Winter Soldier: Fade to Red

Hot Pursuit

"What do you men 'the ground team failed to prevent the assassination'?!" Director Gregorov fumed at his desk as the Winter Guard filed into his office. Standing at an unimpressive five feet, Gregorov had a reputation among his peers and subordinates for overreacting as a means of compensating for her lack of height. Where others might display anger, Gregorov would be absolutely infuriated. The intensity of his emotions often put others on edge, but none could deny his prowess as a leader.

"He used some kind of tear gas," the poor recipient of Gregorov's anger explained. "It enabled him to best the team and escape."

Gregorov pounded his comically small fists onto his desk, causing everything to rattle. "I do not want your excuses! You and your men are specially trained. You are supposed to be some of the very best!"

"I can only apologize, Director," the man winced. "We're following up on any leads but there are so few."

Gregorov shook his head. "Don't waste your time. The Wolf Spider is obviously out of your reach. And above your abilities."

Before the man could say another word, the director disconnected communications, causing the holographic image to dissipate. Turning to the Winter Guard, he smiled in a way that showed each of his teeth. "They lost him. You know what that means."

"You'll want us to begin pursuing him," Red Guardian deduced, his thick arms folded before his massive chest.

"There is one potential target left," Gregorov explained before switching on the screen nearby and displaying the dossier of an older man. "This is Doctor Fyodor Abeshev. There is already a security detail attached to him- not that this has mattered much in the past. Wolf Spider is very well-trained." His eyes settled on Yelena and he smiled. "As you, no doubt, can attest to."

"Any observations you can offer, Comrade Belova?" Darkstar asked from beneath an icy veil of indifference. Her eyes, normally a soft blue, now flickered with dark energy. The woman was a former Miss Russia and had the physical beauty to match such a title. Her rich blonde hair tumbled past her shoulders, shining and bouncing like a hair product commercial. But beneath the veneer of beauty there lurked a mercilessness that would have fit in well with the Red Room.

"I never worked with Wolf Spider. Until recently, I didn't know anything about him," Yelena crisply replied.

"Surely there are details you can recall from your service with the Red Room that can aid us in this," came the emotionless voice of the fourth member of the Winter Guard. He stood taller than the rest of his team, his stature always perfectly poised. In fact, nearly everything about him came off as perfection because he was not human. Beneath a layer of pale synthetic skin and dark brown hair, there was a highly-sophisticated android. He was based on the design of Vision, whose lifeless body had been confiscated by S.W.O.R.D.. A Russian operative was successful in infiltrating the laboratory where Vision's remains were held and managed to gather a massive quantity of intelligence. This, along with a sufficient supply of adamantium, had allowed for the creation of Volstok.

"Being a student of the Red Room, I can only say that he's a lethal killer," Yelena calmly explained. She did not wish to betray her allegiance in that moment; it wouldn't be good for her to show her true intentions. She was already well-aware that there could be suspicion. "Beyond that- everything else depends on who's controlling him," she added.

"It doesn't matter who's controlling him- he can't be allowed to continue this bloodbath," Gregorov snapped. "He has to be stopped- by any means necessary."

Yelena nodded her head and maintained indifference. We are clearly meant to cover something up. Even if it means executing an innocent puppet of a man. She stifled her discomfort. She joined the Winter Guard because she wanted to do as Natasha had once done- make amends for her previous actions. While she was securely planted beneath the thumb of Dreykov and his mind control, she had committed several atrocious acts. And while she knew that it was beyond her control, she also knew that she had done many other things even when she wasn't under his thumb. Joining this team was supposed to be her way of atoning. Now she couldn't help but wonder if she had traded one ill-intending master for another.

"Why is Wolf Spider targeting these people?" Red Guardian asked.

"As I have previously told you, this information must remain classified," Gregorov explained. "The only thing you must know is that if all of these targets are eliminated, it will threaten national security."

Alexei shared a brief, disconcerting look with Yelena before returning his attention to the director. The two had engaged in various secretive conversations about their misgivings regarding their service with the Winter Guard. And although their missions thus far had been primarily noble, this new development stank of something else. Something dark.

"I don't trust this," Yelena confided in Alexei after the meeting and when they were certain that they were not being observed.

Alexei nodded his head and sighed. "They're hiding something from us. Did you make contact with the Winter Soldier?"

"Yes. He agreed to help," Yelena whispered. "I'm going to send him updates so that he can hopefully stay one step ahead of us."

Alexei looked over his shoulder, his rugged expression cautious. "We can't let it out that we're doing this. If Wolf Spider is in range...we have to do our jobs."

Yelena looked down at the dual pistols in her hip holsters. "I know."

The marketplace was cordoned off by the authorities, but Bucky didn't particularly care to visit the scene of the crime anyway. Wolf Spider wouldn't return and the point of this assignment was to find him, not simply go where he had been but would never return to. Instead, he opted to explore the streets of Moscow. As he wandered, his fists jammed into his pockets, he observed the underlying sense of frantic sensations that pulsed around him. Sirens blared as police cars drove around. People scurried about as quickly as possible.

Bucky's phone vibrated in his pocket and he absently chewed his lips as he read the message.

Winter Guard is seeking him out now.

Attached to the message was footage of the marketplace. Bucky watched it with a studious eye, taking each detail of Wolf Spider in. As he observed, he tried to get into the mind of the young man. He tried to better understand him so that he might ascertain his next move.

The air was charged with a sense of urgency and Bucky could feel his pulse quickening. Though he had someone on the inside, he knew that it was ultimately him against an army. The odds were poor, but for some reason it only spurred him onward. Though he didn't want to have selfish reasons for what he was doing, he couldn't help but look back on the events that ultimately led to his freedom from Hydra's mind control. Prior to that, he was public enemy number one for allegedly murdering the then King of Wakanda. Had it not been for Steve, Dean and the others, he would be six feet under.

Someone has to help this guy.

The cards might have been stacked heavily in their disfavor, but the more Bucky studied Wolf Spider's actions, the more he felt he understood. After all, he knew the mind of someone who is pursued by the public for his crimes. He understood actions a person takes in those moments following an act such as the market assassination.

He'll want to lay low. He'll hide somewhere, but it won't be obvious.

The Winter Soldier's lips curled into a smile as a realization came to him.