"Good morning, you two," she said, not very brightly. Not that it was much of a surprise.
"Plan for today," Steve asked Nat.
"Not much of one," she shrugged, "Keep trying to gain Yelena's trust, perform the procedure if she lets us."
"She will, I have faith in you," Clint smiled at her, "Nothing can withstand you for long."
"What's that supposed to mean," she looked at him mischievously.
"Oh, um, nothing…."
"That's what I thought."
Yelena was sitting in her "bed", thinking. Her curiosity was getting the better of her. She had to know. Had she been lied to all these years? If yes, beware, Red Room. She would come at them with a vengeance. If not, then no harm no foul. She'd just find a way out of this SHIELD prison.
She reflected on what she remembered from growing up. When she really thought about it, there was a strange gap between ages seven and ten. She remembered being six, being five, but not seven eight or nine. There were latent feelings, feelings of suffering and challenge, but she'd never stopped to think about why this was. Until now.
The more she thought about it, the more Yelena was becoming convinced that Natasha was speaking truly. That thought half disgusted her, half relived her. She wasn't really a bad person, she was just trained not to have emotions. However, times like these in custody she had time to sort through those latent feelings. This wasn't to say she felt bad for killing those people she'd been ordered to kill. Certainly not. But she began to question her motivations.
"Yelena," Natasha said, walking into the brig.
"Natasha."
"How are you feeling this morning," she asked her.
Yelena stood, "Ready to undergo this procedure."
"Good. Good, I'll have you transferred to sick bay. I wanted to show you these first," Natasha told her, holding out two X-rays. "One of these was my brain patterns before the procedure, years ago. The other is yours right now."
They were almost identical.
"I am ready, Black Widow."
"Follow me, Black Widow."
Two security guards behind her and Natasha in front, Yelena was marched to the infirmary. She had no intention of escaping, not yet at least. Maybe if they were lying to her and this didn't change anything, she'd make a break for it. Grab some knives from the sickbay and cut her way out, that sort of thing.
She was laid down on a table and a machine was placed over her head. Yelena was put to sleep with anesthesia. Natasha, Clint, and Fury stood outside the sickbay room, watching the procedure.
When it was done, and Yelena woke up, she screamed. Then, she was silent. Her eyes darted back and forth, taking in her surroundings. The Red Room. They'd used her. They'd abused her. They'd taken her identity and messed with it.
"Show me to your leader," Yelena demanded of the closest doctor.
She nodded, scared to death of the look on Yelena Belova's face.
Fury, Natasha, and Clint marched into the sickbay and found Yelena fuming, standing in a corner, staring at the wall.
"I want them dead. I will do whatever it takes to see them dead."
"Who?"
"The Red Room. They will die."
Fury smirked, "I'm glad to hear it. Welcome to the Avengers, temporarily, Agent Belova. Are you ready to tear the Red Room down?"
"I am."