“Mission 2: Winter Hearts”
Written by Henry Malone
Edited by David Ellis
“You should have been more careful!” the Soldier yelled at her, “If Nikolaev had been the tiniest fraction of an inch closer-“
“But he wasn’t!” Natalia yelled back, “I am perfectly fine, Soldier, so calm down. Besides, what of you? You have several cuts I’ve had to stitch up for you. Did you believe just because the girl only had a knife that-“
The Soldier grabbed her arms and glared down into her eyes, fury and something else Natalia couldn’t recognized present in his features. “A slash wound is nothing before a gun wound, and you know it, Natalia. If you had been any more unlucky, you’d be dead,” he said.
She looked up at him, not caring to hide her defiance. “But I’m not,” she said.
They remain like that for a moment, still and unmoving, breaths intermingling like two lovers in a dance. Natalia brings her lips up to his and pulls him down into the bed. His hands are in his pockets, taking out the spare condoms that he didn’t use on the mission. It takes them less than a minute to take their clothes off.
November 22nd, 1984
Clan Fei unloading site, side room
The bag was taken off of Natasha’s head with force. As her eyes adjusted to the light she found herself in a small, poorly lit room. In it with her were three men. Two bodyguards in black suits and a third, younger man in a light gray one. The two men in the black suits certainly looked intimidating enough. Large muscles, apathetic faces, guns visibly holstered, the whole thing was so cliché Natasha couldn’t help but laugh to herself. The two bodyguards gave off a professional aura, as if they’d done this a thousand times before. But their boss, the man in the gray suit, was different. He was young, cocky looking, mid-20’s, and very very angry. His suit buttons were undone, and the cigarette was letting off a nauseating smell that Natasha couldn’t stand.
“W-what’s going on?” Natasha feigned, in English, of course, “Wh-who are you people?” She positioned her facial features into those typically considered ones of fear. Wide, darting eyes, slightly open but tight mouth, tight grip on the seat arms she was tied to.
The man, Jun Fei, son of Lady Chi, head of China’s biggest crime family- the Fei Clan. His girlfriend’s name was Lin Cheong, the supposed daughter of an oil investor who lived in China while her father saw to his investments in the Middle East. Jun was young, and self-assured in his future inheritance of his mother’s “company.” As such, he didn’t see the need to be all that careful with anything in his life. After all, he was the son of the Fei Clan. What could anyone else possibly do to him?
Let’s find out. Natasha thought to herself. “Don’t play dumb, woman,” Jun said, “We know you were spying on us. Who are you working for?”
“Sp-spying!?!” Natasha spluttered, “I w-w-wasn’t spying. I was birdwatching!”
“Birdwatching!?!” Jun syelled, “In the middle of the city?”
“I watch pigeons!” she screamed.
Jun glared down at her. “Do you think I’m stupid, woman!?!” he asked her.
Well, you’re certainly not competent. Natasha thought. Jun walked towards one of his guards and held out his hand. Immediately, the guard put his hand in the pocket and pulled out a switchblade, placing it in Jun’s hand. Walking over to her, Jun held out the blade. “Do you know what this is?” he asked her.
“A kn-knife?” Natasha asked, a mask of uncertainty in her voice. If there were any flaws in her performance, neither Jun nor his guards caught on.
“Yes, it’s a knife,” Jun said, “And if you don’t tell me the truth right now, I’m going to start cutting off your toes. If you still don’t talk, I’ll move to your fingers and remove them joint by joint. After that-“
“Okay, I’ll tell you!” Natasha said, “I-I wasn’t sent to spy, that’s the honest truth. My superiors have no concern for your criminal operations.”
Jun smirked. “Really? Now, pray tell, what are they concerned about, if not my family business? Stop beating around the bush and answer already, woman!”
Natasha began. “Well, you see-“ She stood up, turned around, and slammed the chair into Jun by jumping backwards. The wood shattered and got to her feet, placing a series of well-placed blows on the guard to her right to incapacitate him. Turning towards the left guard, she noticed his gun was already out, so she quickly grabbed a sizable piece of wood off the ground and threw it at his head, disorientating him. Jumping up, she grabbed his neck with her legs and pulled him down on top of Jun, who was reorienting himself. On the way down, the guard’s neck snapped and his body slammed into Jun, knocking the mob prince back down to the ground. Taking the gun out of the dead guard’s holster, she shot the guard on the right in the head. He fell to the ground without much fuss. Getting up, Natasha kicked the dead guard off of Jun and pointed a gun at his head.
“I was sent to capture Jun Fei and take him prisoner as a hostage,” Natasha said.
Jun spat blood at her. “Do you think my mother will see to your demands? No, she’ll leave me to die before surrendering her assets. The company shall-“ Natasha kicked him in the head, knocking him out.
“It’s not your mother I want,” Natasha said to the unconscious man, “It’s your girlfriend.” Reaching inside her dress, Natasha pulled out a small, hidden communicator and activated it. “Target secure, heading to pick-up point,” she said, before taking her finger off of the contact button. Turning her attention back to Jun, she picked him up and hoisted him over her shoulders as she opened the door and left the room.
Two Days Before
November 20th, 1984
SHIELD Briefing Room, New York City
“So, Agent Romanoff,” Nick Fury said, “You made the call, now we’re all here. So, you’re saying you have more information about the Red Room that you haven’t already provided?”
Natasha surveyed the conference room table. Seated next to Director Nick Fury was his adjunct and second-in-command, Maria Ross. Across from them, her handler Phil Coulson and another high-ranking agent, Jasper Sitwell, sat together. On the same side as the ladder two, but down a couple seats was her partner, Clint Barton aka Hawkeye. “No, Colonel Fury, I’ve given you all the information I can. Assassination targets, goals, structure, safe house locations, everything. I’m saying I know where we can learn more.”
Fury clasped his hands together and nodded. “Go on,” he said. Nodding, Natasha took out a copy of the Beijing Times she got from the intelligence department and slid it across the table so that it stood roughly in the center of the group.
“Do you know who that is?” Natasha asked. Fury took a look at the picture, turned toward Maria Hill with a raised eyebrow before turning back to Natasha and shaking his head. Silently, he passed the newspaper to Coulson, who looked it over.
“Lin Cheong,” Coulson said, “High-standing socialite among the Chinese upper class. Known for her parties.”
“She’s also the Purple Widow,” Natasha explained.
“Wait,” Sitwell asked, “There’s a Purple Widow?”
Natasha gave Fury a questioning look. He shrugged in response. “He must not have gotten the memo. It happens,” he said, “Why don’t you explain it for Agent Sitwell quickly, Agent Romanoff?”
Sighing, Natasha reluctantly turned her attention back towards Sitwell. “The Red Room has many assassins and agents working for it all around the globe, mostly in China and the US,” she explained, “But there are a select group of operatives known as the “Widows” that are considered the best of the best. Each one is given a color in their name as a way of denoting their special status. Other than Black and White, these colors don’t really mean anything other than simply a consistent theme. Lin Cheong is the Purple Widow and only one of three others I actually know the identity of.” Sitwell nodded in understanding.
“So, what makes this Ms. Cheong so special?” Maria asked.
Natasha got back on track. “She’s the center of the Red Room operations in China,” she explained, “Her duty is to curry favors with every high-ranking member of Chinese society she can, legal or not-so legal. Using these connections she can see that the Red Room’s interests in China are under control. This favorable position has afforded her unique opportunities to be privy to information about the Red Room that other Widows wouldn’t be.”
“And that means, if we can get her on our side like we did you,” Clint said, “Half the Red Room’s secrets are ours for the taking.” He smirked at this idea.
Natasha nodded. “Exactly. All we need to do is lure her to us and strike a deal,” Natasha said.
“How do you suggest we do that, Agent Romanoff?” Coulson asked curiously.
Natasha smirked and pulled out a photo, handing it to the assembled agents. “That is Jun Fei, son of Chi Fei, more commonly referred to as Lady Chi, the head of one of China’s most successful criminal organization Clan Fei. He’s also Lin’s boyfriend of five years.”
“Five years?” Clint asked, “This guy’s pretty young. How old is he?”
“27,” Natasha supplied.
“Alright, so she’s dating this… Jun Fei character,” Fury said, “How does this help us?”
“If we take him hostage, Lin will try to save him,” Natasha explained, “When she tries to save him, the Red Room will know that they’re involved and she’ll have to make a deal to survive. The Red Room does not like its agents getting involved with others romantically. It creates too much of risk factor. Something I know too well.”
“How do you know she’s willing to go that far for him?” Maria asked.
Natasha smirked. “Because last time I tried to kill him, she attacked me personally in order to save his life,” she said.
The room nodded in affirmation on the statement. “Well then,” Sitwell said, “We’re in luck.”
The room turned toward him. “Oh?” Hill asked, “How so?”
Sitwell leaned in, smirking at the knowledge he held but the others didn’t. “Because we recently received news that he’s coming into New York in order to oversee a shipment of weapons from Clan Fei to some less than savory individuals,” he said. Natasha smirked. Lucky them, indeed.
November 22nd, 1984
Designated SHIELD Hostage Holding Site
Jun was tied to a chair in a similar manner as Natasha was when they held her captive as well as gagged. They’d placed him in the back of the facility, in a well-locked room. Currently, Clint and Natasha were waiting for SHIELD’s technicians to make sure the line was secure. The agent turned towards Natasha and gave her the thumbs up. Turning towards Clint, she nodded, picked up the phone, and dialed the number.
There was a click on the other side, and a voice that spoke in Mandarin came up on the other end. “Who is this?” the voice asked.
“The woman who kidnapped your son,” Natasha replied in the same language. There’s a pause between breaths as the woman on the other end internalized her rage so as not to seem out of control.
“Very well. I suppose you want something of me. What is it?” Lady Chi asked.
Natasha chuckled at that. “No, not you. I have bigger fish to fry than some crime boss halfway across the world,” she replied, “Can you put Lin Cheong on the phone? I need to speak with her.”
“Lin? What do you want with her?” Lady Chi asked.
“She owes me, big time,” Natasha said, “And I intend to start collecting.” Even on a phone halfway across the world, Natasha could feel the seething rage come off of the Clan leader. It was one thing to be called and told your son was being held hostage for ransom. It was another entirely to be told it wasn’t even you they wanted to pay it. Natasha probably just delivered a horrid blow to Lady Chi’s honor. There was the muffled sound of the phone being passed and hissed words being exchanged on the other end. Natasha couldn’t make any of them out, but she was sure she could guess they weren’t pretty.
A new voiced answered, this time. Acting scared and frightened as one who’s out of their depth would feel. “Who is this? What do you want from me?” Lin’s voiced asked, “If this debt’s money I forgot to pay, I can certainly pay it. Do you need a favor? I can get you that, too. Please, just let Jun go.”
“Oh, I want more than just a favor from you, Lin,” Natasha sad.
Lin didn’t miss a beat. “Natasha…” she said, switching to Russian, “I heard you were out of the assassin business.”
“No, just changed sides,” she replied, “Right now, my new bosses need some things from you.”
“From me?” Lin asked, “What could they possibly want from me?”
“Information on the Red Room,” Natasha answered.
“…How much?” Lin asked.
“All of it.”
There’s a moment where Lin pauses, and considers the words carefully. Natasha waits, already anticipating Lin’s answer already. “I will burn you, Natasha,” Lin answered, “I will find you and I will kill you. If you think you can get away with taking Jun from me, you are highly mistaken. I’m coming for you, and Jun better be alive when I-“
“792 Donheck Drive, New York City,” Natasha said, “We control the entire building, so you’ll just have to walk in. You have a week to impress.” She hung up the phone and smiled.
“Uh, Nat,” Clint said, “Did you just tell the psycho assassin lady where we’re holding her boytoy?”
Natasha nodded. “I did, Barton. Do you have a problem with that?” she asked.
Clint gave her a look that basically screamed that yes, he did. “Yes, I do,” Clint said, “Nat, she’s going to storm the place and kill every agent on duty to get to Jun.”
Natasha shrugged. “Then I guess we’ll have to make sure that, other than us,” she said, “There are no other guards on duty for the next week.”
Clint stared at her for a moment, before sighing and shaking his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Nat.”
“I do,” she answered.
November 26th, 1984
Designated SHIELD Hostage Holding Site
The past couple days had gone by with relative boredom for the two of them. About noon yesterday, Clint had asked Natasha if she wanted to play cards with him. Having nothing better to do, she agreed. With the stipulation that she still be in a good enough position to watch the security feeds. So far, there was nothing on the inside or outside that made her suspect Lin had arrived.
“Got any twos?” Clint asked.
Natasha sighed. “Go fish,” she said.
Clint took out a card from the deck, grumbling. It wasn’t the first Go Fish he had in this game. Groaning, he put the cards on the table. “We’ve been doing this game for five hours straight, how about we take a break?” he asked.
Natasha shrugged and placed her cards down on the table, face down. “Sure,” she said.
“You know, this was a lot more exciting in the movies,” Clint remarked, moving around so that he was next to Nat and was able to look at the monitors with her.
“Usually, in the movies, you stick with the person trying to rescue the one who got kidnapped,” Natasha said, “Makes it more high-stakes that way. But for the kidnappers, it’s pretty quiet until the other guy shows up.”
Clint nodded, and didn’t say much else for a bit. So they sat there in silence, listening to the clock tick-tock away. “How’s our guest doing?” he asked.
Natasha turned around to look at the prisoner in the other room. His head was leaning towards the side, his eyes were closed, and his breathing was more shallow. Turning around, Natasha answered, “He’s asleep.”
“Ah,” Clint said, nodding. After a bit, he added, “Tell me about him.”
Natasha gave him a curious look, before saying, “Well, you heard the information in the briefing. He’s the son of mob leader Lady-“
“No, not Jun,” Clint said, “Sorry, bad wording. I mean him, the guy who apparently had your heart this whole time. The Winter Soldier. Mentioned him a couple times in the briefings.”
Natasha took a sharp intake of breath at the clarification, before slowly letting the air out through her nose. Right, him. “What would like to know? How we met?” she asked.
“No, just what he was like,” Clint said.
“He was passionate,” Natasha said, “By the time we started actively working together on a regular basis, he’d already been part of the Red Room for many years. How long, I couldn’t say. But he was the forebearer of what would eventually become the Widow and Wolf Spider programs. He was originally meant to be one of my trainers. To help me reach heights I no longer could with my fellow Widows. But after a couple missions, command found we worked much better as partners. So we spent time together. A lot, really. It came to a head when… on a mission, one of us got badly hurt. I don’t remember who, but, back at the safe house, when we were patched, there was a lot of yelling and blaming, and then there was a lot of sex.
“That lasted about three or four years, but they were wonderful years, Clint. For the first time in my life, I was doing something of my own choice, my own will. Being with him, it was something I loved. We had to be careful, of course. If the Red Room found out it would mean trouble for both of us. And we were careful, Clint. We used condoms, we met away from their many eyes, we did everything right.”
“Then what happened?” he asked her.
She gave him a side look. “Then the condom broke, Clint, and I got pregnant,” she said.
“Damn,” Clint said.
Natasha continued, “I was preparing to have an abortion. A child in the life we had was dangerous and a liability. We’d done our research quickly, but effectively. Found an underground abortion clinic in Groznyy, where we had had our latest mission. Except, we were caught on our way there by another Widow on assignment and taken into custody. They took the Winter Soldier away and I had to watch as they ripped every single memory he had of me from his mind. Every single one, Clint. I heard him scream and cry and beg them to stop, but they didn’t. When it was done, he was as I knew him before: cold, dispassionate, and inhuman. They took me off active missions for the entire duration of the pregnancy. Usually they wouldn’t have bothered with keeping the child, but they were the spawn of their top agents. So they could be used.
When the time came to finally deliver, they blindfolded me to make sure that I wouldn’t know what my child looked like. That I wouldn’t connect with them. So when I gave birth, the first thing they did was take my child away from me. I only heard their cries for a few moment before they were gone. After that, I was reprogrammed, same as the Winter Soldier. They didn’t have to go as hard me, and pretty soon our romance was just a fanciful dream, and I didn’t even remember I’d had a child. For the longest time after that I felt like there was something missing. You know, that feeling where you know you’ve forgotten something, but can’t remember what. But just… less of it. I didn’t much mind, to be honest. I had other things to worry about like the next mission.”
“What changed?”Clint asked.
Natasha turned her head towards him and smirked. “I got a whisper in my head asking what I desired,” she said, “He went a little overboard.”
Clint nodded slowly. “Ah, I see,” he said.
They sat in silence after that, waiting the day away.
November 27th, 1984
Outside of Designated SHIELD Hostage Holding Site
Lin first met Jun when he was about twenty-years-old. They met during what became the first of many meetings between Lin and Lady Chi. Chi had wanted to start showing him the family business and she figured that taking him to a meeting for a new business deal would be a good starting point. He’d stood haughtily and proud, assured in his place above the lesser peons of the world. His mother had called it arrogance, Lin had called it confidence. First impressions weren’t really all that stellar, he’d butted into the discussion several times trying to alter the deal in what he saw as more beneficial for the Clan. Lady Chi had not appreciated the outbursts and quickly shut him up.
It was near the ending of tha meeting though that they had been attacked by a group of Chi’s rivals and Lin had found herself separated from the rest of her entorage and in the company of Jun. He acted as confident as ever, assured he could boss Lin around into doing what he pleased. For the most part, she ignored him and continued on her way, hoping to make it back to the main party and prevent her cover from being blown. Except when they rounded a corner, they came face-to-face with a group of enemy gunmen. At this point, Lin knew she had to act otherwise she’d be in the grave. There could be no witnesses, of course, so she’d have to kill Jun and remove herself as much as possible from the scene. But when she snapped the third one’s neck and turned back to Jun, she saw something she hadn’t expected. His eyes glistened with wonder as he saw her kill the troops. To him, this was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
She swore him to silence, and that was that. Though Jun now had a renewed purpose in life: winning her heart. She resisted his advances at first, of course.. But over time, as she learned more about him, she saw it. The smile on his face when he was torturing someone, the satisfied glint in his eyes after taking out a rival, the sheer joy he exuded when people begged him to spare their lives. It took her two years before she caved and they began their relationship.
They had to keep it secret, of course. If the Red Room were to learn of their affair, it would be catastrophic. Lady Chi knew, of course, but until her son got kidnapped, she never raised any objections. They’d had one scare, a while back, when operations of the Clan Fei came in direct conflict with a mission Natalia Romanova, the Black Widow, was performing. Lin had interfered, attempting to save Jun’s life, even if it costed her own. She’d been beaten down, badly. But Natalia was willing to strike a deal: She’d keep her and her lovers’ secret if Lin promised to owe her one one day. Well, Natalia called that favor in when she said she needed a way out of the Red Room. And dear God, was Lin regretting not just ratting her out right around now. Lin’s debt to Natalia was paid, so her old acquaintance was finding new currency to barter with.
There was a new game being played now. One Lin couldn’t really say she was all that happy about. Natalia- now calling herself Natasha- had kidnapped Jun and wanted every bit of information on the Red Room that Lin had for her new mysterious employers. Well, if she thought she could just take it from Lin she was getting a big surprise. Lin brought up the bazooka and fired at the building.
Inside
So, apparently Lin had decided to bring a bazooka. Natasha gave her respect for throwing them off their game. “Natasha!” a voice outside yelled. Steeling herself, Natasha ran over to the giant hole in the wall that the explosion had formed, and looked out to the street where Lin stood.
The location they held Jun in wasn’t a residential area in any way or a location where people congregated. This had been by design. It prevented civilians from getting hurt, was in a location where SHIELD didn’t have to worry about witnesses, and a place where they could be discreet if they wanted. Well, so long as no one did anything stupid like, say, firing a bazooka at the building. As it stood now, they probably only had about fifteen minutes until the authorities arrived, probably less for emergency responders. Shit.
Natasha skillfully jumped down the wreckage to where Lin was, calmly approaching the former comrade. “Could you have been a bit louder?” she asked, “I don’t think they heard you in Australia.”
Lin discarded the gun and pulled out an automatic rifle. Natasha stopped her approach and took a step back. “Where is he?” Lin asked, “Where’s Jun?”
“Relax,” Natasha said, raising her hands in the air, “Your little explosion didn’t kill him, if that’s what you’re worried about. He’s shaken up, but fine.”
“You and I both know you wouldn’t have kept him in a location where something like this would harm him,” Lin said, “I’m surprised that there aren’t any other SHIELD agents around.”
“Waste of good soldiers,” Natasha said, “You would’ve just killed them all. Best to keep them away.”
“Is that a hint of concern for human life I see in you, Natasha?” Lin asked,.
Natasha could hear her heart beating in her chest. She had to remind herself to maintain eye contact at all times and not look down at the gun. “Regardless, they’re not here,” Natasha said, “It’s just me and you.”
“And Jun,” Lin said, “And your circus sex doll.”
“Hey!” Clint’s voice resented.
“Regardless,” Natasha said, “I’m here to make a deal.”
Lin rolled her eyes and groaned. “Yes yes, you want me to give you everything in return for Jun; I heard the call, Natalia,” Lin hissed, glaring at Natasha, “But that’s not what’s going to happen. What’s going to happen is you give me Jun, and then we’ll leave, and in return I won’t blow your brains to smithereens.”
“The Red Room will find you,” Natasha said, “You’ve made it very clear that your cover’s been blown and that you’ve been compromised with affection. Agree to help SHIELD and protection will be provided.”
“Is that it?” Lin asked, “That’s your big plan? You think I hadn’t considered this very eventuality? Please, I already have several safe-“
“Northern Denmark, near Skagen. Nice fishing hut, kinda leaky roof,” Natasha said.
“What-“
“Pyrenes Mountains, France. Old villa you discreetly bought and refurbished,” Natasha said, “There’s also the island off the coast of Tanzania that you bought, and the beach side house in Brazil.”
“No, how do you-“
“And, of course, the underground bunker in the middle of the Sahara,” Natasha finished, “Shall I give you the coordinates? They’re-“
“Stop!” Lin cried, lowering her gun, “How? How do you know this?”
“I did a lot of digging on my own after our little debacle a few years ago,” Natasha said, “Ended up digging up all your little hiddie holes.”
“And what?” Lin asked, “If I escape with Jun, SHIELD will hunt down my safehouses? Or will you hand them over to the Red Room?”
Natasha shook her head. “No, I don’t need to,” she replied, “Because if I know where they are, Ivana and Madame B definitely know where they are. Your only hope now is to turn yourself into SHIELD so that they can hide you where the Red Room can’t find you. All we ask for in return is your information on the Red Room.”
They looked each other in the eyes for a moment, waiting for the other shoe to drop as Lin gave her answer. Finally, the assault rifle clacked to the ground, Lin looking Natasha in the eyes. “Fine, you win, Natasha,” Lin said, “You win. Now tell me, what do you want from this? It can’t be just to destroy the Red Room.”
“I want the same thing you want, Lin. To protect the ones I love,” she answered, “I want to know where I can find my son and his father.”
“Your son and his-“ Lin said, shocked for a moment, “Wait, you have a son!?! Never would’ve pegged you for the type.”
“Didn’t want him, still don’t want him,” Natasha said, “But one way or another I brought him in and I owe a debt to at least move him somewhere else.”
“Oh Natalia, you romantic!” Lin said, “You’re searching for your lost love and your secret child together. How nice. Tell me, what’s the little tarantula’s name? If you tell me, I’ll come quietly. Or do you not know?”
Natasha swallowed nervously. Hopefully this would work. “He doesn’t know what his name is,” she said, “But it’s Adrian.”
Lin pauses, shocked, and blinks at Natasha, clearly surprised to hear the name. So she does know something. Lin paused for a moment before letting out a groan and saying, “Of course that brat’s yours. Of course.”
Natasha smirked. So she did know something after all.
December 1st, 1984
SHIELD New York HQ
Lin sat in a small conference room, across from Natasha. Jun had been taken away so he could call his mother and fill her in on what had happened and Clint had stepped out to get some coffee. The other agents were taking breathers as well. Right now, it was just Natasha and Lin sitting in the conference room. “I will need to temporarily return to China to retrieve my files,” Lin said, “I wish for Jun to come with me so that he may say goodbye to his mother.” Natasha gave a nod of consent, as she made a mental note for later in her report.
“So, you chose to stand against the Red Room?” Lin asked, looking Natasha in the eye, “To wipe the red off your ledger? Or is this a more selfish cause? Just merely wanting the family you couldn’t have, damn anyone who gets in your way?”
“I suppose a bit of both. Though I wouldn’t say I want a family,” Natasha replied, “Right now, I’ve got a debt to pay and, frankly, I couldn’t stay there anymore. There wasn’t much left for to support in the end. The fanaticism’s died down.”
Lin looked Natasha in the eyes for a moment, considering her words, before she laughed. It was a soft, tired laugh, but it was also one she meant. “Fair enough. What you’ve done today couldn’t really be considered ‘moral’,” Lin said, “Using a loved one as a hostage, manipulating someone’s feelings to serve your own ends, ruining our lives and any hope we had of peace with ourselves, tearing a boy away from his own mother. You may think you’re breaking free of the Red Room taught you, Natalia, but its claws still hold onto your bones as tight and hard as ever.”
Natasha said nothing, merely continued to look at Lin, not giving any emotions away. The Purple Widow chuckled. “The Red Room’s planning something,” she said, “Something big. Almost every currently active Widow was recalled from the field. I was only left in China due to my importance to its continued operations there.”
Natasha hummed, and put her mouth in her hand, thinking. “What could they be planning?” she muttered.
“Ah, isn’t that the billion dollar question,” Lin said, “I haven’t a clue, but I can point you to one of the first targets on their shiny new list.”
“Who?” Natasha asked.
“Why, the new president of these lovely 50 American States,” Lin said, “Harrington Byrd.”
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