𝙎𝘼𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙉 ✮ 𝘯. 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘧𝘧

{𝟎𝟖} - 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟

"Am I supposed to believe that?"

"Yes."

Semna shook her head in disbelief. This man clearly knew what he was doing, and was highly trained in a different way than she was. Chances were, their tricks would be the same. "Tell me your name and I'll tell you mine. A truth for a truth."

The man leaned back, crossing his arms. He looked her over for a minute, then slowly, he began to nod. "Alright. You got yourself a deal." He clicked his pen. "My name is Clint Barton." Semna smiled. "Your turn."

"My name is Semnadstat'."

"Right, uh..." Clint began to write but stopped quickly. "I don't know how to spell that."

"Just put Semna," she said, watching him write it down. It felt odd, telling another person about that name. The only other person to call her that was Natalia. Suddenly, her nickname was no longer just their's...it was out for the world to know one day. And she hoped they would.

"Okay, so...who do you work for?" he asked.

Semna hesitated. Who did she work for? Did she tell him she was a Red Room student? Or that she was a Hydra assassin? She would get in trouble for exploiting either one of them. She would be more willing to expose Madame B and all of the cruel things she and her puppets do to children, instead of telling about the highly illegal activities she had willingly been participating in with Hydra. She could tell him about what it had been like living secluded in Russia for all of her life, being forced to kill her peers for a slim chance at survival.

But how fast would Madame B find her if she did?

"I work alone," she told him. He sat up, looking her straight in the eye.

"You work alone?" She nodded. Clint chuckled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Right. Sure."

"You don't believe me?" she snapped.

"No, I believe you," he said, holding his hands up defensively. "My boss, however, will not. So I would suggest giving us the full truth if you even want a shot at freedom."

"You'll lock me up?" Semna snapped. She stared at him, wondering if he was joking. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "So I am supposed to tell you everything about myself or you will imprison me? Those are the only two options?"

"I'm afraid so." He sighed, checking his watch. "Director's orders."

Clint stood up, walking to the other side of the room and filling up a cup with water from the tap. Semna watched him solemnly, wondering which would be better: Hydra, the Red Room, or a lifetime of imprisonment.

She could not tell him about any of it. If a group of people such as the ones who ambushed she and Natalia showed up unexpectedly at the Academy, Madame B would surely figure out how they were found. She and Natalia were already going to be in a lot of trouble as it was, seeing that they were supposed to have caught their plane back to Russia that morning. Which meant that somebody from the Red Room-maybe even the Madame herself-was on the hunt for them in Washington at this very moment.

She and Natalia would have to go on the run. They would possibly have to split up along the way. And no matter how much time passes, they will never be truly free-they will live in fear for the rest of their lives.

Clint sat back down, taking a sip of his water. "So? What'll it be?" Semna noted a hint of sarcasm in his tone. But she didn't care anymore.

"They will kill me," she whispered.

Clint raised his eyebrows. "What did you say?"

She ignored him, trying again to tug on the cuffs. "I need to see Natalia!" she yelled. "I did worse than she did, she doesn't deserve this! I do! You people have no right! None! You're just a bunch of-"