- "Do you believe me now?"
"How many others?"
"Enough." - ―Yelena Belova and Natasha Romanoff[src]
The Chase for the Red Dust was a confrontation in Budapest amongst Natasha Romanoff, Yelena Belova, and the Black Widows. General Dreykov sent several Widows to acquire the vials of the Red Dust, an antigen to the Red Room's chemical-altering brain treatments, that Belova had stolen and sent to Romanoff. This resulted in a shootout once the Widows failed to ambush them at Romanoff's former S.H.I.E.L.D. safehouse. Dreykov deployed Taskmaster to acquire the vials, resulting in a car chase across the city. Romanoff and Belova were able to elude Taskmaster and the Widows, continuing to go on the run.
Background[]
- "General Dreykov, we have a deserter. Permission to activate Taskmaster Protocol?"
- ―Ingrid to Dreykov[src]
Dreykov became enraged by the subsequent failures to retrieve the missing vials of the Red Dust, first when he sent Yelena Belova to retrieve them, only for her to be cured with it, and then when they were sent to Natasha Romanoff, whom he sent Taskmaster to attack and attempt to acquire them.
Due to both attacks, and With Taskmaster deployed to chase them, Romanoff and Belova eventually met at Budapest, at the former safehouse used by Romanoff during the Budapest Operation.[1]
Chase[]
Safehouse Confrontation[]
Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova point guns at each other
- "You brought it back here?"
"I'm not here trying to be your friend, but you need to tell me what that is."
"It's a synthetic gas. The counteragent to chemical subjugation. The gas immunizes the brain's neuropathways from external manipulation." - ―Yelena Belova and Natasha Romanoff[src]
Having arrived in Budapest by train, Romanoff arrived at the same apartment where she and Clint Barton were assigned to during the Budapest Operation. While searching for Yelena Belova, she announced her presence, where they were instantly wary of each other's trust. This led to a direct confrontation where both were unwilling to lay down their guns; this was the first time the two sisters had encountered each other face to face, in years.
Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova fight each other
With tensions unstable, both instinctively attempted to disarm each other. However, as this led to another brief standstill, the two brawled; Belova grabbed Romanoff and smashed her face against the nearby doorframe, leading to Romanoff grabbing Belova by the neck and throwing her into a wooden sink-base cabinet. Romanoff was briefly able to subdue Belova by pinning her onto the kitchen countertop, demanding she surrender, but Belova refused, instead responding by smashing a porcelain plate over Romanoff's head. Belova grabbed a towel, which Romanoff was able to wrap around Belova's neck. However, Belova threw herself back with enough momentum to send Romanoff knees-first through a windowed door.
The two sisters agree to a truce
Belova turned around on her feet and grabbed a kitchen knife, forcing Romanoff to defend herself with only a heavy-duty long-reach stapler. The two exchanged a brutal sparr, wherein Belova was able to throw Romanoff to the ground by putting her into an armlock. Belova was able to throw Romanoff again, this time into a wall. However, Romanoff grabbed and ripped apart a curtain from a nearby window, which she then utilized to wrap over Belova's head in an attempt to suffocate her. Belova wrapped the curtain around Romanoff's neck as well; with only the curtain attaching them together, they struggled on the floor. Romanoff called out to her sister to stop, before uttering "truce" in Russian, where they agreed to abandon their fight.
Yelena Belova talks to Natasha Romanoff about the Red Room
Recovering from their brutal fight, Belova acknowledged the apartment's history in the Budapest Operation, evident by the arrow marks left behind. Romanoff confronted Belova about the red vials, which she explained was a synthetic gas that would be used on Black Widows to take them out of their mind-control. By explaining that she would have hoped Romanoff could bring it to the Avengers, she mentioned the activity of the Red Room, and in addition General Dreykov, all to Romanoff's shock.[1]
Ambushed[]
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Black Widows arrive hunting for the Red Dust
- "I don't wanna do this."
"What are you doing?"
"He's making me." - ―Ingrid and Natasha Romanoff[src]
As Yelena Belova questioned Natasha Romanoff about the mission, they heard footsteps above them. Suddenly, an explosion blew open the roof above them, where two Black Widows rappelled in looking for the vials, followed by two more who entered through the front door, all armed with laser-sighted rifles. They shot at Belova, who distracted them by turning on the damaged lights of the apartment, which shorted out and exploded. Romanoff and Belova used this distraction to gain the upper hand against their attackers, who they were quickly able to subdue and leave the apartment with the vials.
Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova attempt to outrun Ingrid
As they attempted to leave, Romanoff and Belova were surprised once they saw more Widows outside, indicating an ambush. As more Widows descended on them, Belova killed two with a hand grenade, and made a run for Belova's motorcycle while evading heavy gunfire. A Widow sniper, Ingrid, gave chase to them both on foot. Making their escape on the rooftops, Ingrid caught onto Romanoff and Belova, but fell several stories and broke her leg. The unhinged pipe which they were clinging onto crashed into an opposite building, sending Romanoff falling down ten stories with no major injury, and Belova through a window.
Romanoff staggered towards the paralyzed Ingrid, who aimed a Widow Bite at Romanoff. Dreykov, who saw Ingrid's leg injury, instead controlled her into killing herself with the Widow Bite by shooting herself in the head against her will. Romanoff stood over Ingrid's corpse terrified, with Belova also in shock as she was preparing to administer the vial containing the counter-agent to her. This confirmed the existence of the Red Room to Romanoff, before Belova made it clear that they needed to escape.[1]
Budapest Pursuit[]
Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova attempt to make an escape
- "Okay, you got a plan, or shall I just stay duck-and-cover?"
- ―Yelena Belova to Natasha Romanoff[src]
The horrified Natasha Romanoff ran with Yelena Belova to her motorcycle, where they suddenly saw a car being pummeled down the nearby street by an APC commanded by Taskmaster. Quickly making their escape into small alleyways as the APC destroyed several vehicles in its path. More motorbikes driven by Black Widows gave pursuit down the streets of Budapest; a Widow was able to shoot out Romanoff's back tire, sending them crashing onto the top of a blue SUV, which they carjacked.
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A Black Widow speeds through the streets of Budapest
The Widow was able to continue chasing Romanoff and Belova, opening fire at their vehicle. As Romanoff drove them through the city, Belova asked what plan Romanoff had to evade the Widows, but Romanoff replies that her plan was just to drive them away. In order to get rid of the Widow pursuing them, Belova spun the car around and kicked open the passenger side door, which smashed into a sign, detaching the door into the path of the Widow's motorbike and causing her to crash.
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Taskmaster relentlessly hunts down Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova
As they drove back into traffic, Taskmaster had caught up to them, and pummeled through multiple vehicles while Romanoff and Belova struggled to keep away. Taskmaster used her bow, tipped with an explosive arrow, and fired it at the car, causing it to topple over and crash into a subway station. Romanoff and Belova got out of the wreckage, although Belova sustained an injury from the wrist that caused her to bleed. Romanoff told her not to bandage it so that they could create a fake blood trail to elude Taskmaster, later successfully escaping by hiding in an air duct.[1]
Aftermath[]
- "Is that all there is left?"
"Mmm-hmm. It's the only thing that can stop Dreykov and his network of Widows." - ―Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova[src]
Natasha Romanoff told Yelena Belova about the Budapest Operation and how she used Dreykov's daughter in order to stop the Red Room, acting as collateral damage for a mission to kill Dreykov, though Romanoff was regretful of her actions.
Romanoff and Belova went to Varoil Üzemanyag to cool down and discuss their plans to stop Dreykov. Belova told Romanoff everything about the Red Room's status, somewhat annoyed with Romanoff's decision to not contact her as she mimicked Romanoff's pose. The two got drinks later that night, discussing their plans and their true parents as Romanoff tended to Belova's wounds. They ultimately hatched a plan to free their adoptive father, Alexei Shostakov.[1]