Chapter: 2

Year: 1990

Throughout the course of the next six months, Natasha's body had recovered from the injures she had sustained in the house fire. She still didn't remember much of what happened that night or who she really was, she didn't remember much of anything. Fire, bullets, knives and blood were all that was on her mind. She never questioned why such things were in her thoughts 24/7, and it didn't bother her either. In a way, she enjoyed it.

She sat on a small yet comfortable chair that was dwarfed by Ivan's large empty throne like chair. Her legs dangled from the chair and she couldn't help but kick them back and forth. Swinging her legs made her smile. Child

Ivan's office was candle lit and the décor was Victorian; red and gold velvet covered the room. The carpet was thick and warm and on the wall above the fireplace, which burned two large logs, was a large painting of an old man she didn't recognise. She was lazily scanning the area while Schubert played from the ancient looking gramophone.

The one thing in the room that really caught her eye was the golden letter opener sitting conspicuously on the large mahogany desk. It shone brighter than anything else did in the room, glistening gold with a single ruby encrusted into the bottom of the handle. Something about the blade drew Natasha to it, something eager and terrifying.

In the first week, Ivan had already gotten her a tutor so she would still get an education. Math, English, Russian, French, Biology, Chemistry and Computing were on her syllabus but she didn't understand why 'the basics of handgun mechanics' or Spetsnaz training book were necessary.

Every day after she had finished her lessons she'd been subjected to medical exams, psychological evaluations and physical endurance tests, Natasha didn't think the physical stuff was necessary and it made her uncomfortable, but she didn't question what they asked of her.

The medical exams went by fairly quickly and had stopped after the first month of her stay here, wherever "here" is. They mostly took blood samples and checked her head for concussions and memory loss, but so far Ivan had filled in most of her life and for that she was grateful.

The psychological tests weren't too difficult either, mostly a few 'tell me how you feel' questions or 'are you happy, Natalia?'

Her physical tests mostly involved running, jumping and rolling, but each day she would get faster and the tests would get harder, always pushing her to the limit. The sweat would roll off her face and she would gasp for air. She felt like crying and begging for it to stop as her muscles ached, but she didn't. Never question. They saved our life stupid, of course we don't question...We should take the dagger.

The sound of the door opening behind her snapped her out of her reverie. She jumped and turned around. It was Ivan, he was busy reading through a chart, and didn't acknowledge Natasha's presence. Instead, he sat down on his overly large chair and continued to scrutinise the chart for another while longer.

Natasha's eyes were scanning the room in a desperate, vain attempt to find something familiar that might jog her memory. She was happy that Ivan told her so much about her life, but she wanted to know more. Was that wrong?

Ivan placed the chart down on his desk, cleared his throat and clasped his long thin fingers together before looking straight at Natasha. "Well I am impressed," he said with a smile.

Natasha looked at Ivan and felt awkward in the man's presence. She didn't say a word.

"You've exceeded all of my expectations and your medical reports are spectacular."

Natasha's eyes still looked around the room and tried not to look directly at Ivan. "Thank you, but I don't understand why I was tested." Her eyes went straight back to the letter opener. "Not that I mind it's just the doctors... they make me nervous."

He glanced over the papers again, "Try not to worry about the doctors Natalia, they're just here to help you and make sure you are healthy." Ivan peeked up from his paper work and looked at Natasha, who was ignoring his answer and still eye-balling the golden dagger almost obsessively. "Do you like the shine?" he asked with a wide grin.

She looked at him, slightly embarrassed that he had caught her, and she remained silent.

"It's quite alright Natalia, it is a very pretty dagger isn't it?" He reached forward, lifted the dagger from the desk, and held it in his hands, checking the sharpness with his index finger. "Would you like to hold it?" he held it out to her, handle first.

She got off her chair, and took it hesitantly, and noticed the weight. It was deceivingly heavy but she quickly got used to it.

"You appreciate the beauty of it, don't you?" Ivan asked her.

She examined it further before replying. "No, I don't like the colour gold, too flashy."

Ivan leant forward with a confused look on his face. "Then why can't you take your eyes off it?"

Her faced turned serious at that point and her answer sounded so cold that it sent shivers down her own spine. "Because it was the first thing I noticed as I walked into the room, everything else was just grey and this was all I noticed." She said holding out the dagger for him to take back. "And I don't know why."

Ivan balanced the dagger in his hand. "Is there something wrong with me?" Natasha asked with a catch in her throat.

Ivan promptly stood up, putting the dagger back on the desk. He walked over to her, placed his hand on the back of her head, and held her close. "No Natasha, there's nothing wrong with you." Natasha looked up at him with small tears in her eyes. "In fact Natasha, there is something wrong with this world and you are normal."

She started to rub the tears from her eyes and Ivan helped. He got down on his knee and looked her in the eyes, holding her head so she looked right at him. "Actually Natalia, you are better than normal, you are close to perfection."

Natasha looked down and felt a bit better about herself. "Is that why I feel so different?"

"Yes, because you are different. Together, you and I are going to change this world the way we want it, so that there are more people like us." He held her closer. "This world needs cleansed."

Natasha slowly pulled away and looked up at Ivan. "Is that why my family was killed by those American soldiers?"

Ivan's face turned serious. "Your family were not killed for being weak, the weak ones were the Americans who attacked out of fear."

"What were they afraid of?"

"Of you Natalia, they were afraid of who you would become, so they tried to kill you."

"But you saved me" She said to him with a smile and a small sniff. "I just wish I could remember my family."

"You know we're doing all we can to help you Natalia, but at the same time, you need to help us."

She looked at him, a mix of confusion and helplessness in her big green eyes. "How?"

He stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Natalia, how would you like to be the saviour of our mother land?"

The room was immediately filled with an eerie seriousness. "You will be the symbol that this country has been lacking for years and with my help, we'll pick this world out of the ashes of American oppression."

Natasha took a deep breath and tried to understand the full volume of what was being said. She took a deep breath and straightened her small frame. "What do I have to do?"