The Black Winter

Chapter 13

I had been in Moscow for two days now. I always hated it here. Everything just always seemed mad depressing. I was walking down the street to get back to the hotel. I will say though, the snow here just always made me feel at peace. The way that it stuck to your hairs and your eyelashes, was always so pretty.

As I'm making my way back to the hotel, I finally come across it. I walk in with my bag in hand. In it, was my dress that I would be wearing tonight. The hotel was beautiful. The ceilings were high with big white spiral pillars. Russian architecture was always so pretty.

I make my way to my room. I set my bag down by the door and throw my shoes off. I make my way over to the bed and lay down. I close my eyes and let out a long breath. I haven't slept in four days, and my body was starting to feel it. I grab the tv remote and turn on the news.

I get up off the bed and grab the bag by the door. I take it over to the bed and take out the dress, resting it gently on the bed. I look over to the clock, reading 2:38. I had to start getting ready. We were supposed to be there by 6:30.

I head into the bathroom and start to do my hair and make up. I do a smoky eye with read lips. I push my long black hair over to the side and start to curl it. My hair was now well past my butt. I pick up the ends, and inspect it. I sigh and walk out of the bathroom. I start digging through my bag, pulling out a pair of scissors. I walk back into the bathroom and start to trim my hair.

Once it's at my desired length, I finish curling it. I have it parted on the right side. I braid four different sections of my hair on the left, and pin them back with a diamond flower pin. Once my hair and makeup is perfect, I slide on the dress.

It was a red, sparkly dress that went all the way down to the floor. There was a slit that ran up the left leg, and the neck line was asymmetric, meaning that it had one long sleeve and the other had no sleeves. And the side with the sleeve was the right side, due to the metal arm. I can't just use make up and concealer for the arm, not like I can with the other scars which is what I had to do. Especially for the back.

After the dress is on, and all the scares and covered up, I grab my black heals and slip them on. I walk over to the bed and grab my thigh holster and strap it to my right leg I grab my black hand bag and place some knives and ammunition in it. I walk back into the bathroom just to make sure everything is perfect.

I had on a choker that was made out of diamonds and matching diamond earrings. I stood there for a short moment, admiring myself. It kinda felt nice to get dressed up, but then again, not when it came down to having to face Ivan.

I grab my long, black, fur coat and make my way down to the main lobby and call myself a cab. It's not too much longer until I get to the building that the Galla was held in.

I hop out of the car and make my way inside. The place was gorgeous. It had a beautiful marble flooring with tall arched ceilings that had gold in the middle where the pillars would meet. The pillars were white and spiraled up. In the between the indents, was gold. The entire place was just gorgeous.

As I walk through the doorway and into the main room, I am stopped by one of the servers. He has on a black tux with his black hair slicked back. He was in his early twenties and around 5'11.

"Your jacket, ma'am," he says, offering to take my coat.

I take it off and hand it to him. I thank him and make my way to the main room. As I walk down the stairs, my eyes scan the room, trying to find Ivan, but I doubt that he's here yet.

I walk over to the bar and take a seat. The bar tender walks up to me. He was 6'2 and in his thirties.

"What can I get for you?" He asks.

Being back in Russia made me forget how much I missed being able to talk in my native tongue and being able to use my real voice and not faking an accent.

"Vodka please."

The bartender nods his head and walks away. I sit there, still scanning the room. Then, I hear a familiar voice from afar.

"I don't see any signs of him yet."

I turn around to see Natasha. She was wearing a black cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline. Her hair is shorter then the last time I've seen her. Wait, if she's here, then so are the other avengers.

"Shit," I sigh under my breath.

The bartender comes back and hands me my shot of vodka.

"Here you go miss," he says politely.

"I'm going to need two," I tell him. He smiles and walks away.

"Can I get a whiskey?"

I look to my left to see Natasha is now next to me. I quickly take my shot and then right as I'm about to get up, I can feel her eyes on me.

"Joan?" She asks.

I turn around to face her. She had on a simple makeup look with red lips, her hair was perfectly curled and she had on a gold necklace and a gold bracelet.

"Natasha," I say, nodding my head.

"What are you doing here?" She asks in English.

I take my seat again and the bartender hands us our drinks. Why is she here? Who else is here?

"Why are you here Natasha?" I ask in Russian, my voice was cold, but not threatening.

"We have intel that a man named Ivan is here. We need to bring him back and question him," she says.

"You won't be taking him back," I tell her coldly, now in a threatening manner.

"What do you mean Joan?" She asks.

"Leave, before you become apart of my mission," I warn her.