How it really begun | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 26 | S.T.R.I.K.E and S.T.R.I.K.E team alpha

Raven's pace never faltered, her breathing in control, her heartbeat erratic but in the right way, her arms steady, brows furrowed as she look at her target. Her finger pulling the trigger multiple times, watching every bullet grow a bigger hole in the mannequin's heads and hearts.

The ex mercenary's been in the Headquarters shooting range for a while now. She woke up in the middle of the night, her head and vision clouded with nightmares and flashbacks once again, just like it's been happening none stop since she left for Brazil over a month ago.

Anyone could see the change in her demeanor. Steve and Natasha wanted some answers, but she refused to tell anyone what happened, the only person who knows is Fury since she was kind of forced to tell him.

A hand land on Raven's right shoulder, luckily whoever that person is, they waited until she was done shooting, but the earmuffs on her ears drowning any sounds, and her focus still on the targets, still had her on high alerts for anything. Before the woman even get to see the other person's face, she's taking out her special knife, grabbing her now target's wrist, twisting it and sliding under their arm, to try and get them in a arm-lock, but of course her adversary doesn't let themselves get caught so easily, escaping the trick the ex soldier was performing.

Raven already knew who the person was, the obvious hair color giving the person away, but still, her knife is raised toward the ex Russian spy, harboring her famous smirk. "Your agility improved even more. Although your way of greeting is as shitty as ever. Good morning. "

"Sneaking up on me is always a terrible idea." She finally lower the knife, the weapon attracting Natasha's eyes. "That's a new one, where did you get it ?" She ask while extending her arm, silently asking if she can see the knife closer. Raven place the blade in her hand, observing Natasha as she inspect it, twirling the piece of metal in between her fingers, verifying the balance.

Satisfied, she hand it back to Raven who take a turn playing with the blade, spinning it between her fingers. "The balance is impeccable, the blade is sharp and strong enough to cut through steel, the metal, is Vibranium." When the last words reach Natasha, the ex mercenary throw the blade at the steel mannequins she shot a few minutes ago, the blade sticking itself in the head. If you blinked you would've missed the throw with how fast it was going. "And I made it myself."    

"You made the knife ?" Raven look back at the redhead, faking a look of hurt "What, you don't think I'm capable ?" Her tone is full of teasing which make the Agent roll her eyes. "We have a mission, get your ass moving Fury wants to see us." The ex assassin reply, shoving her shoulder.

Raven rushes to get her knife from the mannequin's head, before cleaning the guns with Natasha's help, and tidying the place, being mindful of the other people who will come here to train later.

Both ex assassins leave the shooting range, taking an elevator trip to Fury's office floor, the ride silent. Natasha take this time to take a close look at Raven, her mission to Brazil changed something in her, and it frustrate the redhead because she can't pinpoint what, and ever since the ex solider got back, every chance  she get to study her she does. Trying to find any clues as to what happened.

"You know you're gonna pierce holes in my body soon if you keep staring at me like that." Raven's head turn to look at the ginger, who doesn't try to hide the fact she was starring at the brunette. "Yeah well, since you won't tell me what happened in Brazil, I'm trying to find clues."

The woman look around the elevator, before setting back her gaze on the redhead. She lean back on the glass wall of the cabin, putting her arms back on the railing, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the metal bars.

Natasha's attention is drawn to her hands realizing the odd rhythm of Raven's fingers. Morse code.

"This is strictly confidential. Highly classified. I found an old friend. He helped me."