Viktoriya Solovyova, aka Agent 1, was trained in the Red Room. She managed to escape and move to America and has since been working closely with Peggy Carter. When she meets a scientist with revolutionary ideas, how will she cope with the changes?
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I knock the door three times before it's opened. "Can I help you madam?" A polished British man asks, clearly a butler. "Is Anthony here?" I ask politely. "Madam I'm afraid he won't be available for an interview." I laugh at his statement, "An interview?!" I ask. The British man looks confused, "Forgive me but Tony doesn't usually see the same woman twice." I pinch the bridge of my nose before realising this is my way in, "Well I guess I'm special." I say in a sickly sweet tone. "Do come in." He says, opening the door. "I'm Edwin, Tony's room is the last door on the right." He instructs. "Thank you." I smile and walk towards Tony's room.
Pushing open his door I see him hunched over a desk. I clear my throat softly. "Who are you?" He asks turning around and I'm stunned by his resemblance to a young Howard. "You look just like him." I whisper. "Like who? What are you talking about?" He questions frantically. "Shit sorry, um, my name is Viktoriya. I knew your father." I stutter out in explanation. Tony's eyebrows furrow at the name, I see him mouth it before saying, "Hold on, Viktoriya as in the Nightingale?" I roll my eyes at the nickname, "Seriously? Yes that Viktoriya. Please don't ask how I'm alive." I sigh. "Uh, I won't, um do you want a drink?" Tony asks. "I'm fine thanks." I say as Tony motions for me to sit on his bed, his massive bed might I ask. Something is digging into my leg so I reach under the covers and pull out a book on Artificial Intelligence. "I see you got his brains too huh?" I scoff, "He liked showing those off." Tony nods in agreement.
"I don't want to seem rude at all but um, why are you here?" Tony asks solemnly. I look around the room and notice a smashed lamp along with many poorly hidden bottles of liquor. I pick up the one beneath the bed and say, "This is why. I made a promise to your dad a long time ago, that if anything ever happened to him I would be there to support his family. I'm in no way trying to replace your mother, I mean I look closer to your age so please consider me a friend. A friend who may need a small favour. Think of it as a distraction." Tony crosses his arms and his eyebrows crease, "You need a favour? What is it, money?" My eyebrows raise, "People ask you for money?!" I ask in shock. Tony looks taken back by my surprise, "That's not why you're here?" He asks. "No, I said I'm here to help. But the favour is not to do with that, I need you to, um, bring me to Peggy?" I ask hopefully.
"That's it? I can do that right now." He says, quickly turning back to his desk to contact Peggy. "Oh, good." I say nervously. "Um, thank you Tony. And remember what I said yeah? I'm a friend, I'm not an authority figure." I say, "Well until you do something stupid I'm not." I add. Tony laughs and urges me to go and get some dinner from the kitchen whilst we wait. Edwin serves up a simple pasta dish that Tony seems to eat without breathing while I pick at pieces. "Are you okay?" Tony asks. I look up from my bowl and smile, "Yeah I'm just not used to, well, food." I laugh, "I've been frozen for a while." Tony looks at me confused, "Cryogenically." I explain. As soon as Tony opens his mouth to ask more questions there's a knock on the door. My heart thunders and my knees bounce as Edwin answers the door to Peggy.
Her heels click across the floor like they always did as she calls, "Anthony?" My body twitches at her voice as memories try to fit their way through. "Hi Aunt Peggy." Tony says, pulling her in for a hug. I keep my head down. "Um, I have someone for you to meet." Tony explains. "You finally brought a girl home?" Peggy asks. "Not really no, we've never uh, it's not like that." Tony nervously rambles causing Peggy to laugh. "I'm kidding, it's nice to meet you hun." Peggy says, extending a hand to me. I take a deep breath before reaching out and shaking her hand, finally meeting her eyes. Her grip on my hand loosens and breath quickens. My eyes well with tears, "I'm so sorry Peggy." I breathe out. I fear she's going to leave but she pulls me into what can only be described as a bone-crushing hug. "How do you look the same?" She whispers, I don't answer knowing it's a complicated answer.
She pulls away from the hug, "Why are you here?" She asks. I sniffle and compose myself before saying, "I heard about Howard." Peggy narrows her eyes but they quickly soften as she sighs in remorse. "I'm sorry." I say again. "It's okay." She reassures me. We spend the rest of the evening catching up on her life and S.H.I.E.L.D. I can honestly say that I've never been proud of anything in my life, but I'm proud to be able to say I know Peggy Carter. "Where are you working?" Peggy asks when I mention my job. "Oh uh, in a local library." Peggy nods, "Where have you been working?" I hesitate, I can't say Hydra, I promised her I'd never go back, not to mention the fact Hydra is supposedly dead. "The, uh, the KGB." I whisper. Her eyebrows raise, "From the SSR to the KGB to a library." She laughs, "How would you like to do something cooler?" I tilt my head in confusion. "Come work for S.H.I.E.L.D." She says and I look at her in shock. "We have some positions available for agents. You don't have to be on a permanent rota, just available when we need you." I mull it over for a few minutes before muttering, "Okay." Peggy smiles brightly at the prospect of getting her friend back.
