𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 - 𝐖. 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐟𝐟

sixteen

               KATERINA'S body jolted as yet another electricshock ran through her. Her body seized, desperately trying to fight against the electric volts running through her body as her mouth opened in a silent gasp. As much as she wanted to scream, she knew it would only cause her more pain.

It seemed like it lasted forever, when in reality it was only around another ten seconds. Her body sagged in the chair she was chained to, the metal restraints holding her body weight up and keeping her from collapsing to the floor.

She couldn't remember why she was in the chair, why she was being put through the electroshock therapy again.

"Shadow," Alexander Pierce quipped, his voice cold as he looked at the woman in the chair. "It's time to train the Maximoff's."

The Maximoffs?

"Make sure they know how to fight by the end of the day. Get them to use their powers."

Powers?

Who were the Maximoffs?

Katerina jolted awake, her chest heaving as she sat up, her hands gripping the edge of the cot tightly, knuckles white.

Maximoffs.

Wanda.

Why did she know Wanda from HYDRA? Why was Wanda in her dreams?

Katerina shook her head, running her hands over her face as she collected herself. The manila folder was still sitting in the exact same spot on the floor and Katerina huffed, looking away from it.

She was determined not to sign.

She wasn't going to betray the place that had given her a home for her entire life.

But that home was a disaster, and Katerina knew it.

She just didn't want to admit it to anyone, let alone herself.

"Katerina."

Katerina's eyes snapped up to meet the soft blue of Yelena Belova.

"How did you sleep?"

Silence.

"I was told to come and try to persuade you to sign the contract. But I'm not going to try."

"Why," Katerina found herself questioning.

"Because you clearly don't want to sign, I won't waste my efforts on something that I know won't happen."

"So then why don't you just throw me in the raft? That is the goal, right? To get me in a place where I can't hurt anyone."

"The goal is to get you back to the real you. The real Katerina, and not something HYDRA created. Not a monster."

"You'll have a hard time doing that then," Katerina muttered. "I've always been a monster, I always will be."

"That's not true. You don't have to be HYDRA's creation, you can be your own person. Natasha and I got free, you can too. Even Wanda chose to stop helping HYDRA."

Wanda.

Why was she so familiar?

"I want to speak to her."

Katerina's request shocked Yelena as her brows furrowed. "Who?"

"The Maximoff girl, I want to speak with her."

"I will see what I can do."

"Thank you."

The gratitude shocked Yelena, just like it shocked Katerina. Neither had been expecting the brunette to thank Yelena, and it was a moment of confusion on both ends.