➶ ｡˚ ° ➶ ｡˚➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚
(𝐑𝐔𝐍)
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT---▹

Kingpin stepped out from the shadows, Iskra shot the man twice, but it barely seemed to phase the man at all, "I'm actually so screwed." Iskra murmured taking a step backward, "You were right." The man began, Iskra kept her gun raised, 

You.

Right.

She didn't reply, staring at the man, "I sent Mikhail to get under your skin, and kill you, when you least expected it," her face was scrunched up in concentration trying to catch as much as the sentence as possible, she really needed to work on her lip reading.

Mikhail.

Kill.

You.

"But if you want things done right, you have to do them yourself," he spoke, and Iskra narrowed her eyes at the man, 

Things.

Done.

Do.

Yourself.

He raised a gun about to fire a shot, probably right between Iskra's eyes, but she made the executive decision that this was a life or death matter, swirling a wave of purple energy shoving the bullet to the side.  An evil smirk found its way to his face, Iskra had done exactly what he wanted. "Why do you want me dead?" Iskra questioned, silently praying that her voice hadn't wavered. "You're a threat," he said simply.

You're.

Threat.

Iskra had heard that one before, too many times to count, she took a deep breath, she just wanted to go home, today was becoming too much, much too fast. "It's my job to be a threat to people like you." she quipped. 

She ran towards him jumping up to his neck, of course, he threw backward about ten feet into the wall, she groaned, he walked towards her fairly slowly but she was still dizzy from the blow, and the blood loss, "Natasha Romanoff would be so disappointed in you, Iskra." he said once he was standing over her,

Natasha Romanoff.

Disappointed.

Iskra.

"You know nothing about my mother." Iskra spat a metallic taste rising up her throat, her eyes glowing a dull purple, energy flickering around her fingers. "You're wrong Iskra Romanoff-Hill, I know more about you than you know about yourself. You don't even know who you're father is," he said a gun pointed right between her eyes. 

You...Wrong.

I know...you.

you...don't. 

even....know.

father.

The man had managed to get under her skin without even trying, but that was a mistake on his part. She used her last bit of energy to throw a shock wave of purple energy at him, sending him flying backward. Iskra knowing he wouldn't stay down long, tried her best to stand up and got the hell out of there.

-----

"Kate your mom just came out the side door," Grills alerted, "I gotta go find her," Kate told Clint, still breathing heavily after the fight on the ice. "You ok?" Clint asked, "Yeah. Find Iskra, please." Kate spoke, before turning to walk away when a bullet skimmed by and then saw Kazi and two other tracksuits, "Just go." Clint instructed, Shooting one arrow and splitting it with a second which Kazi caught when it was just inches from his face. 

"Nice shot." Kazi yelled across the rink, "Yeah, no shit." Clint replied Kazi was about to shoot him when a force from his back knocked him down onto the ice. Yelena slid to her feet standing above him, "No." Iskra cursed watching from just above the rink, she couldn't let Yelena kill Clint, she tried to stand up but collapsed back down, blood coating her hand.

"Before, I kill you." Yelena began, "I need to ask you one question." she said, "It's nice to finally meet you, Yelena." he said still laying on his back, "I need to know what happened." Yelena spoke as Clint sat up. "Look, Yelena." he began, "If I told you what really happened, you would never believe me," he said.

"But what you need to know, is your sister, sacrificed herself, and she saved the world." Clint spoke, "I'm sorry." he added. Yelena shook her head, she was so angry and sad, "You're lying." she scoffed. "What?" Clint asked a little offended, "You're pathetic." Yelena spat, "You're so pathetic." she said before kicking him in the ribs, sending him back onto his back. 

Iskra retied the strip of cloth around her wound pulling herself into a standing position and using the rock wall for support as she limped towards the stairs.

Yelena through kick after kick, after punch at Clint, Yelena was so, so angry and grief-filled. "Nobody killed her," Clint began, "She made a choice," he said. "Stop lying!" Yelena yelled, she tossed him onto his back and he stood up pulling the blonde into a choke-hold, "You're not listening to me." he began, "She sacrificed herself, understand?" he asked, Yelena was on the brink of tears, "I couldn't stop her." he said, pain in his own voice, "No." Yelena replied, breaking out of the hold and kicking him again.

He was back on the ice, "Why would she sacrifice herself for you?" Yelena questioned standing above him, "Why do you deserve it?" she asked, "I don't." he sighed. "So she died because you let her?" Yelena asked, "I fought for it. But she was better than me." he spoke, "You should've fought harder." the blonde said, whipping out her baton, she hit him in the shoulder, and then in the side of the head. 

Iskra collapsed sliding onto the ice with a pained groan, spotting Yelena standing over Clint a gun pointed at his head, "Please, don't do this!" Iskra cried out, Yelena gasped at the sight of Iskra, her niece looked half-dead, "I'm sorry." she murmured.

Sorry.

Tears were streaming down Iskra's face at this point, "Please...please." she sobbed. Clint let out a whistle, Iskra couldn't hear it but saw Yelena's face drop, "How do you know that?" she asked her voice shaking, he sat up turning around to face Yelena slowly, "Your secret whistle with Nat." he paused, Yelena lowered her gun, "She talked about you all the time, Yelena." he said.

"She did?" Yelena asked, Clint, nodded still winded from the fight, "What did she say?" she asked, "She told me about how you got separated as kids." he paused, "She was flying that plane." Yelena's face showed so much pain, "I asked her if she was scared," he paused, "All she could think about is that you were safe." he paused, "That never changed, Yelena." he said. 

A tear streamed down Yelena's face and Iskra was crying even though she only caught bits and pieces of the conversation. "She loved you," Clint said, "And always wanted you safe." Yelena let out breathy sobs, turning away from Clint. 

"You got so much time with her." Yelena's voice shook, "Yes, I did." he nodded, "It shouldn't have gone this way." she said shaking her head. "If I was there, I could've stopped it, I could've...I could've." the blonde cried. "Nothing was going to stop her, Yelena." Clint paused, "You know Natasha." he added.

Yelena stifled a sob, "She made her choice." Clint spoke, "We're gonna have to find a way to live with that." he said, and Yelena moved to kneel down beside Iskra holding her close, they both cried. "I loved her so much," Yelena said to Clint, her voice breaking. "Me too." Clint nodded. 

"I'm sorry." Iskra cried into Yelena's hug, "I'm so sorry...I should've gone with them." Iskra cried, and Yelena tried her best to comfort her niece while tears coated her own cheeks. "I love you." Yelena signed, "I love you too Auntie 'Lena." she signed back. When Yelena's eyes met Clint's, he said, "I'm sorry." and she gave him a slight nod still holding Iskra close.

------

Yelena made sure Iskra got proper medical attention and now Iskra and Clint sat on the back of an ambulance, Kate limping to sit by them, "You're ok," Kate sighed in relief her eyes landing on Iskra, who had clearly been crying. Iskra gave Kate a soft smile, reaching out for the brunette's hand, and Kate gratefully accepted holding Iskra's hand and sat beside the girl. "You know, I gotta be honest with you Kate." Clint began, and Iskra phased him hoping to catch some of what he was saying.  "It doesn't happen too often but, every once in a while, you come across somebody that just makes you better." he paused, "In every way," he spoke. "And that Missy, by she just..." he joked, "Outdid herself with the suit, Right?" he asked, "Ok, you can stop," Kate said with a small laugh. 

"I know tonight, was a lot," Clint began, "For both of you," he said reaching out to give Iskra's hand a squeeze. "You took on Kingpin all by yourself." he paused, "Not many people walk away from something like that, but you both did." he spoke, "And I am so proud of both of you," he said. "Thank you," Kate said, and Iskra signed it.  

"You know what? We've gotta walk the dog."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

HIIII! WE HAVE ONE MORE CHAPTER + THE EPILOGUE, AND THEN WE'RE ON TO BOOK TWO OF ISKRA AND KATE'S STORY! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S IN STORE FOR THE TWO OF THEM IN THEIR SERIES!  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT IN THIS BOOK, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO TELL FUTURE STORIES!