Bad Bitch ⋙ N.Romanoff

n i n e t e e n

BAD BITCH
❝these were the women who knitted pain into glory❞

19. Confessional Booth

March 2005

The place that they had been told to hide in, ordered not to leave under any conditions, had been a small cabin with decent insulation. The Russian winters were just on the break of blossoming into spring, thick snow only just beginning to melt from the dense forests, but the cold hadn't seemed to tire. Temperatures of below zero meant that being trapped in the middle of no where, with no where to go, could prove to be fatal if they hadn't found sufficient coverage. Yet they'd been told of the wooden structure's existence before leaving their compound so neither Natalia nor Svetlana were too bothered by being stranded.
The mission had turned sour. Hydra had gotten far too big for their boots and had attempted to rival against a neighbouring organisation, only known as The Hand, only to be severely overpowered by enemy soldiers. The two women had been told to flee, something unlike most of their orders, without much explanation but they could only guess that they couldn't afford their best trained warriors to be slaughtered for nothing. As well as that, Natalia had hypothesised that their superiors had changed tactics and were going to strike a deal but Svetlana doubted The Hand would accept. Hydra had very little to offer and, after recklessly attempting to seize control, wouldn't ever be fully trusted.
So after they'd fled from the scene, being thankful that they'd barely been on the field long enough for them to be recognised, they had aimed for the cabin they'd been notified about. It'd been lucky that Natalia paid attention to every detail or else they would have been stuck with no where else to return to. The thick foliage had proven difficult to orienteer around but they'd made it without much trouble nonetheless.
The cabin was small. Estimating at around the size of a fairly ordinary room but seemed to only serve as a shelter less than an actual holiday home. It had a fire that had yet to be lit, something that Natalia was quick to do as she felt a chill begin to settle within her bones, and a comfortable rug on the floor to rest on. The run had lasted over an hour so both women were aching slightly and were quick to get settled down.

❝When do you think they'll be back?❞
Natalia muses, eyes closing slightly from the intensity of the flames in front of them, but Svetlana just purses her lips and shrugs. They really hadn't been given a time scale of return and, despite their hopes, the group could easily be slaughtered which would mean both women would have to trek their way back to the facility. Svetlana hoped for her team's survival, not at all because of she enjoyed the people's presence, because she simply didn't wish to spend a week of her life getting back. Natalia seemed to have the same thoughts but neither of them could worry about the situation; either way they would both be safe and alive.
❝Not sure in the slightest. If they don't contact us by sunrise, we'll have to leave without them on foot. I can only guess that it's gone badly considering all of their comms are off.❞
The women beside her let out a sound of agreement. They'd both sat down onto the sheepskin rug upon entering the cabin and had finally begun to relax as the fire began to emit waves of heat. Svetlana was still on edge. She knew that they were in unknown territory, a forest that seemed to go on for hundreds of miles, and didn't much feel as though she could peacefully sleep in the structure but she had done as much as she could do and had collapsed onto the floor next to Natalia after bolting the only door and pushing multiple chests by it. Natalia had seemed happy that Svetlana had joined her. The younger woman hadn't been blind to the red head's internal anguish but she hadn't been able to pinpoint it onto a specific reason, something that was only beginning to annoy her relentlessly, so had been pleased to know that her presence brought the woman comfort.