Past, Present, Future

Twenty-Eight

        You come back to reality, realizing the sisters are not here anymore.

        You go through the hallway heading to where you hear voices.

        You lean against the doorframe, watching as Yelena packs up a bag.

        "Это противоядие от контроля над разумом." ("It's an antidote to mind control")

        "Настоящая зрелая," Natalia remarks. ("Real mature")

        "Why don't you take it to one of your super-scientist friends? They can explain it to you. Tony Stark, maybe?"

        You breathe out a laugh.

        "Oh, yeah. We're not really talking right now, so..."

        Yelena continues stuffing things in her bag, "Great. Perfect timing. Where's an Avenger when you need one?"

        Natalia turns around, "I don't wanna be here. I'm on the run. You could've gotten me killed."

        Yelena slowly looks at Natalia, "Well, what was I supposed to do? You're the only superhero person that I know." She quiets down a bit as Natalia takes her shirt off, revealing injuries all over her back.

        Yelena looks back down at her bag, "That was the whole reason I sent it to you."

        They sit in silence for a bit, the only sound being the zipper closing on Yelena's bag.

        "I kept checking the news, expecting to see Captain America bringing down the Red Room."

        You swallow hard, your eyes widening, your heart thumping louder.

        What?... The Red Room is still going?...

        You step aside as Yelena walks through the doorway.

        You watch as Natalia puts on another shirt, then lets out a sharp exhale before turning around.

        "What?... Taking down the Red Room? What are you talking about?"

        You follow Natalia as she follows Yelena.

        "It's been gone for years." Natalia continues, "Dreykov's dead. I killed him."

        You and Natalia stop in front of the room where Yelena is packing up weapons.

        "You don't actually believe that, do you?" Yelena steps forward, passing Natalia while looking at her before stopping just outside of the room, "You really do believe that."

        "Dreykov's dead." Natalia states, "It took almost destroying the entire city just to get to him."

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

        "We rigged bombs."

        "Who's 'we'?" Yelena asks.

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

        Yelena nods, then shrugs, "Simple as that?"

        They stare at each other for a moment.

        "Yeah, sure, 'simple.'" Natalia mutters as she walks away.

        You and Yelena follow her.

        "That's what I'd call imploding a five-story building and then shooting it out with Hungarian Special Forces."

        Natalia stops in front of the kitchen table where the red tubes are before picking up a bottle.