Project Baby Spider * Peter Romanoff

Prolouge

4 November 2000

tw / suggestion of rape

****

THERE WERE TWENTY-TWO girls in the dance room, each wearing identical pale pink pointe shoes, tight buns, and white tutus. The girls gracefully flowed throughout the room to Für Elise, their long tutus swaying with their elegant movements. Ballet: what many see as art is used as an exercise on stamina and agility for these future assassins and spies.

The only red haired girl in the room was Natalia Alianovna Romanov. She was given to the Red Room by her parents after she was born, and had never known a life outside these walls. For eighteen years she's been training, just like every girl dancing by her side. One day each of these girls will be given the titles spy and assassin, which many take as an honor and the rest take as their only option.

     Every girl was in the midsts of a plié when the door of the room creaked open. The urge to glance over at the door was strong, but Natalia knew better than to change focus from the dance. After a second or two, Für Elise paused. Natalia moved from the toe box of her shoes to the shank and moved her body into first position.

Like everyone else in the room, Natalia gave the newly entered woman her full attention. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need Natalia Romanov to come with me. She will not be returning for the remainder of training, so please, carry on once we exit," Madam B, a middle-aged, tall, well-carried women and supervisor of the Red Room explained. "Of course Madam," the dance instructor replied, bowing her head at the older women.

     Natalia's heart started beating faster. What could she have done to be needed by the head lady? As she approached Madam B, Natalia retraced her past few days, trying to find any flaws that would have gotten caught by an instructor. "Ms. Romanov," Madam B greeted once she approached. Natalia bowed her head and greeted, "Madam." When she looked back up, she made sure to put her walls up and cover any signs of panic she was currently experiencing. When Natalia met Madam B's eye, the women smiled; she was excited about something, for she never smiled at any of the girls. "Follow me."

     The older woman opened the door and walked out, holding it open for Natalia. Once she was also out of the room, Madam B let go of the door and let it close on its own. She walked straight ahead, Natalia following her and falling in pace at her side.

     "Ms. Romanov. As you are probably wondering, no you are not in trouble." Natalia internally sighed. "However, you have been chosen to take part in a special project." Natalia perked up at that. It wasn't often the girls still in training were picked for projects. Usually one who has already graduated took on whatever task they were given.

Madam B held out a file she had been holding to Natalia. "In here is the basis of the Project." Natalia took the folder, eager to know what it contained. She opened it and only a single piece of paper with a small paragraph in the middle was inside. They probably removed all the actually information and replaced it with this small paragraph since she still hadn't graduated, but Natalia wasn't complaining. A small paragraph was better than walking in completely blind.

Natalia Alianovna Romanov has been chosen to carry out stage one of Project Baby Spider. The project will start on the fourth of November of the year two thousand. If successful on this day, for the maximum of forty weeks she will be put into isolation. If not successful, another date will be chosen to try again. All of stage one will be completed in the Red Room under Madam B's supervision.

     Natalia pondered over the paragraph. Stage one? If she's only apart of stage one, how many stages come after, and who will be involved? What did it mean by "if successful on this day?" And also, why would she need to be put into isolation after today? A chill washed over Natalia at the thought of being alone for forty weeks.

     Madam B finally stopped walking and Natalia followed the action. They had come to a new door. It was simple, nothing fancy to it except the label:

Project Baby Spider:
Stage One

     Madam B opened the door, and gestured for Natalia to enter. The younger obeyed and stepped into the small room. There was nothing in the room expect a bed that took up half of the space. It seemed comfortable to Natalia, at least more comfortable than the one she slept on each night.

     "Do not leave this room. I will only be a minute," Madam B firmly told Natalia. "Yes, Madam," Natalia responded, bowing her head. The older woman left the room, leaving the door open. Natalia stood standing in her place, contemplating what Project Baby Spider was and how she was involved.

     It wasn't even five minutes before Madam B returned, a tall, brown haired man with steel blue eyes behind her. Natalia starred into his eyes and he starred back, only a blank expression on his face. What was happening, and why was a very attractive man in the same room as Natalia?

tw / suggestion of rape
summary in comments

Madam B came up to Natalia, holding a syringe in her right hand. The syringe contained a concoction that was strong enough to put the Winter Solider to sleep within seconds. The older woman took Natalia's distracted state as a chance to insert the needle into her neck, pushing the concoction into her bloodstream. Natalia's eyelids started to flutter shut and she pulled it out. Before she could fall to the floor, the man reacted fast and caught her. The file she had been holding fell to the floor. With ease, he moved her into a bridal carry.

"You know your mission," Madam B told him. He nodded his head and maneuvered to the bedside. He laid Natalia down. "You've got eight hours. Ensure that this shall be the only time we need to have you here to complete the first part of stage one." The man, again, nodded his head. He then turned to look at the girl he had just laid down, his face still holding a blank expression.

Madam B smiled at the situation and picked up the file Natalia dropped when she blacked out off of the floor. Then, she exited the room and locked the door.