Chapter 588 We are...
Only Homelander and Natasha were left in the living room.
Homelander walked over to the sofa and sat down.
Natasha also moved over and sat down on the sofa opposite him: "So, what is going on with that child? Where did you pick her up from?"
"The sky." Homelander stated in a calm tone, "About thirty thousand feet in the air. She suddenly fell out of a star-shaped Portal, and I happened to be nearby, so I just caught her."
In fact, he knew very little about the plot of the movie "Doctor Strange 2".
And this movie was not released at that time.
Everything he knew about this movie came solely from some widely circulated clips on short video platforms which were all Fan theories from trailers and some information from those are in the industry.
For instance, Wanda turning dark and solo-killing the Illuminati, Black Bolt getting his head blown open, Captain Marvel getting smashed to death, Captain Carter getting cut in half at the waist, and Mister Fantastic being pulled apart like noodles.
As for the specific causes, course of events, and details of the multiverse settings, he was not clear about them.
"A space Portal?" Natasha said in surprise, "This sounds like the handiwork of those magicians in Hong Kong, or some kind of technology from the Asgardians?"
"Not sure yet." Homelander did not linger on this topic, "Let’s ask her when she comes out after taking a bath. Speaking of which, you, Natasha."
"Why are you here? And judging by what Skye meant, you need her to help you crack something?"
Natasha sighed and put away the smile on her face.
"Have you ever heard of the Red Room?"
Without waiting for Homelander to reply, Natasha continued: "I used to be an Agent cultivated single-handedly by the Red Room, which was the most brutal assassin organization in the former Soviet Union. My hands were stained with blood, and I was once listed as an extremely dangerous target by S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Later, Clint found me. He didn’t kill me, but instead gave me a chance to choose again. I joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and teamed up with him to blow up his building."
"I watched with my own eyes as the building collapsed. I always thought he was dead, and that the Red Room had perished along with him."
"But these past few days, I received a package from my sister Yelena." Natasha’s gaze grew sharp, "She is also a Black Widow. We reconnected and only then found out that the Red Room was not destroyed, and Dreykov is not dead either. He is still continuing to manipulate those girls."
"So you came to find Skye to have her help you crack these files and find the location of the Red Room?" Homelander suddenly understood.
"Yes." Natasha nodded, "Not only the location of the Red Room, but also those manipulated sisters hidden all over the World."
"Oh, just this?" Homelander raised an eyebrow and said, "Why didn’t you come straight to me? Natasha, you should know my efficiency."
"I only need a rough range. Within a few minutes, I can turn Dreykov and his Base into a pile of ashes, guaranteed without any survivors."
Natasha did not doubt the truth of this statement in the slightest, but she shook her head.
"I know you can do it, Homelander. I have no doubt about this." She shook her head, "But I don’t want to distract you with such trivial matters. Every day you are saving the World, facing alien fleets and dimensional demon gods."
"And..." A hint of pain flashed in Natasha’s eyes, "Those girls are innocent. They are all kidnapped orphans, brainwashed, and had their uteruses removed. They have no choice. They are victims, and they are all my sisters."
"I cannot let you go and kill them all. I must find them, wake them up one by one, and then end Dreykov’s life with my own hands. This is my personal battle."
Homelander quietly looked at her; he understood the psychology of these Superheroes too well.
They all possessed a strong sense of personal heroism, especially when facing the lingering issues of their own history, always liking to shoulder everything alone.
Natasha lowered her head slightly.
In front of absolute power, her entanglement in seeking psychological redemption appeared somewhat pretentious.
She was already prepared to welcome Homelander’s mockery.
However, Homelander did not mock her.
"Natasha." Homelander’s heartwarming big brother version 1.0 expression came online, "Look at me."
Natasha looked up to meet those eyes of his that were like family.
"You always feel like you are fighting alone. You feel that those red words on your bill must be washed clean with your own blood and tears." Homelander said gently, "But you are wrong."
"We have experienced so much, do you think you are still that Agent who could only hide in the dark to carry out assassination missions? No, you are my family, Natasha."
"Anthony..."
"Let me finish." Homelander interrupted her, his gaze sincere, "I respect your choice. Since you want to resolve this past yourself and you want to save those girls, then go do it. I will not interfere with your actions."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice becoming even more powerful: "However, you must remember one thing. Whether it is Dreykov or any other bastard... As long as anyone dares to harm you, I will let them know what true fear is."
"If things get out of your control... Remember! We are family, Natasha. I am always your ultimate trump card. Understood?"
Natasha’s gaze changed.
This sentence delivered a critical hit to the softest part of her heart.
To ordinary people, "family" was a safe harbor, but to Natasha, "family" was her weakness and redemption that she pursued throughout her entire life, yet was accompanied by intense pain.
In her youth, Natasha, along with the Red Guardian Alexei, Melina, and "sister" Yelena, had once formed a disguised family lurking in Ohio.
Although she knew very well that this "family life" was a meticulously designed mission, those three years were the only time in her childhood when she felt the warmth of human life.
From the bottom of her heart, she regarded Alexei and Melina as parents, and Yelena as her closest kin.
The former Black Widow never easily trusted anyone.
The cruel education of the Red Room made her regard all emotions as fatal weaknesses.
Over the years, even though she joined S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, and joined Vought, even though she found a little sense of belonging in these teams, deep down in her heart, a profound sense of insecurity still remained hidden.
Back when Homelander first burst onto the scene, Natasha had been one of the people most wary of him.
She used every possible method trying to dig up the dark side behind this perfect hero.
But now, facts proved just how ridiculously wrong she had been.
Homelander had proven himself through practical actions time and time again.
He sheltered all the people who followed him, bestowed power upon them, and gave them respect.
He possessed the power to destroy the World, yet he was willing to sit here and tell her in the gentlest tone: You can go do what you want to do, and I will be your strongest backing. I am your family...
Natasha looked at Homelander’s handsome face close at hand, watching how genuine the care shining in his eyes was...
She suddenly felt a strong wave of guilt.
For her past doubts, and for the distance she had deliberately maintained.
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