Forgotten Ghost | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 43: Death Is Apparently Not The End

Every second felt longer than the last as the van kept making left and right turns on an unpaved road. Maria drove as fast as she could without throwing around the people in the back. But still, it felt like forever until the van finally came to a stop. 

Katya had no idea where they were, but it couldn't be far from the city. 

Hill jumped out the driver's seat and opened the back door for the others, who had trouble standing from their crouched positions on the floor. Sam helped Katya up, while Steve tended to Natasha, supporting her weight as she stepped out of the back. 

They were at a dam just outside the city. It was completely isolated and surrounded by forest as far as you could see. The perfect place to hide four fugitives. Well, five if you count Hill, who was never going to work for HYDRA either. 

She walked in front, leading the others to the door at the bottom of the huge stone wall. Katya leaned on Sam heavily, but he didn't protest. She kept a close eye on Natasha, who walked in front of her, her feet almost dragging over the uneven ground. 

The door, which was more of a gate, creaked as Hill pushed at it. A long hallway waited for them behind it, which frustrated Katya. How much longer did they have to walk until she could sit down? Maria sensed what everyone was thinking, or maybe it was the looks on their faces.

''It's just up ahead.'' Her voice echoed between the walls, which gave the place an even eerier feeling. Although it did fit their current situation perfectly.

Katya kept her eyes on the ground, focusing all her energy on placing one foot in front of the other. That's all she could think about at the moment. Left foot, right foot, repeat. 

The sound of much faster footsteps approaching quickly is what snapped her out of her trance. First, she tensed up, but relaxed when Maria breathed out in relief as the man came closer. She must have warned him they were coming.

''GSW. She's lost at least a pint,'' Maria yelled at him before he reached her.

''Maybe two,'' Sam added from Katya's side. She almost cried from happiness when she finally realized he was a doctor and was there to take care of Natasha. 

Maria pointed to Katya next. Natasha wasn't the only one who needed professional help. ''Probably a torn shoulder muscle, dehydration and over exhaustion.''

The doctor nodded, the frown on his forehead deepening at their condition. ''Let me take them.'' He beckoned Sam and Steve to pass the two women over to him, but Maria shook her head.

''They'll want to see him first.''

Katya was still completely clueless as to who this mysterious person could be, and the others looked just as confused as they followed her to a room a couple doors down. There was a makeshift setup, with big lights and in the middle a bed behind some clear plastic. It was impossible to see who was behind the curtains, until Maria finally pulled them to the side.

Everyone froze in place. Katya didn't think she had ever been so surprised and caught off guard than right in that moment. Well, maybe besides running into Natasha in Serbia. 

She didn't know what to do. Cry, laugh or get angry. She did nothing instead. Just stared at the fragile looking man in the sterile white bed. 

Nick Fury. Son of a bitch was still alive. 

He's like a cockroach, impossible to kill. Great for him, sucks for HYDRA. Because in that moment, Katya felt that fire of hope flair up again. With Fury still alive and HYDRA having no idea of that, they had a fighting chance again. Surely, he would have a plan to take back SHIELD.