Covert Affair | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 78: She Can't Swim

The engine of their car hummed softly as Natasha navigated the winding roads toward the nearest gas station.  Glancing over at Jenna, Natasha couldn't help but chuckle. "Mr. Bear better not be in it," she remarked nodding to the bag.

Jenna's smile widened, "It's him and us against the world, Romanoff. Take it or leave it."

Suddenly a deafening explosion shattered the tranquility, sending shockwaves through the vehicle. The force of the impact jolted Natasha and Jenna violently, their bodies thrown against their seatbelts as the car careened out of control.

The car flipped once, twice, and then a third time, metal screeching against the pavement.  With a lurch, the car came to a shuddering halt, teetering precariously at the edge of the bridge. Smoke billowed from the twisted wreckage, the acrid scent filling the air. 

The car was suspended precariously over the edge of the bridge. Groaning, Jenna blinked away the haze of disorientation. Jenna's heart leaped in panic as she saw Natasha, unconscious and slumped in her seat. 

She managed to free herself. Pushing past her own pain, she crawled over to Natasha. "For once, it's not me" Jenna muttered to herself. Gently, she reached out to pat Natasha's cheek, her voice tinged with concern. "Hey, Nat, I need you to wake up, babe," she urged.

Natasha jolted awake in a panic, her instincts kicking into overdrive, she moved to make a sudden movement in the car.  "Hey, hey, it's me." Jenna urged, her hands gently pushing Natasha back so the car doesn't fall off the bridge.

"You need to get out of the car. I'll distract" Natasha insisted, her tone leaving no room for argument. Reluctantly, Jenna nodded with a final glance and crawled towards the door of the car. Meanwhile, Natasha moved into the back seat, her hands steady as she pulled out her gun.

As Jenna reached the back of the car, she rummaged through her bag, her fingers closing around the familiar shape of a disk. With a grimace, she muttered to herself, "And she hates my bag."

With a swift motion, Jenna slid the mask over her face. With a deep breath, she focused her energy, summoning flames to her fingertips. Jenna used her power to weld the car to the bridge, the flames dancing around her. She heard Natasha's voice ringing out from the back seat. 

"I'm pretty sure Ross has no jurisdiction here" Natasha stated, her voice cutting through the tension in the car. "And you should know I'm a better shot when I'm pissed off."

The though of how hot Natasha sounded in that moment entered her mind but as quickly as the thought came, she snapped back to the urgency of their situation. The sound of bullets bouncing off an unseen barrier filled the air, "Does he have a fucking shield?"

A sudden impact rattled the vehicle, the shield came hurtling through the window where Natasha was, embedding itself in the metal frame with a resounding clang.

"Hey, baby" Jenna called out, "I'm gonna need you to get out of the car before it falls. I've never welded anything before, so I don't trust your life in my hands right now." Natasha began to climb out of the broken trunk window, the metal creaking under her weight. Jenna moved quickly to help her, reaching out a hand to steady Natasha as she made her way out of the car. 

Natasha dropped to one knee, her gun poised in front of her. Jenna stood close by, her senses heightened as they waited for the next move. Everything was eerily quiet, the only sound being the gentle rustle of the wind and the faint creek of the car behind them. Jenna's heart pounded in her chest as she glanced towards the vehicle.

Suddenly, a figure leaped over them. Without hesitation, Natasha raised her gun, her finger tightening on the trigger as she took aim. She fired a shot towards the shield, the sound echoing through the night air.