No Tears | NR

Chapter 16

Just outside of St. Petersburg, Russia

"So who are you?", the man they had just freed from prison wanted to know, looking at Yara.

The brunette just gave a short answer. "Yara." She didn't really feel like starting a full-on conversation with him. 

But he either didn't get the gist or didn't care. Instead, he reacted to Yara's reply by introducing himself. "I am Alexei."

Yara nodded but didn't answer. Natasha had mentioned his name to her when she had explained her plan.

The Russian, who had apparently been waiting for some kind of reply on her side, spoke up again, asking her, why she was here.

"She is here for her own protection. The Red Room is looking for her", Natasha gave a very short and incomplete version of the truth in response. Technically, they weren't entirely sure that the Red Room was trying to find her, but it was very likely. Yara assumed that it had just been the easiest plausible explanation which was why Natasha had chosen it.

Alexei seemed remotely surprised but quickly moved on to his next question. "Why?"

"I helped Natasha", Yara opted to answer herself this time.

Alexei had a look of mild confusion on his face which caused Yara to clarify, "They were hunting her. I helped her. So now they will also be looking for me too."

The bulky man nodded and was obviously going to ask something else, but was interrupted by the redheaded Avenger, "OK. Enough with the questions. Leave her alone"

Alexei sent her an offended glance but closed his mouth and was quiet for the rest of the flight.

They were a few miles away from Saint Petersburg when they ran out of gas. The helicopter dropped out of the sky like a dead bird and crashed down on the ground. Thankfully, Yelena had kept the aircraft fairly close to the ground for the last 15 minutes, anticipating that this might happen.

The three women and Alexei climbed out into the open and took a moment to look around. The helicopter had crashed onto a path that had apparently been used by cars before, but there was nothing other than grass, weeds, and bushes around them as far as they could see. No other people, houses, or vehicles were in sight.

"You should have brought the Avengers' superjet", Alexei joked. Yara was about ready to slap him. So far, he was most definitely the most annoying person that she had ever met in her life and she had met some incredible annoying individuals.

Natasha seemed to share her feelings as she joined the other two women and walked away from the helicopter.

Yelena expressed her current feelings about the man, announcing, "I swear, if I hear one more word from him, I will kick him in the face."

"He is the worst", Yara agreed quietly, so the man couldn't hear her. While he annoyed her, she didn't want to get on his bad side considering his super strength.

Alexei called Natasha's name and told her that he wanted to talk to her. She looked unhappy but, nevertheless, fell back so he could catch up with her.

Yara continued walking beside Yelena silently. Natasha's raised voice caused both of them to stop and turn around to see what was going on.

"What is with this tension?", Alexei demanded to know.

Yara scoffed. He was joking, right? Was he really oblivious enough to not be able to answer his own question?

"Did I do something wrong?"

Unbelievable!

Yelena scoffed next to the brunette and rubbed her forehead.