Gemini (BEING REWRITTEN)

Live and Let Die

December 28th, 1995

Over three years at the hands of what the world knows as Hydra, learning more fighting, more subterfuge, and even more ways to kill. Eleven years old and knowing how to hold a gun and where in particular to shoot to either kill or watch them suffer for the longest amount of time. I have had less human contact than when I was in the Red Room, only being visited by what they call doctors or the Winter Soldier, my personal trainer.

While the Red Room training would begin more in depth when I returned, the last three years have been more than what I could expect from home. We've branched off from Russian speaking every now and then in my training sessions. Sometimes opting for English or German, even sometimes branching into Korean to brush up on something I seem to actually struggle with. Coming to the end of the year however, means that I am returning home to the Red Room. To my mother. To Natalia.

It's almost embarrassing to say that I did miss the small redhead. We might not have spoken often, but having someone right next to you on the pedestal of being the top assassin they could create was nice. Almost as if we were sisters in arms. It was an actual surprise when walking off the plane to not only be greeted by my mother, but Natalia as well. Stone-faced and serious as ever.

"добро пожаловать домой Альрина."

Knowing to not verbally respond, I nod to her in acknowledgement before glancing at Natalia who seems to be staring into nothingness. Almost as though my mother could pick up on my curiosity, she turns her focus to her, but speaks to me.

"Наталья вернулась из штатов.Она должна провести тебя внутрь, пока я поговорю с доктором.Идти."

Taking that as our que, I follow Natalia inside the building, even further confused on the sudden trust of knowing the hallways we are not allowed to travel. Seeing as we were alone, I chose now as the perfect time to attempt a conversation with my bunkmate.

"Вам понравились штаты?"

Noticing the slight hesitation in her steps along with the fading blue in her hair, I quickly understood it was not the conversation topic to breach at the time. Taking in the surroundings to ensure we wouldn't be reprimanded, I tried again.

"Узнали что-нибудь новое за последние три года?"

Seeing the twitch in her lips and the way she discreetly checked our surroundings made my own lips start to turn up at the corners, knowing I picked a good topic this time. Turning the corner at the end of the hallway, to what I assumed would be our room I actually received a response and not at all how I thought I would.

"I learned that you are still as annoying as ever."

The English almost sounded fluent, like she had been speaking it her entire life and from what little I knew about her, she could have. Almost as surprising as the English itself was the small exhale of a laugh that came through my nose, that seemed to also surprise her. Acting as if the noise never came from me, I dropped the conversation, following her to what used to be our room. When she opened the door, I noticed that there were even less beds, six to be exact. It seems as though another trial happened in both of our absences, lessening the room even more.

Noticing the time, we both hurried towards our mattresses getting ready for what little amount of sleep we usually get. Once changed, we all laid down with our wrists by the bedpost waiting to be tied in again and again for the rest of our time here. After ten or fifteen minutes, I start to hear light snoring throughout the room meaning most of the girls have already fallen asleep. Chancing a glance to my side, I notice Natalia in her normal position, staring at the ceiling.

"English?'

Her gaze flicks over to me when the foreign language tumbles past my lips. With a curious smile on her face, she nods before responding herself.

"All three years of nothing but will help. You too?'

"Here and there. Still Russian through and through though."

Those words seemed to sidetrack her, making her pause and look away lost in thought. She could drop the accent perfectly when speaking English, but while she was in the states adapting to the accent, I was still in Russia. My accent seemed to stick.

"You didn't like me asking before, but how was America?"

Shaking her head, she seemed to contemplate her words before she even considered humoring my conversation. Finally finding the words, she chose to actually be honest with the one person who could possibly understand everything going on.

"Played family for three years. Sister, Mom, Dad, the whole American Dream type of thing everyone talks about. Turns out it was a hoax, at the end of the day nobody cares about all of us here. We are nothing and have no place in this world."

Hearing those words from her seemed to rub me the wrong way. While they were something we were taught our entire lives, that we have no place in this world, I was beginning to not believe in them. Seeing how she was honest with me, I felt it was only right to return the sentiment.

"You really believe that, don't you?"

"Of course we-"

"We have been told those words since I could first remember, Natalia. I don't know what it is, but I think you're full of shit. We have a place in this world, whether it's six feet underground, in the States living our lives or stuck in here for the rest of our lives. We have a purpose. We all do."

I glance towards her, noticing that she is continuing to stare at the ceiling, not even bothering to look over at me. Knowing that is as far as our conversation will go tonight, I close my eyes, choosing to try and sleep in the place of all of my nightmares. Right before I have the chance to actually succumb to slumber, I hear Natalia mumble a few words, bringing a smile to my face.

"У нас есть место, Рина."