CHAPTER SIX; BLACK WIDOW

❝ trust is and always will be a chance we take with every person we meet ❞

･ ｡ﾟ☆

❝ st. petersburg ❞

"WHAT DO YOU PLAN ON DOING WHEN WE FIND DREYKOV," wondered Alina as they continued their never-ending walk to Melina.

Natasha thoughts about it for a moment it, "Bring him in," she answered believing his punishment should be becoming exposed for the coward he was. Alina stopped making the ginger stop, "Is that not what you wanted to hear?"

The shadow widow nodded, "I want him dead," said Alina, "I want him off this earth where I know he'll never hurt another little girl. How do you not want him dead?"

Natasha glanced back at the others signaling for them to go ahead. Placing her hands on either side of the girls arms she said, "Because this way he is held accountable for his actions."

This made Alina laugh, stepping out of her grasp she argued, "Held accountable? You think they'll hold him accountable for what he did or ask him to help them make their own?" Even Natasha had to admit, the theory had crossed her mind. "See, you don't even trust they'll do right by us. And if you won't, and they won't, then I'll kill him myself."

Feeling claws digging into her hand Alina tried walking away from her. How could Natasha have hope they would do the right thing? They were being hunted by their own government for daring to say, 'no.' What else would they do if they could have their own widows, if they could utilize them? Natasha still grabbed her hand trying to say, "Killing him isn't going to fix you, it's just going to get more blood on your hands Alina."

Alina snatched her arm from her spinning around rapidly as her eyes shifted from her gold wolf eyes to her blue witch hues. "I don't care if it fixes me," she shouted making Natasha back away. "I'm not naïve, I know it won't give me back my childhood. But I do know, they tore me apart. They made me a killer, they put blood on MY HANDS for the first time when I was five years old! The least I can do for that little girl they murdered is make sure some of the blood on her hands, is his."

"And what I'd you can't come back from it," Natasha challenged.

The Dranganov widow calmed herself to say, "What makes you think I left what they did to me? Every time I close my eyes, I'm in one of rooms. Every touch is another needle, every new person is someone knew to peel back my skin. I never left the red room, and neither did you. You really are kidding yourself if you think those parts aren't there with all the other parts of who you are. If you can wake up every day and not be stuck inside those rooms you were raised in, great, but I'm can't. And I might as well stay stuck there forever if he lives."

With nothing more to say, Alina pulled her arms in towards her chest walking off. Natasha wasn't going to stop her from getting her revenge, she just didn't want that to become all Alina was. The revengeful witch the red room had torn apart.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·

❝ st. petersburg [ melina's farm ] ❞

The rest of the way to the house Alina had kept Yelena between her and Natasha. If she refused to kill him, she was going to need to do it herself, and wouldn't have anyone stopping her. The youngest assassin could sense she still had more to say, but Alina didn't see the point.

"So, are we there yet," Yelena asked as they reached the top of the hill.

Alexei led them along answering, "You'll know when we're there." Confusing the life out of all three of them he began snorting like he was a pig. As they started to descend the hill, Alina began to hear exactly what he claimed she would.

As they reached the fence Alina couldn't see the woman, they were there to meet. Alexei was blocking her view as he said, "Honey, we're home."

Peering from behind him, Alina was frozen in her steps. The woman before her was one she knew, her dark braided hair and sad eyes that had been in her dreams for so long. Standing before her, the woman was just as frozen her eyes locked on the youngest of them.

Noticing the stares between them Natasha questioned, "You two know each other?"

Alina didn't, or rather couldn't speak as Melina answered, "Yes, Dreykov's girl."

"I am not Dreykov's property," interjected the brunette angrily.

"Neither am I, nor are they, yet here we all are," insisted the older woman lowering her gun.

Still looking between, them Yelena wondered, "How do you know her?" Neither of them spoke up, so she pushed on further, "We can wait."

"She was one of the scientists, one of the people who performed the procedures on me," admitted Alina softly before she sadly added, "She gave me a TV...taught me, you were the only one who was nice to me."

Her words made Melina remember just how much she had failed to help Alina. She'd made to possible for her to escape for the first time when she was 13, but Alina had failed. And Melina was sent away, Dreykov couldn't prove Melina had a hand in things, but he wouldn't take the chance she would again. She had been in St. Petersburg since then.

The words instantly made Natasha advance towards the woman she once referred to as her mother. Melina didn't bother to move out of the way, nor to even reach for her weapon. She didn't have to when Alina grabbed her hand making her stop, "Wait, if we don't have her, we can't find them."

"She's right," Yelena added coming up from behind her sister.

Natasha wouldn't take her eyes off Melina, so Alina forced her to by standing in front of her. The ginger tore her eyes from her looking down at the Dranganov teen. Seeing that she was listening, Melina began walking inside her home.

Following behind her Alexie told the others, "Come on, girls."

Melina led them through her home saying, "Welcome to my humble abode. Make yourself at home."
The whole time Alina couldn't stop staring at Melina her eyes fixed. Natasha lingered near as they both followed her into the kitchen, "Let's have a drink."

The back wall was revealed to be an armory as Melina pressed a button sliding the door open. "Hey, no funny business," interjected Natasha noticing where she was heading.

The older widow shrugged off her large sniper rifle placing it down, "I am putting away my weapon," she explained coming back out of the room.

Now that she finally allowed herself to look at the girl, Melina noticed how her bright youthful red had faded into a brown reddish tint. Alina was taller, but still short. When the Dranganov girl was young she had reminded her so much of her sweet Natasha. Melina knew that was the reason she first took interest, she tried to do better by her, but ultimately she failed her as well. "Are there any booby traps around here? Anything we need to know about," asked Natasha

Tearing her eyes away from her Melina began to gather cups saying, "I didn't raise my girls to fall in traps."

"You didn't raise us at all," said Natasha as Alina stood silent.

She could tell by the look on Melina's face Natasha's words had cut her deep. But not even in her idealistic memories could she ignore the truth. Melina inhaled deeply before insisting, "Oh, maybe so. But if you got soft, it wasn't on my watch."

Melina took the washed glasses and bottle of bourbon leaving the kitchen to joining the others. Before Alina could follow suit Natasha's voice asking, "Are you okay," stopped her. Alina simply nodded confirming she'd be fine, but in truth, she didn't know how she felt. "We can get the information and leave her and him. You me and Yelena will finish this, the way you need."

Finally Alina was able to reply, "I don't care who helps, as long as when it's over I will be able to close my eyes again and know when I open them...Dreykov won't be there."

Her words broke Natasha's heart. So young, so powerful, capable of things no one else was, and so terrified of Dreykov. Natasha didn't say anything at first, she simply pulled the younger girl in close. For the first time since leaving Peter, Alina felt safe enough to cry in someone's arms. Yet, she still wouldn't let her tears spill, not yet. However she did let herself relax into Natasha's arms. "I won't let him, or anyone else hurt you again. I don't care what cruel thing I have to do or what I have to give up. I am taking care of you, I promise," said the Romanoff. The same words she wished someone had spoken to her when she was Alina's age. In truth, Alina was every bit the daughter Natasha could never have. Not only that, but they shared a reflection of the pain and trauma they each shared. Natasha was what Alina was very well on her way to becoming, and Alina was experiencing the escape she'd always dreamed of. An escape from memories of something so horrific only other widows understood, and Natasha vowed she would make sure the rest of Alina's days had more joy than her own.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·

"Let's drink," announced Melina as she poured both Alina and Natasha their drinks.

"Really," Natasha challenged her only mother trying to take the glass from Alina but the teenager swiftly grabbed it moving down a seat.

Sitting back in her seat Melina questioned, "She's killed more people than you or I at her age and you think the appropriate line to draw is one little glass?"

Yelena frowned admitting, "She does have a point."

Smugly Alina added, "And I turn seventeen in May."

"That's not 21," reminded Natasha looking to the other two women adding, "And stop encouraging her."

Alina was about to reply when she saw Alexei slowly, and in his very old, dirty, and tight costume stepped out of the bathroom. Placing her hand over her mouth she asked, "Who is going to stop encouraging him?"

Turning around Melina let out a wolf whistle as Yelena immediately groaned, "Oh, my God."

Natasha was stunned and horrified while Alina did her best to stifle her building laughter. Which was even harder as Alexei waddled over trying to break in his suit. Laughing as he took his seat beside her Melina said, "I never washed it once. Come and drink."

Melina happily grabbed the remaining glass and poured him his drink. As she did he said, "Family back together again." When he thought about Alina he added, "And Natasha brings new child in to be family with us."

It was nearly impossible to stop Alinas laugh as she and Yelena shared wide eyes at his words. Melina was the first to correct him, "Seeing as our family construct was just a calculated ruse that only lasted three years, I don't think that we can use this term anymore, can we?"

Shortly the Avenger said, "Agreed. So, here's what's gonna happen—"

Cutting her off Alexei offered, "Okay. A reunion then, huh? And, uh.," lowering his voice he leaned in towards Melina to finish, "I want to say something right off the bat. You haven't aged a day, huh? You're just as beautiful and as supple as the day they staged our marriage."

Melina wasn't as kind, she was however , brutally honest, "You got fat. But still good."

Alexei chuckled with a suggestive smile, "I just got out of prison. I, uh... I have a lot of energy."

"Okay now all the humor of this is replaced with disgust," winced Alina picking up her glass again.

Feeling the same, if not more grossed out Natasha added, "Please don't do that. So, here's what's gonna happen."

Melina took one look at the oldest child realizing her posture was awful, "Natasha, don't slouch."

Instantly Natasha straightened her back out sounding small as she insisted, "I'm not slouching."

"Yes, yes, you are," said Melina.

"I don't slouch," refused the Romanoff again her eyes looking to Alina and Yelena for backup suddenly.

Mocking a bunch Melina warned, "You're going to get a back hunch."

Grabbing her shoulder trying to help her do so Alexei fell back into old patterns, "Listen to your mother."

Seeing someone mothering Natasha finally made Alina crack. As her small chuckles filled the room Natasha groaned, "Oh, my God, this..."

Repeating himself again he gestured upwards with his hands, "Up, up."

Clearly that had been the last straw for the Avenegrr who swatted his had away speaking to them all firmly, "Alright, enough. All of you."

Yelena poured defensively reminding her, "I didn't say anything. That's not fair."

Placing her hand over her mouth Alina apologized, "I'm sorry it's just so chaotic how can I not laugh?"

Natasha shook her head trying to begin again, "Here's what's gonna happen—"

As she spoke Melina tried passing Yelena some of the fruits she'd laid out for them all. Trying to at least attempt to listen to her sister Yelena insisted, "I don't want any food."

Her mothers shoulders fell as she exhaustedly warned, "Eat a little something, Yelena, for God's sake."

Natasha loudly spoke over them telling Melina, "You're gonna tell us the location of the Red Room."

Her words caused Melina to inhale sharply as she put the plate down to say to Alexei, "You know, it's like when you told them that they could stay up late to catch Santa Claus." Looking at the young girl she added, "And when I thought I could help you."

Her words brought Alina hurdling a thousand miles back down to earth. Alexei smiled back on the memory saying, "What? That was fun. You know, 'He come down the chimney, girls. Look out. Where is he?' You wait for him, and then when the cookies are gone, then you see he's there. What? I want them to follow their dreams."

Melina couldn't look at the girls as she shook her head, "No good."

Alexei still insisted, "Reach for the stars, girls."

This time Alina spoke strongly telling them,
"Finding Dreykov is not a fantasy. It's unfinished business."

The oldest widow knew better, "You can't defeat a man who commands the very will of others." Looking to Natasha and Alexei she warned, "You never saw the culmination of what we started in America. Nor did you."

They watched as the older woman pulled out her tablet causing them to hear a beeping sound. Alina could hear heavy snorting coming their way, "Come in."

Slowly the door fell open but no person walked in, just a pig waddling through the house and over to them at the table. "Did that pig just open the door," questioned Natasha with a raised brow at the animal.

Melina nodded confirming as she broke off a carrot from the table, "Yes. It did." She handed the pig the carrot telling them, "Good boy, Alexei. Good boy."

This made even Natasha was to laugh, Alexei's face had lost all humor, "You named a pig after me?"

"You don't see the resemblance? See, he sits just like dog. Amazing. Now, watch," she confirmed reaching for her tablet.

As she did Alexei leaned back mumbling hurtfully, "It's a little weird, to me."

"Stop breathing," she spoke into the tablet and instantly, the pig grunted. "We infiltrated the North Institute in Ohio. It was a front for S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists. Actually, it was Hydra scientists at that time. In conjunction with the Winter Soldier project, they had dissected and deconstructed the human brain to create the first and only cellular blueprint of the basal ganglia. Was the hub for cognition. Voluntary motor movement, procedural learning. That, along with, Alina's blood which acts as it's own form of forced manipulation mixed with the proper ingredients can create, complete control over a person. We didn't steal weaponry or technology. We stole the key to unlocking free will."

The whole whole she spoke, Alina felt the fear and pain of the pig becoming worse. Most times she didn't feel so deeply for animals, but the older that got the less that was true. "What are you doing," Alina inquired her claws digging into the chairs arms.

Casual as ever she replied, "Oh, I am explaining that the science is now so exact, the subject can be instructed to stop breathing and has no choice but to obey."

"Stop it," Alina insisted making their eyes fall to her. When Melina did nothing Alina stood from her chair making her way to the pig, "We get it, mind control. Now stop you're hurting him!"

As Melina was doing so, she said, "Yes, all right. Well, don't worry, Alexei could've survived 11 more seconds without oxygen." Alina kneeled down beside the pig just as it sprung up for air. Slowly she placed her hand on the pig mumbling something under her breath. Fast heart beats gradually became calmer from Alina using her abilities to let the pig feel safe again. Handing him the other piece of the carrot Melina offered it saying, "Good boy. Now, you go back, back home where it's safe.You go. You go back home, back home where it's safe. Good boy, Alexei."

After the pig left, Melina looked back at everyone saying, "The world functions on a higher level when it is controlled. Dreykov has chemically subjugated agents planted around the globe."

Alina's eyes fell to Yelena who had clung onto every heartbreaking word, "And do you know who they test it on," she wondered.

The older woman shook her head answering, "No. That's not my department."

Alexei didn't even believe that for a second, "Ah, come on, come on. Don't lie to them."

Instantly Melina argued, "I'm not lying."

The memories still clear he told her, "You're Dreykov's architect, huh?"

Defensively the scientists continued to argue, "What were you? If I was his architect, you were his partner. You were his business partner."

"No, no, no. I was patsy," shouted Alexei slamming his fist down making Alina flinch from the suddenness of it all.

Now it was for Melina to be in disbelief, "Don't give me that."

"He sell me ideology," countered the man.

"Stop with the politics."

Gorwing tired of each of their arguments and useless reasonings Natasha shouted, "Shut up!" Speaking directly to her 'father' she said, "You are an idiot." Turning to her former mother Natasha added, "And you're a coward. You're a coward. And our family was never real, so there's nothing to hold on to. We're moving on."

There was a silence that was filled with anything hit quiet. Alexei was the first to break it, "Never family, huh? In my heart, I am simple man. And I think that for a couple deep undercover Russian agents I think we did pretty great as parents, huh?"

Melina nodded agreeing with him again, "Yes, we had our orders, and we played our roles to perfection."

"Who cares? That wasn't real," Natasha said the cracking of her voice betraying her.

Yelena however didn't hear it, "What?"

The red head heartlessly tried to cut all ties by saying, "That wasn't real. Who cares?"

This was the finale straw for Yelena, her eyes filled with tears as she pouted begging them,
"Don't say that. Please don't say that. It was real. It was real to me."' Turning to the woman in her side Yelena said, "You are my mother. You were my real mother. The closest thing I ever had to one. The best part of my life was fake." Yelena's pain was enough to make Alina want to cry with her as she exhaled deeply to finish, "And none of you told me.

The blonde Belova softly bounced her fist on the table, "And those agents you chemically subjugated around the globe? That was me." Melina's face ran cold as Yelena finished, "That was me, and that was Alina." Looking to her sister she hummed brokenly saying, "And you, you got out. Dreykov made sure no one could escape. Are you gonna say anything? No." Natasha couldn't speak, so Yelena stood up to leave. She grabbed the alcohol as Melina tried to stop her, only for Yelena to snatch her hand away, "Don't touch me."

"Yelena," called out Alina not sure what to do in the wake of all the chaos.

Yelena refused to even look back, "No."

"I had no idea," Melina admitted this time Alina could tell, she wasn't lying.  Alexei excused himself so he could check on Yelena, "I should've known.."

"Yeah, you should've," was all Alina could bring herself to say before swiftly walking towards the exit desperately needing air.