Deadly Attachment

Chapter 34

- there's got to be a reason that all this has happened. 

Two days later, Natasha and I were playing pool at a bar in the center of Little Odessa, New York. She and I were tied, and all that was left was the eight ball. I had not noticed how competitive Natasha really was until she was glaring at me aggressively as I lined up to take the shot.

"I call that pocket." I nod to one of the corners and she just grunts, getting down at eye level with the pool table. I took my shot and missed it by half an inch. The eight ball bounced harmlessly in front of the pocket, giving Natasha the guaranteed win.

I groaned and touched my head to the pool stick. She gave me a smug look, lining her pool stick up for the shot.

"This pocket." She stared at me in the eyes as she touched the end of her pool stick to the pocket I had tried to go for and failed. I rolled my eyes, waiting for her to win. She took the shot, and the eight ball went in. She walked right up to me standing inches from my face and gave a smug look. "I win."

"Yeah, yeah." I put the pool sticks back and grabbed my jacket, handing Natasha hers. "You beat me, whatever."

"You don't get beaten often." She noted and I ignored her. She was right, as always. I almost never get beaten. "Hah." She gloated, then bumped her hip against my own. I laughed, and put my arm around her shoulder, and she fit hers around my waist.

"What do you want to do next?" I asked, checking the watch with my free hand. It was ten o'clock in the evening. "We have a few hours until midnight, but I wouldn't let midnight stop us on our adventure."

"We could watch another movie. You seem to have a collection of them." She looked up at me, and I matched her gaze.

She has taken to my enjoyment of movies. "Of course. Do you want to pick one?"

"No," Natasha shook her head. "You know the best movies. You can pick."

I unlocked the apartment and let Natasha in before me. "Citizen Kane." I decided. "An oldie but a goldie."

"What's it about?" She asked curiously, stripping out of her jacket and tossing it onto a coatrack.

I only smiled and placed a bag of popcorn in the microwave. "I don't want to spoil anything for you, so I won't say anything."

Natasha moved herself to the couch, pulling a blanket up to her chin, gazing at me as I emptied a bag of popcorn into a metal bowl, and moved towards the DVD player. I put in Citizen Kane and Natasha lifted the blanket off of herself offering a spot for me to lay on her, underneath the blanket.

I happily took the spot and pressed play in the movie. I cuddled up to Natasha, enjoying the feeling her warmth gave me, and the sound of her heartbeat next to my ear. She was so real and so wonderfully human. I envied her on so many levels. And I loved her on even more.

-

The next morning, Natasha woke up panting. I jolted up, immediately worried about her. Her head was beaded with sweat, and her eyes were wild.

"Are you alright?" I asked, scooting over and placing my hand on her back. "Natasha?"

Her hand went up to her forehead and she brought her knees up to her chest. "I need to go, Katya." I frowned when she said this.

"Go? Go where?" I asked.

"I need to go alone. It's the only way...I have to go now." She got out of bed and began to dress. "I'm so sorry. I need to leave. I can't explain it."

I was still groggy with sleep and I stumbled out of bed after her. "Where are you going? I'll go with you."

She shook her head and placed her hands on my shoulders. "You need to go to Tony. Wait there for me, I shouldn't take long." She released my shoulders and continued to rush around the apartment, grabbing a jacket and pulling it on.

I started to get dressed as well. "I don't understand what's going on." I pulled on my jacket as well and looked at the digital clock. It was almost seven in the morning. What could possibly be going on?

Natasha was hurrying towards the door and I hurried after her. She turned quickly. "Do you have a car or something here?" I stopped in my tracks so I didn't run into her.

I nodded. "A BMW bike. Pretty fast."

"Can I borrow it?" She was frantic. I couldn't refuse.

"Sure." I went inside to grab my bike keys and tossed them to her.

"Go to Tony at the Triskeleton base. I'll see you soon." She kissed my lips briefly and ran down the hallway towards the garage. I watched her with confusion until she turned the corner and all that was left of her was the echo of her feet on the linoleum floor.

I yawned, still exhausted. Natasha was on her own personal mission, and I was supposed to see Tony at this Triskeleton base. And Natasha took my favorite bike. Oh well, I still had the new Suzuki I had gotten last year. Well, Lucia got it for me and left it as a present for when I decided to stay here in Little Odessa.

I grabbed the keys to that bike and jogged to the garage. I had to go see Tony, maybe he had some explanation for Natasha's sudden disappearance. Her need to leave. I really did hope that Tony had some answers. I needed them.

-

But for some reason, I didn't find myself going to Tony. Instead, I went to find Nadeem. The small English sounding punk would help me out, even if by helping he gives me a joint and we chill for a bit. In fact, that's what happened. When I told Nadeem my issue, we sat out in his chairs and shared a joint.

"Heavy shit." He exhaled. I nodded and took the joint from his fingers, bringing it to my lips.

"I know." I closed my eyes. "It just doesn't make sense. What could be waiting for me at the Triskeleton? What does Tony have to do with any of this?"

"Beats me, Katya." He shrugged. "But by the sound of it, whatever happened is not good."

I got to my feet, handing the joint back to him. "I need to go see Tony. Maybe he can help me with whatever happened with Natasha."

"Want me to go with you?" Nadeem had asked, and when I shook my head no he raised his eyebrow. "Are you sure? You might need the help."

"Whatever it is, Natasha wouldn't put me in danger. And I don't think she'd be happy to see that I've brought back-up." I grabbed my keys. "Whatever it is, she acted like it was personal. Too personal even for me."

Nadeem also got to his feet. "Well, if things start to turn south you call me, you hear?"

"Of course. Thanks, Nadeem." I shook his hand and walked out to my bike.