BLACK WIDOW

nemisism

nemisism
(n.)
frustration, anger, aggression, or hate towards oneself and one's way of living

•••

"sometimes before it gets better, the darkness gets bigger."

•••

It was cold. The air was cold. The metal wrapped around her body was cold. The feeling was cold.

Wait. Why was there metal wrapped around her? She tried to move, but couldn't budge. She began to panic, but she finally remembered being stuck in the neck with some needle when she began to leave with James.

She looked around for James, needing to see him, needing to known he was okay. Maybe they never figured out he was in the duffel bag. She finally saw him standing in the corner, emotionless and robotic as he was when his mind was wiped clean.

It gave her a jump at first, but he gave her a look and a nod. Relieved, she decided to take in her surroundings.

She was in an uncomfortably straight chair that was much too big for her. The arm locks were too big for her and the left was twice as secure as the right. The locks were holding her ankles too and above her was a large, metallic contraption.

And then, Natalia realized: she was about to be wiped. She had sat here before. She had been tortured here before. This was the Winter Soldier's chair.

But for some reason, she knew that it was not to going to happen. Not now, not here, not ever.

She remembered the room she was in. The Siberian Winter Soldier keep. It was where they kept the Winter Soldier. Where they wiped his mind, gave him his missions, and stored him in cryofreeze. It where they were going to put her, before they escaped for a few months.

But she knew how she had to play the situation. She knew that James trusted her to do that.

She didn't have to wait very long before Colonel Karpov entered, armed with only a red book with a black star.

<Long time, no see, Miss Romanova,> he said casually. He had a light, friendly tone of voice. Natalia knew better, however. <I am happy to know that you've returned home, dear.>

<Sorry to disappoint you, Colonel, but I'm not here to stay,> Natalia told him with ease. She was playing a role now.

<Hmm,> he said nonchalantly. <We seem to have different plans.>

She mustered all that she could and spat across the room at him, right on the badges on his uniform. <Go to hell!>

He chuckled. <Soldier,> he ordered, holding out the red book to him. James crosses the room to take it. <Dear Widow,> he said. <We are already here.>

<That's for damned sure,> she mumbled. <But I'm not dead yet. So I won't be staying.>

He nodded towards James, who opened the book and began to read.

He shielded his mouth and pointed at James sarcastically. <He is, however,> he whispered loudly.

Natalia smirked knowingly. <James won't hurt me like he did before.>