black widow movie | dear violette romanoff,

chapter eleven | yelena's vest

"Do you think Melina's still alive?" I ask randomly, spreading across the back seat.

Yelena squeezes her arm. "You mean, like, Mom Melina?"

"Yeah."

"Nope," Nat and Yelena both answer me.

"Was it that bad?" I ask.

"She lost more blood than in her body," Nat recalls.

I scrunch up my nose. "Oh. I don't remember it."

Nat keeps driving, and Yelena starts tugging on her vest, which has an uncanny amount of pockets and slips.

"You know, this is the first piece of clothing I've ever bought for myself." She smiles proudly.

I've never seen her wear it before, but I'm happy she's happy.

Nat looks unimpressed. "That?" she says, chewing on gum.

"Yeah. You don't like it?"

Nat stays confused. "Is that like a... an army surplus, or..."

"I like it," I attempt to remark. "It looks like it could really... carry a lot."

"Okay, it has a lot of pockets," Yelena snaps, and Nat laughs. "But I use them all the time, and I made some of my own modifications."

"Oh, yeah?" Nat laughs.

Yelena scoffs. "Whatever."

Nat laughs again.

"Shut up. The point is, I've never... I've never had control over my own life before, and now I do," Yelena explains. "I want to do things."

Nat smiles, "I like your vest."

Yelena exhales in relief and looks at me. "Did you hear that? I knew it. I knew you did. It's so cool, right?"

"It's cool," I agree.

"It's good. Yes. I like—"

"And you can put so much stuff in there. You wouldn't even know." Yelena pouts.

"Wait. Where are we driving?" I ask.

Nat exhales loudly. "We'll see."

"I really don't know where the Red Room is. I'm sorry," Yelena says.

Nat nods. "I know. But I think I know somebody who does."

"Oh, yeah? Who?"

"We're gonna need a jet."

"What the hell is that?" I ask, stepping into the clearing in the forest.

There's a distressingly unattractive helicopter in front of us, and Nat's private contractor walks out from the inside of it. He was the one who had unknowingly transported the vials to Natasha.

"I said we needed a jet." Nat inspects the outside of it.

"Yeah, you know what you didn't give me? Time. Or money," he tells her. "I'm not made of jets."

"I thought you were supposed to be the best," Yelena says. "Like, a real pro."

"Oh, I beg your pardon, tsarina. Was the free flat and lifetime supply of kissel not to your liking?"

"Ha!"

"Don't let her wind you up," Nat says.

"No, I take exception to impugning my professionalism."

"Well, you did set me up with a generator that crapped out after six hours," Nat smirks.

I climb up the ramp to the helicopter.

"You, too, huh? Tag team," he smirks.

"Aw, he's sensitive," Yelena coos. "I see why you keep him around."

Yelena and I saunter to the front of the helicopter. She blows gently on the front glass, and I draw a smiley-face in the fog created.

"Where's the rest?" Nat asks.

The man throws a duffel bag from the inside of the helicopter onto the ground. "Voila."

Yelena reaches in eagerly. "Ooh!" She takes out a half-smashed protein bar.

"Please, I'm so hungry," I beg, but she refuses to give it to me.

"Oh, I stashed that, like, five years ago," Nat shouts, walking around the side.

Yelena still bites into it.

"How is it?" I ask.

"Dry," she answers, pulling a face. "It's really dry."

"Give it to me." I steal it from her and take a bite. "Amen." I hand it back.

I grunt as I step up into the helicopter and start to walk toward the passenger's seat.

Yelena sits down before me. I give her my middle finger.

"Long ride," Nat sighs, climbing into the driver's seat and starting up the control panel.