"Where are you going?" Asked Melina when Natasha and Liam both got up from their seats.
"To do this myself." Snapped Natasha.
"Don't. You won't survive."
"I wish I could believe that you cared. But you're not even the first mother that abandoned me." Liam brushed his fingers against the red head's.
"No, you weren't abandoned. You were selected by a program that assessed the genetic potential in infants." Said Melina and Natasha stopped and turned to her.
"I was taken?"
"I believe a bargain was struck, your family paid off. But your mother, she never stopped looking for you. She was like you in that way. She was relentless." Natasha gripped Liam's hand and squeezed, like he was the only anchor she had right now.
"What happened to her?"
"Dreykov had her killed. Her existence threatened to uncover the Red Room. Normally, the actions of one curious civilian wouldn't warrant an execution, but, as I said, she was relentless."
"I thought about her every day of my life. Whether or not I admitted it to myself, I did." Shared Natasha and Liam rubbed her hand with his thumb.
"I've always found it best not to look into the past."
"Then why did you save this?" Asked Natasha and picked up an old photo album with her free hand. "I remember this day. We shot Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and summer vacation all in one day. Different backdrops. I knew all the presents under the tree were just empty boxes, but I didn't care. I wanted to open every single one so just for a second it would feel real."
"Let's stop this." Melina said, looking down and putting away the album.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Why does a mouse born in a cage run on that little wheel? Do you know I was cycled through the Red Room four times before you were even born? Those walls are all I know. I was never given a choice."
"But you're not a mouse, Melina. You were just born in a cage, but that's not your fault." Natasha stated with a tiny smile playing on her lips.
"Tell me, how did you keep your heart?" The dark haired widow asked. Liam noticed the sadness in her voice and frowned.
"Pain only makes us stronger. Didn't you tell us that? What you taught me kept me alive."
"I'm sorry, I already alerted the Red Room. They'll be here any minute." Melina looked down, ashamed.
"I guess we need a plan then." Said Liam and the two women looked up at him.
-Time skip-
"So, once we're inside, I'll activate my tracker and Ross will come running."
"You are aware that you are still a global fugitive, yes?" Asked Melina and Liam grinned.
"If he decides to put us in prison, we have a few friends willing to bust us out." Said Liam from behind the corner as the two women changed their clothes.
"You know the facility. There must be some way to land it."
"Instruct them to confine us on level zero. Once I'm out, I can activate the landing protocol, we can descend within the hour. Ah, problem. I only have one earpiece set."
"I'll give it to Yelena."
"We still have to locate the widows around the world. Can't have them brainwashed and running around." Pointed out Liam and Natasha nodded.
"Even if you locate the database and get him to show you the key, you won't be able to take it from him. For years, Dreykov has implemented a pheromonal lock in all widows, even me. So, as long as we can smell him, then we won't be able to hurt him."
"Well, I'll just hold my breath." Shrugged Natasha but Melina shook her head.
"Not enough. This is basic science. Natasha, to block receptors in olfactory center, you have to sever the nerve."
"I can handle that." Nodded Tasha and Liam turned to them when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
"I'll go with you, Melina. It will make the hacking of the Red Room faster. I'll try to get to you, Tasha, as soon as I can, maybe I will be able to find some buried info in the main computer's software." Announced Liam.
"This isn't your fight, Liam. Ross might catch you." Said Natasha while intertwining their fingers.
"It's your fight therefore it's my fight. I'm not gonna leave you alone at the bar again." Natasha hugged him and kissed his cheek. Liam buried his face into her fiery hair and hugged her back. Melina looked at the man with a new-found fondness.