─────── RENEGADES ───────
────── ․° ⴵ °․ ──────
"You should've brought the Avengers' superjet." Alexi complained as we stepped out of the helicopter. It of course has crashed because we ran out of fuel. We weren't that far from St. Petersburg; we would have to walk the rest of the way. I didn't mind much, but this would just take longer.
"I swear, if I hear one more word from him," Yelena muttered as we began to walk down a dirt path. "I will kick him in the face."
"I'll help you." I second as I extend my foot to a kick to show I was serious. Yelena scoffs angrily at Alexi. "He's the worst."
Alexi called Natasha back to talk about God knows what. Yelena, Kilorn and I didn't stop for them and kept on walking. "Wait." We all turned when we heard Natasha snap at Alexi. "You haven't seen either one of us in 20 years and you're gonna ask me about you?"
"What is with this tension?" Alexi asks as he looks at both daughters with confused wide eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" Yelena rubs her temple, probably questioning what she had heard. "Is that a serious question?"
"I only ever loved you girls." Alexi defended himself. "I did my best to make sure you would succeed to achieve your fullest potential, and everything worked out."
Natasha almost scoffs. "Everything worked out?"
"Yes." Alexi said as he motions to Natasha. "For you, yes. We accomplished our mission in Ohio." He walked over to Yelena, "Yelena, you went on to become the greatest child assassin the world has ever known. No one can match your efficiency, your ruthlessness." He walks back over to Natasha.
"And Natasha, not just a spy, not just toppling regimes, destroying empires from within, but an Avenger."
He grabs both of them and brings them closer, shaking their arms as he talks. Yelena lets her wrist flop while Natsha keeps her arm straight and rigid. "You both have killed so many people. Your ledgers must be dripping, just gushing red."
And that's supposed to be a good thing? And anyway, I thought that he didn't even want that damn mission. He brought them closer, wrapping his arms around them and pulling them in. "I couldn't be more proud of you."
Kilorn and I exchanged looks. Does Alexi even realize that we were forced into doing the stuff we did? That is hardly anything to be proud of. And we've been doing this for years. I myself can remember every single god damn mission I have ever been on.
I am probably the youngest widow in my squadron, and I've run point on quite a lot of missions. Most of them were simple run of the mill heist missions, but some were assassination hits. Those haunt me every day.
Natasha shoved Alexi away, scoffing in disbelief. Alexi looks after her confused. Kilorn chased after her. Yelena shakes her head as she pulls away from her adoptive father, wrinkling her nose. "No, you smell." Yelena continued to walk down the dirt path, leaving Alexi standing there like a buffoon. I crossed my arms and shook my head at the super soldier. "Idiot."
┈┈┈┈․° ⧗ °․┈┈┈┈
BACK TO KILORN
"Are you okay?" I asked Natasha as I caught up to her. She nodded, she grabbed the crook of her nose annoyed. "He irritates me so damn much."
"Isn't that what family does?" I pointed out. It was annoyingly the truth. Sif and I would annoy each other to death as kids. I guess you could say it got better as we kept growing up. That's kind of what family does, almost every single family I have ever met is the exact same way. Well, with the exception of Volstagg and Clint's families. But then again, their families are still growing up.
Natasha shakes her head as we keep walking, the others not far behind us. "Well he's not my family."
I shake my head at her. "That's what you say now. But family is family." Natasha muttered under her breath as she kicked a few rocks in front of us. It honestly doesn't matter how much fighting a family does, they still are family. And the family I'm kind of talking about is the Odinson family. I haven't met a family more complicated than that one. Well till now. "Your adopted mother," I began the small talk as we continued to walk.
"Is she going to be like Alexi?" Incredibly self-absorbed and idiotic? She was clearly smart according to Alexi, but I just want to know if she's going to be like him with the topic about their mission in Ohio. Natasha shrugged, "When I was a kid she was like an actual mother, but I haven't seen her in 20 years so I don't know. I'd think not."
"So, are we there yet?" Yelena complained loudly as we walked down the trail. "You'll know when we're there." Alexi begins to snort repeatedly. Nina frowned at the man, shooting him a distasteful look as we continued to walk. We were all silent as we walked, the only one who spoke was Alexi who kept asking about the stuff he's missed during his time incarcerated.
Neither of us answered, so he just kept on talking. I will admit, it was getting kind of annoying.
We ended up arriving at our destination. A pig farm. I could see that Natasha was growing anxious as we got closer. I rubbed her forearm assuringly, she can only muster a small smile.
We approached a barbed wire fence, being greeted by a woman that has her jet-black hair up in a bun and a rifle in hand. She looked overwhelmed by the sight of her adoptive daughters and I guess ex- husband. Yelena and Natasha stayed quiet as they looked at her. Alexi was the only one excited.
"Honey, we're home." The woman doesn't say anything, and begins to walk back towards the house up on the hill. "Come on." Alexi ushered us forward and through the gates.
We followed after the woman, passing the pig pen. No pigs unfortunately. Almost kind of reminds me of the farmhouse back home. The chores I had to do. If Melina was Dreykov's right hand woman, why on earth was she living here?
"Welcome to my humble abode." Melina finally says as we enter her house. It was a small wooden structure house. It was cozy looking and well kept. Kind of nice. "Make yourself at home. Let's have a drink."
"Now who are you two?" Melina questions, pointing between Nina and me as the others spread around the house. "Nina Udinov." Nina introduced herself. "Kilorn," I also introduced myself. Melina nods, "Melina." We nodded. "We know." We've heard quite a few stories.
Nina followed after Melina, watching as she opened up a compartment in the wall to reveal the rest of her weapons stockpile and devices. "Watch it." Nina warned the older widow.
Melina motioned to her weapon. "I am putting away my weapon." Nina stared at the woman, not looking very convinced. I grabbed Nina's shoulders and I steered her away. Alexi had long since retreated to the bathroom, and while we waited for him, we all sat down at the kitchen table. We had checked the house for any hidden traps. Couldn't find anything.
We were safe for now.
Nina sits at one end of the table, absent-mindedly stabbing a knife into the wooden table top. I sit next to Natasha while Yelena sits next to Melina. We all sat awkwardly as we waited for Alexi. We could hear the sounds of him struggling in the bathroom. I didn't even want to know what the hell he was doing in there.
"Let's drink." Melina said to break the tension, grabbing a bottle of alcohol. She actually handed a cup to Nina, but Natasha and I snatched it away from her. "Are you kidding me?" She scolded Melina as she took the drink for herself. Nina groans annoyed as Natasha drinks what was supposed to be her drink. I declined the drink Melina handed me. Besides, it's not like I can get drunk off cheap vodka.
Alexi cleared his throat loudly. We all looked to see him standing at the doorway, leaning on the frame. He is dressed in a red and white suit. A white star flat out on his chest. What the hell is that?
Alexi was smiling from ear to ear. "Still fits."
Melina wolf whistles.
"Oh, my God." Natasha muttered disgusted as she looked away.
Alexei walked up and sat down at the head of the table, taking off his helmet and placing it on the ground. "Rise, you workers of salvation," He started humming a tune of a song before he grinned at the women at the table. "Family, back together again."
"With a few strays." Nina said as she tried putting her feet up on the table, but Melina shot her a warning look not to. Strays? Really? I'm a fugitive not a damn stray.
"Mmm," Melina sighed. "Seeing as our family construct was just a calculated rude that only lasted three years, I don't think that we can use this term anymore, can we?"
"Agreed," Natasha answered before Yelena could reply back. "So, here's what's gonna happen-"
"Okay. A reunion then, huh?" Alexei cut in. "And, uh, I want to say something right off the bat." He looked at Melina. "You haven't aged a day, huh?" Yelena and Natasha shared a look of disgust.
"You're just as beautiful and as supple as the day they staged our marriage."
"You got fat." Melina answered, she grinned and leaned forward. "But still good."
"I just got out of prison." Alexi tells her. "I, uh, I have a lot of energy."
"Oh!" The girls exclaimed horrified while I covered my face from second hand embarrassment. God, this is- blah. I really should have just stayed outside.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but there are children here!" Nina exclaimed, referring to herself as she was disgusted by the old couple's behavior. Yelena and Natasha nodded in agreement, equally as horrified. "So, here's what's gonna happen." Natasha continued only to be cut off again.
"Natasha, don't slouch." Melina scolded her. "I'm not slouching." Natasha defends as she sits up. "Yes, yes, you are." Melina countered.
"I don't slouch."
"You're going to get a back hunch."
"Listen to your mother," Alexei cut off Natasha before she could argue more. "Oh my god, this. .." Natasha sighed in annoyance. "Up, up." Alexei continued as he motions for her to mimic his own actions of sitting up.
"All right, enough, all of you." Natasha snapped at them. "I didn't say anything. That's not fair," Yelena complained.
"Here's what's gonna happen -" Natasha continued, only to be cut off once again. "I don't want any food," Yelena protested as she stared at the plate in front of her that Melina was filling up.
"Eat a little something, Yelena, for God's sake," Melina demanded. It's funny. For not being a family they sure did act like one. I didn't exactly mind it when she piled food on the plate in front of me. I was hungry.
"You're gonna tell us the location of the Red Room," Natasha finally said. This time she blurted it out so as to not be cut off again. Melina sniffed and turned to Alexei. "You know, it's like when you told them that they could stay up late to catch Santa Claus."
"What? That was fun," Alexei said. "You know, 'He come down the chimney, girls. Look out. Where is he?' You wait for him, and then when the cookies are gone, then you see he's there." Melina shakes her head at him and Melina takes that as an accusing look. "What? I want them to follow their dreams."
"No good." Melina commented.
"Reach for the stars, girls."
"Finding Dreykov is not a fantasy." Natasha states. "It's unfinished business."
"You can't defeat a man who commands the very will of others," Melina tells her. "You never saw the culmination of what we started in America." She points at Alexi. "Nor did you." Melina stood from the table and went to retrieve god knows what.
"Natasha, always focus, focus." Alexi muttered at Natasha. "Get what you want."
Melina came into the room again and sat down in her seat, holding a tablet in her hands. After pressing a few buttons, she turned over to the door and called, "Come in." Without any warning, a pig walked into the room, snorting as it walked over to Melina.
"Did that pig just open the door?" Natasha questioned as we all stared at it. "Yes. It did." Melina replied. "Good boy, Alexei." She praised the pig as he reached us, rubbing his snout. "Good boy."
"You named a pig after me?" Alexei questioned, looking up at her in shock.
"You don't see the resemblance?" Melina seemed deeply offended by that. "See, he sits just like dog. Amazing. Now watch."
"It's a little weird, to me." Alexei commented.
"Stop breathing." Melina ordered before she tapped her tablet, causing the pig to let out choking noises. It wasn't actually breathing. "We infiltrated the North Institute in Ohio," Melina explained. I grip the table as I lean for a better look of the pig. Was it actually not breathing?
"It was a front for S.H.I.E.L.D scientists. Actually, it was Hydra scientists at that time. In conjunction with the Winter Soldier project, they had dissected and deconstructed the human brain to create the first and only cellular blueprint of the basal ganglia. Was the hub for cognition."
Natasha and I exchanged subtle glances as we looked at Yelena and Nina. Both had gone stone cold when Melina had mentioned the project. I don't even know how long either of them had been through the project. In conjunction with the winter soldier program? What does that mean? What happened to them was supposed to have actually been for those other winter soldiers in the 90's?
Melina continued not having noticed the girl's reactions. "Voluntary motor movement, procedural learning. We didn't steal weaponry or technology. We stole the key to unlocking free will." Doesn't she really mean locking it?
The pig made one last choking sound before dropping to the floor with thud, making my eyes widen. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Oh, I am explaining that the science is now so exact, the subject can be instructed to stop breathing and has no choice but to obey."
"Okay, you made your point. That's enough." Natasha said. "Yes, all right. Well, don't worry, Alexei could've survived 11 more seconds without oxygen." Melina said before she tapped on her tablet once more, making the pig jump back to its feet.
"Good boy. Now, you go back, back home where it's safe." Melina commanded. "You go. You go back home, back home where it's safe. Good boy, Alexei."
We all stared at the pig as it walked away casually as if it wasn't just about to die a few seconds ago.
"The world functions on a higher level when it is controlled. Dreykov has chemically subjugated agents planted around the globe."
"And do you know who they test it on?" Nina asked nonchalantly. But seeing as she was right next to me I could see how her eyes looked crystalized from tears. "Hmm..." Melina hummed in thought and then shook her head. "No. That's not my department."
"Ah, come on, come on." Alexei said. "Don't lie to them. Hmm?"
"I'm not lying." Melina shrugged. "You're Dreykov's architect, huh?"
"What were you?" Melina questioned him. "If I was his architect, you were his partner. You were his business partner."
"No, no, no. I was patsy." Alexei snapped. "Don't give me that -"
"He sell me ideology." Alexei started. "Stop with the politics." Melina rolled her eyes.
"All the while, bigger -"
"Shut up!" Natasha yelled at Alexei, cutting off the bickering old couple. "You are an idiot." She tells Alexi and then looks to Melina; Natasha was actually almost on the verge of tears. "And you're a coward. You're a coward."
Suddenly that drink doesn't seem so bad. I feel so out of place here.
"And our family was never real, so there's nothing to hold on to." Natasha reminded them. "We're moving on." Yelena lowered her head as she fought back tears. "Never family, huh?" Alexei repeated what she had said.
"In my heart, I am a simple man. And I think that for a couple deep undercover Russian agents, I think we did pretty great as parents, huh?"
"Yes, we had our orders, and we played our roles to perfection." Melina told Natasha. "Who cares?" Natasha snapped. "That wasn't real."
"What?" Yelena seemed like she could burst into tears at any moment. "That wasn't real. Who cares?"
"Don't say that," Yelena said, shaking her head at Natasha. "Please don't say that. It was real. It was real to me. You are my mother." She looked at Melina. "You were my real mother," Yelena's voice cracked from the tears.
"The closest thing I ever had to one. The best part of my life was fake. And none of you told me." We're all silent. I suddenly felt even more awkward being here. Nina looked to be thinking the exact same thing.
Yelena sniffs as she turns to look at Melina again. "And those agents you chemically subjugated around the globe? That was me." Melina looked shocked at her reveal. Her face softened. Yelena pointed at Nina, "That was her."
Melina looked at the 14-year-old, who averted her eyes as she looked down at her lap. Not wanting to talk about it.
"And you," she turned to Natasha. "You got out. Dreykov made sure no one could escape." Natasha stayed silent. "Are you gonna say anything?"
"I–" Natasha began. "No," Yelena said firmly, standing up from her seat, grabbing the bottle of vodka. "Don't touch me."
"Yelena," Natasha called. "No." Without another word, she locked herself in one of Melina's rooms, filling the air with tense and uncomfortable silence. "I had no idea," Melina said, looking at Alexi and Nina.
"It's okay." Alexi assured her. "I'll go talk to her." The man stood and went to go talk to Yelena. Leaving only us at the table. "Okay then," Nina broke the silence. "I need some air."