Budapest

Chapter 21:

Natasha: I awoke on a cold, hard floor. I rubbed my head. That hurt.

I opened my eyes, and saw a pair of feet standing above me. I looked upward, seeing it was Clint. "Alright this time I don't blame you," I told him, attempting to laugh a little.

"He can't hear you," a voice said.

I sat up fast, Drakeov walking towards me, rubbing his palms, not even giving me the charity of a glance.

"Don't worry, he won't hurt you," Drakeov said, "At least, not at the moment. Did he ever tell you he was deaf?"

"What?" I asked, "What did you do to him."

"Merely set him free of his troubles," Drakeov said. He opened his palm, letting two little beads of sorts fall out onto the ground. "He won't be needing these."

He squished the beads under the heel of his shoe, smiling to himself, "Isn't it amazing, how I just crushed one of his senses, in one single motion?"

"What did you do to him?" I muttered again.

"Watch this," Drakeov said. He did a small wrist movement, something most people wouldn't have noticed. But it was enough for Clint and me. In less than a half a second, Clint grabbed my throat, pressing in, pressing me against a wall. I gasped for air.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Drakeov asked.

"Clint, please, its me, Natasha," I said through my gasps.

"First, he can't hear you, remember, and second you are honestly stupid enough to think that will work aren't you?" Drakeov said, "I mean, you were stupid enough to come back after you told trade secrets to the Americans. After the Winter Soldier figured it out. So I figure you wanted to kill me." Clints fingers got tighter around my neck.

"So I made myself a body guard."

"What did you do to him," I asked, my voice horse and labored.

"I upgraded his mind with a new little device. I can control him with my own mind. He does my bidding," Drakeov said, "It's rather enlightening actually." Then he smiled, "Now back to my betrayal. What did the Americans offer you? Money?" He looked down at the ground then looked up with a pleasurful smile, "Or was it to become one of them?"

I didn't give him any reaction. Drakeov smiled happily to himself. "You've caused me such agrivation Natalia. Now I have to pocess you're new, what did I hear it was, husband?" He shook his head, "You really are broken aren't you Natalia? Marriage, over just trying to get away from me?"

"I'd do anything to get away from you," I said through my teeth.

"Will you be upset when I kill him?"

I wasn't sure if it was from lack of air or from the comment Drakeov had just made, but suddenly I felt light headed and weak. No. Clint couldn't die. I- I needed him.

"Please no," I whispered, "Please don't hurt him."

Drakeov cocked his head, "Interesting. Is this love Agent Romanov."

"Love is for children," I said, "I owe him a debt."

"Interesting. Thousands of lives in the balance, and you'll bargain for him?"

I stayed quiet. Regimes fall everyday I thought to myself. "I've got red in ledger. I'd like to wipe it out."

"Can you wipe out that much red, Natalia? You're ledger is dripping with red. Its gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything.The is the basis of sentimentality. This is a child's preyer. Pathetic. You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be seprate, to have your own code. Something that makes up for the horrors. But they are part of you. They will never go away. I won't touch Barton, not until I make him kill you, slowly, intimately in everyway I know you fear. And then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams, I'll split his skull!" Drakeov was shouting by the end, I could feel tears threatening to roll down my cheeks. "This is my bargain you mueling quim."

I could feel the terror ripping through my veins at his words. "And just think," Drakeov said, "You're death will be no more trivial than you're brothers."

That was the tipping point. With what strength I had left from the lack of oxygen, I kick out at Barton, and he dropped me to the ground. He pulled a gun from his waistband and started shooting. The bullets got close, but never hit me. I realized he was off balance. He wasn't used to a gun. It actually make me laugh. I kicked low, he dodged. I punched up, he blocked it. Our fighting styles we similar. I grabbed his arm and twisted the gun falling to the ground. He punched, and I came to the side, the punched him. He tryed to kick me in the stomach and I kicked upwards, so his kick slid through my legs. I landed put he charged towards me, flinging me onto the ground. I groaned in pain, then knees him. His hold didn't break, so I pushed my one side, moving us over so I was on top. He kicked up and I flew off a little. I tumbled to the ground a few feet away, but got up fast. He walked towards me. I kicked then slammed grabbed his hand that came punching at me. I held that hand, then kicked up in the head. He fell to the ground. He shook his head. He looked up at me. "Natasha?" he whispered. Then he touched a finger to his ear, realizing his hearing aids were gone. Then I punched him again. This time he was knocked on concious.

"Well done Natalia," Drakeov said, "We'll just wait for him to reboot."

I pulled a gun from my back. "Smert' moyego brata ne bylo trivial'nym," I said (A/N: this is Russian for My brother's death was not trivial). Then I ran up to him, put the gun against his forehead. Drakeov smiled.

"You think I'll go that easy?" he asked.

Then I pulled the trigger.