Mercenary Work
Author's Note: [Dialogue inside translated from Russian].
She had to wonder when they'd show up; Natasha Romanoff pondered the situation she was in. She had killed before, but it was part of her job as a spy, and even as a mercenary, the jobs she took would sometimes mean that people died, but it wasn't personal, and she had a code, she didn't want to kill people, but Tony Zucco was different.
Natasha didn't normally take things personally, but sometimes she did, like when the mysterious cabal known as Chaos tried to kill her lawyer, she'd gone after them with a kill list and everything she had at her disposal, but Tony Zucco was deeply personal to her, she'd had husbands who were divorced or dead, but this was different.
She wanted nothing better than to put bullets in Zucco's skull for stealing John Grayson away from her.
She was about to say something to Frank when her phone rang.
"Meet me downtown," Nick Fury told her, she couldn't refuse him. Tony Zuccco would have to wait.
"Well Nat, you'll be busy in Jump City, and not just with Slade," Nick handed her a folder.
"Yuri Karanov, you know who he is Natasha?" Nick Fury asked.
"He's Russian mob, currently runs the drug trade in Jump City," Natasha replied, "Never met him in person. Why do you ask?"
"Department of Homeland Security contacted me, said he's planning a bombing, hoping to blame it on Muslim terrorists, drawing heat away from his operation, they requested your assistance because you're in town. You have permission to use any means necessary. They're hiring you and contacted your lawyer, they'll be happy to pay your fee." Nick informed her.
"Have HS contact Isaiah, he'll make all the arrangements," Natasha glanced over at him.
"Give me the intel, and all of it Fury, I hate it when you leave me in the dark on purpose!" Natasha snapped.
"Okay, Yuri Karanov hired a bomber, Shurik Ivanko to set bombs in various locations around Jump City, set them off and everyone assumes it's Muslim terrorists, throw the cops off their tail, everyone chases Al-Quaeda and the Taliban and the Russians go back to their business."
"And Homeland Security, what do they want me to do?" Natasha asked.
"Take them out by any means necessary, the last thing we need is another 9/11. And Natasha, I heard Yuri loves Russian ballet."
"Don't worry Nick; you'll see Shurik Ivanko and Yuri Karanov in a body bag," Natasha Romanoff told him, she headed off to start work.
The Titans shot open the door of the warehouse at Pier 41, the Punisher; Frank Castle was waiting for them.
"Took you kids long enough," Frank scowled at them.
"You aren't killing more people, not in my city!" Robin snapped.
"Ironically kid, I'm doing this for you!" Frank snapped. "I know who you are, and all of this is for your family, especially your mother!"
"What do you mean? What about my mother?" Robin asked in disbelief.
"She never told you, huh? Too bad, you should find her, she just ran off five minutes ago."
"I don't believe you!" Robin retorted, brandishing his bo staff.
"You're going down!" Cyborg shouted.
"You can fight me or save him!" The Punisher fired his gun; it happened so fast, Robin couldn't react to it. He saw a body drop, the Titans ran to the victim.
"Starfire, Raven, stop the bleeding, Cyborg call the ambulance!" Robin ordered.
Robin launched four birdarangs at The Punisher, hoping to knock him off balance, he retaliated by firing his gun at them, breaking them, he threw down a flash/bang grenade. Robin halted and covered his eyes, after the smoke cleared and the light was gone he ran outside, the Punisher was nowhere to be seen.
The Punisher escaped, and the Titans were left alone with the body of his victim.
"Tony Zucco!" Robin exclaimed in shocked surprise. Zucco had died shortly after being brought to justice by Batman and Robin, at least, that's what he thought, apparently, he'd faked his death and had been living somewhere, not that it had done him any good.
"Why does this day suck so bad?" Robin growled to the heavens. "It can't get any worse."
Frank Castle sprinted away from the warehouse, seeing the boy had been interesting, but with Black Widow in town, he might want to stay in her good graces and not fight her son with her around.
"Natasha, I didn't fight him," Frank told her over the phone.
"And why not? I thought it's what you wanted."
"I'd rather not have you coming after me," Frank replied, "Perhaps some other time, when you're not around."
"Cute Frank. You'd better not stick around or he'll find you."
"I'm gone, Black Widow," he told her. "You should be proud of your son, he's a good boy."
"I already am."
Yuri Karanov had a habit of visiting the Russian ballet in Jump City, he found himself an unlimited supply of girls, and tonight was no different, he could seduce them easily and then do with them whatever he wished, bending them to his will was easy enough.
A particular girl caught his eye, she was the most incredible ballet dancer he'd seen, such beauty and grace would fetch him a tidy profit. He watched her dance and he knew; he'd have this one. He made his way backstage after the performance.
Yuri Karanov glanced over at the ballerinas, he saw the tall woman with stunning black hair, and wore a pair of black glasses. She had a perfect figure, she would no doubt be flattered by his attentions and very willing to go to bed with him, after all, he was rich and many immigrants from his homeland were looking for the "American Dream".
He had plans for this girl; he could use her as his personal sex slave or sell her to the highest bidder. Who would believe her? She didn't speak English so any help would be hard for her to find.
He gently took her hand and kissed it. ["You were lovely tonight,"] he complimented her. She blushed and glanced away.
["Thank you sir, it's nice to see someone from home."] she replied.
["Ah, don't worry about it, are you doing well here in America?"] Yuri prodded; he'd have no problem ensnaring this one.
["I make decent money, but it's not nearly enough,"] Natasha sighed. ["I can barely make ends meet."]
["I could hire you, I have need of a…secretary,"] he leaned in close, brushing his lips against hers.
["I don't know anything about that,"] she pressed herself against the wall.
["I'll teach you, I'll teach you all sorts of things, my dear!"] he kissed her deeply, greedily, running is fingers through her hair. ["What's your name beautiful?"]
["Natalia Shostakova,"] Natasha replied, Yuri was so gullible, she wondered how many people bought this sob story of hers.
["Let me change out of these clothes, then we can return to my hotel room,"] Natasha whispered breathlessly.
["Very well, Natalia, please, don't keep me waiting,"] Yuri smiled, she left and changed into a revealing dress, his mouth watered as they left the building and returned to her hotel.
They kissed again as he began to aggressively touch and fondle her, Natasha hid her disgust, she exaggerated her sounds of pleasure as she let him shove her into her bed, she'd have to endure him for a few more minutes and then she'd have him right where she wanted him.
["Too bad, Yuri, you're not much of a lover; my dead husband didn't pass out from exhaustion after an orgasm,"] Natasha smirked; she dressed quietly then held a knife to his throat.
["What are you—?"] he sputtered, she crammed chloroform over his mouth and he passed out. She dressed him and took him out to an airplane; she tied his wrists to the seats as she put him in the kneeling position. She took off and pushed a button and sent the plane into auto pilot.
Yuri Karanov awoke with a start; he glanced up as the beautiful ballerina he'd screwed last night stared at him, now dressed head to toe in black, he saw the hourglass symbol on her belt and now she had long fiery red hair and a scowl on her face.
["It can't be you!"] he exclaimed in horror. ["The Slavic Shadow! The Red Death!"]
["Yuri Karanov, we need to talk,"] Natasha glared at him. ["Where are the bombs you planted in Jump City?"] She removed a knife and showed it to him. ["Where's Shurik Ivanko your hired bomber?"]
["Screw you, you whore!"] Yuri snarled at her.
["But you already have, and you weren't good at it either, tell me what you know."] Natasha smirked.
["I know nothing!"] he retorted defiantly.
["Everyone always says that. It's a ridiculous thing to say."]
Natasha had a thoughtful expression on her face. ["Let's pretend you know nothing. And let's be honest about how intelligent and experienced you are Karanov."]
Natasha looked down at him, pointing the small knife at his chest, ["No one knows nothing. Especially when facing unbearable levels of pain."] She cut him, not deeply, but she knew how to cause him an enormous amount of pain from small, shallow cuts.
["I don't know where Shurik is! But I know he placed his bombs on six or seven major landmarks!"]
["Where are they?!"] Natasha demanded.
["The park, the bank, the pier, the fairground, the shopping district, the mine and Titans Tower! That's all I know I swear!"]
["Titans Tower, how would he be able to plant something there?"] Natasha demanded, that was her son's home, and she suspected, you couldn't just go into Titans Tower unannounced.
["He disguised himself as a construction worker and planted the bomb; they don't even know it's there."]
["I see, when will they go off?"] Natasha glared at him.
Natasha cut his bonds with her knife; she forced him to his feet, pushing him towards the plane door.
["I don't know! You'll have to find Shurik!"] Yuri protested fearfully. She forced him to keep moving.
She shoved a parachute into his hands.
["Well that's something,"] She kept moving towards him as he backed away.
["You can't stop the bombs, my plans will succeed!"]
["Do you know how to use a parachute?"] Natasha asked.
["No,"] Yuri replied.
Natasha raised her foot, ["I hope you're a faster learner then."] She kicked him out the plane door.
She saw his body plummeting with no sign of the parachute, it's not like she didn't give him a way out, she saw a small red splat on the ground, no one was going to miss him.
"One down, one to go!" She piloted the plane back to the Jump City airport.
The Titans arrived at the Tower, they were about to enter the common room when Raven stopped them, "I sense someone in the room!" she whispered. They readied their weapons, bursting into the room.
Sitting in a chair at one of their computers was a stunningly beautiful woman.
Robin stopped, he recognized her, "Black Widow, I heard you had retired."
"Dude, she's so pretty," Beast Boy commented.
"What are you doing here?" Cyborg asked for all of them.
"I'm here on S.H.I.E.L.D. business, I request that you don't interfere with my work," she smiled politely.
"Your work involves killing people," Starfire noted, "We do not approve of that."
"I didn't come here for your approval Starfire, if you're unhappy about my presence please talk to Director Fury."
"Why did you come here?" Raven asked, she could sense the woman's emotions, she seemed…happy about something, she didn't think someone like Black Widow could be happy. Emotionally, she felt that they were similar somehow.
"To inform you that I am working here until further notice," Black Widow told them.
"But why?" Robin demanded.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has tasked me with bringing Slade Wilson, Deathstroke into their custody. That's why I'm here."
"I really don't think I could work with you," Robin told her, "But don't think I condone the fact that you murder people, Black Widow."
"I'm a killer [little Robin], I'm not a murderer."
Robin does a double take.
"It's semantics, you still take other people's lives. The only reason you're not in jail, is because you're too valuable as an Avenger," Robin snapped. "I don't know how you consider yourself to be a hero."
"You live in a black and white world, I live in a very gray one, but you'll understand someday, but I'm happy you are a better person than I am. I'm not a hero, I never called myself one."
She got up and turned away from them, "Where are you going?"
"To stop seven bombs from going off in your city, I have their locations, but I don't know when they go off, here," she handed Robin a piece of paper, "are their locations, you can help me disarm them, but I'll find the bomber, Homeland Security wants him dead, and I intend to do that, and you won't stop me."
"I can try!" Robin snapped, suddenly, he was hit in the stomach, she moved so fast, the others were trying to get to her, but he saw her use her incredible acrobatics to avoid all of them.
["I love you little Robin, stay out of my way!"] she whispered in his ear, Robin was too stunned to move.
Natasha threw down a smoke grenade and vanished.
"Robin, are you all right?" Starfire asked.
"It's not possible!" he said to himself. "It's not possible!"
"I can't believe she broke into the Tower," Cyborg snapped. "She's never doing that again!"
"Dude, where's she learn how to do all that?" Beast Boy asked himself.
"She's too dangerous, how does S.H.I.E.L.D. trust her?" Raven pondered.
"Dude, what's impossible?" Beast Boy asked.
"She called me little Robin during our conversation," he told Beast Boy.
"Dude, only your Mom called you that. Wait are you saying—that she's your mother?!"
"I don't know Beast Boy, I watched her die, Punisher said he knew my mother, if my mother's Black Widow then it would make sense, and I heard she retired a long time ago, before I was born. But where's she been for five years?"
"How will you know if she's telling the truth?" Raven asked.
"I'm going to find Nick Fury, and he's going to tell me everything!"