Past, Present, Future

Forty-Two

You run down hallways, finding your way back to the training room.

When you reach it, it's completely empty.

Hearing a sound, you spin around to see Yelena running in.

She stops when she sees you, and her shoulders slump.

"No..."

"Is it so bad to see me?" You mutter under your breath with a small smile.

Yelena rolls her eyes and walks over to the weaponry wall, grabbing a bomb from its hook.

You walk over as she wraps the red vials around it before pulling the band over the outside of it.

Yelena turns to you, "Let's go."

You two sprint from the room, running down the dark hallways only illuminated by ominous red lights as orange sparks fall from the ceiling and lights flicker.

Eventually, you make your way to Dreykov's office and see the group of widows standing in a circle around Natalia, who's in a headlock from behind by another widow.

They all take turns kicking and punching her as she struggles.

You look over at Yelena as she pulls the pin on the bomb before throwing it over the circle.

It explodes, shattering the vials, causing the vibrant red powder to burst over the group like a firework.

The widows stop hitting Natalia, and the one holding her has let go and slumped backward.

They watch the red fall like tiny crimson snowflakes in slow motion and fade around them as it's absorbed by them, pulling them from the intense brainwashing they'd undergone.

They soon rise to their feet and stare up at the few pieces still in the air, sparkling in the red streams of light from Dreykov's screen holding a map and the bits of sunlight through the small frosted glass cubes making up windows.

The widows continue looking around and at each other, clearly in a state of confusion as they're able to think straight in who knows how long.

You and Yelena walk into the room toward Natalia as the widow's watch.

Yelena reaches down for Natalia, "Hey..."

You two help Natalia up and support her as she groans while walking.

"You okay?" Yelena asks.

You both look at the large wound on Natalia's back which still has part of a grappling hook in it.

"That looks like it hurts." You comment to which Natalia makes indistinguishable sounds.

Yelena grabs the piece sticking out, "Okay. I take it out on three, ready?"

You share a look with Yelena before she yanks it out without counting, making Natalia look back at her and let out a mix between a grunt and a cry of pain.

"I'm sorry." Yelena apologizes.

Natalia clutches her shoulder but still leans over to give you a hug.

"Mitä me teemme nyt?" One widow asks in Finnish. ("What do we do now")

Natalia looks out over the widows with a slightly helpless and concerned look on her face, brows furrowed and eyes sympathetic as she gasps, "Get as far away from here as possible. You get to make your own choices now."

Your lips turn up into a small smile.

The widows warily look around at each other, noiselessly asking if it's true.

They get to be free now...

Natalia nods before an explosion happens, causing you all to look around as you feel the Red Room slowly but surely falling from the sky.

Natalia looks at Yelena, "We gotta get outta here."

"We need to find Dreykov. Are you coming?" Yelena asks Natalia.

"I'm right behind you," Natalia claims as she walks over to Dreykov's desk.

You scoff, "Bullshit."

When you go to stay with Natalia, she turns to you and shakes her head, "Go with Yelena, I'll be right with you."

You put your hands on your hips and tilt your head, "I'm not leaving you here."

"Well, I'm not giving you a choice."

"C'mon, we're wasting time!" Yelena yells.

You sigh with a glare aimed at Natalia, "I hate you."

She grins, "I love you too."

You sigh heavily before turning around and running after Yelena.

A/N: Sorry it's short!

I tried to do this sooner, but I've been struggling a lot recently, and I've been dealing with a lot of anxiety that keeps rising in different places.

I love you all, and I'm sorry this is going so slow!