The Spark That Never Dies Part: Three

Chapter Seven

She didn't speak, just took your hand and squeezed it twice to tell you she loved you, but she went completely serious, and it didn't scare you, surprisingly.

You needed this Natasha Romanoff if there was any chance of bringing your daughter home safely.

And you'd die before you let anything happen to either one of your girls.

"What do we know?" She demanded of Steve when a handful of people met in a room and once they started, you dug your phone out, gesturing to it like you had a phone call when they looked to you.

You went out into the hall and searched their files, finding a few properties they owned.

You glanced back into the room through the door's window and spotted Bucky looking back. You gave him an apologetic wince and he nodded, understanding, but you hoped he could cover you well enough where they wouldn't come looking for you.

They could handle the SHIELD and avenger end of it, they had more than enough manpower now that Buck and Nat were back with Steve and Sam, some of the smartest minds in all different areas, so you left.

There were certain things they couldn't do, some things they'd have to clear because of protocol and right now, you didn't have the time to spare. You grabbed a quick change of clothes, your old suit, from your old room in the tower and then swiped some hidden artillery that you stored in the building.

Secret hiding spots and hatches, the usual.

You didn't know what you were doing, powerless, and only with your training in weapons combat and hand to hand fighting to get you through whatever this was, but you were determined. Being at the tower, you felt helpless, weak, but out here, searching for Yelena and whatever monsters took your daughter, you felt more powerful than you have in a long time.

You took the properties one at a time, mostly abandoned, but you went in with guns out.

"Avon calling!" You shouted, kicking down another door, and yet, still nothing.

You sighed in frustration, your fifth location being a bust, and you were running out of time before you'd have to answer one of the calls you'd been receiving about an hour into this charade.

The last one on your list was property, no building in the deed, but you've been in this type of situation before and just because you can't see a place where Yelena might be, doesn't mean she's not here.

You combed that field, head to toe, sweat dripping down your temples, beading your face and neck, but you wouldn't stop. It took hours, you finally texted Natasha to tell her you were chasing a lead and would update with any progress, and much later, you finally found something.

Against all odds, you had half a mind to scratch this place off your list, and that's when you stubbed your toe on metal.

You never relished in the feeling of throbbing pain shooting through your foot so much in your life.

You crouched down, wiping the sweat from your brow, and slowly lifted the handle, using your free hand to point your pistol at whatever might emerge or be lying in wait.

Nothing.

You waited, hesitated slightly, and wondered if maybe this was just a sewer line or something like that, but then you heard the faintest whimper and you knew.

Yelena.

You swung the lid off on its head with all the strength you could muster and didn't think twice before jumping down into the dark hole, not even knowing how deep it was. It was eerily quiet, pitch black, and the drips from the water line were the only echoes heard in the tunnel. You only knew it was a tunnel because you flicked your flashlight on and scanned your surroundings with it.

Not a soul in sight and a choice of whether to go left or right. You waited, straining your ears for even the faintest of clues to signal which way you should go, but it wasn't your ears that you needed.

It was your eyes.

You squinted in the dark, clicking your flashlight off, and your breathing slowed down to small puffs in front of your face. You could see it, a certain glow, almost like a single twinkle light piercing the darkness, but it was purple and before you could even process, your body was moving you towards it.

Careful, calculated steps, almost like your brain was working in overdrive to make sure you were quiet, virtually silent as you made your way through the damp underground tunnel.

You were close, you could feel the energy radiating off your daughter as you approached, and your heart hammered in your chest, but you ignored it. You barely gave it a thought, chalking it up to her being frightened and remembering that's when your powers would soak in the air, trying to find a way out.

You were holding your breath now, a single door with its edges glowing purple, and you slowly reached out, almost in slow motion, to grip the doorknob. You turned it, surprised it was unlocked, and let the door creep open with a single push.

The light was almost blinding and when you were fully exposed to whoever or whatever was inside, gun pointed straight out, it ceased completely.

Your eyes were adjusting to the dark once again, now only a single lightbulb dangling in the middle of the room, and that's when they hit your arm down, making you drop your gun.

"Fuck." You hissed when they swept your legs, making you fall to the floor, wind knocked out of you.

You pull out another gun from your thigh holster and start firing it off, the shots illuminating the room, before he fell to the floor. You picked up the gun you dropped and fished the flashlight out of your back pocket before using it to search the room.

"Yelena." You breathe out, rushing over to where your daughter was unconscious on a metal table, one you've seen too many times in your life.

You hold your breath, checking her pulse, and sigh in relief when you get a strong answer against your fingers. The straps are metal, and you hear someone coming from behind, but it's too many. In a rush, you slip your necklace with the pendant over your head and around her neck, unnoticeable to whoever is trying to sneak up on you. A second later, you're spinning around with your gun and unloading it into the four who had theirs raised, but you don't duck, afraid a stray bullet will hit your girl as she lays behind you, so you take a shot to the shoulder and one to the leg, crying out in pain as you involuntarily collapse.

More come in and grab you, throwing you against the nearest wall, and you're knocked out.