Forgotten Ghost | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 71: Ready To Comply

''Hey! Can I get something to eat? I'm starving here.'' Katya paced back and forth along the glass wall, trying to get the attention of one of the dozen agents circling around her glass cage, but they either completely ignored her or glanced at her and then ignored her. And she was starving. 

Steve didn't even look at her, just stared at the table as he answered tiredly. ''You know they can't hear you, right?''

She turned on her heel, her hands on her hips. ''So? I can lip-read, why can't they?''

''Not everyone was trained a super spy, Katya.'' He didn't have the energy to chuckle, so he just smiled faintly. His body was still tired from running, jumping and fighting in Romania and his mind was stressed and afraid for his friend. Katya had seen on one of the screens -- a tiny one in the upper left corner -- that Barnes was confined in an extremely strong pod. One with inches thick glass, the best steel the world has to offer and one that tied him down as if he was a criminal. 

No trial, no process, they just arrested him and threw him in there without mercy. Apparently a shady video from a security camera was enough to treat him like an animal and nothing more. Katya couldn't believe it didn't bother Natasha one bit. If anyone knew what it was like to be brainwashed and turned into a killer against their will, it was her. 

With quick steps, Katya strolled over to him, placing her hands on the table and leaning close to his face. It was all meant as a joke, but he visibly leaned back. ''Listen, Rogers. You shouldn't start an argument with a hungry woman. Ever heard of the word hangry ?''

''Should I?'' he breathed confused, his eyes flickering between hers. 

Katya narrowed her eyes some more and Steve swallowed thickly. ''Keep going and you'll experience what it means.''

''So... keep my mouth shut?''

Without warning, she pulled back, patting him on the shoulder with a wide smile. ''You're a fast learner, soldier.'' Steve breathed in relief. Katya could be scary when she wanted to be.

To Katya's surprise, someone did walk in. ''Don't attack me, I come bearing gifts.'' Tony threw some packages with food on the table in Katya's direction. She gasped happily and dove into it like a child in a candy store. ''Didn't know what you wanted so I got you one of everything.''

Everything was there. It was all from the vending machine down the hall, but it was enough. A muffin, chocolate bars, granola bars, chips, whatever her heart desired. She ripped the package of the muffin open and sat down in the chair on the other end of the table, propping her feet up on the wooden surface. ''If this is your way of winning me over, you're off to a good start.''

Tony smiled, watching the spy chew on her food before turning to Rogers. ''Hey, you wanna see something cool? I pulled something from dad's archives. Felt timely.'' He opened up some sort of case and placed it in front of the soldier. If Katya weren't so busy at the moment, she'd have asked what it was. ''FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941. Provided support to the Allies when they needed it most.''

''Some would say it brought our country closer to war.'' Of course Steve knew what that bill represented. He was alive in that time period after all, which was still crazy to Katya.

Tony almost rolled his eyes at the remark. He would never win with Steve. ''See? If not for these, you wouldn't be here,'' he joked, and Katya had to chuckle softly. Man, she had missed Tony's jokes at the compound. Always on the edge of mean and funny. ''I'm trying to... what do you call it? That's an olive branch. Is that what you call it?'' He sat down next to Steve, facing him.

Steve stared at him. ''Is Pepper here? I didn't see her.''

''We're kinda...'' Tony's face fell. He wished Steve hadn't touched that topic, ''well, not kinda...''