AJ Watson: Codename - Shadow

Meeting the Parents

The group was driving down the highway in the car they stole from the unattended garage. Yelena was in the passenger seat while AJ was behind the wheel. The others were all crammed into the back seat again. Yelena had made AJ buy a new vest from the gas station and she was honestly loving it.

"You know, a vest was the first piece of clothing I bought for myself when we got out." Yelena told the vehicle.

AJ glanced over at her fidgeting with the vest. "That specific vest you had me buy you?"

"No. Dipshit." Yelena replied rolling her eyes. "The one from New York."

"Ah, right." AJ replied chewing his gum. "The one where you were mad that alien blood had gotten on it."

"See, he does pay attention." Becca teased.

"Eh... He's still an idiot." Natasha quipped.

"I'm sitting right in front of you two, and driving this vehicle." AJ replied rolling his eyes.

"So Yelena, is that like a... is it army surplus, or..." Natasha teased.

"Okay, it has a lot of pockets."

The car let out chuckles. Yelena continued to praise her new vest.

"But I use them all the time, and I made some of my own modifications."

"Is that so?" Becca asked. "Do tell of these modifications you made in the past few hours."

"What she probably means is, she ripped part of it." Katerina quipped.

"Or she broke a zipper on a pocket." Sasha added in.

"Whatever. Shut up, all of you." Yelena shot back. "The point is, we've never... Before Natasha and I got out, we never had control over our own lives before, and now we do. We all do. You two should want to do things." Yelena explained while looking into the rearview mirror at Katerina and Sasha.

Everyone in the car paused for a moment. "We like the vest."

The blonde assassin smiled and took AJ's metal arm which was resting on her thigh. "I knew it. I knew you all did. It's so cool, right darling."

"Yes doll, very cool." AJ replied with a smile while keeping his eyes on the road.

"Why do you call her doll?" Sasha asked the man.

"It's something I picked up from my big brother." AJ replied then glanced over at Yelena and smirked. "Plus Lena hated it when I called her doll when we first met."

"She shot at him after he did it the second time but he had already jumped out of the jet." Becca added in.

"You shot at your own boyfriend?" Katerina asked.

"What?" Yelena asked. "I told Natasha I was going to shoot him in his stupid, pretty face if he called me doll again and he did." Yelena defended.

"I can confirm, she did say this to me." Natasha added to the conversation.

"I know, I heard it." AJ replied with a smirk.

"How did you hear that?" Yelena asked.

"Enhanced hearing." AJ replied.

"Сука." (Bitch.) Yelena huffed then crossed her arms.

The car was silent for a moment before Katerina spoke. "We really don't know where the Red Room is, though. We're sorry."

"I know. But I think I know somebody who does." Natasha told her sister.

"Oh, yeah? Who?" Sasha asked.