NIGHTMARE ▹ Natasha Romanoff

fifteen.

Ivanov had walked into the room slowly and surely, pulling off his sunglasses. If Svetlana wasn't mistaken, he almost looked tired and nervous. His eyes were more sunken than usual, and his movements weren't as quick as they once were. Every step seemed pained, like Ivanov was struggling in his own skin.

All of a sudden, a piercing ring, like a siren, tore through the empty space. Natasha and Svetlana both quietly hissed in pain, clutching their ears. Ivanov looked a lot worse. He dropped to his knees, practically screaming, then crumpled silently.

There was a flicker of a light, and a figure lit up before Ivanov. The two agents struggled to lift their heads and watch, grimacing. A hologram, Svetlana saw, but the shape was constantly shifting, collapsing inwards, moving so that the person was unintelligible to see.

"Ivanov," it said, and when it spoke the sound reverberated off the walls, both smooth and sharp, like cold water trickling along your skin, raising your hairs. "I was promised a war."

Ivanov looked up now, shaking. "SHIELD," he gasped out, and Svetlana was shaken by how weak and gruff his voice sounded, "they knew. I don't know how. Please."

The shape in the hologram watched him as he struggled off the floor. "You know what will happen if you fail." It said. Ivanov shook his head.

"Please, no. I won't. You will have your war. I just need more time." He pleaded. It was so strange, to see him like this, the man she had revered, then later hated and feared, so weak and broken.

The hologram considered a while more, then spoke in that chilling voice, "A week. Maybe two. Let's see if you're really as good as you seem."

Then it was gone. With out the eerie light coming off of it to shine around the warehouse, it all of a sudden seemed drastically darker. Svetlana let out a breath. Natasha looked at her briefly, then turned back to Ivanov, who was still staring at the empty space, shaken. Svetlana couldn't hold it in any longer.

She slipped off to the side, moving towards the small staircase leading onto the main floor of the hall. Natasha debated for a second, then followed.