Framed

Fractured Bonds

2016, HYDRA base, Siberia

"You ready?" Steve asked the two standing in front of him. A small, quiet reply came from his sister, "Yeah."

The double doors parted, forced open by Iron Man. Steve's expression shifted to surprise as Tony walked towards them, retracting the suit's helmet. "You seem a little defensive," he stated as he walked through the door.

Marni kept her gun up, her stance poised and alert, while Steve and Bucky cautiously approached Tony, their shields covering their bodies. "It's been a long day," Steve told him, standing closer to him than the other super soldier. Turning to Marni, Tony spoke. "At ease, Soldier. I'm not currently after you."

"Then why are you here?" Steve asked, confused. Tony replied with some unknown emotion in his voice. "Could be your story's not so crazy. Maybe. Ross has no idea I'm here. I'd like to keep it that way. Otherwise, I've got to arrest myself."

"Well, that sounds like a lot of paperwork," Bucky said sarcastically, waiting for the armoured man to leave so they could continue with their plan. He lowered his shield, a hint of camaraderie in his gesture. "It's good to see you, Tony," Bucky added.

"You too, Cap. Lieutenant."

Addressing Marni, Tony urged for cooperation. "Hey, Manchurian Candidate, you're killing me. There's a truce here. You can drop..." Steve and Bucky signalled to Marni to lower her weapon, and she complied, her expression still wary.

The four proceeded cautiously along the corridor, unaware of T'Challa, clad in his Black Panther Suit, watching them from around a corner. With his helmet and faceplate re-engaged, Iron Man led them towards the chamber with the capsules standing within. "I got heat signatures," Tony voiced.

"How many?" Steve asked, shield still held tightly against his arm.

 "Uh..." Stark paused, unsure of his answer and confused. "Two."

As they entered the vast chamber the lights flickered to life, casting a hazy, yellow glow. Within the capsules, a mist descended, obscuring the figures within. Alongside Josef, each capsule contained an enhanced soldier from the experiment. Steve and the others looked around, bewildered by the sight before them.

"If it's any comfort," a startling voice said, "they died in their sleep."  

"I'm betting I could beat that," Tony interjected defiantly.

"I'm sure you could, Mr. Stark. Given time. But then you'd never know why you came." Dani gave a snarky reply. Steve, grappling with the gravity of the situation, confronted Dani and Ruby with anger and confusion. "You two killed innocent people in Vienna just to bring us here?"

Meanwhile, Black Panther observed silently from the shadows, unnoticed by the others. Steve's gaze shifted from Dani to Ruby, unable to meet her eyes directly. Dani's tone turned contemplative as she responded to Steve's accusation. "We've thought about nothing else for over a year. We studied you. We followed you. But now that you're standing here, I just realized... there's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes. How nice to find a flaw."

Steve pressed further, seeking answers about their motives. "You were in Sokovia. Is that what this is about?" Her response was cryptic yet laden with significance. "Sokovia was a failed state long before you blew it to hell."

Steve's curiosity was piqued as he studied Dani, searching for clues in her demeanour. "You two lost someone?" Her expression darkened, her voice tinged with sorrow and bitterness. "We lost everyone. And so will you."

With a click of her tongue, Dani shifted the narrative, directing their attention to surveillance footage from December 16th, 1991. Steve approached the screen, his interest piqued by the revelation. "An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again. But one which crumples from within? That's dead... forever."