Chapter 91
Senate Building, Washington, D.C.
September 2011
“Miss Romanoff, the charges against you have been dropped only because the discovery of Hydra throws all of SHIELD’s decisions into question,” Senator Connolly snapped. “I could have them reinstated at a moment’s notice.”
“I’m sure you could, Senator,” Natasha said in the most polite voice she could muster. Never mind that these blithering idiots were infuriating on so many levels. “But the charges won’t stick.”
“And why is that?” sneered Senator James, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder. “You are a danger to society, by many accounts.”
“I’m an Avenger,” Natasha said simply. “Arrest me if you want for crimes I committed as a brainwashed, traumatized victim of Hydra and KGB human experimentation.” That got a stir from the assembled press; she hid a smile. “I am sure that my files contain records of the psychological and physical torture I endured for years before I managed to escape and join SHIELD.” So that was a bit of a stretch, the escape bit, but they didn’t need to know that. She’d never quite been able to tell Fury everything, for which she was now very grateful. “I thought I was going straight. I believed I was fighting the good fight. I helped Captain America take down SHIELD and Hydra together because that was true justice.”
James shook her head. “Justice involves a trial by a court system, Miss Romanoff.”
“Justice is nothing more than consequences, good or bad, that arise from one’s own actions, Senator James.”
Natasha looked behind her.
Sabina Prescott stood there, lips thin and dark hair pulled back in an elegant chignon. She seemed impervious to the clicking, flashing paparazzi, and nodded respectfully to Natasha.
“I apologize for my tardiness,” Prescott said, looking up at the Senators at the bench. “I was delayed by a traffic accident.”
“You’re perfectly fine,” Senator Alba said. James looked like she’d just been force-fed a raw lemon. Natasha stifled a smile.
“Agent, I will be frank,” James said, ignoring Prescott’s arrival. “There is a growing faction who believe you most properly belong in a prison, not mouthing off on Capitol Hill. If you do not cooperate, it will be very difficult to protect you from that fate.”
“You’re not going to arrest me,” Natasha said confidently.
“And why is that?” James retorted.
Alba shifted. “Hannah, we’re scheduled to begin questioning Mrs. Prescott–”
“She can wait,” James said, eyes never wavering from Natasha.
Natasha just smiled. “It’s fine, Senator.” She leaned forward. Because I’d slaughter anyone you sent. “You’re not going to arrest any of us. Because you need us. This world is vulnerable, and quite frankly, the United States government deserves more blame for not noticing Hydra earlier than we do. You need us here because we see the things you don’t see and fight the enemies you can’t fight.”
Alba sighed heavily. “So you cannot inform us as to the whereabouts of Captain America, or discuss the involvement of Sam Wilson, or furnish us with the identity of the unknown other party who aided you?”
Natasha shrugged. “No comment.”
James looked furious.
Prescott tipped Natasha a barely visible wink.
“You know where to find me,” Natasha said, and left the room.
She called Steve on the way home.
“That was intense,” he commented.
“Nothing I can’t handle. Is Zima there?”
Steve looked away from his Starkpad for a second. “Uh. Hey. Bucky? Natasha’s on.”
A second later, the screen pulled back to frame both their faces.
“Holding up?” Zima asked.
“Just fine,” Natasha said, smiling affectionately. “You’re both worrying too much. I’m more concerned about the press reaction than those idiots on Capitol Hill.”
“Unfortunately, we’re not doing fantastically on that front,” Steve said. “Darcy just let me know the initial shock’s worn off and people are starting to get upset. Apparently they think it’s our fault Hydra grew inside SHIELD for so long.”
“They should blame the government,” Zima muttered.
“Which was my point today, but I doubt they’ll realize that,” Natasha said. “The bureaucrats are too concerned with winning the next election to take responsibility, and we’re an easy scapegoat.”
Someone yelled something off-screen.
“Darcy says Ross is spearheading the anti-Avengers campaign,” Steve said. He listened another few seconds, and added, “She thinks it’ll die down in a month or three.”
“Guess we better lay low, then,” Natasha said, and laughed, because she knew their plans didn’t involve any kind of relaxation.
Zima smiled at her, small and hesitant, but there. She didn’t show her surprise. He was really getting comfortable. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw him genuinely smile in view of anyone other than her.
Steve rubbed his temple. “I knew the bureaucrats wouldn’t love this, but I thought the rest of the world… normal people… they’d get it.”
Natasha sighed. “You ought to have learned by now that the only consistent thing in this world is the sheeplike idiocy of humans.”