семь (Seven)

2009

"Suspects on the move," Natasha updated Yelena through the radio. "Heading up to you."

"Copy that," Yelena replied. "We're moving too."

"Who are you talking to?" the original Black Widow asked.

"My family." Upon receiving a confused look, Yelena continued and confirmed. "I broke the first rule they set for me for this mission: I didn't come alone."

"So you formed a plan to outright dismiss your mission?" This evoked a slight smirk from the redhead. "Your trainers should give you more credit."

"Спасибо. I think so, too."

"Good." Tatiana Vasilivna nodded. "That's the first step to anything: believing in yourself first."

This made Yelena smile.

"Suspects approaching your point," came another update from Natasha.

"Copy that."

"They have you surrounded."

"Figured as much. Good thing we came prepared-" Yelena turned to her predecessor. "Ready to break free?"

Her new companion gave a sweep of her arm. "Lead the way, Yelena Belova."

They got into position. Moments later, the door was burst open and a swarm of heavily armed Red Room operatives stormed into the apartment.

"So much for my peaceful afternoon," the future Sascha mumbled, and stepped out into the open. "Shalom," she greeted. "Or should I say Здравствуйте." And she opened fire.

Yelena watched the scene taking place before her eyes. She recognized a lot of her own movements and fight style within the other woman's, which only made sense, but there was also a lot more. This woman had had years - decades - to craft a fighting style unique to herself.

Her fighting style was both brutal and astounding in its swift effectiveness. Exactly what the Red Room trainers wished the trainees to achieve, and would beat into them.

"Doesn't look like you need my help," Yelena called over the sound of thrown punches and kicks and gunshots.

"Nice to have some company."

Yelena grinned. "I like you already."

Tatiana was inclined to agree.

"All exit ways blocked," Natasha said. "No point of exit clear."

"No clear exits," Yelena updated.

"Then we clear one. I have a plan - hang on." Tatiana wrapped an arm around Yelena's waist and charged towards the window, firing a few shots to weaken the glass and therefore weaken the blow. Yelena seemed to sense what was about to happen for she ducked her head low.

The two smashed through the window together, sailing through the air and landing on the flat roof of the lower building next door. But they still weren't clear yet - climbing down to street-level, they found themselves surrounded.

Tatiana raised her arm. "Stand back." She pulled up her sleeve, revealing a heavy-duty gauntlet. She fired a Widow Sting, only an energy blast shot from the weapon, stinging everyone within the immediate vicinity of them. "I'll tell you, I love modern technology."

Yelena couldn't help but laugh.

"Safe house." Yelena led the way, entering the modest cottage once she was certain it was safe. Mama, Papa, and Natasha were already back there.

Their attention was immediately drawn to Tatiana.

"So this is her?" said Melina. "Our predecessor."

Said predecessor nodded. "The one and only."

"Татьяна Васильевна, Мои мама и папа," Yelena introduced. "Алексей и Мелина. И моя сестра, Наталья, Наташа."

"Natasha Romanoff," the other redhead was quick to add.

This family had helped her escape, and welcomed her warmly.

"What do you have with you?" Yelena asked, eager to help the new addition get herself settled.

"Not much. Alexander Afanasiev." She held up a book.

"Fairytales?"

"да. My Mama used to read them aloud. Good memories."

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

Tatiana snorted with laughter. "How old do you think I am?"

"Well, your file said you were born in 1922 - it's 2009, which means technically that makes you-" She paused to do the math in her head. "-Eighty-seven."

"Technically." She gave another scoff of laughter. "Not looking so bad for such an old woman, да?"

"да." Yelena chuckled, then turned serious again. "I guess what I mean is-"

"How old was I when I was subjected to the serum? Experimented on as a super soldier."

Yelena said nothing but nodded.

"Twenty. I'm frozen in time as a twenty-year-old."

"Some people would love that."

"Perhaps. How about you? How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Ah. I was eighteen when I joined the army. How old were you when you started?"

Yelena knew what she meant. "Too young."

Tatiana nodded. "I feared as much."

Yelena nodded too. "I don't remember my parents, my birth parents, very well. But Alexei and Melina took me in, raised me as their own. This is the only family I know, the only family I have. It's not perfect, by any means, but it's good. It's enough. It's what I need."

"I lost my family, too." Yelena hadn't specifically said she'd lost her birth parents, but the subtext was there, she didn't need to say so explicitly. "I lost everyone."

"I'm sorry."

"All at once too. My whole village, gunned down in a pit in the forest by the Nazis for being Slavic Jews. I found the evidence, the remains. I was the only one left."

"I'm sorry. What did you do?"

"I gave them the same treatment. Tracked the troop of Nazi bastards down and made them suffer just as they had made my people suffer. The incident was reported and I guess caught the ears of the then in-development Black Widow program. I guess they were impressed and recruited me. I was their experiment, their guinea pig. But now, I'm a beast. A monster of their own making. And my own." The words were pouring out of her, Yelena's presence creating a safe space to voice such thoughts aloud. She shook her head. "The program has changed a lot since I started with it, was a part of it. But in many ways it's still the same. We were at war then, and then engulfed in Cold War and constant paranoia of threats we thought would come. And now, even though we're in relative peace, a lot of that wartime mindset still remains."

"What should I call you?" Yelena asked.

She shrugged. "People used to call me 'Tanya.' But I've been going by Ilana now. However, it's about time I started coming up with a new alias, changing lives again."

"Well we're the Shostakov family. Maybe you can be a Shostakov too."

And so Sascha Shostakov was born.

Translations

Hebrew

Shalom - Hello

Russian

Спасибо - Thank you

Здравствуйте - Hello

Татьяна Васильевна, Мои мама и папа, Алексей и Мелина. И моя сестра, Наталья, Наташа - Tatiana Vasilivna, my Mama and Papa, Melina and Alexei. And my sister, Natalia, Natasha.

да - Yes

It's been a few months, not as long as I thought it had been, but still a while nonetheless!

The new Black Widow trailer looks so amazing! :D I cannot wait! My birthday is in July so it'll be the perfect birthday gift!

I might have to do some major editing and reworking once I see the movie, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)