Protect

"Oh gosh" said Alisa to herself as she looked at her computer screen and she sighed, this was not good at all.

"You look troubled" said Romanoff as he walked into Alisa's office without knocking at all.

"Good heavens Romanoff, when did you get in here?" asked Alisa as she was startled, Romanoff always walked without making any sounds at all, she wondered how he did that, but it was bad news for her, especially when she was troubled because of him.

"I asked you a question first" said Romanoff as he sat down across Alisa's desk.

"At least try to be knocking Romanoff, please, I beg you" said Alisa as she calmed herself down.

"Don't waste your breath" said Romanoff as he did not care for things like that.

"Anyway, why do you look like that?" asked Romanoff as Alisa sighed, she needed so much patience to be able to work with Romanoff, she herself even wondered how she had been able to do it for so long.

"*Sigh*, Romanoff, what do you have planned for today's afternoon training with the cadets?" asked Alisa as she sighed and she went straight to the point.

"Loyalty training" replied Romanoff leisurely as Alisa sighed, she knew it, she already saw it on the planned timetable, she had only wished that it was a mistake, why did it have to be so soon, and with Romanoff of all people.

"Romanoff, I think that you should change the training to something else, maybe focus more on their shooting skills" said Alisa as he smiled and she tried to subtly change Romanoff's man.

"And why would I do that?" asked Romanoff.

"You know why Romanoff, you and loyalty test, it's too early this year, and well, I don't think that the cadets will be ready for that" said Alisa.

"Just say that you don't trust me Alisa" said Romanoff as he scoffed.

"Alright, I don't trust you Romanoff" said Alisa.

"Please, I beg you to change the training exercise, I know you, and I also know how intense you can be, especially with the loyalty training" said Alisa.

"And what does that have to do with anything?" asked Romanoff.

"You know Romanoff, you know, I just don't want any casualties, severe casualties, the infirmary is only for serious emergencies, and not for your tortures" said Alisa.

"You don't convince me Alisa, besides, you know I don't like changing my plans, so what is planned for this afternoon will stay that way" said Romanoff as Alisa sighed.

"Alright, fine, I won't argue with that, but at least, why don't you let Igor handle the loyalty training?" asked Alisa.

"Don't mention that man's name here" said Romanoff in an angry tone.

"And no, he will not train my cadets, I will" said Romanoff as Alisa found all of this somewhat suspicious, Romanoff was being protective of the cadets, more than usual, like he was guarding something, or rather someone.

"Tell me Romanoff, is there another reason why you don't want Igor to train your cadets?" asked Alisa.

"There is no reason" said Romanoff angrily.

"Are you sure? Because you both used to train the new cadets together before, so what changed now?" asked Alisa.

"Well that was before, now, there is no need for him to train them, because I will do it myself, he messed up, and there is no need for him anymore" said Romanoff.

"You know what I think?" asked Alisa.

"No, I don't" replied Romanoff in annoyance.

"Romanoff, tell me why you are trying to protect that Natasha girl from Igor?" asked Alisa.

"Who told you that?" asked Romanoff.

"No one did, it is obvious that you are trying to protect her, tell me, just who is she to you?" asked Alisa.

"No one" replied Romanoff as he was tired of this conversation already.

"I don't believe you" said Alisa.

"Well that is up to you then" said Romanoff as he stood up.

"A word of warning to you Alisa, don't you ever dare mention Igor's name where I am again, because trust me, I won't tolerate it, stick to minding your own business" said Romanoff.

"Romanoff" said Alisa.

"Don't forget your place Alisa, if I want to dispose you, I will, so keep your mouth shut" said Romanoff as he snapped at Alisa and she flinched, she had forgotten just how cold he could be, maybe because he had been in a good mood for such a long while now, but now that he was back to his usual self, she knew that he had been too lenient with her.

"Noted Romanoff, I apologize Sir" said Alisa as she cleared her throat.

"Good" said Romanoff as he walked out of the office as Alisa sighed, this Natasha girl was really affecting Romanoff, she did not know if it was negatively or positively, he was so protective of her, so much so that even she had not met her in person, and she knew that if she even dare try to see Natasha behind Romanoff's back, Romanoff would deal with her seriously.

"Who are you Natasha?" asked Alisa to herself as she sighed.

…

"Did you see the way Natasha hit all of her shots accurately on her first try?" asked Tatiana as she smiled and she looked at Olga and Sofia.

"We saw Tati, we were all there after all" said Olga as she smiled.

"I know but it was so cool" said Tatiana as she laughed.

"It was not that cool, it's not that impressive" said Vicki as she scoffed.

"But Vicki, it was" said Tatiana as she smiled.

"Just stop Tatiana, it was not that cool, anyone could do it" said Vicki as she scoffed.

"But you couldn't" said Olga as Vicki scoffed at her as everyone else returned back to the shooting range.

"Welcome back everyone" said Romanoff as he walked back in.

"Thank you Commander" said Everyone as they nodded their heads.

"Alright, so now that we are back, we are going to put a pause on shooting" said Romanoff.

"Instead, you all are going to learn how to take a shot" said Romanoff as he could see some scared faces.

"Yes Alexi?" asked Romanoff as he saw Alexi raise his hand.

"Commander, when you say learn how to take a shot, what do you mean exactly?" asked Alexi.

"In simple terms, learn how to take a bullet" said Romanoff as he could hear some sighs.

"Yes Sofia?" asked Romanoff as he saw Sofia raise her hand.

"Commander what exactly do you mean by learn how to take a bullet?" asked Sofia.

"Well Sofia…" said Romanoff as he walked to where Sofia was standing.

"It is like this" he said.

"You stand here" said Romanoff as he held her shoulders in place.

"A bullet is shot, and you take it like a woman" said Romanoff as he smiled.

"Does that answer your question?" asked Romanoff.

"Good" said Romanoff as he smiled and he let go of Sofia's shoulders as he walked back to where he was standing before as he whistled and a man walked in with some bags as he dropped them without saying a word as he nodded at Romanoff and he walked away.

"Now, to those of you who thought in your minds that I was a madman, go and put on these" said Romanoff as he threw each one of them a bag and they opened up their bags.

"Bulletproof vests, put them on, and meet me in the dojo, right behind the shooting range" said Romanoff as he did not wait at all and he walked out of the shooting range as they all looked at each other.

"I don't like the sound of this" said Sofia as she shook her head and she looked at the black bulletproof vest.

"Well we don't have a choice, come on, we don't have all day, like Commander says" said Kira as she put on her own vest and she zipped it up as the others followed after her.

…

Romanoff lazily put his hands in his pockets as he waited for them all to come and join him, he wondered what was taking them so long to put on measly bulletproof vests, it was not that complicated, but then again, maybe their fear was making it be.

"Ahh, finally, I wonder how long it took all of you to wear those vests" said Romanoff as they all walked in and they stood in line.

"Sorry Commander" said Kira as she spoke up for everyone else.

"Anyway, not to worry, I can understand if some of you are scared" said Romanoff as he removed his hands from his pocket and the same man from earlier, walked into the room with a gun as he handed it to Romanoff and Romanoff took the gun as the man walked away.

"What Is going to happen is simple" said Romanoff as he loaded up the gun.

"As an agent, it is inevitable that you will get shot at least once or twice, especially during a field mission" said Romanoff as he held one of the bullets and twisted it in his fingers.

"So, you need to learn how to take a shot, and this will serve as a loyalty test, to see if you really have what it takes to become an agent" said Romanoff as he putt the last bullet in his gun and he recoiled it.

"If you can handle being shot by me, then you can handle being shot by anyone" said Romanoff.

"So, tell me, who is going first?" asked Romanoff as he smiled, he was not going to do a roll call for this, it would take those with courage to volunteer to go first, after all, no one liked the idea of being shot.

Silence, that was what reigned between all of them as no one said a word, and no one made an attempt to volunteer.

"No one? Nobody?" asked Romanoff as he had expected this outcome as no one said a word.

"Come on, you really do not want me to choose, because if I do, it will be worse" said Romanoff as he smiled.

"Alright then, if no one will volunteer to go first" said Romanoff as he smiled, but in that same moment Kira raised up her hand.

"I will go first Commander" said Kira as everyone else looked at her as if she was crazy, it was like she was speaking another language, because they all could not believe someone would volunteer to get shot.

"Ahh, brave Kira, a leader, go and stand over there" said Romanoff as he smiled, he was relieved that he did not have to start choosing.

Kira nodded her head as she walked to the far corner of the room, she figured that there was no danger in this at all, she doubted that they would come all the way here, and go through so much stress only to be shot and killed, she doubted that would happen.

"This won't hurt too much, only sting, don't move, because the vest will protect you" said Romanoff as he pointed his gun at Kira as she nodded her head, while everyone else could not believe what sort of craziness was going on right now.

"And in a few seconds it will be done" said Romanoff as he did not wait for Kira to get ready at all as he just pulled the trigger and the bullet went flying straight for Kira as she had no time to react and she stood still as the bullet hit her in her chest and she moved back a bit due to the impact as she opened her eyes and she was not hurt at all.

"And like that, it Is done" said Romanoff simply as Kira sighed in relief and so did the others.

"The rest of you, applause for Kira, she has more backbone than all of you combined" said Romanoff as he turned to look at them and they clapped.

"It takes courage to volunteer to go first and be a scapegoat for others" said Romanoff.

"Kira, you passed the training, you can go back now" said Romanoff while smiling.

"Thank you Commander" said Kira as she nodded her head and she walked back to her spot.