NIGHTMARE ▹ Natasha Romanoff

five.

"The tech used to blow up the FBI Albany office was not something anyone could get their hands on. Well, not anyone on Earth at least." The woman, Natasha Romanoff, she had called herself, talked as she walked Svetlana to a large room. Multiple people sat on computers, walking around, all wearing uniform. S.H.I.E.L.D. Thats what they'd called themselves. When Vera had said 'security firm' Svetlana hadn't seen this coming.

Svetlana raised an eyebrow, "What, are you saying they used, like, alien bombs?" They were kidding, right? Romanoff nodded. "Yes." She said, and Svetlana would have laughed if her face hadn't been completely serious.

Svetlana frowned, "First of all, that's crazy. Second of all, let's say that they were. Why would six of the KGB's top agents want to use alien bombs to blow up an FBI office?" The cuffs on her hands were getting up uncomfortable, but she doubted they'd take them off. They knew she was KGB, but they still didn't trust her completely.

Romanoff and the blond man - Barton - shared a look. There were footsteps from behind her; loud, sure ones. Svetlana turned her head to watch the man walking towards them. He was taller than her, and had an aura of control around him. The most inept resting part of him however, was the black patch covering one of his eyes.

"Mind control, our best guess is." He said, his voice low and gruff. He nodded to the woman walking behind him and she waved to a man on the side. A screen was pulled up in front of them, showing the security tape of the breached building. Six men armed with guns, marching in. They shot at the walls and yelled something, and screams echoed out. Police officers ran towards them, and they shot them. Then they slid the black duffel bag along the floor, and ran out the building. People approached the bag cautiously. Less than a minute later, the deafening sound of a bomb rang out and the feed cut off.

Svetlana looked at the man. "Mind control?" She enquirer, an eyebrow raised, "is that really the best you can come up with?" She would've laughed if she wasn't in such a bad situation. Eye patch man studied her.

"Yes, Agent Rostov. Mind control. We've dealt with threats like these before, and-"

"I've dealt with threats like this too. Maybe they or their families were threatened, maybe they were offered money, things like that. You've told me that an alien bomb was used. And now you're saying mind control?" Svetlana snorted. "I thought you guys were some sort of secret service, not conspiracy theorists."

The eye patch man leveled her with a glare. "Oh, you have no idea who we are, Agent." He said. Svetlana stared right back, not flinching. She'd been in the presence of people a lot more intimidating than him before. Mob bosses, murderers, maniacs.

"Tell me then. Who are you, really?" She tilted her head slightly, looking around the larder room filled with people on computers and watching screens. "I'm pretty sure this isn't the average equipment they give to offices', so how are you people so special that you get this stuff? Some sort of secret task force?"

He looked away from her and to Romanoff and Barton. "Show her."