Book One of the Shadows Series: Shadow of Redemption

The Scientist's Secret

TW: mentioning of killing and suicide of a spy. 

The Avengers assembled in the briefing room, the atmosphere tense and charged with anticipation. Sam stood at the head of the table, a holographic map of the city projected in front of him. Bucky, Yelena, Clint, and Sera were seated around the table, their faces set in determination.

"Alright, listen up," Sam began, his voice steady and authoritative. "We've received intel on a rogue HYDRA scientist who's resurfaced after years in hiding. His name is Dr. Christoph Adelstein. No one's heard of this guy until now. And because no one has heard of him, some of our intelligence agencies believe that he is like Seraphina. From a different universe." The room grew colder at the mention of HYDRA. Bucky shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes narrowing.

"What's his location?" Clint asked, leaning forward.

Sam pointed to a spot on the map. "An abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. We've confirmed his presence there, but we don't know what kind of defenses he might have set up."

Yelena's eyes gleamed with a mix of excitement and determination. "So, what's the plan?"

"We go in quietly, secure the target, and extract any information we can," Sam replied. "Bucky, you and Yelena will take point. Clint and I will cover the exits.

"Alright," Sam continued. "We need to be prepared for anything. This guy could be dangerous, and we can't underestimate him."

Clint looked at Sam, his expression serious. "What do we know about his involvement with HYDRA?"

"Not much. Except for when he accidentally let something slip to a black market buyer, who was actually one of our spies. Adelstien told our guy about a powerful stone he had used in past experiments."

"An Infinity Stone?" Bucky wondered out loud. Both Clint and Yelena tensed. The only thing they thought of when one of those was mentioned was Natasha.

"We move out in ten," Sam said, breaking the silence. "Gear up and stay sharp. This could get ugly."

As the team dispersed to prepare, Bucky lingered for a moment, catching Sam's eye. "You think we'll get any real answers from this guy?"

Sam sighed, glancing at the holographic map. "I hope so. For not only Sera's sake, if he is from the same place as her, but for all of us. If he has a Stone, that could make things a whole lot... more interesting."

Bucky nodded and headed to gear up, his mind racing with the implications of the mission. The past was catching up with them, and they needed to be ready for whatever came next.

In the quiet moments before departure, Bucky found himself in his room, testing his arm for the mission. Yelena joined him, her expression thoughtful.

"You think we can trust her?" she asked, her voice low.

Bucky glanced at her, his eyes hard. "I don't know. But we don't have much of a choice. We need to get to the bottom of this. And we have to remember that she's just a kid who lost her mind at a horrifically young age. Maybe this scientist will be able to help us fix her."

Yelena nodded, tightening her own gear. "Let's get this done then."

They exchanged a grim smile and headed to join the rest of the team, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

The night was pitch black as Bucky, Yelena, Sam, and Clint approached the warehouse, their footsteps silent on the gravel. The building loomed ahead, dark and foreboding. Bucky signaled for them to split up, Yelena following close behind him while Sam and Clint took positions at the exits.