Inconsequential Intimidation

Natasha opened her eyes, her face remaining expressionless. Shuffling footsteps could be heard faintly in the distance. They came closer, getting louder. She saw the moment her partner registered the sound and woke. It was only a minor change in his breathing that alerted her. A slight hiccup in the previously regular movement of his shoulders, as he took a breath. The pattern resumed as he assessed his surroundings for any possible threats.

Clint looked up at her a few seconds later, "The plan?"

"Bahrain, but without the explosions."

"And with some slight improvisations," he agreed.

"That can easily be remedied," She reminded him. "I have my hairpin, I just have to get it. Unless you have your picks?"

"They took everything when they searched me," He replied frustrated. "They'd be out of my reach anyway." He hated to admit he couldn't help her but he knew practicality had to win over pride as always.

'Clint, it's ok," She told him. "I'll get us out of this. I just need to know what they already know. Then we can leave."

"I know," it was the sensible move.

Regardless of the danger to themselves, they had to prevent people getting hold of the information. It would put the world in danger. They paused. In the silence, they could hear the men weren't far away. Natasha was chained facing the back wall, so she wouldn't be able to see them when they entered. The key scraped in the lock, the door groaned open, hitting the wall with a bang.

Two men, her partner indicated with an eye movement. She trusted him to let her know what she needed, for her to do her job. His eyes widened. She saw him trying to hide his panic, his face blank. To her, his fear showed clearly in his eyes. Natasha nodded her head slightly to him. She was ready for whatever was to come. She could be strong through it, she had to be. The men came to stand in front of her, blocking her view of her partner.

"Natasha Romanoff, will you tell us what we need to know?" The balding of the two bulky men asked. "Or does this have to get messy?" In one hand he held a whip, in the other a knife. The younger of the two was taller and seemed to be there just to watch, a fact he seemed excited by.

"I'll tell you nothing," She answered. She wasn't scared, she'd faced this and worse before.

"Well then, we shall have to make you talk," the older man grinned. Natasha recognised him as the man in charge from when she had first woken up here, Petrovich. He would have the information she needed.

She laughed a cold unfeeling sound. "I wish you luck."

"Your confidence will not help you. No- one will come to your rescue," He growled. "Tell us what happened on your mission to Ukraine?"

"What mission?" She asked, determined to find out everything he knew.

"You know the one I'm after," the man told her, his American accent bleeding through with his anger.

"You mean the mission where my partner and I took down the leader of a weapons ring," she asked. "That was a simple straightforward mission."

"I am talking about the one three years ago," He was losing patience quickly.

"I don't recall a mission three years ago to that area," she replied completely calm.

"You took down a base where they were experimenting with human enhancement," The younger man piped up only to receive a glare from his superior.

"You must be thinking of someone else," Natasha frowned.

"I am not," the older man snarled. His patience already nearing breaking point.