Glitch in the System

1

Twenty Hydra operatives in an abandoned television warehouse. The final operatives to take down.

After Steve, Sam, and Natasha managed to take down S.H.I.E.L.D and save Bucky, they decided to extend their mission to the rest of the globe. The Avengers were going to destroy every single Hydra base they could find. It was a long process with a lot of injuries, but it was something that Steve was passionate about, so the team knew better than to give up.

This was their final mission. An abandoned television warehouse on the outskirts of New York. Right under their noses, yet it had been the hardest place to track down. It was a Hydra base for developing weapons and keeping track of the Avengers. They'd pick up shrapnel and debris from missions, and use them to create weapons. Earpieces that had fallen out were picked up and used to listen in on the team, from stupid bickering to extensive information on each and every member. It was all in there.

The place was giant, dark, and dirty. Puddles gathered on the ground as a result of the many holes in the ceiling, the steady drip of rain pattering down seeming to echo across the desolate place. Lightbulbs hung low, sparking and emitting a low hum. Apart from the streaks of light from the holes in the ceiling, the sickly yellow bulbs were the only thing guiding the team.

The building consisted of several side rooms and a main area. The rooms were full of photos, notes, maps, and even blood tests of the team. Each having their own section. The Hydra operatives seemed to have tried to convert the main area into a lab for weapons testing, but it didn't look finished. Televisions were still stacked across the place. On the walls, on the floors, peppered everywhere and anywhere - like a typical warehouse. It was mostly just cardboard boxes that were presumably empty, but there were some televisions that were out of their boxes. Just sat there. Not plugged in, but adding an element of eeriness to the desolate place.

*****

"I'll go left with the kid, you go right. Natasha and Clint will meet us on the other side, Tony will be taking the middle."

The mission had been pretty successful so far. The main area was the last place to clear, and, whilst it was huge, it was playing out for it to be a simple job. The team had learned to be stealthy during their invasions of Hydra bases. Quick and silent. In and out. No time for the operatives to react or sound any alarm. One by one they'd fall, and then the building would be burnt to the ground with everything inside of it.

"Sounds good." Sam murmured in response to Steve's order. He held his breath as the doors slowly eased open, praying not to hear a creak. This was an old building, one high-pitched noise could have their cover blown. However, luck seemed to be on their side.

The sound of clinking and shuffling could be heard in the room, yet no one on the team could pinpoint where it was coming from. There were people inside, that was for sure, but it was a game of cat and mouse in the labyrinth of televisions.

Sam was the first to step into the room. His back stayed pressed up against the wall, preparing himself to activate Redwing so that he could survey the area easier. He was supposed to stay focused on that, but he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Peter hurrying behind Steve. God, that kid was desperate to impress when it came to missions. Always full of energy and excitement. It was nice to have a fresh face, but he'd never admit that. He was the one that teased him.

*****

Sam was right, Peter was rushing after Steve. He was desperate to stay light on his feet, yet the puddles peppered across the floor weren't exactly ideal. Especially for his suit. Stepping in a puddle with his suit was like stepping in with a sock on. It was horrible. He'd have to deal with a wet sock for the entire mission. Gross, and it wasn't a great feature when on a stealth mission. Wet footprints leading exactly to where he was hidden. It was definitely something he'd have to bring up with Tony, but he had to build up the confidence for that first.