[ BEAUTIFUL CRIMES ]
chapter four; in which an olive branch is extended
❝ Have you wondered what life would be like if you had a choice? ❞
ADELINA HATES THAT SHE DOESN'T HAVE A PLAN. She doesn't know the layout of the venting system, doesn't know which part creaks and which part is weak. She hates the lack of light, and she hates that she keeps bumping into the walls.
As for SHIELD, it's like a mad dash. Security cameras are getting checked a thousand times over. Hallways are being sweeped madly. Injured agents have been taken to the medical bay. Prayers are being muttered all throughout the building. A cloud of gloom blankets the Triskelion.
Natasha is examining the scratches on Maria's face in Maria's office. They're superficial, thank God. Maria has a cross expression on her face as she watches Natasha's hands work. "I know you want to save her, Natasha, but have you seen the damage she's done already?" She asks truthfully.
"Have you seen the damage I had done when I first defected?" Natasha refutes while keeping her focus on disinfecting the legions on Maria's cheeks. "This girl isn't some cold-hearted killer, Maria. Besides, if she agrees, she'd be useful here." She pulls a cotton ball from a plastic before dipping it in a tin bowl of saline solution. "She'd be a menace on the field if we can get her to understand that she has options."
"Let's put a gun in the hands of a murderer." Maria flinches from the cold of the cotton ball on her cheek. "I'm just saying, I think we're putting all of SHIELD in danger. What if she's trying to take back information to Russia?"
"If she were trying to take back information, then I don't think she'd make her presence be known like this." Natasha explains, drying the scratches with some gauze. "To say that Valieva can't change her ways is unfair. She's a victim. She's been groomed to kill. It's hard to break that kind of cycle-"
"And if she never breaks it?" Annoyed blue eyes meet concerned green ones. "I don't want to stand over headstones if I don't need to, Natasha."
"Do you believe in me?" Natasha begins returning the supplies to their proper place. "Do you believe that I'm a good person? That I do what I do for a good cause?"
"Yes, y-"
"Did you think that when we first met?" She returns to Maria, wrapping her arms around the brunette's neck. Maria's hands instinctively land on Natasha's waist. "When you first saw my files, when you first heard my story... did you think that I could change?"
Maria doesn't respond.
"Please, we have to try, дорогая. (darling)" Natasha insists, gently pressing her forehead against Maria's. "Please?"
Maria lets her eyes close as she considers her options. This is a risky move. Maria hates risky moves.
No, Commander Hill hates risky moves.
Maria is an excellent gambler with a lot of trust instilled in the redhead in front of her.
"Fine." She concedes. "But if she doesn't take the offer, if she hurts you-"
"She won't hurt me." She presses a soft kiss onto Maria's lips. "Thank you for understanding, дорогая."
"You still have to convince the rest of SHIELD to feel the same way."
"No, we do."
"Natasha-"
A stern look from green eyes fall on Maria.
"Fine, we do."
⧗ ⧗
It's been hours since she escaped. She roams around the vents, unsure if she had seen that wall before or if it was just identical to the other one. She's sure that she's run around in circles like a hamster on a toy wheel.
Just as she begins to lose hope, Adelina hears a sound that she knows didn't come from her. Adelina's happy that the vents gave her enough room to draw her gun and aim for the space in front of her. Patiently, she waits for the next move, praying that it won't come.
"I won't shoot if you don't!" She hears a masculine voice come from the space in front of her. "I know your gun is out!"
She decides to listen to the stranger. Shooting a gun makes too much noise, especially in an inclosed space like this. Adelina waits for the man to make his appearance. When he finally shows his face, she recognizes him instantly. He's an Avenger, yet she can't seem to remember his name. The drugs must be hurting her memory.
"Hi," He greets breathlessly. This is the one SHIELD sent after her? "I'd shake your hand, but... I wanna keep my hand attached to my wrist."
Adelina says nothing, her eyes searching for any potential threat. Surprisingly, she sees nothing.
"Look, I know you wanna kill me," The man looks at Adelina's finger, which impatiently sits on the trigger. "It's part of your thing, it's what you've been doing forever, I understand. But, Valieva, we can help you. You've seen how Romanoff has changed. Do you really wanna do this?"
Adelina's eyes narrow. She feels inclined to shoot the gun. "Want?" She repeats skeptically. "There is no wanting. The only thing I want is to see your blood splattered on the walls."
"...Dark." He nods. "But, I'm just saying, it could be different. Have you wondered what life would be like if you had a choice?"
This shuts Adelina up quickly. She stares at the agent with murder in her eyes. She's surprised to find that she doesn't feel any fear radiating from him. Still, she keeps her gun trained on the brunette man in front of her.
"Does that mean you'll give us a chance?" The man can see the conflict behind her eyes. He wonders what she's thinking. He'd love to see into her head. Is she nervous? Excited? Annoyed?
Adelina raises a brow.
"Is that a yes?" He asks. "I'm not fluent, but I speak Black Widow relatively well, and that usually means yes."
">>Americans talk too much.<<" She mutters in her native language before addressing him. "Whatever."
⧗ ⧗
Adelina finds herself in the same damn cell from earlier. She hates cells; she's already mentally locked up. No need to add insult to injury and actually put her behind a lock.
Who is she kidding? Everyone knows why she needs to be locked away. She thinks about the crimes, rethinking each step of them. Even she's impressed with her own cleverness. She wants to smile, but it's like her face doesn't know how to. So, she just sits there.
How the hell are some Spandex-wearing halfwits supposed to undo the damage that Dreykov has done? There is no help. There is no compassion, no sympathy, nothing that resembles a human in Adelina. At least, that's what she thinks.
No. No thinking. You're not allowed to think. Dreykov controls you. Freedom. I'm free. What will do to me? He will be upset. I'm free. Killer. You're made of marble. There's no Dreykov. Stop fighting it. He is mad. I am free.
She's pulled from her daze by footsteps. She can feel herself go into fight or flight mode; she always chooses fight. Her body tenses as she shoots up, looking for danger. She watches Natasha and another man with an eyepatch approach her cell. Natasha looks tired. Concerned. The man, on the other hand, just looks angry. Like he doesn't want to be bothered. Adelina doesn't blame him.
"We're glad you decided to let us help you," The man claims sternly. Adelina knows damn well Natasha convinced him to do this. She wonders why he agreed to it. "There's a bounty over your head, Valieva. We'd like to lessen it, get you out of the hole you've dug."
She quickly analyzes the man. Black male, appears to be in his upper sixties, three or four parallel scars under his eyepatch. Something must've scratched it out. She can see the annoyance in his eyes— eye, she supposes. She swears she can see a glimmer of sympathy.
Adelina approaches the electric wall that separates them slowly. She eyes them both before speaking, "You're not much of a family guy, are you?" Her head tilts to the side. "Let me guess, you got injured on a mission and was chosen to be the director? It explains the eyepatch." She crosses her arms.
"This isn't the time to try and smartmouth us." His eye narrows. Maybe he's trying to size her up. He probably hates that a little teenager is making him nervous. "This is us extending an olive branch. It's not smart for you to try and break it."
Her eyes flit to Natasha. She's trying to be stern like the man. It would've worked; she's a Black Widow, of course she would've fooled any civilian. But Adelina knows she's anxious. Adelina can sense the apprehension on Natasha's person. Nervous of Adelina's verbal fire or her true answer, she has no idea.
"Why do you want to do this?" Adelina questions. "I don't think you're here on your own accord. I'm the worst version of Natalia-" She glances at the redhead before continuing. "And you don't seem like one to take a risk like this. I think Natalia convinced you to do this, and you caved because you have no family of your own, so you act as her father figure. And as her father figure, you wouldn't want to hurt your little girl, hm? Especially since she doubles as your best agent." A knowing smirk spreads across her face. "Was that a hit or miss?"
Neither agent says anything, only angrily staring at Adelina. "We're gonna give you some time to rethink your decision." Natasha nods. "Let you get some sleep, it's better to decide things when you're rested."
Adelina scoffs, sitting on the hard bed as the agents walk out of sight.
{ AUTHOR'S NOTE }
LMAO this is so late but I really hope you enjoy!
- V