The employee looked at Adam and Natasha for a second.
Then his face relaxed into a polite smile.
"Oh," he said. "Congratulations."
Adam kept his arm around Natasha's shoulder.
He was already close to her. After the employee looked at the computer, Adam shifted a little more. His body blocked one side of the laptop. Natasha did the same from the other side, her hand still moving on the keyboard while her face stayed calm.
To anyone walking past, they looked like a couple choosing a trip.
To Adam, it felt like his heart had started making too much noise.
Natasha did not look at him.
The employee smiled again, though he still looked a little unsure.
"If you need anything else, just let me know."
Adam smiled back quickly.
"Thanks," he said. "We will."
The employee nodded and walked away.
The moment he left, Natasha's smile disappeared. Her eyes returned to the screen, and her fingers moved faster over the keyboard.
Adam stayed where he was.
He could feel her shoulder under his hand.
That was making it very hard for him to act normal.
Natasha watched the loading bar and spoke in a low voice.
"The drive can be tracked. The moment I opened it, S.H.I.E.L.D. had a way to know where we were."
Adam looked toward the store entrance.
People were still moving through the mall like nothing was wrong. Some carried bags. Some looked at phones. A few stopped near the glass railings and talked.
None of them knew STRIKE could be on the way.
"How much time?" Adam asked.
"Not much."
Natasha kept working.
Adam looked back at the screen, then at her hand. He was trying not to focus on the fact that his own hand was still on her shoulder.
Natasha did not look up.
"You can let go now," she said.
Adam froze for half a second.
"No," he said.
Natasha's fingers did not stop. "No?"
Adam swallowed.
"Our cover will get blown."
There was a small hesitation in his voice, and he knew she heard it.
Natasha finally glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"Is that the only reason?"
Adam tried to look serious.
"Yes."
Natasha looked back at the screen.
"You are getting worse at lying."
Adam was about to answer when the screen changed.
A map opened. A point appeared over New Jersey.
Natasha leaned closer.
"Got it."
Adam looked at the location and recognized it because of Steve Rogers.
"Wait," Adam said quietly. "I know this place."
Natasha's eyes moved to him.
"How?"
Adam pointed at the screen, keeping his voice low.
"This is where Steve trained. Before he became Captain America."
Natasha looked back at the map.
That actually surprised her.
"You know that?"
Adam gave a small shrug.
"I told you. I know some things."
Natasha looked like she wanted to ask more.
Then her expression changed.
Adam followed her eyes.
Two SHIELD agents had entered the store.
They were coming closer.
Natasha pulled the flash drive out at once.
"Move," she said.
Adam took her hand and started walking with her before she could say anything else.
For a second, Natasha looked at their joined hands.
Then she let it happen.
They left the computer table and stepped into the flow of people outside the store. Adam kept his pace normal, though every part of him wanted to run.
Natasha walked beside him.
"Do not rush," she said.
"I know."
"You look like you want to run."
"That is because I want to run."
"Then don't."
Adam forced himself to slow down.
They reached the escalator and stepped onto it.
As they went down, Adam looked ahead.
Then he saw them.
More agents were coming up from the lower level. At the same time, another man was moving behind them from the upper side.
The space around them suddenly felt much smaller.
Natasha saw it too.
She turned toward Adam.
"Kiss me."
Adam did not ask what or freeze. He did not even pretend to be confused.
The moment she said it, Adam leaned in and kissed her.
Natasha went still for a small moment. Then her hand touched his arm, and she turned slightly so the agents coming up the other side could only see two people lost in their own world.
The agents passed beside them.
One of them glanced their way.
Then he looked away.
The escalator carried Adam and Natasha down.
Adam knew they should stop.
He also knew he did not want to be the first one to stop.
Only when they reached the lower floor did Natasha pull back.
Adam opened his eyes.
Natasha was looking straight at him, more surprised than before.
"You were very ready for that..." she said.
Adam cleared his throat.
"Fast learner."
"That is not what I asked."
"ohh...then I misunderstood the question."
Natasha stared at him for one more second.
Then she grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the parking exit.
They moved through the crowd without stopping. Behind them, the agents were still spreading through the mall. No one fired or shouted. That was the only reason Adam did not transform.
If he became an alien here, every camera in the place would catch it.
Natasha reached a parked car and opened it fast.
Adam did not ask how.
He got into the driver's seat while Natasha slid into the passenger side. A few seconds later, the car pulled out of the parking area and joined the road.
Adam drove until the mall disappeared behind them.
Only after they were out of the danger zone did Natasha turn her head toward him.
"You knew something like that was going to happen," she said.
Adam kept his eyes on the road.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
Natasha leaned back in her seat.
"You sent Steve away before we reached the mall. You stayed close before I told you to. And when I said kiss me, you reacted like you were waiting for the line."
Adam smiled a little.
"That sounds like a lot of guesses."
Natasha looked at him for a few seconds.
Then she said, "I liked it....You are a good kisser."