Peter Stark

Chapter 19 - Memories

“You are ready for your first mission,” the Doc said. “You will do as I say, understood?” He glanced at me meaningfully, though I didn’t understand at the time.

I watched Angel follow his gaze before his face hardened and his eyes turned cold and calculative. He nodded stiffly. “Yes, Doctor.”

The Doc smiled cruelly. “You are to eliminate these operatives.” He handed Angel a file.

My eyes widened when Angel opened the file, and I caught a glimpse of the photos. They were the two that had cared for us in our youth. The only Hydra operatives to ever show kindness towards us, even if only on occasion.

I expected my Angel to reject the assignment, but he only nodded once again and said, “I will not fail.”

The Doc ran a hand through Angel’s hair, and I was surprised to see that he didn’t pull away. “I know you will not, Mors.”

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I changed into the outfit I was given for my first mission. I was told it would be with Mors, and I couldn’t help but be excited that I would finally get to see him without bars blocking my view. I could touch him with nothing separating us. Even if it was Mors. Surely, he wasn’t too different.

When I was led out of my cell, I was led to the Doc. He was already speaking with who I had learned to be Mors, not my Angel. He held up what appeared to be a remote and I watched as Mors briefly lost his composure, paling slightly, before he returned to being cold.

We drew closer and I could finally hear their words. “Salus will be assisting you on this mission. I will be closely monitoring you. You will not allow yourself to be captured and you will leave no traceable evidence. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“Good.” He turned to me and handed me a file. I assumed it was the same as what Mors held.

I opened it and my eyes widened in pure shock when I saw the picture. I looked up at the Doc, wondering if he was joking for once, but his stern gaze told me otherwise. “You want us to kill Black Widow?”

The Doc scowled at me. “No, idiot boy. If you bothered to read the file, you would know that this is not an assassination. You are to arrange for her abduction and then will proceed to torture her for information on Shield, unless given further instruction.”

I frowned. It was no secret that I did not excel in my stealth training, and this mission would require secrecy.

Doc explained my part further. “You will accompany Mors and do as he says. You will be sure to keep him from coming to any harm. With Mors’s help, you have excelled in your interrogation training. Your brawn combined with his brain will surely be enough to gather information from her.”

Soon we were on route to Berlin, where Widow had last been seen.

I stood behind Mors protectively as we waited for Widow to be brought to our location: a hidden bunker that Hydra had long since abandoned. We had set a trap and had arranged for her to be brought to us, effectively avoiding leaving any evidence as to our involvement.

Angel wore a mask similar to mine, but made of black fabric. It was even more intimidating because of the hood he also wore and how he twirled a knife in his hands.

We were waiting just out of sight, but the chair in the center of the dark room made it clear where the thugs were to put Widow. When they entered, they looked around briefly, but when they didn’t see us, they tied her to the chair and left.