CHAPTER 66

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It took me a week to get all the papers I needed to enroll Natasha in the same school Emily was attending; it was a bit complicated. I was never a big guy on paperwork, but Fury helped. So there she was, Natasha Walker going to the most prestigious school in all of New York.

Of course, to do this, I had to introduce Emily to Natasha, which went as one would expect, with Emily being the social butterfly she was, immediately taking a liking to Natasha.

Natasha, naturally, was a bit uncomfortable with the open display of friendliness Emily presented went I introduced the two.

But, all and all, she was okay with it, I think, just not used to it. I mean, she was used to kids liking her without knowing her past because she was trained to make others like her, but Emily? She knew of her past and still liked her.

Granted, Emily likes everybody.

Anyway. Emily was in grade two, while Natasha was in grade five, and both had a few extracurricular activities before going to their... other activities to prepare them for what was to come.

As for Yelena, she was in therapy; thankfully, my connections with SHIELD granted me the help Yelena needed, help I couldn't provide. After all, I was a demon in her eyes.

"Knock, Knock." I heard someone say outside my office that someone was Fury.

"Come in, Fury." I inwardly chuckled as he opened the door.

"So, how have you been?" He asked, taking a seat on my imported Italian chair.

"Good, working on my company and other little projects," I replied with a smile.

"I need a favor." He eventually said, his one good eye giving a long scrutinizing look.

"Sure, I am here to help." I nodded, giving him the green to proceed.

"I need you to steal some data from a very particular individual." Fury replied, handing me a file with a name in bold letters. [William Stryker]

"Isn't he a government operative?" I asked my eyes on the file.

"He is." He nodded. "But I have my suspicions the guy is doing some shady stuff. Stuff, I want to know, and considering you already have a record of stealing from the government and getting away with it, well, I knew you were the man for the job."

I eyed Fury for a brief moment before I started chuckling. "Since when?"

"A month after you did your thing." He replied with a chuckle. "I mean, you stole the government's greatest treasure, at least one of them, I was bound to find out."

"And you are not arresting me, how kind of you." I chuckled.

"Bitch, I am not suicidal. Besides, the government is dumb as fuck. So much potential, yet they hide it on a bunker, at least in your hands; I get something out of it." He replied.

"I honestly thought if you did find out, you would be a bit... angrier," I admitted.

"I can see why you thought that." He chuckled, "But considering all the good you have done for the world with Hydra's elimination, and the Red Room's well, I think SHIELD can look the other way with a crime of two, I mean, the only ones you are hurting are the dumb ass motherfuckers that thought hiding one of our greatest weapons was the best way to use it."

"Fair enough." I chuckled. "So, what do you want me to do with this... guy?" I pointed at the file.

"Stryker is a possible threat. Our sources say he's been trying to get economic support for his little projects outside the USA, and while normally, we wouldn't care. He has been seen talking with the enemy." He replied with a sigh.

"Let me guess, he got out of hand," I said.

"His hate for mutants is a... problematic situation. At first, SHIELD allowed his little projects to go on, for, in reality, we needed a way to stop mutants should they rise against us, but now... well, his projects are no longer aligned with SHIELD's interests." He nodded.

"And what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Capture him, alive if possible." He replied.

"Why me, though, I understand the importance of this mission, but I'm sure a few agents could do just fine." I inquired.

"Because of this." He said, putting a small device on my desk, one that started to show a video, where a dozen agents were killed by no other than Sabertooth himself. "We believe he has more mutants under him, which is why you are our best bet."

"I see." I sighed as a blue block of text appeared in front of me.

[New Quest Created: The Hunt for Project X

William Stryker is desperate; he wants to wipe all mutants out of existence and will stop at nothing to obtain such a goal.

Objectives: You must capture Stryker alive if possible.

Bonus Objectives: Capture Sabertooth, Capture Weapon X Subjects.

Rewards: Weapon X research DATA, Abraham Cornelius Super Soldier Research DATA, ????, ????, 25.000.000EXP

Failure = Possible Death, Capture, ????

Accept: Yes or No]

"So, are you in?" Fury asked.

"Yes, yes I am." I nodded; the rewards were certainly interesting.

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[Natasha Romanoff POV]

Alex Walker was a weird man, his daughter was weird too, but I guess I was okay with that; they know about me, they know about my past, and yet, they welcome me; it feels strange.

I do miss Alexei and Melena from time to time. Well, rather, I miss the fake life we had in Ohio, but as cruel as it sounds, being free outweighs my sentimentalism.

I was still getting training, this time from SHIELD, but it was not forced; I was free to live a life, to not be a slave, though perhaps that was a fictitious sentiment.

Perhaps I was yet to be free; who knew. But, at least I was freer now.

"Nat, let's play something!" Emily, the daughter of my warden, said in a rather happy tone.

I couldn't help myself but envy her; we both had a similar upbringing; we were both shoved into another's life, we both had parents that were not our own, but unlike me, her pretend parent actually cared for her; he actually loved her enough to give her more than she was supposed to have, he actually loved her enough to become her real dad, he loved her enough to turn a lie into a reality.

It was a bitter sentiment that ate me away at times; why didn't Alexei and Melena love me as much as Alex loves Emily? Why was she so lucky? When I never had any luck.

I knew it was childish, but who could really blame me.

"Sure." I nodded; Emily was not to blame for my luck; in the end, I was rescued, so perhaps my luck was turning for the better.