The Black Widow

Alexei

"So far everything has gone perfectly" Nikolai smiles. Every single one of his theories are working. He already had a thick file of things he wants to try next.

"Perfectly on your end." She was having a lot of trouble.

"What's wrong, she is exceptional " He bet every doctor or scientist everywhere wished they had a patient as promising as his.

She nods, "Yes but she is a little too exceptional.'"

Nikolai chuckles, "Is there such a thing as too exceptional?"

"Yes well, our teachers are having trouble keeping up with her she learns so much faster than the others. And not to mention that little friend she has made."

Honestly, it was the most unexpected thing. Mariya was a bubbly, talkative and overly emotional little girl. Everything that Natasha wasn't. Of course she was smarter than average but if she wasn't than she wouldn't be here. If her personality wasn't so averse to what they were planning she might have been perfect. Loud personalities were so hard to drown out.

"What's wrong with that?" He doesn't understand. What's wrong with having a friend?  Personally, he never saw the appeal but she could have a friend if she wanted, as long as it didn't interfere with his work. 

"She wasn't meant to be friends with anyone and especially not with Mariya. It wasn't in any of the scenarios we worked out." He obviously did not understand how Mariya could ruin everything they had worked so hard to achieve with Natasha.

"Is it that big of a deal?"

"Yes we expected that Mariya would be one of the first to wash out  because she was so emotional. Her purpose was to show the other girls what emotions get you but now Natalia has been teaching her."

"So what?"

"So we didn't create a scenario that even included her we have no idea how it is going to influence her." 

He shrugs, he doesn't see the big deal. It's their fault they didn't predict the right scenarios. He can sense there is more before she says it. "I think we should bring the other test subject in"

This time he is angry, "No you can't do that! He feels things. He's the control variable. He can think freely. He notices the things that she doesn't. We can't study her if she knows what is happening."

"This isn't some science experiment," she says and than grins, "He won't tell her and its already been decided. There are higher powers." She practically mocks him. She loves it. For once something she wants is happening.

It has been a week since I was sick. Everyone seems to have forgotten all about it except for me. Something doesn't make sense. I keep getting the blue shots. Now that I am better from whatever I had I can't get it again. Right? No one else gets them. Why aren't they worried about the other girls? Maybe I got it wrong. The blue shots must be for something else.

"Natasha hurry up and get dressed." Mariya whines, "I was studying some new moves and I want to try them out on you."

"Go on without me, I will be there."

Mariya has started looking at martial arts books trying to find ways to beat me. She is very smart, no one else has started to do that yet. So far none of the new moves have come close but she can beat most of the other girls now.

I slip on my shorts and run out to meet her in the yard. 

We all fight separately from the group now, with whoever we want. We are told that at the end of every month we will have assessments to make sure we are improving, the next one is about a week away. Everyone is excited to show off all the new moves they have learned. I see Mariya standing in the shade if a tree and run over to her. She smiles and crouches down into a fighting stance. I do the same. We circle for a little while and then she launches herself at me.