CHAPTER 2: BRAINWASHING

Natalia awoke in a large room. She was on a bed, under the covers and despite what had happened to her; she was comfortable. Natalia sat up with a jolt and cried out for her mother and father, her tiny voice rang and echoed back to her, again she called "Мумия! Папа!" she raced out of bed and grabbed the door handle; to her surprise it was unlocked.
Panting, Natalia ran down a random hallway blindly searching for her parents, a man appeared stepping out of a room ahead of her "НАТАЛЬЯ!" The sound of her name on his lips made Natalia stop in her tracks, the man stepped toward her and extended a hand "Моя дорогая. Ты хорошо спала?"
Natalia said nothing
"Ты спал в течение долгого времени. Ты голоден?"
When Natalia still said nothing, the man smiled warmly and urged her to follow him. He led her down the hall, the sound of cutlery and voices talking and laughing reached them.

A door opened and inside Natalia saw small girls, all around her age, eating and talking and laughing. The man urged her inside and when the girls saw him, they stopped eating "Папа!" they all greeted him with the same warmth
" Дочери! Это ваша новая сестра, Наталья, заботиться о ней" The man nodded and stepped out of the room
" Мы будем отец!"

Natalia was welcomed into the group of girls, seated at a table and given a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice, the food went untouched. Natalia eyed the girls. How could they all by daughters of that man? They all looked different, different hair, eyes, skin. However the girls didn't seem to question their 'father' when Natalia mentioned it.
She asked where her own parents were, why she was here and why they were there. The girls simply said that Ivan was her father now, always had been and that they were safe from danger. Natalia felt odd sitting with these girls, what was wrong with them? At the mention of 'father' their eyes changed and went all unfocused and dream like.
Natalia wanted to get away as soon as possible.

OOOOOOO

It was sometime later when Natalia was taken from the room, the girls excitedly waving goodbye, and marched off between a man and a woman. They said she was being taken to see her father and for 'testing'. Natalia almost leapt out of her skin when they came to a door, knocked and went in. Ivan stood there next to a chair and a very large screen, he welcomed Natalia "Дочь, моя дорогая Наталья!"
Natalia only stared at Ivan. This man would never be her father.
Ivan commanded the others to leave them and went to look at the screen before typing in a few keys. Natalia only stood there quietly, waiting for the moment when she could ask for her real father and to be taken home!

Ivan asked Natalia to sit, and when she did, he began a lengthy explanation.
He began with saying how lucky she was, how fortunate that a girl such as herself would be chosen to be part of such an elite programme. Ivan then mentioned that all of the other girls were lucky too and that each and everyone of them had a special skill. A skill that he would help hone and help them to one day use it for 'the common good'.
He said that even though they weren't his real daughters they had come to love him and he cared for them too. Ivan explained that he knew it was hard for her but, in time, she too would forget about her real parents and friends and come to think of him as a father.

Natalia listened intently as he went on to explain about the Black Widow Ops and what they did. His Black Widows were women (and some men) who were trained in many forms and helped right all the wrongs in the world and help people see the wrongs that they did or were doing.
Natalia tried to get up and leave, Ivan was frightening her, but he held her down in the chair and tied her to it "Я хотел было проще, Наталья. В конце концов, вы будете видеть вещи ясно мой дорогой" Ivan went back over to the screen and keyboard, ignoring Natalias screams.

With a soft beep, the screen came alive, Natalia suddenly stopped screaming, it was like her voice refused her, and she watched helplessly as hundreds of pictures flicked across the screen. A voice in the screen said over and over "Вы здесь в безопасности. Вас любят. Твой отец любит тебя, как сделать ваши сестры. Ваша жизнь прекрасна здесь." There were pictures of Natalia with her parents, then just Natalia, then a strange picture came up with Natalia in the arms of Ivan. They were laughing and pointed toward the camera, they looked happy.
A jolt ran through her body and seemed to rest in her brain, another jolt came when another happy picture of her and Ivan and the girls came on screen. Another picture, another jolt. Another. Another.

Natalia had lost all sense of time while looking at the pictures, they seemed to go on forever. Until finally, when it seemed like her brain would burst, it was over.
The pictures stopped, the screen went black and Natalia slumped back in her chair with her eyes closed. Ivan came forward, released her from the chair and whispered for her to wake up.

Natalia roused like she had been woken rudely from a pleasant dream.

She looked up into Ivan's smiling face, for a moment she looked confused. Natalia reached out and touched Ivan on the cheek with her finger. Smiling, only one word managed to escape her lips:

"Папа"

A/N: Thanks so much for reading this. I enjoyed writing it and sorry about all the Russian, in future chapters there will be less of it so you won't need to scroll to the translation all the time.

TRANSLATION (in order):

Мумия! Папа! – Mummy! Daddy!

НАТАЛЬЯ! – NATALIA!
Моя дорогая. Ты хорошо спала? – My darling. Did you sleep well?

Ты спал в течение долгого времени. Ты голоден? – You slept for a long time. Are you hungry?

Дочери! Это ваша новая сестра, Наталья, заботиться о ней – Daughters! This is your new sister, Natalia, take care of her

Мы будем отец! – we will father!

Дочь, моя дорогая Наталья! - Daughter, mydearNatalia!

Я хотел было проще, Наталья. В конце концов, вы будете видеть вещи ясно мой дорогой – I wish it was easier, Natalia. In time, you will see things clearly my dear

Вы здесь в безопасности. Вас любят. Твой отец любит тебя, как сделать ваши сестры. Ваша жизнь прекрасна здесь – You are safe here. You are loved. Your father loves you, as do your sisters. Your life is good here.