This is a follow-up to yesterday's chapter. Sorry for the shortness, I blame:
• a toll on my mental health
• an unhealthy obsession for watching Marvel movies
• Rick Riordan's books

NO. 12 - I THINK I'VE BROKEN SOMETHING
Broken Down, Broken Bone, Broken Trust

~~~

The next time Natalia saw James, she desperately hoped it would go similar to their last encounter. Her face stayed an eery blankness for her entire life. A smile to light up Natalia's deeply buried joy would do wonders, especially taking in her vivid red hair and dazzling emerald eyes.

Oh how she couldn't be more wrong.

Upon entering the training room, her lips fought the urge to twitch up into a small smile. James stood in the center of the room with his back to the girls who'd just walked in. Madame B pushed her way past Natalia and over to James, whispering something into his ear in soft Russian. He finally turned around and took in his audience.

Each girl wore a tank top and shorts labeled with the Red Room symbol. Their hair was pulled into either a ponytail or a tightly knotted bun. Natalia eagerly met James's eyes, hoping he would secretly acknowledge her presence among everyone else. But the only thing she saw — was a cold and murderous glint resembling the Winter Soldier.

The warmth of James had vanished into thin air. James had disappeared as fast as he had originally appeared. Natalia swallowed thickly. She definitely suspected brainwashing, but how do you overpower a machine designed to be marble? Marble did not break, just like Natalia. She saw no one but the Winter Soldier — Soldat.

If anyone else noticed something about Soldat (unlikely, as he'd only befriended Natalia), they didn't show it. Their masks were just too good sometimes, training to be spies and all. Spies don't make friends. Friends are forbidden. But then again, Natalia felt saddened by the absence of her only friend. She realized with a start that this was probably why having buddies wasn't allowed.

A girl next to Natalia was called forth by Madame B. She readily got into her fighting stance and put her fists up. Soldat didn't move, but instead silently calculated the best way to win without a single sweat. Barely a few minutes later and the nameless girl was nothing but another face streaked with bloody tears, lying on the training room floor with a broken neck. Whether that had been Soldat's intention, his expression didn't betray any thoughts.

He pushed her lifeless body off to the side where another soldier picked her up and exited the room. Natalia was glad she didn't know where her fellow student was being taken. She wasn't glad, however, when Soldat nodded in her direction. Taking a deep breath, Natalia stepped into the bloodbath.

Without warning, he shot a punch out in her direction. Natalia sidestepped and tried to kick his knees. It worked for about a second, when Soldat suddenly leaned back and threw her across the room with his superior strength. She yelled out in pain when her chest collided with the wall. Stars appeared in her vision and only went away after a few long seconds. If Natalia's ribs weren't broken, they were definitely bruised a nasty purple.

Natalia got to her feet. Soldat walked over and lunged at her. She swiveled up and got on top of his shoulders using her thighs, bringing down her arms on his head. All Natalia wanted to do was get rid of the Winter Soldier! James would come back, right? Friends don't leave, do they? Maybe if she hit him hard enough, Soldat would snap out of his brainwashed trance and become James again. Maybe they could overpower the other girls, soldiers, and trainers until they made their way out of the Red Room. Maybe James and Natalia could be normal people living together with brand new lives ahead of them. She hated the word 'maybe'.

Between her thoughts, Natalia barely registered hitting the ground and having the wind knocked out of her. She retched and gasped for breath. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Soldat pinned her easily and looked up to Madame B for final orders. The woman's face scrunched up in disgust, but she shook her head, silently saving Natalia's life.

Soldat didn't even offer her a hand. He pushed her aside in the same way as before, leaving James practically non-existent. Natalia didn't shed a single tear. She was not allowed to mourn his loss, but silently vowed to remember.