Chance - Natasha Romanoff

XXVI : traitor

The Commandos and Seals, stood rooted in their spots, watching the skirmish as if it were a carefully orchestrated training exercise. Marlene shouting all of them, the moment Irmina tossed the blades.

"Do not interfere—only when Lieutenant General endured broken bones."

That will never happen.

Despite all odds, Captain America managed to land a kick to Irmina's ribs. She scoffed in response, a sound that echoed through the tense air. Cracking her neck and trying her best to relax her muscles, Irmina presented an even greater challenge to Steve, the fight taking on a new level of intensity.

"You shouldn't be alive!" Steve repeated, his voice strained as he controlled his breathing, thinking of the next moves.

"Neither should you—but here we are," Irmina retorted, a hint of mockery in her tone. "We are so far out of our time, Captain."

Steve tried to respond, but Irmina pressed on, her emotions surfacing. "You should have tried harder to kill me."

"Many men died because of you!" Steve accused.

"I gave you so many chances to kill me! And yet, you somehow failed!" Irmina yelled, fists clenched, tears threatening to spill. "You think I wanted those good and honorable men to die? I lost men too."

Irmina released her hands, revealing the bleeding palms, the wounds healing in seconds. The Captain stood still, processing the torrent of emotions.

"Not the Nazis! The German Army! The men who fought for their country! The men who never wore the SS symbols on their uniforms!" Irmina's voice cracked with emotion.

She let her hands free from the tension, and everyone saw the bleed on her palm, healing in seconds compared to the cut on Steve's ear. As the confrontation continued, Anna, having sneaked into the training area, regretted her choice upon hearing Irmina's painful revelations.

"My brothers died by your hands, and you were praised—we were camping," Irmina revealed, tears streaming down her face.

Steve, confused and conflicted, listened as Irmina recounted the painful memory. "They were unarmed, and you killed them in cold blood! I couldn't do anything to save them. I promised Kaiser that he would see his son again, but I failed because of you! You are much more a war criminal than I am!"

Steve, realizing the gravity of his past actions, asked, "Then why didn't you kill me?"

"Oh, I would have. I would have enjoyed it. But the world needs its hero, and everyone was finally united," Irmina confessed, her voice heavy, pained. "So I endured to be one of the many villains. I endured the loss of my family. I endured so maybe, just maybe, someone would finally finish me off." Irmina's eyes bore into Steve's. "And if you say it's God's plan, he is sick for what he has put me through."

Irmina unfazed, fixing her stance while Steve got up, she could see that Steve was fighting a war in his head as he finally remembered the very moment Irmina was talking about.

Majority of those in the hangar were trying to process that both super soldiers had fought in the war, especially Irmina as this information about her being a super soldier was never explicitly mentioned as much as the fact that she served in the War.

"Countless men died for a senseless war and you had the chance to end it but you failed because me to fight for you? I had enough of your bullshit to even see if you were truly a good man. Director, you and your little Agents can fuck off and Agent Romanov, use that syringe on him."

Natasha's eyes flickers, knowing that Irmina will never forgive her for this.

"Irmina—" Maria began, but she was cut off by Irmina's sharp retort.