2001
The soldier and Cassidy walked the halls of the red room, the energy in the building had changed. It was more tense and every girl was on guard, and scared. Cassidy had no idea why, but she knew her papa knew what was going on.
Cassidy had a tight grip on her papas shoulder while he carried her outside where they would be watching two girls picked by Madam B fight for their life.
Cassidy suddenly turns her head when a rush of fear consumes her. A classroom of girls of all ages sat in front of a screen watching snow white. But something was off about it, some girls were whispering the words that the princess said, others cried their arms and legs were strapped to the chair so they couldn't get away and others sat numbly staring straight into the screen.
She turned her head away and the feeling slowly got further and further away. Girls were walking the same way they were, and whispered and talked about the supposedly ruthless soldier that had been training Natalia, and that her final ceremony would be in a few weeks.
When they got outside hundreds of girls were standing in a circle, Madam B was sitting in a chair right outside the circle so she could see in. The soldier and Cassidy stood in the back but the soldier towered over the girls, and could easily see the inside of the circle. Some of the girls were talking and whispering about who was going to be chosen, and others were shaking in fear from being chosen.
All the different emotions started to overwhelm Cassidy. The soldier noticed and started to stroke her head "Focus on me" he whispered to her. Cassidy closed her eyes, and focused on him and she started to calm down. He didn't have any emotions, not really at least. It had always been hard to explain what he felt, but he was scared all the time.
His fear calmed her down it always had, and she didn't know why. Maybe it's because he had protected her over the years as much as he could, or maybe it's the other person inside of him that calms her down.
Madam B raised her hand slightly and all the girls went quiet, the tensen in the air doubled when she looked around at the girls.
"This month is special for many reasons, we have had visitors helping the widows and recruiting new girls" She made direct eye contact with the little girl and the soldier while she spoke. "And like every month two lucky girls get to prove themselves to me, one will succeed and the other will be punished by death" She looked around, to see fear in their eyes. She loved it, the fear and utter submission she had beaten into them.
"The two lucky girls are Miss Romanova and Miss Kozlov" A few gasps were heard, as well as whispers. Cassidy saw Natalia push her way through the crowd to get into the circle. The other girl pushed her way through the crowd as well.
Cassidy recognized the other girl, she was still skinny but her face was more full and her arms didn't look like bones anymore. The look on Natalia's face when she saw her opponent broke Cassidy's heart.
"Papa I want to leave" Cassidy looks at her papa begging him to turn around and leave "No" he didn't even look at her, he had his focus on Natalia fighting the skinny girl. "Please Papa" tears filled her eyes "No".
The sound of a neck being snapped, made Cassidy look back to see Natalia standing breathing heavily and the girl dead on the ground. Her eyes were wide open in fear, blood dripped out of her mouth and nose, her arm was twisted in a weird way and her neck was broken. The fight had ended in a second, the girl didn't even have a chance.
Cassidy held back a sob from the sight. Natalia looked around scanning the crowd and made eye contact with Cassidy, her face fell in concern when she saw the look in Cassidy's eyes.
Fear
"No" Natalia whispered without realizing it, she never wanted her to be afraid of her. Never. She looked back at Madam B and she nodded, and Natalia started to push her way through the girls, to get to Cassidy and the soldier.
Cassidy looked away when she saw, that she was on her way over to them, she hid her face in her papas long brown hair. The soldier stood still, he was ordered to come and watch and he hadn't been ordered to leave yet, so he wouldn't do it. The girls started to walk back inside ,and Madam B overlooked the interaction between Natalia and the little girl from afar.
"Sweety?" Natalia asked softly and touched her leg. Cassidy whimpered and moved her foot away from Natalia, a tear fell down. The heartbreaking look in Natalia's eyes, she never wanted her to see what a monster she really is.
"Please Cassi, let me explain" Natalia tried to talk to her but Cassidy didn't even look at her, she only hugged the soldier tighter around the neck.
Madam B came up to them "Congratulations Natalia, you have proven yourself to me and I'm very proud of you" She cupped her cheeks before giving her a kiss on each cheek. "Thank you Madam B" She nodded and let her go "And thank you soldier, you have been a great help. And thanks to your gift as well" The soldier gave her a small nod.
"You can all leave" She dismissed them, before walking back over to the truck that had the dead girl in the back, she went into the passenger seat before the driver drove away to get rid of the body.
The soldier turned around and walked back inside, he walked fast back to their room before locking it. Cassidy finally let go and started to cry "I knew her papa" He sat her down on the bed and took out a granola bar for her to eat.
He had been stealing them from the kitchen, whenever he passed by.
"She was the skinny girl that smelled bad. The one that I made comply" Her voice broke as she sobbed, while eating the granola bar.
The soldier didn't respond, just kept her in his arms to try and comfort her. He didn't really know how to respond, apologies? The soldier wasn't good at this, he wasn't programmed to comfort.
The next day the soldier had a private lesson with Natalia, and Cassdy begged her papa to stay behind but he didn't feel comfortable leaving her here alone. He knew something was about to happen, he could feel it.
When they entered the room, Natalia stood waiting by the mat. She looked over at Cassidy with guilt, but Cassidy didn't even look her way. When the soldier sat her down by the mat Cassidy stood up and ran to the corner, and closed her eyes and covered her ears.
Just like her papa had taught her, when he would do brutal things he didn't want her to see. It broke Natasha's heart to see her afraid of her.
Cassidy was afraid, but not of her. She knew she didn't have a choice, it was either her or the other girl. But she was afraid that the crush she had on her, would develop to love and then she would lose her. She didn't think she would be able to survive it.
Her papa had also told her that they wouldn't be here forever, and that it self broke her heart knowing she someday had to say goodbye, or probably never getting the chance to say goodbye.
Natalia couldn't concentrate on anything. The soldier noticed and started to go harder on her as a punishment for not even trying. They trained for a couple of hours, the soldier decided to stop because Natalia didn't even fight back. She just stood and took his punches and kicks like a ragdoll.
And she thought she deserved the pain. The look in Cassidy's eyes haunted, her since yesterday and she found herself crying when she was cuffed to her bed. The guards didn't think any of it, since they are used to the girls crying when they are cuffed to the bed.
When they stopped Natalia walked slowly over to the girl. Cassidy felt her coming closer and started to hide herself away from her, she wanted her to leave her alone. She doesn't want to get hurt in the end like always.
"Cassidy please. Let me explain" She tried to touch her but she flinched away ,Natalia swallowed thickly in regret. She didn't know what to do, she looked back at the soldier who stood behind her. He was lost, he knew she was hurt but he didn't think she would shut out Natalia.
Loud voices and steps came over towards the room they were in. And people barging in Natalia quickly stood up in front of Cassidy, and the soldier stood in front of them both protecting them. His fists clenched when he saw the HYDRA logo on the guard's shoulder.
"солдат" Karpov steps in front of the soldier. The soldier looks down at the ground in submission.
Soldier
"Karpov you can't do this. This wasn't the deal" Madam B came running into the room. Karpov turned around to look at the women "He is mine, she is mine. I can do whatever I want, and I need them back" He had an edge to his voice, that made Madam B take a step back in fear.
"Natalia come here" When she didn't move "Now!" She yelled, Natalia flinched and hurried over to her side. "You are gonna regret this, you are not allowed to come back here ever again. You cornel have a target on your back" She spat at him, before grabbing Natalia's hand and dragged her out of there.
She didn't even get to say goodbye to Cassidy.
The soldier grabbed Cassidy from the ground in the corner, and turned to his handler and followed him out. Cassidy was trembling and her throat started to close up in fear, she knew the peace had ended. They entered the same room where she first was, her chamber stood there. It had aged over the years, it wasn't as shiny anymore as it used to be.
Her papa placed her inside on the chair and took a step back. The glass slid down and white smoke filled the chamber, and she got frozen down yet again. She already regretted shutting Natalia out, and not saying goodbye.
She just hoped that she would meet her in the future.
"Отнесите ее в грузовик. Следуй за мной солдат"
"Take her to the truck. Follow me soldier"
The soldier watched as they wheeled her out, and walked over towards the entrance, girls watched intrigued at the chamber and the frozen girl inside.
His handler walked him into a room with the memory suppressing machine, shining brightly in the middle. The seat was slightly warm, someone had been here moments before him.
The soldier's mind was eraised, his handler said the trigger word and ordered him into his own old chamber and froze him down as well. The guards wheeled him into the truck besides the little girl, Karpov closed the door to the truck with a grin. He didn't have long before he had to give them up to the next handler so he wanted as much time as he could to be with them...