Picture: Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as Dariya Romanova

Music: "Tili Tili Bom" a Russian Lullaby

All rights go to their rightful owners.

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THREE

Just after sunset, we set out towards the S.H.I.E.L.D. Base. They've told me little about what lies for me, but I overhear a little conversation on the way there, sitting handcuffed in the back of a jeep.

"I hear this is where they train people," a soldier says in native German. Luckily, I know several languages. All they are is wavelengths of sound. Sound is my speciality. "I hear they take the prettiest of the bunch and make them look good for presentation."

"I hear you," his native American, but German speaking, friend replies. "You don't win wars looking pretty. Like this one in the back. Poor hag." He laughs.

"I've heard," the American says, "that their leader, Nicolas Fury Sr., isn't in charge anymore. The second I get my hands on that archer he recruited three years ago-"

"-Shut up, Ward! With that attitude, you'll get you and your family killed."

The Agent Ward waves him off. "They won't hear nothing. They only hear what they wanna hear, I tell you. One day, I'll be out of this."

"That's the what they all say. The only way you leave this place is going to Hell."

Oh, you're going there alright, I think to myself, gritting my teeth together.

"If this poor girl kills everyone in there, I might actually feel an emotion I haven't felt in a long while."

"What's that? Admiration? Envy?" The German elbows the other soldier in the ribs while laughing.

"No," Agent Ward says, glaring at the German. "Pity."

"Can't say I disagree with you there."

And just like that, the a loud boom is heard, and then the car is thrown over the edge of the hill, tumbling down like a tumbleweed. Being cuffed to the side, I barely move, but my head is pounded against the metal multiple times, over and over, giving me the biggest headache of my life.

Think straight. Come on. Don't black out. Stay... awake...

Stay...

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"Wake up, bitch!" Agent Ward shouts, a hard slap creating a dark mark on my cheek. "Finally. Ward to Base. Agent Bromwich is down. We were blown off course. What the fuck is going on?"

"Leave Browmwich there. Continue on your mission. Get Romanova to the Budapest S.H.I.E.L.D. facility."

"Budapest?" I ask. "I thought we were going to Northern Russia."

"Quiet!" Ward shouts, pressing the blunt end of his gun against my head. "Plans have changed." He asks through his radio, "What happened? You didn't answer me!"

"Winter Soldier escaped. He has since been apprehended. Seems that he's taken a liking to Miss Romanova. Pierce is having him wiped as we speak."

"No!" I shout, pulling at my cuffs. "Don't, please!" Not Barnes. Not again. He was coming back...

"I said shut up, whore!" Ward shouts. "How many times do I have to say it?"

I whimper and close my eyes tightly as Ward aims his gun at my temple. "Just shoot me. I'll see Mama again. You'll do me a favor."

"You're lucky HYDRA needs you alive, otherwise I would." Ward undoes the cuffs only to pull me out of the jeep. As we leave, I glance over my shoulder to see Bromwich's bloody, mutilated body.

"What happened to him?"

"He went through the windshield," Ward answers softly, almost as if he's sad, and we continue towards the road where the other HYDRA officers are. It's only a mile so away, but Ward's feelings keep my mind occupied. Surely he doesn't care for anyone. Anyone but himself, at least.

"He was your friend, yes?"

Ward nods. "We've been partners for three years. He trained me in Hamburg before that."

"There's your problem," I mumble.

"Excuse me?" Ward looks at me with angry eyes, and I know I have five seconds to explain my disregard for his loss of his friend.

"HYDRA doesn't allow attachment," I spill. "They knew your weakness was Bromwich, so they probably let Winter Soldier loose to end him."

"Why you-!"

"-Who was the better officer?"

Ward pauses. "I was getting a promotion."

"And did Bromwich express any desire to leave? Did you?"

"I did. He did not."

"They don't want weakness," I say. "Killing your only friend will make you want to cling to the thing you know best: HYDRA."

Ward's face flickers from confusion to anger in a moment. "You don't know what you're talking about, bitch! Shut up and walk faster!" His gun to my back makes his point quiet clear, and we continue towards the HYDRA officers.

· ~ · ~ · ~ ·

Clint Barton P.O.V.

"Now, Agents, there will be no drinking. There will be no smoking. There will be no drugs, boys, or girls," I begin, and I hear most of the new agents groan and complain. "Oh, I'm just getting started, newbies. It's gonna be a lot worse.

"Our enemy is HYDRA. Most of you know they were founded by the big red guy who's head resembles a rotten tomato. They claim to have the goal of controlled freedom, but in reality, they just like blowing stuff up and keeping the free citizen in fear. Your job here in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Operations Division is to train your asses off to make sure that doesn't happen. You will be trained physically, mentally, and emotionally. You will go through everything I went through and more." I walk up to one of the young men, who can't be more than eighteen, and get in his face. "If you survive, you might be able to join S.H.I.E.L.D." Backing up, my smile returns to my face. "Good luck!"

"Dismissed," Agent Romanoff says attempting to hide her accent.

"I ain't takin' no orders from a Russian whore!" shouts one of the guys in the front. Big and brawny, clearly he thinks he can take Natasha.

I just laugh and turn to the calm red head. "This is so on you if he ends up in the hospital."

Natasha calmly walks up to the asshole, and whispers, "Do you know what we Russians say about men like you?" She places a seemingly delicate finger on the boy's chest, and his face drains of all color.

"N-No."

Agent Romanoff grabs him by the collar of his shirt and flips him over her head, landing him on the ground with a loud thud and gasps from the other recruits. I stand, amazed, and proud. She places the heel of her boot on his neck and leans in, pressing it just enough to get a wimpy complaint out of the bastard. "We say nothing. Because men like you are not tolerated." She let's her heel fall, and the boy scrambles for his friends to help him, but they remain in their place.

I can't help but chuckle once more. "Anyone else wanna take on your new instructor?" The looks on their faces answer my question. "Now, go like your instructor said in the first place, and let this be a lesson for you bastards."

As the kids leave, I turn to Natasha and hold my hand up. "Nice job, Tasha. I must say, you put the fear of a Russian goddess in them."

She smirks her infamous smirk and gives me a high five. "Lada would be proud."

"Barton!" Coulson shouts, waving both Natasha and I over. "How did the talk with the new recruits go?"

"As well as could be expected," I reply. "A couple of bastards, but Nat put them in their place."

Phil turns to Natasha with worried eyes but sighs. "As long as our deathless record for the Operations Division stays intact, I don't care how you get results. Just... don't kill anyone?"

"I make no promises-"

"-What she means is, of course," I butt in, placing my hand over Nat's mouth to keep her silent. "No killing. Got it, boss."

After Phil leaves, Nat bites down on my fingers. "Ow! Hey!" I hold my bitten hand close to me, eyeing the evil red head. "What was that for?"

"Your hand smells, Barton. You need a shower."

"I do not smell, Romanoff. What I need is food. I'm starving. Pizza anyone?"

We catch up with Maria on our way to the dining hall. The youngest of our trio starts talking about her day and how exciting it was to be a teacher for the youngest of the recruits, ages 15-18. "Do you find everyone and everything about S.H.I.E.L.D exciting?" I ask, taking a slice of cheese pizza from Natasha's plate after finishing my own.

"Don't you?" Maria replies with a smile. "Look around! I'm barely an adult and I'm teaching kids how to kick ass!"

"I must agree," Natasha says. "It is fun to kick the mean ones into shape. The look on their faces." She smirks and chuckles to herself. "What about you, Barton? You're the oldest of the three of us. What do you enjoy the most?"

"You say oldest like I'm ancient," I grumble. "That aside, I love the practice. I love the archery practice. I love being out in the field, all alone, just watching the enemy and doing intel work on the inside. I enjoy it."

Natasha nods. "I did a lot of that before I joined S.H.I.E.L.D. I may not enjoy it as much as I used to, but I am very good at it."

"You have a very specific skill set," I mock her Russian accent, and Maria laughs. Nat only glares. "She thinks I'm funny."

"That's because you're an idiot."

"Touché!"

"Well," Natasha gets up. "I am going to take that shower that you need, Barton, and I do believe Maria has a meeting with Agent Coulson?"

Maria jumps up, cleaning her trash up quickly. "Shit! I forgot! See you guys later."

I shake my head at the youngster. "I may only be a couple years older than her, but I was never that enthusiastic."

"Yes, you were," Natasha says as we walk down the hallway. "By the way, we're sharing a room."

I smirk. "Oh, Romanoff. I didn't think you thought of me like that. Sorry, I'm not looking for a hookup-"

Natasha throws my bag at me from inside the room. "Unpack your things, Agent mudak. I'm going to get a nice, hot, steamy shower." She winks at me then disappears into the bathroom.

"Shit."

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Dariya Romanova P.O.V.

We arrive at nightfall at the HYDRA temporary base at the end of the mountain chain. The walk was long and hard, and the climb through the mountains was worse, but we finally are here.

I can see the S.H.I.E.L.D. Operations Division from our stand in the hills. It's a large building with gates and security at every corner. "How will you get in?" Agent Ward asks.

I turn to him. "You don't know what I can do, can you?"

"I've heard rumors."

I sigh. "It won't be pretty. I hope you brought earplugs."

"What happens if I didn't?"

I turn to him and get in his face. "Then you will slowly explode from the inside out. Your bones will shake, your eardrums will implode, and your head will be wishing you were dead."

I expect Agent Ward to be shaken or at least slightly freaked out, but no. He smiles. "Excellent. When do we begin?"

END