[Six weeks after Stark's kidnapping]
Alex had finally decided that it was time to return Natasha back to where she came from, Shield.
While she wouldn't have minded having Natasha around longer, she had to admit that she needed her to return. Not only to look into the clues that Shield had gained custardy over SCP-002 but also so Alex wouldn't have to spend as much time in her female form.
Alex had a whole host of plans for Natasha once she was back with Shield; it probably wouldn't be smooth for her; there was no doubt that Fury knew about the mission to get SCP-137 from Osborn.
Though Alex did have full confidence that Natasha could handle it, she also wouldn't be on her own. The Foundation's analysts were already hard at work finding the right amount of information Fury should be fed to sell the story they were going for.
As Alex spent this short period of time waiting for Natasha to relax, she couldn't help but stare at the water in the pool; it almost called upon her.
The reward for the successful containment of SCP-835, that absolutely disgusting sea creature that had an equally disgusting means of feeding as it did reproducing, had been surprisingly valuable.
Maybe it was a given since it was a Keter class object, but this trait stood out against many of the other ones as being useful on its own, while most of the others only really became useful when added to others.
The Trait: Aquatic. Allowed her to treat being in and under water the same as being outside of it. Be it the ability to breathe underwater or withstand the cold or crushing pressure of the ocean depths, and all was made possible with this one trait.
While expensive, Alex had even ordered a small deepsea base to be constructed for him. One that wouldn't support surface life, it would be a sort of hidden retreat where she could escape should things turn against her.
Once this base was up and running, she wouldn't have to fear anyone safe from the Talokanii from being able to reach her there. Even most SCP objects wouldn't be able to harm her there. The only problem was that getting there would take a long time without the assistance of some submarine.
It's not a big problem; the Foundation had plenty of those. No, the real problem was that the base wouldn't allow a sub to get near it, which meant that only part of the trip could be made with any kind of vehicle. Even worse, it would be leaving the place without assistance.
It was very much the final kind of doomsday bunker where she could hide out from the end of the world while working to fix things.
Building it would take time and be enormously expensive, especially since it would be done in absolute secrecy. Knowing about the difficulty of setting up secret bases, Alex couldn't help but think. 'How in the world did Fury do it?'
Alex had nearly limitless funds available to spend at her every whim. She had tens of thousands of loyal people willing to die for her, and she had hundreds of thousands of disposable D-class to use as well.
Even with all that, it was a big challenge to create something of any size without anyone knowing about it. Yet somehow, Fury had set up dozens of large bases around the world without even most of Shield or the world's governments knowing.
Alex did feel some respect for the man; the things he had managed to do were not to be taken lightly, but that did not stop her from making the man's life as hard as possible.
Her thoughts were interrupted by one of her guards, who alerted her to Natasha's approach.
Natasha herself took in the surroundings as she walked towards the small pool at the back of the mansion. All around her, she noticed the heavily armed guards standing at the ready. She had no doubt there were even more she simply didn't notice.
She easily spotted Alexandra Ricci, who, despite the warm summer sun, wore a black suit as she basked in the heat. Something that would have most struggle and sweat didn't seem to phase her at all.
"Natasha, take a seat why don't you? The weather is pleasant today, indeed." Alex said as Natasha got close and bid her sit on another sun lounger.
"Natasha, I hope your time here has been… enlightening." Alex continued as she looked over at the black widow.
"It has been more than enlightening, Alexandra," Natasha responded, her tone carefully neutral, betraying none of her inner calculations about the situation. "Your operations here are quite expansive."
Alex smiled thinly, appreciating the diplomatic response. "I'm glad you think so. It's important to see the full scope of what we do here—not just the containment efforts but the proactive steps we take for global stability."
Alex then allowed the silence to grow for a while before she continued. "I believe it is time you return to Shield. We need you there."
Natasha had expected this topic for a while now, even more with the leading question she had been asked as soon as she sat down. However, that didn't make it any easier. "I admit I'm not happy about it, but I understand that sometimes we here at the Foundation have to do things we don't like."
Alex nodded, her expression understanding yet resolute. "Understandably, they are your friends, after all. However, know that by doing this, you will be helping them. You will save them from the dangers that are SCP objects."
"I understand, Alexandra. My commitment to global security... it's bigger than any personal reservations," Natasha stated, her voice firm, reflecting her resolve.
Alex's expression softened slightly, appreciating Natasha's professionalism. "I'm glad to hear that. And remember, Natasha, while you'll be operating within Shield you're not alone. We will be with you every step of the way."
"You will no doubt need it. Shield will be aware that your mission here was compromised, so they will be distrustful of your release from us and expect information." Alexandra continued.
"We will do as much as we can, but in the end. It will be up to you to sell it. We need you to once more become an important tool for Fury, someone who can feed us information about the cases involving the anomolus."
Natasha understood all that, which was also why she didn't like it. It would be difficult and every step she took would be stepping on the trust of people who were trying to help her. "Will I be able to become a normal Foundation Field agent in the future?"
Alex considered Natasha's question, her gaze fixed thoughtfully on the shimmering water before responding. "That's a possibility, but it depends on many factors, including how things evolve with Shield and the Foundation's needs. Your role is unique, Natasha, and extremely valuable across multiple fronts."
Natasha absorbed this, knowing the weight of her dual roles carried both an opportunity and a burden. "I understand. For now, I'll focus on fulfilling this mission."
"Exactly," Alex affirmed, standing up from the lounge chair. She walked towards Natasha, extending a hand in solidarity. "We are preparing you with everything necessary to ensure your success and safety. Remember, while you play this role, you're safeguarding not just global security, but also paving the way for our larger goals."
Natasha took Alexandra's hand, her grip firm. "I won't let the Foundation down," she assured, her voice carrying a mix of resolve and the faint trace of isolation that her role imposed on her.
"As I'm confident you won't," Alex replied with a nod. She then handed Natasha a small device. "Now before you pack your things and get your final briefing on what you can and can't say, use this to make a call."
---------------------------
[Later]
[Natasha's room]
Curious ever since she had gotten the device, Natasha had made her way right back to her room so she could see what this call was about. She couldn't think of anyone she would need to make a call to right now with this little thing.
Her friends outside of Shield, however, were few she would be able to call tomorrow, and the friends inside the Foundation, especially few, were some she could contact on a normal Foundation phone, so who was this for?
Unable to resist finding an answer to that question, she activated the device as soon as she got to her room. The tiny device quickly started connecting while producing a hologram, indicating it would be some kind of video call.
After only a short while, the call connected, and after only a short moment for Natasha to recognize the half-sleeping face appearing on the hologram, she gasped out. "Yelena!?"
…
"I can't believe you joined up already, Nat. I was sure you would take a lot longer to accept it all." Yelena said after properly waking up.
Yelena's voice was tinged with both surprise and amusement as she propped herself up, clearly adjusting to the unexpected call. Natasha, still reeling from the shock of seeing her sister's face on the hologram, struggled to find her composure.
"How… why? When did you get involved with them?" Natasha finally managed to ask after gaping like a fish out of water for a while, no doubt to her sister's amusement.
"Well, I have you to thank for that, really. After that mess you made in Budapest, they stormed the compound and captured us all." Yelena started to explain her whole experience.
From how the attempt at killing Dreykov had been a failure to how the Foundation had taken advantage of everything and claimed the Red Room and its assets for itself. Which included both the fully trained widows and those poor girls still in training.
Natasha sat on her own bed and nodded along as she listened to her sister talk. She wasn't entirely sure what to think of it all. She had been informed that the Foundation was watching her when she did that mission in Budapest.
She also knew that the mission had failed and that the Foundation had intervened to solve the problem afterward. She hadn't thought about the type of intervention much, something she now realized was a mistake.
While she was happy that the Red Room was gone for good and that her sister had ended up somewhere safe, she couldn't quite decide that ending up in the Foundation like that was a good thing.
Sure, she herself had joined, but that was her choice, something she knew the other Widows hadn't gotten. They had been forced into all this, and Natasha was well aware of the dangers in the line of work.
She didn't want her sister to face those risks; if anything, she would gladly face them, knowing that she would be safe instead. Yet, as she continued to listen, she did get the feeling that Yelena was happy.
"Are you happy with all this?" She couldn't resist but ask, even if she felt like it was the case, she wanted to hear her sister say it.
Yelena paused, her expression thoughtful as she considered Natasha's question. Her surroundings were stark, the backdrop of a small, efficiently arranged room suggesting the minimalism typical of Foundation accommodations. "At first, I just wanted out. Try to escape and all that."
She laughed, and Natasha knew why. The Foundation contained things far greater than a few assassins. Escaping from them was indeed laughable.
"But as I learned more, as we learned more. We kinda got used to it all. It's a whole lot better than the room, that's for sure. It took some time, but yeah, I'm happy. We are all happy here. Plus, they might be able to fix us. Lerato is undergoing some treatment right now."
Natasha wasn't too surprised that they were working on fixing the damage done to them by the Red Room. It was a surefire way of gaining the loyalty of the Widows. She was also well aware that this call was the same.
They let her know that they had Yelena, that if she betrayed them, it wouldn't just be her alone that suffered for it, but also her sister. It was a nasty move, but she understood and respected it.
"Hopefully, you will all be fixed up soon enough, maybe even be able to retire and have a few kids of your own, eh? Let me become an aunt." Natasha joked slightly, even though she dearly wished for her sister to settle doing and become both happy and safe.
"Me? Who knows, I won't be stuck here, that's for sure. The men here are either blocks of ice or soon going to be on ice. Maybe once we are done with all this training, I will meet a cute guy."
Yelena's humor, despite the gravity of their situation, brought a small smile to Natasha's face. The conversation shifted slightly as Yelena began sharing more about her daily routine and the new roles the widows were being trained for, subtly weaving in the assurances that they were being treated well.
The sisters chatted about mundane details for a few more moments—Yelena's new training regimen, the upgraded facilities, and even some lighthearted banter about the bland food. It was almost like any other call between siblings, except for the unspoken words hanging between them.
A/N
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