Flagging down a taxi, Natasha held up a Continental Hotel coin and said, "I need you to take me to the Continental Hotel."
The taxi driver's eyes lit up at the sight of the coin she held out. Clearly, he knew its significance. This fare promised to be a lucrative one.
"Consider it done."
Taking the coin, the driver pressed a red button near the center console. Instantly, the car's license plate switched to a fake one, replacing the original.
The taxi sign on the roof retracted, two nitrous nozzles extended from underneath, and the chassis lowered while a spoiler emerged from the trunk.
"Please fasten your seatbelt. We're departing."
Feeling the car transform, Natasha knew her coin was well spent. She quickly buckled up as instructed.
The car shot forward with a powerful thrust that pinned her back into the seat. The driver's skills were impressive—he sped through the streets with precision, occasionally using nitrous to accelerate.
In no time, they had traveled from Washington to New York's Continental Hotel.
"Ma'am, we've arrived at the Continental Hotel," the driver announced.
He handed Natasha a business card, "If you ever need a ride, feel free to call me. Mission guaranteed—just one Continental coin."
Natasha accepted the card without hesitation.
Stepping out of the car, she approached the hotel entrance. Taking out another coin, she walked inside.
The Continental Hotel was bustling, with staff and numerous assassins lounging on the executive corridor's sofas.
When Natasha entered, several people glanced at her but quickly lost interest.
She walked toward the hotel's executive front desk, reflecting on Steve's earlier advice.
He had been right—coming here without any precautions would have exposed them. Steve's recognizable face alone would have guaranteed their identities were sold to the highest bidder.
Approaching the front desk, Natasha said, "I need to post a mission."
The receptionist, Eddie, glanced at her before handing over a nameplate, "Basement Level 1, Task Area, Room 3. Someone will assist you there."
"Thank you," Natasha replied before heading downstairs.
Arriving at Room 3, Natasha inserted the nameplate into a slot. The door opened, and she stepped inside.
She took a seat, and a man in a suit and tie appeared before her.
"Ma'am, please state your mission and the reward you're offering."
Looking at the man, who was clearly not a ninja, Natasha said, "This mission is critical. I need ninjas to handle it."
"I also want this request escalated to the upper management."
As she spoke, Natasha took out all the coins she had brought—more than ten—and placed them on the table in front of him.
In truth, Natasha had been collecting Continental coins ever since Charles's introduction of the wax bath at the hotel. She had even taken on private jobs that occasionally overlapped with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s missions.
Two incomes for one job had allowed her to accumulate a decent stash of coins over the years.
However, given the current situation with S.H.I.E.L.D., she couldn't risk retrieving all the coins from her nearby safe houses.
The registrar glanced at the pile of coins on the table and, without hesitation, asked, "Would you like to use one coin to escalate your request and apply for a meeting with a ninja?"
Natasha nodded, and the man promptly took one of the coins.
"Please wait a moment."
With that, the task registrar turned and left.
At the Continental Hotel, the rule was simple: one coin per request.
You could use a single coin to get a custom-made, state-of-the-art bulletproof vest or purchase an arsenal of weapons. Even a detailed map of the White House could be obtained for just one coin.
Similarly, accessing the task bar inside the hotel required a coin.
For task assignments, payment could be made in cash or a combination of cash and coins.
Tasks involving coins were prioritized by assassins, but they were also notoriously challenging.
Coins could also escalate requests to upper management, allowing one to request ninja assistance.
However, frivolous or insufficiently challenging tasks with low rewards were not tolerated, and anyone attempting to abuse this privilege would face severe consequences.
Shortly after the registrar left, Natasha's request was reported to Winston, the owner of the New York Continental Hotel.
After reviewing the report, Winston sighed and shook his head.
All ninjas had been recalled the previous day, and none had yet returned. This left him with no choice but to escalate the matter further.
Picking up the phone, Winston hesitated to call Charles Doyle directly—he hadn't seen his boss in person for a long time, only catching glimpses of him on TV.
Instead, he dialed the number of Secretary Ginny. The call was answered promptly.
"Winston, what's the matter?" Ginny asked.
"We have a guest here who wants to commission a task involving ninjas and has requested a face-to-face meeting," Winston explained.
"Unfortunately, none of the hotel's resident ninjas are available. Based on the guest's coins, we suspect it's an undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. agent—likely Natasha Romanoff."
Years ago, ninjas from the Continental Hotel had identified Natasha and discreetly marked the coins given to her. While it wasn't certain that the guest was her, the possibility was high.
Meanwhile, Minato Namikaze entered Ginny's office, carrying a massive scroll.
"You requested a large batch of kunai," he said, "I worked all night crafting them, and along with the existing stock, I've managed to produce 1,000 Hiraishin kunai that meet your specifications."
Globally, the Continental Hotel chain spanned 1,000 locations across 13,810 cities, with a particularly dense presence in 120 major cities. Expanding the network in recent years had made the chain less conspicuous despite its reach.
Initially, Ginny considered postponing or declining the request.
However, upon hearing that it might involve Natasha Romanoff and potentially relate to Charles's upcoming plans, she changed her mind.
"I'll send a ninja to handle it immediately," Ginny said, hanging up.
Turning to Minato, she continued, "Deliver the scroll to Shizuka—she'll handle the distribution of the Hiraishin kunai."
"And you're just in time. The Continental has a task requiring your attention. It might involve Natasha from S.H.I.E.L.D., which could tie into Lord Charles's mission."
Minato's expression brightened hearing this, "If that's the case, I'll handle it. Luckily, I have a Hiraishin mark in the hotel."
"Thank you," Ginny said.
Minato smiled, "Just make sure to log this as a mission for me."
Ginny nodded, "Don't worry—I keep track of all your missions."
With that, Minato sensed the Hiraishin mark he'd left in the Continental Hotel and teleported there instantly.
Watching him vanish, Ginny felt a pang of envy. If only she could possess such an ability. She glanced at the modified Riot Symbiote battle suit she wore, hoping it would suffice for now.
…
Elsewhere-
Natasha didn't have to wait long before the room's door opened again. A blonde-haired man stepped inside.
Seeing the man, Natasha froze for a moment.
It was Minato Namikaze, known as the Yellow Flash of Konoha.
He was a powerful Kage-level ninja. Natasha quickly stood up, impressed by the handsome man before her.
"I didn't expect to meet you," she said, "It seems today is my lucky day."
Minato smiled warmly, his expression exuding a sunny and comforting presence. His golden hair seemed to radiate light, like a small sun, and Natasha immediately felt that having him on board would drastically reduce the risk of this mission.
"You know me, so this conversation will be much easier," Minato said.