The russian one

Chapter 52

No one's POV

     On this cool morning, the first real day of 'freedom' began for the silent prisoner. Although suspicious, she was asleep when she was woken by the sound of someone about to enter her flat. She then remembered the instructions she had been given the day before. With a foggy mind, she left her comforts and positioned herself visibly opposite the front door. Her grey pyjamas had no pockets, so there was no need for her to show that she had no weapons of any kind. The young lady with the tangled hair simply held out her hands. The iron door then gave way to a woman with red hair and a serious look on her face.

     The physical contrast between these two women was as invisible as an elephant on a deserted beach.

'Forgive me for waking you,' the redhead naturally apologised. 'I've brought you breakfast. Unfortunately, I've already had mine, but I can stay with you while you eat if you like. Or I can give you time to get ready in peace. Then I'll take you to the gardens where Mr Stark will be waiting for you so you can get some fresh air,' explained the agent.

     No reply other than a nod was given. Natasha then decided to put her tray down and leave her to get ready on her own, giving her a little privacy. Once the intruder had left, the young girl went over to the table and examined the food before eating it. She took her time, and once she was full, she went to take a shower and put on one of the outfits available to her. They were simple clothes, a neutral dark blue, but strangely enough she felt comfortable in them. She then took a jacket and positioned herself in front of the door, signalling that she was ready to leave. Of course, agent Romanoff had waited outside the door the whole time, not looking at the surveillance screen to respect her former colleague's desire for privacy, but remaining available if needed. A technological jingle from the screen signalled the presence of her friend on the other side, in a waiting position. The agent turned around and realised that she was ready to leave, although she felt a touch of nostalgia at seeing her dressed like that, her old clothes still fit her perfectly, she thought.

     The door opened and the mute woman held her hands out in front of her, waiting for the handcuffs to arrive. The redhead entered, followed by two agents who simply came to collect the tray of food.

'There's no need for handcuffs, don't worry about it', said the redhead in response to her friend's gesture.

     The two women then left and Y/n saw three other agents waiting in the corridor, who entered the room as soon as she was out. She didn't think anything more of it and simply followed her guide through the corridors, slightly recognising the route she had taken the day before. However, she was surprised at how few people had accompanied the red-haired agent; yesterday there had been many more than that, she thought. Finally, after taking the lift, they arrived at the door to the garden and before they had time to open it, a dark-haired man in extravagant sunglasses opened it.

'Ah, there you are at last, Y/n! I thought I'd just have to drag you out of bed' joked Tony. The young woman merely shrugged her shoulders slightly. 'Let's go for a walk,' he added with a wave of his hand.

     Y/n then went outside but quickly realised that the redhead wasn't following them, although she quickly noticed the presence of one of the three men from yesterday whom she identified as the handsome man with the hammer.

     The fresh air did Y/n a world of good, and she felt a little freer than she had in previous days. She could breathe in the pure air and didn't even know that she had missed the sound of the birds and the wind in the trees until she heard it today. She felt alive, yet it was just a wide plain of greenery stretching out before her with a few groves of trees, nothing really magical or special, nothing worthy of a Japanese garden. But that was enough for her, the sun was out, despite its grey coat, and the temperature outside was pleasant. Y/n's senses were in action, different from those used in her old cell; here she was concentrating on her hearing and touch rather than her sight. Was this a contradiction in terms with the place she was in? Certainly, but she preferred to hear and feel rather than see. That's why she walked slowly, taking deep breaths and closing her eyes. If she listened carefully, she could count the number of birds around and tell which way the wind was blowing. Her senses were so focused on the natural world around her that she didn't hear a word her travelling companion was saying, yet they both walked at the same pace, and when one stopped, so did the other. Even when it was Tony who stopped, without realising it, Y/n also followed Tony's rhythm. It was only when he bent down that she became aware of the presence of someone else with her and turned her attention to her comrade who stood up, a flower in his hand.