Old Wounds

Chapter 7

15:23 25-AUG-09, ZURICH, SWITZERLAND

As they climbed down the fire escape, shouts could be heard from the room they had just left. Natasha heard men's' voices hollering to one another in German and Russian and she understood that they were Bogrov's men. Natasha gestured for Clint and Barnes to hurry down the stairs, quietly so that the men above wouldn't notice. Unfortunately, a man above noticed them, called a few more men over and they began pursuing the trio.

They shot down the men, who were scrambling down the fire escape after them, with no preamble. Pressing themselves tightly against the wall, they shot at the men above them between the stairs. When there were no more sounds of boots descending the fire escape, the trio rushed down, not wanting to be stuck in another fire escape battle.

Barnes suddenly went still, looking at the roof of the building. Cocking his gun again, he pushed Natasha and Clint back against the wall.

"They are three on the roof," he told them. "Snipers. Can't get on the ground without taking them out."

Natasha kicked through the glass of the nearest window and after checking the hallways, they made their way down the staircase. As they reached the lobby, an explosion shook the entire building. The broken light fixtures above them swayed precariously and Natasha had to sidestep quickly as a light fell to the ground. Barnes and Clint were staying close by her with their guns ready.

"When is there not explosions?" Clint said tightly.

Just as he said that, another explosion caused Natasha to stumble. Barnes held her steady as she tilted his way. Nodding her thanks, Natasha glanced up at the ceiling again, noticing the debris showering them lightly with white powder. They hurried to the front door with Natasha bringing up the rear. As Barnes and Clint made it out the door, Natasha found herself trapped inside the building. The door had slammed shut.

She was about to pummel at the door when someone grabbed her from behind. Her instincts made her strike out behind her, but there was nothing to make contact with. Confused, she spun around and was face to face with a masked man, who had sidestepped away from her punch. No one sidestepped her punches.

"You think you can just walk out of here?" the man hissed. The stench of his breath made Natasha gag. He had her by the waist now, gripping her suit tightly. She wrenched herself out of his grip and he laughed mockingly. "You're surrounded, woman. If you take one step out of this building, we blow the building up."

He pulled out a remote which had only two buttons on it: red, for detonation, and blue, for defusing the bomb. Natasha had to get the trigger from him because she knew that he would eventually blow up the block, even if she stayed in the building.

"Who are you?" she said, inching closer to him.

"It does not matter who I am. But you murdered Bogrov. He deserves vengeance." He smiled, but there was no humor in it. "It is only right to kill the person who killed him."

Natasha's eyes flickered to the front door which was bolted shut and had a large metal container placed in front of it. She knew a bazooka could easily blow the door open, but she didn't think that Clint or Barnes had one.

Suddenly remembering that she had an earpiece, Natasha breathed a small sigh of relief. She could take out the guys around her easily, but it was the man with the detonator that she was worried about. As a plan formed in her head, she was once again seized from behind by three others. She threw her head back, making contact with the person's forehead behind her. That person went down and the two others restrained her even tighter. Natasha smiled to herself; this was a situation she was familiar with.