The Red Room and HYDRA had been circling each other for decades. Almost like they were sister companies, sharing information to improve their products. Like their products weren't people. As she watched his muscles tighten, Natasha found herself wondering how much of what had been done to him had been poured into the research for the Red Room's chemicals. Or if they'd tested the early versions of the chemicals on the people in the Winter Soldier program. It wouldn't surprise her, given the apparent instability of some of the other's under HYDRA's control before Zemo got to them.

It seemed like there was no end to the people that were hurt by her failure to take Dreykov out. Yelena. Bucky. He'd been a constant, unchanging presence every time she cycled through the Red Room. Though she couldn't remember the extent of their interactions, she knew she'd recognized something of a kindred soul in him over the years. Two weapons made flesh. "It wasn't safe to let her be my sister," she answered. Anyone close to you could be exploited as a weakness. They would have tortured Yelena for years to ensure Natasha's compliance if she'd let on.

She was quiet for a moment as she studied his face. It was hard not to let her eyes be pulled to the red glow of the antidote in his hand. It was dangerous to hope. All these years, she'd hoped she had finished it only to find she'd made things worse. "We're going to have to go to Russia," she answered as she crossed the room to face him. Her head tipped a little as she reluctantly tacked on, "and break someone out of prison. He's the only person I can think of that might have a line on where to find Dreykov now." There was a beat as she looked at him. Her fingertips lightly touched his forearm. "We'll make sure there's nothing to go back to." A smirk twitched up the corner of her mouth when he said that mind-controlled assassins were hell to wrangle. "Yeah, they've had their moments."