CHAPTER FIVE; BLACK WIDOW

❝ i forgot how much i missed the fight❞

･ ｡ﾟ☆

❝ mountains of hungary ❞

"I SAID WE NEEDED A JET," Natasha remarked as she and her companions stood before the barley functioning helicopter. As she spoke with her friend, Rick, Alina stepped forward examining the part of the helicopter she could.

Watching confusedly at the two smaller women who walked around him he replied, "Yeah, you know what you didn't give me? Time. Or money. I'm not made of jets."

Judging the equipment before her Yelena said, "I thought you were supposed to be the best. Like a real pro."

"Oh, I beg your pardon, tsarina," spat the older man begrudgingly making the younger assassins laugh. Waving his finger about he finished, "Was the free flat and lifetime supply of kissel not to your liking?"

"Don't let her wind you up," cautioned Alina before slyly adding, "More than she already has at least."

"No, I take exception to impugning my professionalism," he refused pouting much like a child in resemblance.

Natasha shook her head fighting her smile as she moved them along, "Well, you did set me up with a generator that crapped out after six hours."

Scoffing his eyes went almost out of his head, "You, too, huh? Tag team," he confirmed.

Now standing over by Alina by the door the Belova woman teased him again, "Aw, he's sensitive. See why you keep him around."

Cutting him off before he could give into her banter Natasha asked him, "Where's the rest?"

He exhaled walking over to his truck grabbing out a box throwing it to the floor, "Voilà."

Both Alina and Yelena bent down to examine what was inside. In seconds the blonde found an old protein bar, "Ooh," she said ripping it open.

"Oh, I stashed that, like, five years ago," Natasha attempted to warn but Yelena had already bitten into it, "How is it?"

"That's gotta be disgusting," winced Alina.

Yelena chewed her food awkwardly telling them, "It's dry. It's really dry."

The blonde sounded like a cat hawking up a hairball almost as Rick warned the two who remained near, "You know, you're getting dangerously close to running out your tab. Supplies I can tally, but you bring me attention from the authorities, all my prices go up."

Natasha and Alina shared a look of concern as she asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your mate, Secretary Ross, has been sniffing around my affairs trying see if this one went to find you. They've got pictures of her last being seen with Yelena, but they don't know who she is. Apparently, her friend covered for her so they can't prove she's somewhere she's not supposed to be, but they're trying to," informed Rick pointing at Alina.

Alina instantly wanted to call Peter, but she had no way of getting a hold of him. Still complaining Rick went on, "They're so far up my ass to the point at which I've got contacts declining my calls. I'm a private contractor."

Despite the overwhelming fear that Alina would be caught Natasha brushed it off as if it were nothing, "You are sensitive."

"You're a very annoying individual," he told her fighting his amusement with her.

"I'll make it up to you," she promised ushering Alina towards the helicopter.

Rick hummed watching as they left, "That's what you say every time," he reminded her of all the other empty promises she'd given.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·

❝ hidden russian prison ❞

"You really think this is going to work," Yelena asked over the headset.

Standing at the open door ready to drop down if needed Alina said, "We'll be fine!"

Hearing the headset connect another channel Natasha greeted, "Today is your lucky day, Alexei. Move to the door on the south wall." As Natasha directed the man through the prison Alina fastened her widow bites to her wrist, "Just don't make a scene."

Not a second later, the siren began blaring, "He made a scene, didn't he," Alina shouted.

"Can you get to him, Alina," asked Yelena.

Looking down at the chaos erupting from the prisoners trying to get out, "I could but it be a lot less work for me if he got to the upper level first."

Repeating the suggestion given to her the red head ordered the older man, "Go to the upper level." Focusing on the ground below Alina followed the figure of the older man as he dodged bullets and flares, "Move your ass, super soldier."

Alexei leaped for the wall trying to pull himself up only to be electrocuted and sent back down. "He's never going to make it," said Yelena keeping her hands firmly on the gears.

Believing this was her cue, Alina peeled off her headphones sliding the plane door open. "Get us closer," Natasha ordered getting ready to offer Alexei and Alina cover. Seeing the look this earned her from them both she countered, "You got a better idea?"

"Meet you back here," announced Alina taking a step out of the plane letting gravity do the rest and pull her down. Feeling the cold wind whipping past her face the enchanted widow brought out her hands creating spheres that helped slow her descent.

When she landed the ground caved in from her impact sending the prisoners and guards fighting falling down like flies. Her landing had caused Alexei to just barely get out of her way, "Who are you," the gruffy, bearded man asked.

"You're ride out of here," she answered hearing running footsteps surrounding them. Pointing behind him she warned, "I'd duck if I were you." Having given him his warning, Alina pulled her right shoulder down narrowly missing the electrified rod coming for her.

In the guard's stumble, Alina caught them and used them as a shield for the bullets fired her way. She held them there until she was close enough to throw their body at the shooter swiping his riffle from hand.

As she spun around, she quickly began pulling the trigger at the men and women charging her. Their dark red blood splattered against the ground contrasting its white snow. When the bullets ran out, but the men kept coming, "Sangre sea mia," she uttered Alina's hands flowed up and to the left moving the bodies of the guards with her.

She forced the soldiers to line up facing each other and without thought forced them to shoot the person across them. Just as she turned to look for Alexei, the world boomed and shook causing her to stumble as she looked up to see a grenade had been launched at the mountain.

"You've got to be kidding me," Alina groaned.

"Tell me that's a good sound for us," shouted Alexei over their coms.

Shouting down below at them and through their coms Natasha's only answer was, "Move your ass!"

Without second guessing it, everyone, including the Red Guardian and Alina was running from the snow rapidly falling their way. The two of them climbed the prison getting as high as they possibly could. Alina knew she could fly, but she had to make sure Alexei got out too.

"Here, come on," Alina shouted already at the upper level holding out her hand to catch Alexei as he jumped to reach her. Seeing the snow coming faster, Alina yanked him up to her level. "Stay behind me," she warned inhaling deeply.

When her eyes opened once more they were emitting a deeper blue than usual, "Nix murus nivis," she said throwing her hands out in front of her. Alexei watched as Natasha and Yelena approached with the helicopter and the snow seemed to hit a wall. It was as if suddenly a wall made of glass had appeared and grew taller seconds before the snow could overflow.

Alina could feel her feet slipping as the snow pushed against her. In the corner of her eye, she could see Natasha on the rope holding out her hand to catch them. Seeing the same as her, Alexei ran towards the teenager grabbing her up just as he used his free hand to grab Natasha's.

The ginger felt her arm jerk downwards roughly while Yelena flew them up out of the snow engulfing their lungs and eyes. When they broke free of the snow, they climbed up the rope into the plane. Natasha made sure to pull Alina up behind her, "You okay," she confirmed helping the girl to stand.

"Yeah, I'm good," answered Alina as she moved to sit placing her head gear back on.

Yelena was struggling to keep the plane even and upright as she shouted, "I need some help up here!"

As Natasha joined her up in the copilots' chairs, Alexei took his chance to shout, in Russian to the prison he was leaving behind, "Goodbye, douchebags!" All too joyfully, Alexei sat across Alina without putting on his on head set as he said, this time in English, "Oh, that was exciting."

Alina didn't say a word, but she could feel Natasha unbridled rage with the man. Not only that but Yelena's ache for him, for the man she called father to actually be a father. "Oh, I'm so proud of you girls," he said getting no reaction again. 

Noting the headset, they all wore he said rather loudly, "Oh, you can't hear me, huh?" Chuckling at himself he grabbed the headset putting it on standing behind them he said, "Wow."

The second he let his guard down, Yelena elbowed him in his nose making him shou in Russian. Alina laughed at the sight as he defensively asked, "Why the aggression, huh?"

Oblivious as ever, Alexei asked, "Is it your time of the month?"

The Dranganov rolled her eyes at his ignorance as the blonde dryly reminded, "I don't get my period, dipshit. I don't have a uterus."

"Or ovaries," added Natasha.

Alexei looked horrified between both women as Yelena went on explicit, "Yeah. That's what happens when the Red Room gives you an involuntary hysterectomy. They kind of just go in and they rip out all of your reproductive organs. They just get right in there and they chop them all away. Everything out, so you can't have babies."

Uncomfortable the older man backed away Alexei pleaded, "Okay, okay. Okay! Okay! You don't have to get so clinical and nasty."

"Oh, well, I was about to talk about fallopian tubes, but okay," mumbled Yelena with a shrug.

"Imagine what it's like to endure it," spoke up Alina remembering the fear of it happening fresh as ever.

The bearded man narrowed his eyes tilting his head as he wondered, "Natasha who is this small child." Suddenly, the arm he was resting his head on slipped out beneath him and he banged his head off the metal of the plane. Alexei clutched his head pointing his finger wildly at her, "Ah!! Natasha, I don't know how she did it, but she did it!"

"I didn't see anything," stated Natasha finally breaking the silence.

Alexei's eyes widen as Alina chuckled covering her mouth knowing she'd get away with it. "It doesn't matter, what does matter is how much to me that you came back for me."

Refusing to look back at him the ginger snapped, "No. No. You're gonna tell us how to get to the Red Room."

Suddenly dumbfounded he puzzled, "Huh?" The moment the word left his lips Alina created an orb in hand not even bothering to utter a threat. Seeing her and sense Natasha's seriousness Alexei challenged, "Whoa, look at you, huh? All business."

"Trust me, this isn't pleasure," reminded the Romanoff wishing she never had to see the man ever again.

Mocking her and trying to delay his answer, Alexei said, "Little Natasha, all indoctrinated into the Western agenda."

Natasha still hadn't bothered to look back at him, but she did feel compelled to defend, "I chose to go west to become an Avenger; because they treated me like family."

Alexei couldn't help but look to the girl across him and assume she too had something to do with the avengers as well. But she was perplexing, the way she fought, it was nearly identical to the other widows he'd seen. Though even without her skills in combat, she had powers he could not even fathom. "Really? Family," he dared raising his brow, "Well, where are they now? Where is that family now?"

His words hadn't just angered Natasha, but also Alina. Before the Romanoff even stood, the enchanted girl raised her hand cutting the air off for him. "I'm sorry," Alina pushed leaning forward, "Did you say something?" Her eyes glowed as she went on, "Do you feel your temperature rising? That's me boiling you from the inside out," questioned Alina as Natasha stood debating whether or not to stop her. 

Stopping herself before someone else did, Alina released her spell allowing the man relief finally. "I suggest you answer her question, unless you'd like to go for round two," challenged Alina before demanding again, "Tell me where the Red Room is."

His eyes wide like a deer's Alexei looked between the teenager and Natasha who stood with a look in her eye that said to go with it. "I have no idea," he answered immediately making the three women scoff.

Natasha refused to believe him, "Come on. You and Dreykov were like--" before she could finish the name made Alexei scoff over her words, "Dreykov?"

The ginger woman nodded allowing the man to go on complaining, "General Dreykov, my friend, huh? Gives me glory...Soviet Union's first and only super soldier. I could have been more famous than Captain America. Then he buries me in Ohio on that stupid mission. Three years! So tedious, boring me to tears. No offense, huh? Then puts me in prison for the rest of my life. Why, huh? Why? Why would he put me in... You know why? 'Cause maybe I want to talk about the withering of the state. Or maybe I don't like his hair or something and I say something casually about that."

Alina pinched her nose as he spoke going on and on about, "Maybe, you know, I want the Party to feel actually like a party instead of this sourpuss organization. But instead, no. He puts me in prison for the rest of my life. He just runs off and hides, huh? I'm not even the one who, uh, you know... I'm not the one who killed his daughter."

Angrily Yelena mumbled some curses under her breath in Russian. Switching languages, this time she asked them in English, "Can we throw him out the window now?"

"I'll get the door," Alina agreed getting up, "But I think we should wait till we get to a higher altitude first."

Not at all afraid of their next step even as Alina stood to the door waiting to throw him out Alexei sat wondering, "Why not ask Melina where it is?"

Not replying in the same languages as him the blonde looked away from the air in front of her confirming, "Wait, Mom Melina?"

"Mom," repeated the young assassin her eyes falling to Natasha. A wave of emotions flooded the small plane at the mention of the woman.

Natasha seemed to pause before she said, "We thought she was dead."

The thought of someone being able to kill her made Alexei laugh, "You cannot kill a fox that swift."

"I'm gonna throw up," muttered Alina.

At the same time Yelena shuddered and Natasha said, "Ew."

Looking around at all of them he stuttered, "What? She was the scientist, the strategist. I was the muscle. She worked directly for Dreykov far more than I ever did."

"Wait. Are you telling me that Melina is working for the Red Room present day," clarified Nastasha.

"She works remotely outside St. Petersburg," he informed them knowing more about them than even they did.

Taking one look at the fuel gage Yelena warned the others, "I don't think we have enough fuel for St. Petersburg."

Alexei hardly looked at it, insisting, "No, we're good. We'll make it."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·

❝ St. Petersburg ❞

Grey, blue, and black smoke engulfed the helicopter as it came falling down from the sky. The blue coming from Alina who was using all her strength to slow them down before the impact. The second they bounced off the ground Alina barely managed to keep herself upright.

The only reason everyone else on the plane wasn't bouncing around the place was because they were buckled in. When the dust settled a piece of the plane daggled in front of Alina's face, "I think we're good," she said as the door broke open on its own.

Alina was the first one off followed by the other two widow an Alexei who said, "You should've brought the Avengers' superjet."

The blonde Belova looked her sister warning, "I swear, if I hear one more word from him, I will kick him in the face." The three of them began walking ahead of him wanting to keep as much distance between them as possible.

Softly as they walked away Natasha said, "He's the worst."

Alexei jogged up behind them gripping Natasha's arm saying, "Natasha. Natasha. Natasha. Come here, I want to ask you something. Come, it's important."

Natasha nodded telling the two younger girls to continue ahead. Linking their arms Yelena asked the Dranganov, "Can you hear them?"

"From literally a mile away," answered Alina knowing she was going to listen in regardless.

The second he had her attention, Alexie inquired, "Did he talk to you about me?"

"He's asking if someone told her about himself," said Alina making Yelena stop in her tracks watching them as they spoke.

They watched as Alexei hopefully asked again, "Did he talk to you about me? You know, trading war stories?"

"Who? What are you talking about," replied Natasha growing increasingly annoyed.

Alexei briefly glanced at the younger girls seeing Alina standing with her arms crossed and Yelena appearing as if she were about to throw a rock at him. Still, he went on with his ill thought question, "Captain America. My great adversary in this theater of geopolitical conflict. Not so much a nemesis. More like a contemporary, you know? Coequal. I always thought there was a great deal of mutual respect..."

And like a crack of the earth rage broke out of Natasha as she frustratedly asked, "Wait. You haven't seen either one of us in 20 years and you're gonna ask me about you?"

Alexei seemed dumbfounded by her anger, "What is with this tension? Did I do something wrong," he asked looking at Yelena who had moved closer to hear herself.

The Dranganov teen placed her hands over her face hearing his questions. "Is that a serious question," countered the blonde.

"I only ever loved you girls," defended Alexei thoughtlessly, "I did my best to make sure you would succeed to achieve your fullest potential, and everything worked out."

The two sisters stood still while Alina challenged, "Everything worked out for them? Do you even hear yourself?"

"Yes," insisted Alexei his eyes turning to Natasha adding, "For you, yes. We accomplished our mission in Ohio." Moving his attention to his youngest he said, "Yelena, you went on to become the greatest child assassin the world has ever known. No one can match your efficiency, your ruthlessness." 

"Jesus," mumbled Alina disapprovingly shaking her head as he spoke.

Taking Natasha by the hand pulling both to his side he finished, "And Natasha, not just a spy, not just toppling regimes, destroying empires from within, but an Avenger. You both have killed so many people. Your ledgers must be dripping, just gushing red. I couldn't be prouder of you."

Natasha scoffed snatching her hand away storming off, before following behind Alina said, "You have no idea what you did to them. The horror show you put them through, the abuse, Natasha until she was nearly thirty, Yelena until a few days ago, and for me? All but one year of my entire life I spent with those people. You would never survive it, so don't act like you did nothing wrong." The brunette turned her back on them rushing after Natasha.