An Impossible Game - A Short Story

Chapter 7

Two weeks before Steve is supposed to compete in the London Olympics, Natasha is called back to New York to testify. Sharon apologises at least three times during the phone call, but they need her to share everything she knows about the Russian doping program. After making sure she won't have to go on the record, Natasha agrees and flies out the following evening.

A private escort meets her at the airport and then again in the morning. This time, she knows where to go and arrives at Sharon's office on time instead of five minutes late. With her is an older agent that Natasha doesn't recognise.

"This is my Aunt Peggy," Sharon introduces. "She's a former CIA agent from during the KGB's time."

"From their time?" Natasha echoes. "What do you mean?"

"When the KGB existed and held power," Peggy clarifies. It didn't help. "During the Soviet era."

"The KGB still exists," Natasha tells them.

There's a gaping silence as her words settle on both of them and for a moment, Natasha worries that she's already said something wrong.

"Perhaps that would be a good topic to start with," Peggy says kindly. She takes Natasha's hand and settles into the seat beside her. "Tell us everything you know, dear."

* * * * *

The appointment lasts all day. Natasha spends the first few hours answering questions about the KGB and explaining how even after the Soviet collapse, the KGB had never fully disappeared. They still provide a lot of protection and services for the state and had even played a role in Russia's athletic doping program.

As soon as she mentions it, the conversation steers towards her role in Russian athletics and her experience under Ivan Petrovitch. Unlike the conversation about the KGB, this one unnerves Natasha.

She tells them about Ivan's carefully scheduled program and how agents would ensure every athletes' test came back negative. If the first test didn't, the second test always did. Even now, Natasha isn't sure how it was done, but she knew that she would have failed if it hadn't been.

"Was every athlete doping?" Sharon asks eventually.

Natasha nods, pauses, and then shrugs. "I'm not sure. I imagine that every athlete under Petrovitch does."

It's one of the longest days she has ever had, but when Sharon and Peggy finally allow her to leave, they sound confident. 

"We'll submit the evidence tonight," Sharon promises, walking Natasha down to where the private escort is waiting. "I'll call you in the morning."

"Will I be able to go to London?" Natasha asks warily.

Sharon purses her lips. "Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it."

It's not what Natasha wants to hear, but it's what she had expected. The United States doesn't hold jurisdiction in England so if Russia does happen to find her, she won't get any help from them. Nevertheless...

"If I go," Natasha asks, "will I have trouble coming back?"

"No."

If she does, Sharon will handle it.

After a short goodbye, Natasha gets in the car and goes back to Steve's apartment. This time, she isn't nearly so jumpy.

* * * * *

Despite Sharon's warning against London, Natasha goes anyway. She receives her green card three days before she flies to Colorado and she's so excited that it's the first thing she shows Steve at the airport.

"Look!" she exclaims, startling a few people nearby with her loud Russian. Holding out the little card for him to see, she says, "It's for me!"

Steve kisses her. It's abrupt and definitely not appropriate for an airport, but she's not one to complain about kissing him. 

"I love you—"

She grins impossibly wide at that.

"—but you should not shout in an airport," he says, biting back a smile as he attempts to scold her. "Especially not in Russian."

"Look!" she repeats, in English this time. She pulls out of his arms and drops her green card into his hand. "I got my green card."

Again, he kisses her and it's only when someone accidentally shoves into them that they finally pull away.

"Bucky's waiting for us," he murmurs.

He passes her green card back to her and picks up her backpack. Taking her free hand in his, he leads her out of the airport and to where Bucky is waiting in a rental car. To her complete surprise, Sam and Maria—the only other two gymnasts she can remember—are also there.

"She got her green card!" Steve shouts before she can.

She scowls and calls him a cunt in Russian, making Bucky cackle in the driver's seat. While he climbs in the back seat as punishment, she buckles her seatbelt then turns around and shows the card to Sam and Maria excitedly.

"Green card!" 

They all cheer and by the time they reach their hotel, Natasha's green card has been passed around the car numerous times. Before getting out, though, she carefully stuffs it into her passport and tucks them both safely into her backpack. There are only a few days before they leave for London and the last thing Natasha wants is to lose either one.