1995
Springfield, Ohio
"Kennedy," her mother said as she kneeled before her, "These people just want to ask some questions about Natasha and her family. I want you to answer honestly, okay?"
"Okay," Kennedy says, with no intention of doing that. She'd promised Natasha that she would never reveal anything that she told her about where she was from or who she truly was. Natasha may have been gone now, but she promised she'd come back and so Kennedy had to keep her promise for Natasha to keep hers.
The men in ties lead Kennedy and her mother to a room. Her mom attempts to follow her inside, but the men stop her.
"Just Kennedy," one of them says, "We feel that we'll get through better to her alone."
Kennedy looks behind at her mother, fear flooding her veins. Her mom offers her a reassuring smile, "It's okay baby, I'll be just outside."
The door closes and Kennedy turns around to see that there was a woman already seated at the small table in the room. Three walls and a glass pane that did not allow Kennedy to see outside, but it did allow people to see inside. She'd noticed that on her way in.
Kennedy takes a seat across from the woman, her legs dangled as she sat back in the chair. It made her feel small. She wondered if that's what they were going for.
She watches curiously as Valentina fiddled with some sort of device. It took Kennedy a moment to realize that it was a tape recorder. She looked at Valentina who offered her a small smile before glancing down at a sheet of paper.
"Hi there," the woman says as she smiles and holds her hand out for her to shake, "My name is Valentina. What's yours?"
"Kennedy."
"Will you tell me your full name please?"
"Kennedy Emily Louise Allen."
"So, your full name is Kennedy Emily Louise Allen," Valentina observes, "That's a lot of names."
"My grandmother's name was Emily, and my other grandmother was named Louise. They both wanted me to be named after them. Someone combined the two and called me Emmylou, but no one calls me that anymore."
Especially since Natasha was gone.
"Emmylou," Valentina says testing it on her tongue, "Cute."
"If you think so," Kennedy responds with a shrug.
"Do you know why you're here, Kennedy?" Valentina asks, and Kennedy knew exactly why she was there.
"My mom said that this is about Natasha."
Valentina leans close as though sharing a secret, "Did Natasha call you Emmylou?"
"She did," Kennedy answers as she looks down at her fingers.
"You miss her, don't you?"
For the last few weeks since Natasha's disappearance and the revelation that they were a group of spies who were there for American intelligence, Kennedy has been treated as though missing Natasha were a crime, but she did and there was no point in lying about that.
"Yes."
"We can find her," Valentina tells her, "And you can help us. We just need you to answer some questions."
Kennedy wasn't dumb. They were appealing to her desire to see Natasha again. She remains silent and Valentina takes that as a go ahead as she opens a folder.
"You and Natasha met because you were in the same third grade class and you were neighbors, correct?"
"Yes," Kennedy answers.
"How'd the two of you become friends?"
"Some girls took my book and were going to tear the pages out. Natasha stopped them. She was the first person that stood up for me."
"People are mean to you?"
Kennedy glances over at the glass pane where she knew her mother was standing. She'd never wanted her mother to worry so she never told her about the things that were going on at school. She didn't have to when Natasha came along.
She doesn't give a verbal reply and instead nods her head. Valentina offers a sympathetic smile before nodding her head.
"How did Natasha stop them?"
"She just told them to leave me alone. She was taller than them so they were intimidated I guess."
"And what did the two of you like to do?"
A half smile crosses Kennedy's lips, "Read. Climb trees. We'd camp in my backyard or the living room and pretend there were bears."
"Do you remember her parents?"
"Yes."
"What were they like?"
"Nice," Kennedy says nodding her head, "Her mom would give me forehead kisses when I slept over and she'd make macaroni and cheese because Yelena and I loved it."
"Yelena. She was Natasha's younger sister?"
"Yes."
"Did you spend time with her?"
Kennedy nods, "She would follow Natasha and I everywhere. She could talk a lot, but she just wanted to be like Natasha. They were like regular sisters."
For the first time, Valentina's smile slips away, "You are aware that isn't true, right?"
"Everyone has been telling me that it isn't true, but I was over their house all the time. They had photo albums and toys. Her parents bought a swing set to put in the backyard because Yelena begged for one. They were better than any family in Springfield."
"They were extremely good at playing their roles," Valentina informs her, "But they stole important and confidential information."
Kennedy shrugs her shoulders, "I don't think I can help. I never noticed anything abnormal."
"Was there anything out of the ordinary about her?"
"No," Kennedy answers firmly.
"Did she ever tell you about where she was from? Where she'd be going if she left?"
"No," Kennedy repeats.
"You guys never talked about her life before moving to Ohio?"
"No," Kennedy answers, "My classmates bullied me, and she stuck up for me. She became my best friend. I didn't care where she was from, and I never thought that she would leave. I don't have any answers."
"Your parents tell me you're smart, Kennedy. You skipped two grades, you're on A honor roll. Your teachers say you're inquisitive, so I know you like to ask questions. I don't believe that you weren't curious about Natasha's past."
"Do you know what it is like to have your classmates hate you for no reason? I never did or said anything to them, but they mocked me and pushed me around just because they could. Natasha saved me. So even if I did ask questions, I'm not telling you any of the answers."
Valentina leans back in her chair with a smile, "So you do know something?"
"I know that Natasha is the only person in the entire world outside of my parents that ever cared about me in this stupid town," Kennedy shrugs, "I know that doesn't help with your investigation, but it is the truth. Spy or not she was my best friend."
"You're loyal," Valentina states, "You're also brave. It takes a lot of guts to lie to a government agent."
"I don't have much to lose," Kennedy says, "My favorite person is already gone and just in time for the worst years of my life. Middle school. I think that's punishment enough."
Valentina stops the recorder and reaches into her coat pocket, pulling out a card, sliding it in Kennedy's direction. Kennedy eyes it skeptically before reaching out and grabbing it.
"SHIELD?" Kennedy asks.
"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division," Valentina states, "We do what the name says."
"I'm nine," Kennedy states as she drops the card on the table.
"I'm aware and we don't have any recruits under eighteen. But you should give us a call in nine years," Valentina says, "With proper training you could be a great SHIELD agent. Think about it."
"I want to own a coffee shop," Kennedy says as she flips the card over in her hand.
"A nice dream," Valentina says, "But a waste of intellect. Anyone can be a coffee shop owner, but you're not anyone now are you Kennedy?"
Kennedy blinked as she looked up at Valentina and back down at the card.
"Come on, let's get you back to your mother," Valentina says as she stands from her seat. She opens the door leading out of the room and Kennedy stares at it for a moment before standing and following Valentina into the hallway.
Her mother was standing there waiting and she walked over to Kennedy, embracing her tightly, "You did such a good job. You were so brave."
"Your daughter is loyal to her friend," Valentina states, getting her mother's attention.
"They're children," her mother states fiercely, "The parents may have committed a crime, but those girls were just regular children."
"Let's hope so," Valentina states, her tone colder from the one that she'd used earlier. Kennedy glanced at her and any comradery that they had built in the interrogation room was gone. Kennedy wanted to leave.
"Can we go home?" Kennedy asks her mother softly.
"Of course," her mother says as she takes her hand. She doesn't miss the cold look her mother gives Valentina before they head off.