Chapter 33
Yelena digs her nails into her thigh on the drive back to the tower. Tony reaches out to grab her wrist when he realizes what she was doing.
“Look at me,” Tony tells her, glancing at her briefly. “Yelena, look at me.”
When he doesn’t call her some myriad of nicknames, Yelena looks up at him.
“I cannot promise anything,” Tony starts as they pull up to a red light. He twists his head to peer at Yelena. “But I will do absolutely everything I can to keep you safe.”
“Why can’t we just not go back? They don’t know where we are…” Yelena knows it’s foolish to even suggest so but she was nervous.
“It’s the world security council. They will find you and they will use whatever connections they have to do so. That includes MJ and Peter,” Tony says.
“What about the others. They’re at the tower. Antonia…” Yelena breathes out.
“Breathe, kiddo,” Tony glances at her. “Come on.”
Yelena sucks a lungful of air in, her eyes settling on the tower that appeared in the distance. They had only a few minutes until arrival. “I’m… I’m scared.” She finally admits.
She trusts Tony enough to tell him that. To admit that she is frightened of what was to come.
“I know,” Tony said. “But if you were as good as you claimed you were then they should have no proof. Nothing to stick to you.”
Yelena got caught earlier on when she was still learning. Back when she moonlighted as Alyssa Daniel and was still in training. Then she learned how to not get caught to save herself from beatings and punishments.
There are unmarked vans out in front of the tower when they arrive and Yelena pressed herself against Tony’s side when they exit the car.
She decides to play the innocent little girl act at the moment. Tony drapes an arm around her shoulders as they head into the lobby where Pepper currently was with the council.
There in all of his glory was the infamous Thaddeus Ross. The man who wanted to take down the Rogue Avengers heard of Yelena’s connection with Natasha and targeted the teenager.
Ross gives her a wide grin. “Ah! You must be Yelena Belova. I’ve been looking for you.”
Yelena tilts her head from the side. “Who are you?” She questioned innocently.
Ross steps forward to hold out his hand and his movement caused Tony to tense up and tighten his grip around Yelena’s shoulders. “Thaddeus Ross, Miss Belova.”
Yelena reaches out to take his hand, purposefully giving him a weak limp-handed handshake. “I heard you’re looking for me.”
Ross nods his head. “Indeed, I am. We have reason to believe that you’re behind the assassination of at least three important political figures.”
Yelena tilts her head to the side, the picture of innocence as she looks up at him. “Assassinations? That sounds bad.”
Ross lets out a chuckle, his grin showing too many teeth in a way that looks predatory. “Yes. Very, very bad. You’re the Black Widow’s little sister so I did some digging.”
Yelena’s blood runs cold when he holds up a picture. She’s seen the same picture clipped to her file in the Red Room. Yelena’s violently blank face stares into nothing as the camera captured her face. There was a bruise on her jaw that had turned a green-yellow from time.
“Where did you get that?” Tony demands for Yelena.
“As I said, I did some digging,” Ross chuckles before holding the photo out. “That is you… isn’t it?”
Despite the fact Yelena was fourteen in the photo, it was unmistakably Yelena. The only way Ross would have had access to that file was if he was part of the Red Room or Hydra.
“Yelena Belova, you’re being taken into custody for your part in the assassination of three important political figures including the senator of Ohio and mayor of London,” Ross said and Yelena shrinks back.
“I didn’t do anything!” She protests as Tony steps in front of her.
Ross steps forward, lowering his voice as he glances up at the ceiling. “I can either take her now or I can order a sweep of the building. I wonder how many rats I’d find?” He hissed to Tony. “It’s an easy choice, Stark. The arrest of one or the arrest of seven.”
Yelena is reminded of Antonia and Natasha somewhere in the building. She’s reminded of being informed of the Avengers Civil War. She’s reminded of how Steve broke the others out of the Raft. Wanda with a shock collar.
“I’ll go.” Yelena interrupts whatever threat Ross was going to pull out next.
“What?” Pepper’s head jerks to look at her. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Pepper…” Yelena looks up at her godmother. It’s either Yelena or the whole team of Avengers plus Antonia and James and Yelena anyway.
“Kid, don’t do this,” Tony shakes his head.
“You know that I have to.” Yelena doesn’t want to do this. And she’s sure that if there was any other chance, it would have been taken. “You were the one that told me I made all these allies. I trust you.”
Tony’s jaw clenches. “You know who will never forgive me.”
“Ria will look after her,” Yelena knew that Natasha would probably never forgive her either. “I trust you, Tony. You’re my people. My godfather.”
Tony wraps his arms around her and Yelena glances over at where Ross was watching with a smug grin on his face.
Pepper gives Yelena a tight hug, promising her that they would pull out every favor and take every risk they could to get her back as quickly as possible.
“Tell her I’m sorry,” Yelena murmurs to Tony. “And that I’ll be okay.”
“Tell her yourself,” Tony said quietly before Yelena turns toward Ross.
“Alright. Is this something you have to cuff me for?” Yelena questioned.
“I think that if you can behave then we’ll be alright,” Ross grins like he was doing her a favor. “Come now.”
Yelena does her best to not tense up when Ross sets a hand onto her shoulder. Yelena is squished into the backseat of one of the cars with two security guards.
She can do this. They had to give her a trial before they could convict her of anything.
Ross slides into the passenger seat of the car and turns to look at her. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Belova. Don’t you worry, we’re going to take good care of you.”
Yelena glances out the window to see Tony and Pepper already on their phones, managing to capture a glimpse of a certain assassin with red hair before they pull away.
Yelena only hopes that she will be forgiven.