Children with blank faces
Yelena had only just gotten over her ear infection and was back at daycare when General Dreykov sent the first of the new Widows.
There are three Widows and four soldiers that lead them inside. Despite having seen pictures, the Widows look even younger in person.
Robin guides them upstairs to her office. She has the Widows line up against the wall and eyed the soldiers before leading the first Widow into her office.
“Name and number,” Robin orders, moving to the set of files the General had given her.
“Ana. Widow 14.” The Widow replies obediently, standing stiffly as she watches Robin.
Robin pulls the correct file from its place and flips it open. “Strip and hop up onto the table.” She points to the examining table tucked against the wall.
The Widow strips out of her uniform and sits up on the table.
Robin pulls out the necessary tools, taking a few deep breaths as she reminds herself that she was doing this for her girls. To keep them safe.
Who was keeping these girls safe?
“Do you know why you’ve been brought to me today?” Robin inquired, quickly double-checking the file.
Ana shakes her head. “No ma’am.”
Robin guides Ana to lay back. “Try not to tense up. Let me know if you need a moment.”
Robin collects the samples she needs quickly and efficiently. She can feel the carefully measured breathing coming from the Widow but can see her fingers curl into fists.
“Done.” Robin steps back, capping the sample and labeling it. “Get dressed. There’s a bathroom down the hall that you can use to clean up.”
“Yes ma’am.” The Widow stands and dresses.
The next Widow was on the younger side. Fourteen or so.
“Name and number?” Robin repeats the process again.
“Marsha. Widow 7.” The girl said quietly.
Robin pulls the correct file and looks it over. “Strip and sit on the table.”
“Ma’am?” The Widow hesitates and Robin looks up at her. “I’m bleeding.”
Robin frowns slightly, flipping through the files.
The Widows periods were charted to look for pregnancy before they were sterilized. “It’s not the right time for you to be bleeding.”
“No ma’am.” The Widow agrees quietly. “It’s… It’s not that.”
Robin slowly closed her eyes and takes a deep breath. “How long?”
“Two days ago,” The Widow replies, bowing her head.
“Was it a mission or a guard?” Robin asked softly.
“A mission,” The Widow said.
Robin hears a sharp slap through the door and turns toward the door, pulling it open swiftly.
Ana stared down at the ground, her cheek rapidly reddening from the slap.
“I don’t know who you think you are to come into my home and start knocking people around,” Robin jabs a finger at the guard. “But if you lay another hand on these Widows while under my roof then we are going to have issues. I’m undercover, shithead. Someone sees or hears you knocking around Widows then I’m going to have problems which will mean that we are gonna have issues.”
The guard, bewildered, stared at her. “Fine! Jeez, just trying to keep them in line.”
“Hands to yourself,” Robin snaps at the guards before entering her office again and closing the door.
She turns toward Marsha and grabs a towel to spread it down on the table. “Come on. Strip.”
Marsha obediently pulls her suit off and sits up on the table.
Robin frowns as she looks her over. “Were you sent to medical upon your return?” She asked as she clears away some of the blood.
“No. It was my punishment.” Marsha said quietly, letting out a slow hiss at Robin’s touch.
“You tore.” Robin comments quietly. “You need stitches.”
“Is that… is that something you can do, ma’am?” Marsha inquired.
Robin had never given stitches somewhere so sensitive. But she knew that if she sent Marsha back then whoever did do it wouldn’t be as gentle.
“I can.” Robin moves to find the correct materials. “I can’t collect a sample today. You’ll have to return with the next set.”
“You can’t?” Marsha breathes out.
“It’s their fault for refusing you medical treatment,” Robin pulls a rolling stand over with the equipment on it. “I’m going to numb you up down there with a needle. Be still for me.”
Marsha inhales sharply as Robin numbs her before carefully suturing the tear.
This girl was a teenager and had torn having sex on a mission of seduction.
Robin can’t believe that for so long she had numbed herself to the horrors that the Widows endured. Now she can’t help but imagine her girls in these Widows places.
What if it was Natasha? Or Melina?
Robin finishes and the Widow redresses stiffly.
Robin cleans up and then pulls the door open to look at the guards. “I gave her vaginal stitches because she tore on her last mission. I was unable to gather the sample. She requires time to heal. The stitches will dissolve on their own. No training for the next two days.”
It was as much time as she could allow. Any more and they’d think she was going soft.
The guard scoffs as Marsha steps out of the room. “Yeah, sure.”
The last Widow was very unruly and didn’t want to cooperate. She refused to undress for Robin and then badmouthed her.
“Enough is enough!” Robin snaps at her. “Undress or I will make you.”
The Widow clearly had expected Robin to be soft after what she just saw with the previous one. “Make me.”
Robin wraps her fingers around one of the bamboo sticks and pulled it from the umbrella stand.
She pauses, just holding it for a moment as she remembers what happened the last time she held one.
She beat Belka so hard that she was bloodied and bruised.
“Get undressed. Now.” Robin demands, smacking the stick against her desk. The Widow in front of her flinches at the snapping noise it made as it connected with the wooden desk.
The girl finally undressed and lets out a squeak of surprise when Robin swats the stick against her butt.
“Onto the table. I will not tolerate further disobedience,” Robin warns and the Widow complies with her order.
When the Widows and guards finally leave, Robin cleans up her office and then sits in the chair at her desk and cries.
She can’t keep doing this. These girls were still children and one of them was going to end up carrying General Dreykov’s child.
Robin could sabotage the samples but that would result in punishment for her and she knew that they were not above hurting Melina or the children to hurt Robin.
Robin doesn’t know what to do. So she settles on letting herself yell and cry and kick at the wall in her office to relieve herself of her frustrations until its time to collect the children from daycare and school.
Robin then pulls herself together and goes through the motions of the day.
Melina doesn’t ask questions but she senses the change and holds Robin close that night.