The Black Widow

A Stalker

Someone is following me. They have been for the last couple blocks. A young man. Mid twenties. Dark hair. He has an extensive burn scar covering the right half of his face. It looks old but I can't imagine that eye works at all. He has defiantly had some kind tactical training in the past, I can tell just  by the way he walks and has stayed so well hidden. I might say military but that doesn't fit with how he acts. He wears a hat and a trench coat covering himself and his scar. It's like he is ashamed. Soldiers are not ashamed of their scars.

I could have been home a half hour ago but I am curious to see what he does so I took a longer route. He does nothing to suggest that he knows I a walking an alternate route. I wonder if he even knows I am on to him.

Apparently not because when I reach home he just keeps walking. Doesn't even look back. I consider confronting him but I decide against. Not for any particular reason. I should tell Mr. Suit. He would want me to tell him or to eliminate him right away. He could be an enemy spy but I don't think so. I am very good at reading people, predicting their next moves. I have to be that's the only way to stay alive. And I have no idea what he is going to do next. It should scare me but it doesn't. I am thrilled. This is the most fun I've had in years.

I step into my house. Still the same one after 16 years. You wouldn't believe how much can change during that time while I stay exactly the same. Of course I am four years older now but the change was so gradual I hardly noticed.

"Ivan?" I call out.  I hear him walking toward the door. He is slower then he used to be. 70 years old. His change was not gradual. One day I looked at him and he was an old man. An old man entirely capable of caring for himself but still.

"I am here." His footsteps are now accompanied by the clicking of a cane. He walks with it most days now. Every time I see him I can't help but think of when he will die. I will have to live out my long life without him. That is not something I look forward too. Sometimes I wish I didn't care so much.

"How was your day?" I ask.

He smiles at me, "Better if you could stay home more."

Lately he is always asking to spend more time with me. I think he knows that his time is limited too. I smile but it isn't real. It's hard to smile for real when all you can think about are sad things, "I had work to do."

It's true I did. I had to eliminate 3 different targets all in different places in only an hour. I enjoyed the challenge. Those are the things I should be doing all the time but for the most part they have me doing things that any moron could do. The most interesting ones are the kind where I get to go out of the country. Those are always fun.

He sighs, "I know I know."

 "Want me to make dinner?" I ask. hopefully he says no. I am not a good cook and its not like I really enjoy it anyways. I am sure if I put in the effort I could do better but why bother.

He laughs, "You cook! You'd burn the house down."

"Not true!" I laugh.

"You're right he continues, "the whole neighborhood would be ashes."

I roll my eyes, "So that's a no then."

He grins at me, "I already ate."

 "You could have lead with that instead of insulting me," I start to head upstairs, "It's late and I have another long day tomorrow."

"Aren't you going to eat?" He calls up after me.

"Not hungry." I yell down. It's true but I know he won't like it. He never liked it when I skip meals or go days without any sleep. I somewhat understand, he cares about me. Why? I have no idea. I have done nothing but disrupt his life since the day I was born. Which is precisely why I did not tell him about my stalker. He already worried about me whenever I am away. Telling him about a strange man following me would just make him worry more. I am about to sleep when I see something outside my window. On the roof of the house a across the street is the same man as before is crouching behind a chimney. If there was any doubt in my mind before about whether or not he was following me they are gone. I don't feel entirely comfortable sleeping now. Not with him there. I don't care how curious I was before this cannot go on. I will have to take care of him.

I exit my room and leave the house through our back door so he can't see me. I hop fences and run through yards. I cross the streets when I know I am far enough away not to be seen. Then I make my way to the right house. It has been empty for the last week while the family has gone to a vacation in the countryside. I climb up a tree and jump silently onto the roof. I take out my gun and switch the safety off. 

It is dark now. Too dark for the normal person to see but it has already been established that I am not normal. I walk silently up to the man. He has not even noticed that I left the house yet perfect. I stop at exactly 5 feet away.

"Why are you following me?" I demand.

He whirls around. A surprised look on his face but not fear. Most people are more afraid when they have a gun aimed at their face. I was right about his right eye not working. It is discolored and unfocused.He smiles. It's not fake either. He is genuinely happy to be in this situation right now.
"Natalia!" he exclaims like we are long lost friends or something. We aren't. I don't forget faces, "Or do you go by Natasha I wasn't sure."

"I won't ask again." I say sternly pretending not to be surprised by his unusual reaction.
His good eye softens. Is he going to start crying?

"Natalia... I'm your brother."

So this is the character I was worried about fitting in the story. He was only in one comic book ever and his identity was never really confirmed. I still thought it was really cool though. In the comic story he actually shows up after she switched sides but I am not taking the book that far and I really wanted to include him. Thanks for reading!