loathing.

Natasha keeps those emotions out of her response, but she remembers them all the same.]

Can you really say you have that here? The full resources of Hydra?

It's not personal. [Meeting his eyes levelly, clearly not impressed by his insecurity. No more than she would be by his squeamishness about who Hydra is.] I have to be pragmatic here. That's a big ask, and I'm not entirely convinced you can make it worth my while.

I'm as strong as I need to be.

[And if she asked for or accepted a gift like that, it would never be a simple payment. Even if he could provide it, the level of trust required is too high, and no one would give away something like that without being certain it wouldn't be turned against them in the future.]

I don't need enhancements.

[Good question. It's not one Natasha asks herself, though. Looking too closely at her desires does no one any good.

She sets her glass down with a click.]

That's very flattering. The answer is the same.

[Oh. Oh, this is definitely a joke.]

Do your Hydra assassins accept credit, Dr. Fitz?

[Under other circumstances, she might have actually considered that. Circumstances where there was any insurance he would follow through. Circumstances where she'd actually benefit from having a contact indebted to her within Hydra. Here... There's no saying how long he'll stay or whether he'll be otherwise compromised when she needs to call in the favor.

Here...]

You see my dilemma. I have a hard time seeing where there's anything in this for me.

[Which demonstrates just how much he thinks of her. He might value her skills, and she's sure he'd love for her to stand between him and Agent Carter, but he has a very low estimation of her intelligence.]

Soft, hm? You're worried I might lose my edge?

[There's a long moment as Natasha watches him, unblinking. There's more than sharp words behind that gaze, calculated and flat.

If it feels a little like she's weighing six different ways to incapacitate him without drawing a weapon, he wouldn't be far of.

If at least three of those end in him dying, it's even closer.

But she refrains.]

No.

Not yet. [Who's she to want to judge someone for wanting to commit a murder or two? That's her line of work.] I'll let you know if something changes.

[Meaning: don't call us, we'll call you.]