Template:Featured Articles/2-2019

Moment of Awesome - Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow Trapped in video game scenario, Natasha is less than impressed to discover her brain holds the cure to a deadly zombie virus. It only took them a few steps before a small group came out to meet them, armed and unfriendly. Felicia raised her hands, taking a half step in front of her companions. "We're unarmed and not a threat. There's a girl in the van that needs medical attention and... we have a note?" she said somewhat feebly, looking back. Natasha produced said note and watched as the faces surrounding them morphed from wary danger into relaxed surprise. The weapons were lowered, some even holstered, and the leader of the group stepped forward, a gaunt, lanky woman with shadows under her eyes and hope making them shine. "We didn't think you'd ever make it through. We had no idea what was going to happen if you didn't. But we're so glad you're here. You know why you're here?" When the women shook their heads, the leader continued. "The cure. The cure for this plague that's destroyed the world for the last two decades is in your blood. We can save the ones that haven't been infected and rebuild." Jean's jaw clenched as she listened, feeling a knot forming in her stomach. Sure, this was salvation. But not for them. The awe and wonder in the leader's voice made Natasha's skin crawl. She'd heard that tone of voice entirely too many times in her career with SHIELD. That blind fanaticism was lethal to arguments of logic or course corrections when a plan went wrong. "But what about our friend? Can you save her? She was bitten and her body's fighting off the virus but it's not been easy." The leader exchanged glances with a man standing beside her, communicating silently, then looked back at them. "I don't know but you've brought us an even greater gift. There may also be more information about this virus lying in your friend's brain. We'll have to drill into it so we can learn everything we can to give the cure the best chance of working." It was a lot of information to process and Natasha wasn't sure she was hearing everything correctly. She looked at Felicia and the wideness of her eyes meant that she hadn't. This wasn't something she wanted a hand in. She'd watched enough people die. She wasn't going to participate in this. Jean's face was unreadable. "This facility has been picked clean. You don't have enough supplies for after-patient care. You would kill her." It was a statement of the obvious rather than outraged surprise. The line between medicine and science. That's exactly what Natasha was afraid of. The zeal of finding a way forward to the future at the cost of a few. That's all they wanted and it didn't matter who got hurt in the process.