Right by your side | Natasha Romanoff

8 | New Allies

"It's time you change your lousy old car, it breaks down all the time." Bill has it for as long as I know him. I'm pretty sure he got it second hand since no retailer was selling it anymore.

"My uncle gave it to me."

"Remember to update me next time. You gave me a fright." I got out of his car and tried sneaking back in class during lunch break. I wasn't sure if Ms Smith was going to notify Nat about it.

"Where have you been Ms Bright?" I got caught entering the classroom through the back door.

"I went to the washroom."

"For two hours??"

"I had a really bad stomach ache." I acted as if I was still slightly sick, holding onto my stomach. Ms Smith let it go this time and continued supervising the lunch break. The bell sounded and the next subject teacher came to take over.

---

After school, I looked at Anita who was nonchalantly packing her bag as if it was a normal day. "Who the hell are you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She challenged me. I pulled the backpack off her and slammed it on her chair. Edogawa came over after seeing I was getting rough with her.

"Hey hey hey, we are your allies. We are in the same predicament as you... Just tell her, it would be better for all of us." Edogawa encouraged.

"My real name is Shiho Miyano, code name Sherry." I looked at her with widened eyes.

"You're one of them!" I raised my voice feeling anxious that one of them managed to get so close this quickly. Edogawa quickly shushed me and looked around to make sure no one heard anything.

The people students here are too innocent, they were too busy interacting with their friends to listen in on us.

"I am the creator of the drug or my father was. After realizing that they killed my sister, I stopped all production as a protest and they cuffed me to a pole. I swallowed the APTX4869 to kill myself but I ended up becoming small like you."

"You... you..." I have too many questions in my mind. "Then can you turn us back?" I asked the most critical question.

"Don't you think I would have done so if I could?" She said, making me sigh as all hopes shattered. "I can't remember the formula."

"And you?" I turned to the boy.

"I'm just a normal victim who used to be a high school detective. You can call me Conan." He crossed his hands behind his head. He fits the description of a 1st grader/primary school student more than Anita.

"You can call me Hailey."

I looked at the skeptically before pulling out my phone to exchange contacts. "You can call me Allison."

"The Black Organisation is what they're called. They always wear black." Hailey said as I left the classroom.

---

I spotted Nat's car at the corner. "You took a while to come out. I was about to barge in." Nat said as I buckled my seatbelts. I wouldn't be surprised if she does.

"I was just talking to my new friends..." I considered them more as classmates for now. It would definitely help tremendously if we have the scientist on our side. Once we get our hands on the formula, I should be able to get back to normal size. The good thing is they are unable to make any more APTX4869 since their lab was destroyed.

"Are you alright?" Nat asked as I was deep in thought. What should be our next course of movement? Should we lure them out or wait until we get more evidence and resources? Three of us, four if we include Bill, are not able to do anything...

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Nat nudged my shoulders, bringing me back to reality.

"Just- about... about dinner!" I jumped in my seat, acting as if it was the simplest thing to make me happy. I cringed internally as I did that. Nat could only chuckle and shake her head at my actions and childishness.

---

Back in the compound, I slumped in bed after a tiring day.

The room darken all of a sudden and thunder cracking could be heard throughout the sky. Ominous feelings filled the compound as everyone looked out at how quickly the sky changed. Soon, rain started to hit the windows and everyone went back to their business.

"She's useless." Strucker spat at me. The scientist that he got injected me with powers but there was no result. No matter how much stress testing they did, they weren't able to get a reaction from me.

They took my blood and tested it. There were traces of DNA alteration, indicating the serum in me was doing its job but it just wasn't showing.

They needed to keep me alive so they didn't increase the dosage, but they kept torturing me, breaking me and at this point I just wished I could evoke my powers to stop all this.

"Send her to cell 4." Strucker waved for his agents.

"No... I don't want to... No! Please!" I tried to break free from their grip but with two men holding each of my arms, it was hardly a challenge for them to force me there.

Another bulky man was waiting with an empty chair and his tools spread out on the table. They cuffed me to the chair before walking out.

He started off light with a small parry knife, licking it before slitting my body, he would move onto bigger tools gradually and my body littered with cuts. On days when he was mad, he would dive in straight with a gun, making sure he didn't hit any vital spots. Shots and screams would be heard throughout the cell, if I could just move a little and direct the shot towards my head, I would have done so.

Second POV
The rain was still coming down heavily as Natasha heard your blood curdling scream coming from your room and rushed to check on your room. You were whimpering in your bed and covers thrown on the floor, clearing in distress.

"Allison!" She said, trying to wake you up. She tried a couple more times but it wasn't working. Through your hectic movement in your nightmare, your shirt lifted up slightly and Nat was able to see your cuts and bruises.

"WAKE UP!" She screamed this time. It worked. You jolted up in bed panting heavily. You placed your head in your hands trying to calm down until you remembered what situation you're in.

"Are you okay?" She used her cold hands to wipe off the sweat on your forehead.

Now, the life you're living in, is built on lies upon lies. One day it's going to come crashing down on you.

Posted on 3 Feb 2022