A/N: Thanks for reviewing!
The changes you're making to be a better man
There was no doubt in her mind that the woman was the same one she'd seen several months ago, when attempting to escape the trap they'd set for her. So Natasha couldn't help a slight feeling of unease at the prospect of facing her again. There were not many people who posed a legitimate threat to her, and she reassured herself by remembering that she had one of those people with her. Even if it might be a little more distracting than she generally preferred on a mission.
Recon had shown a few other potential entrances to the facility, so she and Barnes left the building to go check those out more closely. The first one was a bust – a window with good surveillance, possibly an alarm – but the second was a side door with one guard and no heat signatures inside. So that was the way in.
Barnes was waiting patiently behind her – for orders, she realized with mixed emotions. "This one looks good," she whispered, glancing back at him.
Nodding, he leaned forward a little to see around her. "What's the plan?"
"We take that guy out – quietly – and go through the door. Hopefully not alert anyone, but," she shrugged eloquently.
The ghost of a smile crossed his face. "But, if we do, it will just bring that woman to us instead of having to search her out."
"Exactly."
"What about any civilians?" he wanted to know.
Pausing to double-check her weaponry, she didn't answer immediately. "I don't expect any. But, if there are, we should get them out unharmed, if possible."
He nodded, setting his jaw, and she considered if this was personal in some way. Or maybe they were all personal for him now.
That line of thinking wouldn't take her anywhere it was wise to go right before getting into the fray, so she pushed the thought away. Besides, what business of it was hers so long as he was focused on the mission? Whether he chose to share his personal thoughts with her was up to him. He was ready, so it was time to get started.
Slipping out from their cover, she moved silently toward the guard. He was standing with his back against the wall, which was smart, but wasn't going to be enough to save him. Her arsenal only contained a few Stingers, which required recharging between uses, but it was a good opportunity for using one now. When she was close enough, she tossed one and it landed above the armor on his chest, bringing him down effectively.
Straightening, she looked back to signal Barnes but was startled to find him next to her. Someone of his size shouldn't be so quiet, she thought irrelevantly. He might have been smiling, but he met her gaze seriously and gave a nod. Taking a deep breath, she walked toward the door with him a step behind her. It had a finger print scan, but the unconscious guard lying just beneath it provided an easy way around that – though she had tech that could get her through such things for when there were no readily available fingers with clearance.
The door led to a small guardroom with a corridor to the right. It was always nice when there was only one option on which way to go. Silently, she led the way, passing by a few nondescript doors before the hallway opened onto a large room. Barnes automatically went to the other side of the entrance to cover her while she looked out warily.
It was empty, save for a few stacks of crates. Not even a sentry walking around. That was strange, but HYDRA tended to prefer to work in basements. So they just needed to find a way down – preferably one in which it was not easy to be trapped. With a nod toward Barnes, she walked slowly out and he followed. They crossed the expanse of the place in silence, both listening for any enemies.
There was a staircase on the north side of the room, which was a relief – she hated climbing into elevators when in these kinds of situations. Though going down stairs did leave the distinct impression of being exposed – people could see her before she could see them. But there wasn't much she could do about that except to try to get it over with quickly.
The first two floors were similar to the one on the ground, but the third was quite different. There were doors they had to get through first – with the help of her tech, since they hadn't lugged the guard along with them. Or his fingers, which would have been easier, but wasn't something she was willing to do these days.
Once through the reinforced steel doorway, they were in some kind of lab. It reminded her of the one where she'd been held captive in Beringovsky, but she only had a moment to think on that because this floor was not empty. They took cover just outside the doors because they were fired on almost immediately.
"What should we do?" Barnes asked quietly as they were both sitting pressed against the steel wall. It was a good question. They didn't have any grenades or firearms or any of the things that would be preferable in this kind of situation. From the sound of it, there were at least a dozen people in there, all armed.
"I'm open to suggestions," she replied as she considered if she could throw her Stingers with enough accuracy at this distance to be helpful.
Without answering, he stood up. Then walked through the door as though they weren't under attack. She stared for only a moment before jumping up to follow him. He was using his metal arm to deflect bullets as he headed for the HYDRA agents, who were unwisely clumped together.
Moving swiftly, she made her way around to a few of the stragglers and easily managed to take them down. Now she was armed. That put things distinctly in their favor, and she glanced up to see how Barnes was doing – and stopped. He was fast. She knew that – she'd fought him herself. But it was different watching him fight other people. The agents tried to avoid his metal arm but he took them down just as easily with the real one. When in similar situations, she would have been jumping and garroting and swinging around their shoulders to bring them down. The Winter Soldier didn't need any tools or tricks. He was relentless and efficient and – was done.
It was strange to see his expressionless face soften as he turned to look at her, surrounded by unconscious, possibly dead, agents. The Soldier was gone – Bucky was back. She wondered if he did that on missions with Steve, and how Steve felt about it. He wasn't likely to take it well, so maybe this was just because Bucky was with her, subconsciously remembering the old days when they'd been sent out together.
And she shouldn't have let herself get distracted because there were civilians here – in cages like her scientist had been. Only four of them, and they barely looked roughed up from their stay with HYDRA. So mostly they looked surprised and kept glancing at Barnes nervously as she hurried over to them.
"Hey, I'm going to get you out of here," she told them, in English because she wasn't sure what language they'd speak.
The crackle of an intercom interrupted her, and she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach when she heard a laugh. "Natalia Romanova, what a pleasant surprise," a woman's voice spoke to her in Russian.
"I'm happy to see you too," she responded, stepping back to look around for cameras. "Or would be, if I could."
"I'm sure. And how kind of you to bring me such a nice present," the woman continued. "My masters will be so happy to hear that I have two traitors in my keeping."
She glanced at Barnes and hated herself for the fear in his eyes. Though he met her gaze with a resilient expression. The Winter Soldier had never been afraid – not that she'd seen, anyway. Which meant he'd never been particularly brave, either. Bucky was different, but she could wax poetical on those differences later, after she got him out of here.
The elevator dinged and the blond woman stepped out. She was younger than Natasha, and seemed very confident. But she had reason to – she was holding a little red book with a black star on it.
"How about a story, Romanova? Once upon a time, there was a Black Widow. And she was the best the Red Room could offer. But then she turned disloyal, dragging down their best asset with her. And when she'd been given a second chance, she betrayed everything they'd done for her. For years, she worked against the people who'd raised her. Did you really think they'd just take that lying down?" she asked, walking casually forward, smiling coolly.
Natasha and Barnes were frozen, watching her – what else was in that book? Had her efforts gotten rid of the trigger words entirely or might she be about to be truly in over her head? If the woman could control him, she didn't stand a chance.
"And who are you? My replacement?" she inquired politely.
"Yelena Belova. It's an honor to meet you when you're at your best. I've been waiting for this a long time."
"Drop that book and come with us quietly, and I won't have to show you why they could never replace me," Natasha answered flatly, leveling her stolen gun at Yelena.
That just broadened the smile on the other woman's face before she turned her attention to Barnes. "My apologies for being so rude, Soldat. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of each other later." With that, she launched into the words that Zemo had used.
Natasha looked at Barnes warily and he was afraid for only a moment before he smiled. "That's not going to work anymore," he said.
Yelena was thrown briefly before her smirk returned. "Fine. Спутник."
Natasha was frowning and considering a reply when Barnes collapsed – just asleep, certainly, she reassured herself, but was shaken. There wasn't supposed to be anything left for them to do to him. She had to get him out of here. So she pulled the trigger.
Yelena was fast, too, but not fast enough. A bullet knocked the book from her hand, and then she got angry. She launched herself at Natasha, kicked the gun away, and they fought.
