Three wove her way through the aisles, slipping between wracks of clothing and attempting to look casual as she made sure nobody was following her. Her handler was here. He had to be. She'd signaled him that she'd be out.
After they'd come to the store, her parents soon realized even their civilian clothes weren't going to cut it as people were starting to recognize them. Little did they know it was more than likely because Maslovi had put out an alert on them being there. Thus, they'd agreed to split up from her so as not to bring any press attention to her.
"Hello, how many items do you have?" The service woman, with teeth so yellow they were nearly browning and smelled of sweat and fast food, asked, " We have a limit of 6, dear."
Three held up the garments, pretending to count them before she gave a polite smile, "I have 5, ma'am." With a nod of her head towards the front of the store, her smile morphing into one of excitement, "Did you see Captain America and Black Widow yet? Heard they were giving out autographs or something."
The woman's eyebrows rose, "Oh my, that'd be the perfect gift for my nephew. He's crazy about them!" She unlocked a changing room door, then looked around before pointing to a button, "If you need anything just press that button and someone will be with you." With that, she left towards the front of the store.
Three stepped into the room and began to change into a nice, lavender blouse. It wasn't conducive to convert operations but as undercover it would suffice. Not to mention, she looked down right good in it. Nadia took it off and continued to try the others on.
It wasn't long before the door was unlocked and in stepped her handler, Maslovi. She could smell his cinnamon gum from outside the door. As expected, his eyes roved over her as she put the next shirt on. Beyond the scent of cinnamon came the alcohol.
"Were you followed?" She asked her voice coming out stiff. Why did his look bother her? It was normal. To be expected even. Humans were disgusting. That was the rule. Not all of them are like that. No. Now wasn't the time to consider that.
"No, there's practically a riot around your targets currently." His eyes changed as the temporary lust faded and he came back to business.
He shifted slightly, anxiety leaking out of him and a haze about him. He was drunk or at least tipsy. "Subject, you are officially relieved of duty." His gaze hardened, despite the alcohol in his system, as he continued, "Hydra has been temporarily dismantled and you are currently an unknown, loose end, Subject Three. The only ones who truly know about you are me and the Doctor." The man paused to see if she understood before taking a bottle of pills out of his pocket, "Take these once a day. To prolong your life."
Three tried to take a breath, relieved of duty? Loose end? They were abandoning her mid-mission. Hydra was dismantled? Not possible. There was no escape.
His neck was in her hands and against the wall before she knew what she was doing. "So you plan to kill me? Take out the loose end? No more assignments?"
The man plucked at her hands, his face turning a lovely shade of purple. How nice it would be to kill him. But him being dead did her no good. She loosened her grip enough for him to catch his breath and talk.
After sputtering a moment, he glared at her, "I'm going against orders to come here and give you these! I'm fucking defecting what's left of this hell and Doctor Grante wants you dead, you thankless bi-" He coughed as gave him a testy squeeze to the throat, "Look it's a win for you and a win for me. You get to live a bit longer and I get Doctor Nutcase off my ass."
Nadia dropped him in a heap, "Fine." She snatched the bottle from him, "How do I know these won't kill me? Tie up a loose end that way?"
"Because you're worth more to me alive," He heaved a bit before standing, "Not to mention, there's someone who would make me wish for death if I killed you." He swayed, the lack of oxygen did nothing to help his current state of intoxication.
Before she could reply, he was out the door, "Good luck, kid." He spun on his heel, giving a mock salute, "Hail Hydra!"
But it wasn't him she was focusing on anymore. It was the person beyond him in the clothing aisle outside of the changing booths. The Soldier. He was in civilian clothes and his face was tilted down but it was him. There was no mistaking it. Not one person in the world smelled the same or looked completely alike. As if he could tell she was staring at him, his eyes met hers and she knew.It was him.
Slowly, he walked away and towards the bathrooms. Taking the long route, looking at men's clothes and taking his time. While he did so, Three kept the lavender shirt as well as a black one. Pants could be found later.
Finally, confident that she wasn't being watched by her mother or anyone affiliated with the Avengers, she went to the family bathroom and knocked the code on the door. Three solid taps, a pause, then one with an open palm.
The door opened a crack to reveal a gun aimed at her head. It backed up and the door opened just enough for her to get in before closing behind her.
Before she could say anything, she was crushed in a hug, "Three! You're alive!" Was this actually the Soldier? He never expressed anything.
Pulling back, Three took him in. He was undercover, not well fed, and had not been reprogrammed for a while. He probably never would as it seemed Hydra was currently nonfunctional. Good. He was entirely more pleasant without it anyways.
"It is good to see you, Winter Soldier." The German words came with a soft smile. Maybe everything would be okay.
"My name is Bucky, actually." He replied, a confused look crossed his face, "At least, I think."
"What?" What was a Bucky? Was this an undercover name?
"My name." She didn't understand the look he gave her, "I had one before they turned me into that creature." He shook his head, "Mission and mission report?"
Now that was something she understood, "Mission: infiltrate the Avengers. Current report, I've gleaned some personal intel from my biological parents, Steven Rogers and Natasha Romanoff but nothing high value yet." She paused, "I've been told that the mission has been terminated, there are no superiors to report to, and have been given medication for unknown reasons. Requesting clarification as to how to proceed."
The man leaned against the tiled wall, heaving a sigh, "Not sure, kid."
"Permission to relocate with you?" She couldn't help the hopeful look that came into her eyes.
"No. No. I'm too messed up for that." He shook his head, "Stay with them. Let them take care of you. Steve is a good man. The best. They'll be good to you. Help you even."
"Please, sir." She felt tears coming to her eyes before wiping at them in horror. "Damn, malfunction." The words slipped out as a mutter before she could stop it. She was not some pitiful little girl. He was her superior and she did not cry to superiors. She did not cry at all unless for manipulation purposes.
"Malfunction?"
"Moments that cause lack of control and," She paused, trying to think of how to put it, "Unmanageable emotions, sir."
"Don't take the medication." He looked at the bottle in hand, "Keep it but don't take it unless necessary. No idea what it is." He looked at the time, "We have to part ways. But if you ever need to contact me, take this and call the number there." A phone was pressed into her hand before he was slipping out the door and was gone all over again.
The only one left in her life who knew everything about her was gone.
--
Three looked at the device in her hand. Another test. Right? But how would it be one? She had been given a device that had access to any form of music that she wanted and that was it. No strings. This wasn't something necessary for her to function or survive. There was no need for it. Why had they assigned it to her? Was this for training?
After shopping for a large number of clothes, decorations as instructed by her mother, and posing for a family picture that was promptly put into three frames, they had gone back. They had a meal and then presented her with this.
"It's a gift." Her mother gently cupped her hands around Nadia's.
Three pulled away, this wasn't- this - it - there was no need-, "Why?" What was the catch? What was she supposed to do? Learn? What-
"Is it enough to say it's because we love and care about you?" Her father stepped in behind her mother, hands on the smaller woman's shoulder. His eyes were so blue and no lie was held there.
They really thought they loved her. Even when they didn't know her. Good. Not that she even knew who she was. Not good.
Nadia put it in her pocket, giving a nod, "Enough." She fixed her eyes on the corner past their heads, "Clearances?" Why was she shaking? There was no fear present. Just the rapid pounding in her chest, her throat constricting. But she wasn't afraid. What was wrong?
"Whatever you want, Nadia."
Lies. There were no choices. She would have to find out the hard way then. Three tried to keep her jaw from tightening and kept her eyes on the corner, "Permission to go to my room?"
"Sure thing, kid." Steve turned back towards the kitchen, a smile in his voice as he said over his shoulder, "If you find any good songs, let me know. Always looking for some."
"Yes, sir." Thankfully, her back was turned and no one could see the tears streaming down her face. A gift. That was new.
--
Steve sighed, lowering himself to the couch, not willing to say anything. As much as he'd hoped today would be a family day, it really turned out to be trying to avoid people noticing Nadia as he and Nat were constantly swarmed by people. She, more often than not, wasn't even in their line of sight.
Natasha curled up next to him, bringing a blanket with her. He looked down before giving a small frown, "Is that my sweatshirt?"
"Not anymore." Was the sly response, "What do you want to watch?"
This was becoming more and more of a thing. The two of them watched movies instead of focusing on the blatant issue of they had no idea what they were doing. Great only in the short term.
"I say we choose a curriculum for Nadia instead."
A nod, "She faked the test and not even that well. She answered correct and incorrect in a pattern- except history. Most of that was authentically terrible." Natasha took out her phone, looking at the monitor that had been placed on the music player. It seemed that Nadia was listening to some form of classical music. Eventually, the monitor would be removed. But as of yet, there was little trust to be found in this family.
"Then let's just give her regular high-school classes for her age instead of the elementary stuff her chart says she's at." He shifted some, positioning in the corner of the couch more to his liking.
"Let's plan to be in an apartment and have her in school by next year." The woman's voice had a grin, "I don't think homeschooling is going to work out too well for us."
"Good enough goal for me." He leaned his head back, trying to imagine a future that was anything close to that kind of normal.
--
Three cast around before finally deciding to stash the phone in the top shelf behind a shoe box and the pills in the toilet water container.
She had no mission. There was no use for her anymore. The Weasel wanted her terminated.
No escape.
A/N ~ Hello, silent readers and vocal ones alike. Thank you, to those who have reviewed, I really appreciate them. :D And if you haven't, thank you anyways for reading and I hope you're enjoying it.
Have a great weekend and an even better week!
