Realizing abruptly that this was just a canned line, Alexei cast aside his earlier melancholy and said proudly, "Oh, I get it. You're trying to fish for intelligence. Clever. I almost fell for it."
Natasha Romanoff's expression did not change as quickly as Alexei's. She remained furious. "Isn't that how it is? The Red Empire fell, you fled Siberia, and now who are you working for?"
"That doesn't matter. My goal now is to find you and live a peaceful life."
"Bullshit! Someone who wants a peaceful life couldn't possibly have the ability to ambush S.H.I.E.L.D. and cripple them in one blow. I even doubt your motives for looking for the Red Room. Saving us is a lie. Don't tell me you actually want to take over the Red Room."
"Why would I do something so thankless? Besides..." Alexei hesitated slightly before continuing, "you and I both know how cruelly the Red Room treated the Black Widows. How could I possibly keep doing that?"
"Why do you think a woman who has permanently lost the ability to become a mother would help a bastard like you? You were the one who sent me into that place. You watched it happen. I begged for help. Yelena begged too. But did you answer us?"
"That's why I regret it, Natasha, my little winter bear. Can't you be kind enough to give me a chance to make it up to you?" "Don't call me that disgusting nickname. You don't even have the willingness to be honest with me. How much of what you say do you think deserves my trust?"
With a long sigh, Alexei said, "It's not that I don't want to be honest, Natasha. Intelligence has value. What happened between you and me is personal. But anything you give S.H.I.E.L.D. would