“Come in.”

“Good morning madam, did you want to see me?” An equally notable woman entered the office to greet her superior.

“Have a seat Max and you don’t have to be so formal with me.”  Barbara smiled at the formality exhibited and instructed.

“We’re at work Barbara, I should address you accordingly.”  Max lightheartedly defended the ritual and reverted to their usual dialogue.

“Have you seen this?” Barbara handed Max the photo she was examining.  It was a satellite surveillance photo of Kabul’s center market chaos a few days ago.

“Henry? The double agent?” Max commented with somewhat of a surprised tone seeing the face of such man in the photograph.

“Yes, two bullets two days ago.” Barbara replied

“Did we?” The other woman asked, expectedly.

“No, CI6” Barbara confirmed.

“Are you sure? Why would they, we have the most to lose.” Max’s tone was skeptical.

“He double crossed them too with the Taliban.” Barbara detailed.

“They’re getting very efficient.” Max wryly stated.

“It was her.” Barbara divulged another fact.

“Her?” The statement piqued Max’s interest.

“The Black Widow”

“Are you certain?” The disclosure brought the level of intensity in the room multi fold.  Two powerful women locked in a tensed exchange of information on a subject close at heart for one and detrimental to the other.

“Yes, two shots at close range, deadly.”

“They trained her well.” An impressive tone laced Max’s voice.

“Too well” Barbara nodded in agreement.

“Were you thinking of taking her out?” An audible nervousness detected in the question Max asked.

“I can’t do that to you, yet…but we need to minimize the damages she inflicted.  It’s fortunate that most of her targets were those we wished to eliminate ourselves.” Barbara’s tone was sympathetic but firm.

“She’s being manipulated and deceived to do their bidding.” Max feebly defended the cause.

“I am aware of that but she’s getting too fierce and efficient.” Barbara rebutted.

“Can we bring her in?” The other woman asked, expectantly.

“That’s the reason I need to speak with you.” An overdue smile finally graced the authoritative woman face.

“What are the plans?” Max was almost afraid to ask but do so anyway.

“Entrapment”

Barbara offering brought a sigh of relief to the other woman.  The tension in the room slowly dissipated and their conversation carry on in confidential.  A plan was taking shape to snare The Black Widow inside their web of deception.

Tbc?