Budapest

Natasha - The Twins

NATASHA

Natasha stood outside of Vanko's lab, buried up to the knees in snow, with a bitter cold wind whipping around her, biting at the exposed skin of her face. Mountains stretched up towards the sky, like giant black teeth, hedging her in and keeping the rest of the world out. A discrete metal door was tucked in the rock face of the nearest mountain, hidden by the long shadows of the growing twilight.

Strucker stepped out of his helicopter and joined her as he tugged on his leather gloves. He motioned his team of agents forward with a slight flick of his wrist and half a dozen armed men surged ahead, surrounding the door. One agent punched in Vanko's code into a small keypad embedded in the doorframe and the door slid open with the faint squealing protest of metal against metal. Darkness gaped before them, punctuated only by a soft blue glow.

"Are you done with the bullshit now?" Natasha asked, never taking her gaze away from the door as the agents poured inside.

Strucker paused then turned to her in mild surprise. "Pardon?"

"You've been testing me all this time. Pairing me off with your girlfriend so she can keep an eye on me. Putting me in that cell with Vanko just to see how far I'd go to get what you want, to follow your orders."

Strucker returned his gaze to the lab door and clasped his hands behind his back. "You can't exactly blame me for my precautions, Agent Romanoff," he said. "Your loyalties ran deep with the KGB and it was necessary to take extra safety measures for the sake of my agents, especially if you suddenly decided to change your mind about joining HYDRA."

Romanoff cast a sideways glance at him. "And? Have I passed your tests?"

He considered for a moment then nodded once, slowly. "With flying colors, Agent, with flying colors."

They stood in silence for a few minutes more, with nothing passing between them but the wailing wind. Finally, one of the agents returned to the doorway, his posture relaxed, his rifle slack at his side indicating there was no threat, and he gestured them inside.

The lab was a massive underground cavern and it seemed Vanko lived in every inch of it. Papers were strewn across tables and counters, spilling onto the floor, peppered with plates of half-eaten food and crumpled candy wrappers. Along the far side of the lab was a wall of glass windows looking in on living quarters. A small cot sat in each cell, with blankets, pillows, and a bookshelf. Somewhat personalized and comfortable, not cramped and miserable. But they were still cells, Natasha thought, no matter how they were dressed up. They were still small, confined spaces, meant to keep someone in and someone out, to separate one from the other.

Natasha walked down the row of living quarters until she reached the last one, the only one with a faint golden light emanating from it.

Natasha faltered at the sight of them, the twins. Huddled together in their cell, fast asleep, with a wan circle of light from a single bulb in the ceiling to ward off the shadows. The boy's arm was tucked around the girl's shoulders as she rested her head against him. Picture books and stuffed animals lay scattered over their cot.

Natasha pressed her hand to the window. They were so small, probably no older than six or seven years old at the most and yet...and yet they were being hunted, used as weapons...

The little girl squirmed and opened her eyes. She sat up when she noticed the audience of strangers outside her window. Without waking her brother, she slid out from under his arm, padded across the room in her bare feet and thin nightgown, and waved her hand in front of the door. It slid open and she peeked out, watching Natasha and Strucker with large, serious eyes.