Berovo, North Macedonia
2016

Several weeks have passed since the Sokovia Accords and since the Avengers got separated.

During that time, Aaron had managed to remove the tracker in his Flash suit. He did find it amusing to see Ross and a bunch of soldiers march into a busy brothel in Albania looking for The Flash, since that's where Aaron put the tracker and activate it.

He couldn't check up on his friends in LA or even his mother, which always upsets him every time he thinks about it, but Bobbi was always there to comfort him as best as she could.

Speaking of Bobbi, she and Aaron were still going strong. This whole situation they were in made them feel like Bonnie and Clyde, minus all the crimes.

Aaron stopped looking into the Red Room and its location. It's not like he could keep looking, even if he wanted to. It was much simpler when he wasn't a fugitive and he could use his power without risking his freedom and when the world still believed Aaron O'Connor and The Flash were two separate people. Now, it's too risky and ridiculously harder than it already is.

Aaron and Bobbi had entered the apartment they stayed in when they noticed a letter sitting on the table.

Aaron opened the letter and read it.

To AO,
Meet here
We need to talk
-YB

It was followed by an address in Budapest.

Aaron figured that AO were his initials, but he didn't know the other initials.

Aaron: (confused) YB? You know any YB?

Bobbi: Let me see that.

Aaron handed Bobbi the letter as she inspected it.

She saw the initials and the address and had an idea who might have sent it.

Bobbi: I think so.

Aaron: Who?

Bobbi: I might be wrong, but it might Natasha's sister, Yelena.

Aaron: (wide-eyed) Nat has a sister?!

Bobbi: Adoptive sister. The B stands for Belova.

Aaron: Yelena Belova. Got it.

Bobbi: What I don't get is why would she want to meet you? I don't think it's because she's a fan.

Aaron: ...Well, one way to find out.

He grabs his burner phone, but Bobbi stopped him.

Bobbi: Wait, what if this is a trap?

Aaron: Well, I'll never know unless I get there, right?

Bobbi still looked concerned.

Aaron: I'll be fine. You taught me everything you know, right?

Bobbi: Yeah, I know. I'm just worried, that's all.

Aaron: I understand.

He pulled her into a deep kiss, which she reciprocates. They separated but kept their foreheads touching.

Aaron: I promise to be careful.

Bobbi: You better.

He gets his burner phone and calls the only number in his contacts.

Aaron: Mason, it's Aaron.

Mason: (on the phone) Flashy Boy, how may I be of service?

Aaron: Well, for one, stop calling me that. And two, I need a ride to Budapest as quickly as possible.

Mason: (on the phone) New holiday spot with the missus?

Aaron: No, just me. There's something I need to do there.

Mason: (on the phone) I can get you something in a couple of hours. I'll send you the address.

Aaron: Thanks, Mason.

Mason: (on the phone) No problem.

Mason hangs up as Aaron prepares to leave.

Timeskip

Aaron had arrived at the address that Mason sent him. He saw the man himself Rick Mason.

Aaron: Mason, what's up?

Mason: Well, business is doing well, thanks for asking.

Aaron: Good. You got what I asked for?

Mason nods as he takes out a passport and plane ticket to Budapest and hands it to Aaron.

Aaron opens the passport, and looks at his fake name, and sighed as he looked at Mason.

Aaron: Michael Oxmaul?

Mason shrugs.

Aaron: (sighs) Mike Oxmaul?

Mason began laughing as Aaron shook his head.

Aaron: I swear, you're like a child in a grown man's body. You might actually give Jennifer Garner and Tom Hanks a run for their money.

Mason: You should be honored. It's better than the name I gave your friend.

Aaron knew that Mason was talking about Natasha.

Aaron: Okay, now I'm intrigued. What'd you give her?

Mason: Fanny Longbottom.

Aaron raised an eyebrow.

Mason: What? It's a legitimate name.

Aaron: So Nat gets a Harry Potter reference while I get a penis joke. Thanks.

Mason: No problem.

Aaron gives him the money.

Aaron: See you soon.

Mason: Bye, Flashy Boy.

Aaron groaned as he walked away.

Budapest, Hungary

Aaron made his way to the address, which led to a run-down apartment building.

He got in the elevator and went up.

He got out of the elevator and went to the apartment, only to find the door open as sounds of a struggle can be heard from inside until it stopped.

???: Перемирие. [Truce.]

He can hear the voices of two women from inside, but he couldn't tell who they were, and it doesn't help that they're both speaking Russian.

???: Вы выросли. [You've grown.]

???: ни хрена. [No shit.]

He  took out his batons (like the ones Bobbi uses) and slowly went into the apartment.

Aaron went further into the apartment. He was suddenly met with the barrel of a pistol to his face...held by a familiar redhead.

Aaron: (confused) Natasha?

Natasha: (confused) Aaron?

Aaron: What are you doing here?

Natasha: (lowers her gun) What are you doing here?

Aaron: I asked first, so you answer first.

???: I didn't think she'd come here.

Aaron and Natasha turn to see a blonde woman standing behind them. When the blonde looked at Aaron, her expression changed for a split second before changing back.

Blonde: He's here because I told him to come here.

Aaron: I take it you're Yelena?

Both Natasha and Yelena looked surprised that Aaron knew the blonde's name.

Aaron: (to Yelena) My girlfriend told me your name. (turns to Natasha) You never said you had a sister, Nat, adoptive or not.

Natasha: You never asked.

Aaron simply nods in response as Natasha talked to Yelena.

Natasha: If you didn't think I'd come here, why'd you send me this?

She put a bunch of vials filled with a red substance that Aaron recognized on the table.

Yelena: You brought it back here?!

She walks away from Natasha and Aaron, who follow her into a room.

Natasha: I'm not in here trying to be your friend, but you need to tell us what that is.

Yelena: It's a synthetic gas. The counteragent to chemical subjugation. The gas immunizes the brain's neural pathways from external manipulation.

Natasha: Maybe in English next time.

Aaron: It's an antidote to mind control.
Yelena: Это противоядие от контроля над разумом. [It's an antidote for mind control.]

Natasha: настоящая зрелая. [Real mature]

Aaron: I though Widows didn't go through mind control. I mean, Nat didn't.

Yelena: Well, you thought wrong. (turns to Natasha) Why not have your speedy scientist friend here explain it better. Or maybe go to Tony Stark if he's not good enough.

Aaron: (scoffs) I wouldn't trust Stark with a damn thing, not after what happened. We're not on speaking terms, anyways.

Yelena: Great, perfect timing. Where's a useful Avenger when you need one?

Aaron: Okay, you need to stop being a bitch. Nat and I are on the run, I left my girlfriend in another country just because you wanted to talk. You could've gotten either of us killed.

Yelena: Well, what was I supposed to do? Natasha's the only superhero person that I know. And I...

She stopped herself, which Aaron and Natasha noticed.

Yelena: That was the whole reason I sent it to Natasha...I kept checking the news, expecting to see Captain America or The Flash bringing down the Red Room.

Natasha: (shocked) What? Taking down the Red Room? What are you talking about? It's been gone for years. Dreykov's dead, I killed him.

Yelena: You don't actually believe that, do you?

Natasha stayed silent, which Yelena noticed.

Yelena: You really do believe that.

Natasha: Dreykov's dead. It took almost destroying the entire city just to get to him.

Yelena: If you're so sure, then tell me what happened. Tell me exactly.

Natasha: We rigged bombs.

Yelena: Who's "we?"

Natasha: Clint Barton. Killing Dreykov was the final step in my defection to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Yelena: (shrugs) Simple as that?

Natasha: Yeah, sure, "simple". That's what I'd call imploding a 5-story building, then shooting it out with the Hungarian Special Forces. It took 10 days in hiding to even get out of Budapest.

Yelena: And you checked the body? Confirmed the kill?

Natasha: There was no body left to check.

Natasha walked away before Yelena spoke.

Yelena: You're forgetting Dreykov's daughter.

Natasha stopped walking and turned to face Yelena.

Yelena: (gestures to Aaron) How about you ask your fast friend over here? He's been investigating the Red Room for a year.

Natasha widens her eyes as Aaron looked at Yelena in shock. Yelena noticed their expressions.

Yelena: (to Natasha) He didn't tell you?

Natasha: No...(glares at Aaron) No, he did not.

Aaron: (sighs) Nat, look...

They were interrupted when heard several footsteps above them. Suddenly, the room imploded as several Widows emerged from the hole and into the apartment.

Yelena grabbed the vials as she and Aaron hid behind the doorway while Natasha hid behind a cabinet.

They heard the front door get kicked open as more Widows entered.

Yelena placed the vials in a bag before handing it to Aaron. He was confused until she grabbed him by his shirt and ran out of cover with him, prompting the Widows to fire at them.

Luckily, they made it to Natasha unscathed as Yelena flipped a switch to make the lightbulbs explode, covering the apartment in smoke.

The trio ambushed the Widows and neutralized them quickly before running out of the apartment.

They tried running down the stairs, but they saw several Widows down there. There were more of them outside the building.

Yelena threw a grenade downstairs before running up the stairs with Aaron and Natasha following her.

Natasha: Where are we trying to go?!

Yelena: Motorbike, east side of the building!

Aaron looked out of the window and saw a glint. He knew exactly what that is.

Aaron: Sniper! Keep your heads down!

The sniper shot at them, but the three kept there heads down as they ran to the roof.

They kept running when Natasha noticed a Widow chasing them on foot.

Natasha, Yelena, and Aaron ran towards a smoke stack as Yelena removed the lock connecting it to the building and pushed it, making the stack fall to the the adjacent building .

The Widow jumped to them, but couldn't hang on, so Natasha decided to grab her hand to keep her from falling.

Natasha: I got you!

The Widow pulled out a knife and slashed Natasha's arm, forcing her to let go as the Widow fell to the ground.

The stack hit the building as Yelena and Aaron crashed through a window while Natasha fell off, hitting the scaffolding until she reached the ground.

Aaron tried to run to the window to check if Natasha's okay, but Yelena stopped him.

Yelena: She'll be fine, come on!

Aaron reluctantly followed Yelena down the building and exited to the alley where Natasha and the Widow landed, Yelena took out a vial and went to the Widow, only to find the Widow dead.

Yelena pockets the vial back.

Yelena: (to Natasha) Do you believe me now?

Natasha: How many others?

Yelena: Enough.

Yelena ran back into the building, Natasha glared at Aaron before following her. Aaron gulped before following them.

They made it to the east side of the building and found several motorbikes parked.

Natasha: (to Yelena) Which one's yours?

Yelena: Black, brown seat.

She quickly checks her pockets, but...

Yelena: Where are my keys?

Natasha pulled a set of keys out of her pocket, which Yelena recognized as hers.

Yelena: Сука! [Bitch!] (turns to Aaron) Aaron, I'm sorry, but-

Aaron: Don't worry, I got it.

Natasha got on Yelena's bike as she sat behind her.

Aaron got on a random bike and rips off the panel, exposing the wiring inside.

Natasha: Grand theft auto? That's your idea?

Aaron: Give me shit about it later!

He pulls out a pocket knife and cuts a wire and began trying to hot-wire the bike.

Suddenly, they saw a car flying past them as it something rammed into it. Aaron proceeded to try faster until the engine roared to life.

Aaron: Yes!

Natasha and Aaron rode away as an armored vehicle turned the corner and began chasing them.

(A/N: Aaron is on a separate bike alongside them)

Aaron, Natasha, and Yelena turned into a building and reached a road.

They heard motorbike engines behind them. Aaron looked behind him and saw a Widow chasing them.

The three kept riding until the Widow shot out their tires, making them fall off their bike and in front of an SUV.

The driver got out of the car, only for Yelena to point her gun at him, backing him up until she got into the car.

Aaron and Natasha followed suit.

Natasha: (to Yelena) You too? You can't just steal somebody's car or bike.

Yelena: So you want me to chase him down and un-steal it?

Natasha got in the driver seat, Yelena in the passenger seat, and Aaron in the back seat.

Natasha reversed into the car behind her.

Yelena: Any time now!

Natasha: Shut up!

The Widows arrived and began shooting at them as Natasha drove off as the Widows chased them down.

Yelena and Aaron noticed that the Widows were still chasing them.

Yelena: (to Natasha) Okay, you got a plan, should we just stay, duck, and cover?

Natasha: My plan was to drive us away.

Aaron: And you wonder why nobody lets you plan anything. (turns to Yelena) Yelena, handbrake and wheel, now!

Yelena pulls the handbrake and turns the wheel harshly so that the car would go backwards. Aaron opened the door as it hit a pole, taking it off and knocking a Widow off her bike.

Natasha readjusts the car to face forwards as she continued driving.

Aaron: Thank me later!

The armored vehicle from before rammed them from behind. Yelena looked back and realized something.

Yelena: Oh, shit! He's back!

Aaron looked back and saw a figure in a skull mask emerge from the roof and draw an arrow at them.

Aaron: Crap!

He quickly puts his seatbelt on.

Natasha: (to Yelena) Put your seatbelt on!

Yelena: You're such a mom!

Yelena quickly put her seatbelt on as the figure shot the arrow and hit the undercarriage of their SUV, causing an explosion that sent it flying and land back on the road upside down and skid into a subway station.

Natasha, Yelena, and Aaron crawl out of the car, but Yelena's arm was bleeding. She grabbed a piece of cloth and tried to wrap it around her wound, but Natasha stopped her.

Natasha: No, not now. Trust me.

The three began running into the subway as the figure chased them down.

They slid down an escalator when a shield flew past them and hit a beam in front of them. They got up and kept running.

They reached a grate, and Natasha jumped up to open a vent above them.

Aaron locked his hands together and put them in front of them.

Aaron: Nat, you first!

Aaron boosted Natasha into the vent.

He then boosted Yelena into the vent with Natasha pulling her up.

Natasha and Yelena pulled Aaron into the vent as he closed it just before the figure saw them.

The figure followed the trail of blood left by Yelena, which stopped just before a grate. He pulled the grate open, only to find nothing there.

The figure jumped into the grate, thinking that they went through there.

In the vents, Natasha looked out to check if the coast is clear while Aaron helped Yelena with her wound.

Aaron: (to Natasha) Next time, I'm driving.

Natasha glared at Aaron before checking up on Yelena.

Natasha: You okay?

Yelena: (sarcastically) Yeah, great plan. I love the part where I almost bled to death.

Aaron: It's just a flesh wound, so it could've been worse.

Yelena: (sighs) I guess.

Aaron looked at Natasha and saw that she was glaring at him, and she looked pissed.

Aaron: Okay, just-

Natasha immediately punched Aaron on the nose, breaking it.

Aaron held his nose in pain as he looked at Natasha, who still looked pissed.

Aaron: Yeah, I deserved that.

Natasha: (angrily) You're damn right, you deserved that! You spent a year looking into the Red Room, you knew it was still active after all these years, and you never told me! What made you think that was a good idea?!

Aaron: Well, you just demonstrated one of the reasons.

Natasha punched Aaron again, this time across the jaw.

Natasha: Being a wise-ass isn't gonna help you, O'Connor! You better have a damn good reason why you never told me this, or I'll send you back to Bobbi in pieces!

Aaron: I was trying to look after you, Natasha!

Natasha's expression changed from anger from confusion.

Natasha: (confused) What?

Aaron: You know what I learned about the Red Room? The Widows they train are ruthless and merciless, just like the man who took them when they were kids! And once he thinks they've outlived their usefulness...well, you already saw what happens.

Natasha's expression softened as Aaron kept speaking.

Aaron: If I had told you earlier, you would've thrown everything you had away and went after the Red Room until it became an obsession. And if you did find it, and that's a big "if", you would've gotten yourself killed before you even get within 500 feet from it, assuming you even make it that far. And as your friend, I couldn't let that happen.

Natasha was shocked to hear those words. She knew that he was right, she would've gotten obsessed with taking down the Red Room.

Natasha: I...I'm sorry.

Aaron: It's okay, I get it.

Yelena noticed Aaron's broken nose.

Yelena: Let me help with that.

Aaron: No, it's okay. Just give it a few minutes.

Yelena: (confused) What are you-

Aaron: I have accelerated healing. Even with the inhibitor I'm wearing, it still works just as fast as it does without.

Yelena nods before looking around the cramped space they were in.

Yelena: This is cozy.

Natasha: Barton and I spent 2 days hiding up here.

Yelena: That must've been fun.

Aaron: Who was that guy, anyway?

Yelena: Dreykov's special project. He can mimic anyone he's ever seen. It's like fighting a mirror. Dreykov only deploys him for top priority missions.

Natasha: It doesn't make any sense.

Yelena: Well, the truth rarely make sense when you emit key details.

Natasha and Aaron looked at Yelena.

Natasha: What does that supposed to mean?

Yelena: You didn't say a word about Dreykov's daughter...You killed her.

Aaron looked at Natasha in shock.

Natasha: I had to. I needed her to lead me to Dreykov. Dreykov's daughter was collateral damage. I needed her to be sure.

Aaron: No, you didn't.

Natasha: (turns to Aaron) What would you have done?

Aaron: Not drag a kid into the pits of hell. Her dad may be a heartless monster, but she didn't deserve to be punished for it. And now, here you are, not so sure if her dad's dead.

Natasha: You're right. She didn't deserve it. At the time, I needed out, and I was willing to do anything to do that. I was selfish, and she died because of it.

She looked down in regret. Aaron noticed and put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her.