Black Winter.
Introduction
I grab the bottle of bourbon from the desk in front of me -downing the rest of it- as my eyes never leave the file in front of me; my file to be exact. If you look at me, you’d think I was normal. Behind the less than average auburn hair and crystal blue eyes that feign some kind of innocence, I’m far from normal. I spent most of my life in a Russian Orphanage, that’s until about five years ago. I still remember this because they -oddly enough- want me too. The “they” in question are the masterminds behind the Red Room and Black Widow Ops. Both have been rumored to vanish years ago, only nothing truly vanishes, am I right?
As I’m reading my file, a smirk pulls on the corner of my lips. I know exactly what I’m doing and I know it can’t be good; but I don’t care. It’s not like I have anyone to worry about being disappointed in me. My father was never mentioned and the people at the orphanage said my mother dropped me off in the middle of the night on their door step. Did I mention in the pouring rain, as well? It’s safe to say, she didn’t want me then and certainly wouldn’t want me now. But that doesn’t matter. I’m Russian, with that being said, I’m immune to petty emotions like that. With my training, and my already hardened heart, the thought of my mother being disappointed rarely comes up. It’s not like I come up in her thoughts either. If I did, she would have attempted to contact me, right?
I hear a knock on my bedroom door, prompting me to close down any program I have running. Just as I turn around, Dmitri walks into the room, in all his black leather and pale skin glory.
“Yes, my favorite pain in the ass.” I sweetly smile at him, already knowing why he’s in here.
“Asyia, you really got to stop hacking servers; they’ll catch you sooner or later.” He sighs before sitting down on my bed. Out of everyone in Russia, everyone involved with the training of the Black Widows, I’m closest to him. No idea why, but we’re attached at the hip.
“Dmitri, I’m fine; they’re not going to catch me.” I assure him, “SHIELD has no idea I exist and that’s going to stay that way.”
“You can’t be so sure.” Dmitri sighs, telling me he knows something; something big.
“You know something; spill.” I demand, narrowing my eyes at him; getting more serious by the second.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he scoffs, “I’m just here to warn you, especially since you’re going to the United States on a mission.”
“Fine, whatever you say.” I roll my eyes in annoyance, earning a blue eyed glare from Dmitri.
“You’re going to be on their turf, you’re going to have to be on alert at all times or---”
“I’ll expose everyone here, I know.” I cut him off, “I’m the only agent that can tie back to this place. I get it. I’m also the only agent that’s truly a ghost, I’m not even in the system anymore.”
“There is a reason for that.” He explains, “someone is snooping around trying to find you.”
“And who would do such a thing?” I question him accompanied by a raise brow.
“Your mother…”
Nastasha Romanoff
“Nat!” The voice of my partner sounds out, snapping me from my trance. I turn my head to the right and I’m met with a concern look on Clint’s face. “You ok? You’re really spaced out; this isn’t like you.”
“I’m fine, just didn’t get a lot of sleep.” It wasn’t a lie, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night but I’m not giving him the exact reason behind it.
“What’s going on with you?” He presses on, “you’re always like this around the same time of year. I’ve noticed this for awhile but never asked because if you wanted me to know, you would have told.”
“You’re right, I would have told you.” I unintentionally snap, “it’s nothing Clint; I’m just tired; that’s it.”
A sigh escapes his lips as he shakes his head, “whatever you say Tasha. Whatever you say.”
“So do you have any idea why we’re here?” I ask him, “Fury said it was important.”
“All I know is that this upcoming threat has something to do with the Red Room and Black Widow Ops.”
“Both of those have vanished for years.” I remind him, “is Fury sure about this.”
“He called you and Bucky in,” he informs me, “so yea, I think he’s 100% sure.”
A sigh escapes my lips. Bucky, another reason why today of all days is the worst for me. If I hadn’t loved him, if I hadn’t gotten involved, I wouldn’t be in this mess.
My thoughts are interrupted by the voice of my past. I look up and see Bucky standing there, Steve right by his side. He shoots me a smile before sitting down; he knows we’re going to end up having to work together. We’re the only ones that know Red Room and Black Widows Ops better than anyone else here. We lived through everything.
“So do we know anything about why we’re here?” Bucky asks, “more importantly what this has to do with programs that have been long gone.”
“Fury believes whatever threat is brewing in Russia has something to do with Red Room.” I reply in monotone.
Bucky gives me a questioning look, “you ok, Natasha? You seem off.”
“Is everyone going to ask me that?” I scoff, “I’m fine. Just tired.”
Just as I reply, Fury walks into the room with Hill not too far behind him, “thank you for coming in on such short notice.”
“It’s not like we really had much of a choice, you sent your dog out on us.” Clint says, motioning to Hill, “so you might as well just cut to the chase Director.”
“I’m sure you guys are well aware of the chaos brewing in Russia as we speak. Countless US soldiers and important figures are getting slaughtered out there.”
“And you believe it has something to do with Red Room,” Bucky cuts in. “I can assure you, the program has been dead for awhile now.”
“Then complain this.” Fury throws a folder down in front of Bucky. I lean in and see that it’s a list -accompanied by pictures- of what looks like new Black Widow recruits.
“This could be anything, a bunch of girls trying to make it seem like they’re Black Widows.” Bucky reasons, it not a long shot but still not possible.
“Maybe these are daughters of former Black Widows.” Steve suggests.
“No, all Black Widows are infertile; that’s how they wanted them.” Bucky disproves his friend’s suggestion. He’s right, we are suppose to be infertile but sometimes, someone falls between the cracks and things happen that’s doesn’t go according to plan…
As I’m reading my file, a smirk pulls on the corner of my lips. I know exactly what I’m doing and I know it can’t be good; but I don’t care. It’s not like I have anyone to worry about being disappointed in me. My father was never mentioned and the people at the orphanage said my mother dropped me off in the middle of the night on their door step. Did I mention in the pouring rain, as well? It’s safe to say, she didn’t want me then and certainly wouldn’t want me now. But that doesn’t matter. I’m Russian, with that being said, I’m immune to petty emotions like that. With my training, and my already hardened heart, the thought of my mother being disappointed rarely comes up. It’s not like I come up in her thoughts either. If I did, she would have attempted to contact me, right?
I hear a knock on my bedroom door, prompting me to close down any program I have running. Just as I turn around, Dmitri walks into the room, in all his black leather and pale skin glory.
“Yes, my favorite pain in the ass.” I sweetly smile at him, already knowing why he’s in here.
“Asyia, you really got to stop hacking servers; they’ll catch you sooner or later.” He sighs before sitting down on my bed. Out of everyone in Russia, everyone involved with the training of the Black Widows, I’m closest to him. No idea why, but we’re attached at the hip.
“Dmitri, I’m fine; they’re not going to catch me.” I assure him, “SHIELD has no idea I exist and that’s going to stay that way.”
“You can’t be so sure.” Dmitri sighs, telling me he knows something; something big.
“You know something; spill.” I demand, narrowing my eyes at him; getting more serious by the second.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he scoffs, “I’m just here to warn you, especially since you’re going to the United States on a mission.”
“Fine, whatever you say.” I roll my eyes in annoyance, earning a blue eyed glare from Dmitri.
“You’re going to be on their turf, you’re going to have to be on alert at all times or---”
“I’ll expose everyone here, I know.” I cut him off, “I’m the only agent that can tie back to this place. I get it. I’m also the only agent that’s truly a ghost, I’m not even in the system anymore.”
“There is a reason for that.” He explains, “someone is snooping around trying to find you.”
“And who would do such a thing?” I question him accompanied by a raise brow.
“Your mother…”
Nastasha Romanoff
“Nat!” The voice of my partner sounds out, snapping me from my trance. I turn my head to the right and I’m met with a concern look on Clint’s face. “You ok? You’re really spaced out; this isn’t like you.”
“I’m fine, just didn’t get a lot of sleep.” It wasn’t a lie, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night but I’m not giving him the exact reason behind it.
“What’s going on with you?” He presses on, “you’re always like this around the same time of year. I’ve noticed this for awhile but never asked because if you wanted me to know, you would have told.”
“You’re right, I would have told you.” I unintentionally snap, “it’s nothing Clint; I’m just tired; that’s it.”
A sigh escapes his lips as he shakes his head, “whatever you say Tasha. Whatever you say.”
“So do you have any idea why we’re here?” I ask him, “Fury said it was important.”
“All I know is that this upcoming threat has something to do with the Red Room and Black Widow Ops.”
“Both of those have vanished for years.” I remind him, “is Fury sure about this.”
“He called you and Bucky in,” he informs me, “so yea, I think he’s 100% sure.”
A sigh escapes my lips. Bucky, another reason why today of all days is the worst for me. If I hadn’t loved him, if I hadn’t gotten involved, I wouldn’t be in this mess.
My thoughts are interrupted by the voice of my past. I look up and see Bucky standing there, Steve right by his side. He shoots me a smile before sitting down; he knows we’re going to end up having to work together. We’re the only ones that know Red Room and Black Widows Ops better than anyone else here. We lived through everything.
“So do we know anything about why we’re here?” Bucky asks, “more importantly what this has to do with programs that have been long gone.”
“Fury believes whatever threat is brewing in Russia has something to do with Red Room.” I reply in monotone.
Bucky gives me a questioning look, “you ok, Natasha? You seem off.”
“Is everyone going to ask me that?” I scoff, “I’m fine. Just tired.”
Just as I reply, Fury walks into the room with Hill not too far behind him, “thank you for coming in on such short notice.”
“It’s not like we really had much of a choice, you sent your dog out on us.” Clint says, motioning to Hill, “so you might as well just cut to the chase Director.”
“I’m sure you guys are well aware of the chaos brewing in Russia as we speak. Countless US soldiers and important figures are getting slaughtered out there.”
“And you believe it has something to do with Red Room,” Bucky cuts in. “I can assure you, the program has been dead for awhile now.”
“Then complain this.” Fury throws a folder down in front of Bucky. I lean in and see that it’s a list -accompanied by pictures- of what looks like new Black Widow recruits.
“This could be anything, a bunch of girls trying to make it seem like they’re Black Widows.” Bucky reasons, it not a long shot but still not possible.
“Maybe these are daughters of former Black Widows.” Steve suggests.
“No, all Black Widows are infertile; that’s how they wanted them.” Bucky disproves his friend’s suggestion. He’s right, we are suppose to be infertile but sometimes, someone falls between the cracks and things happen that’s doesn’t go according to plan…
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