Right by your side | Natasha Romanoff

12 | Decrypted files

Your POV
After reading, we placed our books back on the shelves. Since it was our last day here at the resort, we weren't allowed to check out with the books.

Before I was able to unlock our room, Wanda pulled me aside to have a talk. "What are you doing Wanda?"

"You have to promise me you'll be careful. It's dangerous with what little knowledge you have and no one to assist you. I know I can't stop you, but I want you to know you can always find me for help."

"Thanks Wanda. I really appreciate it."

"Oh you guys are here." Nat's voice came out of nowhere and shocked me. I swear she makes no sound when she walks. I stood slightly apart from Wanda. "What's going on?" She looked between me and Wanda.

"Nothing."

"Well anyways, you guys can go wait in the car, your bags are already in it. We are going back."

---

I felt a lot better knowing that I have Wanda's support. I know I can count on her and she'll be of great help especially with her powers.

Missing a week worth of homework was no problem, I have already been through that part of education and it was nothing. I did them quickly before setting them aside and opening my laptop.

There was still a bit of time before going over to Bill's house so I decided to head to the training room and hopped onto the treadmill. I really needed to get my stamina back. Surprisingly it was empty but I was not complaining.

I pushed myself up the handle to press the button to get it started as my head barely reached the panel of buttons. I started off slowly because I wasn't sure how much my body could handle. I decided to go for endurance instead of speed since I couldn't increase the speed from where I was.

I have only been running for fifteen minutes when I felt my lungs were burning. I jumped off the treadmill and let it continue operating as I caught my breath. With my legs weaker than I originally started, I wasn't able to jump up and press the stop button so I had to find a chair to step on.

Where would I find a chair you may ask? Well, there were plenty around, so lucky me!

With a towel around my neck, I stepped out of the training room just as Nat was coming in. "Oh hey Nat, you're going in to train?"

"Yup, I'm just waiting for Steve."

"Oookaayy, umm, Wanda is bringing me to Bill's house later, I'll be back tomorrow." I told her. We were meeting pretty late tonight and I didn't want Wanda staying up late just so she could fetch me.

"Okay. Stay safe."

---

I thank Wanda for sending me to Bill's house before entering. They were already crowding the computer. Hailey is currently trying to create a firewall to prevent anyone from figuring out where we were accessing it from. Hailey knows a lot about tech, if she has the same equipment as Tony, I'm sure she'll be able to do a lot more.

"Okay... if this works, there should be no problem." She slots the CD in and waits for the computer to read it.

There was only one file in it so we clicked on it but it was only a couple of diary entries. We read through them but there was nothing suspicious. We tried all sorts of ways thinking it could be a code, using the first word of every paragraph, every capitalised word but it didn't form a sentence.

"Where did you get this from?" I asked Conan. He was the one who got a copy of it.

"From the dead man's body." They encountered a case where a murder happened in a ballroom. "Pisco. His name was."

"Was he...?"

"He was, we found out about him at the end so Gin killed him. He never takes any chances." Hailey replies.

"Are you guys alright? Did you guys get hurt?"

"Hailey got shot, but she's fine." She shrugged her shoulders before going back to the computer.

"Be careful guys, I need all of you here."

We were staring at the diary entries, not knowing what to do with it. It had to contain something important if he brought it to the party with him. Why did he bring a CD with him when he was not going to use it?

Just then, Conan noticed something. "The spacing is off." We looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate. "The space between the paragraphs, some are larger than others."

He took over the mouse and highlighted the white space and it uncovered some words. It reads.

I can't do this anything. This is just wrong.
We are risking innocent life and I have no idea what they are planning.

Gin seems to be happy to receive a new product. 

He didn't say anything to anyone except to Vodka. 

Meeting at Second Avenue metro.

Exchange CDs in locker 39.

12 midnight.

This would be the last time I'm helping them.

I'm quitting.
Date settled at 27 Nov.

"That's today!" I realised when I looked at the date. "We only have an hour before the exchange time." After taking a look at the time on my phone.

"So you think he is planning to exchange this CD?" Hailey asked. "But there's nothing in there."

"We are unable to decipher it doesn't mean they can't." Conan said. "So, who's going?"

"I will. It only seems logical." Out of the three of us, I was the only one with experience of fighting.

"You deal with the cases to obtain and decipher the clues." I pointed at Conan. "You deal with computers and create the drug." I pointed at Hailey. "And last but not least, you'll be our chaperone." I patted Bill.

"What?" He expressed his dissatisfaction at his minor role.

"You're the most important! Without you, we won't be able to get around." I went to get my jacket and waited for him at his garage.

"Where are my keys!?" He shouted from inside the house.

"With me!" I tossed the keys in the air. He really needs to tidy his house. Piles of letters were left on top of drawers, encyclopedias covering the table and thick layer of dust covering the furniture. 

Posted on 12 March 2022

Late post because I was too busy working. I didn't even have the chance to write for my one shot book.