"Five years ago we lost." Steve begins as we stand in a circle along the platform. "All of us. We lost friends, we lost family, we lost apart of ourselves. Today we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones. Get them back. One round trip each, no mistakes. No do-overs. Most of us are going somewhere we know. That doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives and were gonna win. Whatever it takes. Good luck."
"Hes pretty good at that." Rocket grins from across the platform.
"Allright, you heard the man." Tony says. "Stroke those keys Jolly green."
The joke is lost on me as I bounce on my heels. I will be the only one going alone. I have to. I'm the only one they wont shoot at on sight.
"See ya in a minute." Nat says with a smile.
"See ya in a minute." I say back to her, taking her hand and squeezing it quickly.
I look up as the machine looks like its breathing above us. The helmet clicks over my head and I shake out my hands. I look down and a red pit forms in the center before we are sucked in.
I squeeze my eyes shut as I am sucked through the void. My body shakes and vibrates as I am transported through time. Solid ground hits my feet and nausea overwhelms me. I open my eyes to see the forest outside the base. My gut churns as I unzip the suit to reveal the black suit I wore for HYDRA with straps across the chest and legs.
I roll my shoulders before walking forward. I enter the base with my chin up, shoulders back and expression cold. As I walk forward solders take aim from the balcony. One look and they move their guns away.
I walk inside and Baron Strucker storms though the hall towards me. My heart hammers in my chest as I stand still, cocking my head. He slows his strides untill he and his guards reach me.
"Winter Widow," The man begins shakily. "We were not expecting you."
"No one ever does." I say, making my voice calm and arrogant. "Pierce assigned me to this base to oversee the 'experiments'."
"Of course, right away." Strucker says immediately leading me through the base.
My muscles are tense as we walk. HYDRA solders eye me carefully as we walk. I force my eyes forward, keeping them cold and distant despite the nerves vibrating through my limbs.
We enter a room and I see Wanda and Pietro kneeling in cells, their ragged appearance sends shivers down my spine. This is what HYDRA did to its weapons, tortured them into submission.
"Has anything been done to them yet?" I ask, watching Wanda glare at me through the glass.
"We were just about to test the stone on the girl." He says becoming me to a viewing room. I catch Wanda being wrestled from her cell before we exit.
I stand in the viewing room with my arms crossed over my chest. I resist the urge to bite my nails as I watch Wanda stumble into the room and she is locked in. Then the stone comes into view. It floats closer to her suspended in the air by something.
Wanda looks like a completely different person, he cheeks hollowed, her skin dirty and bruised. My chest aches for her as she reaches up toward the stone. Then the compound shakes and my eyes are blinded by the explosion. I peer from between my fingers, the once blue light glows yellow its like looking at the sun.
When the light fades spots cover my vision. I blink them away rapidly before I see Wanda slumped in the ground. I almost think she's dead as the guards drag her out of the room.
"I want to see it." I blurt. "The stone."
"I am sorry, I can not allow you to-"
"You will," I order. "Peirce ordered me to oversee this operation, I want to know what I'm dealing with."
The man clenched his jaw before gesturing to the soldiers. They escort me to a separate room full of scientists who wear hazmat gear. As I walk in they all stop what they're doing and look at me quizzically. They know I'm not supposed to be here. I give them a death stare until they begin backing away from the stone.
It is in a glass case sitting on a table. They haven't even locked it up. I reach forward and a scientist grabs my hand. The small girl looks up at me with fear in her eyes before I slam my elbow into her temple. The guards point at me at once, I take my knives and throw them into their throats before they can get a shot off.
"If you want to live get in the corner," I say pointing. "Now!"
The scientists raise their hands and back into a corner. There are five of them. I take the stone and tuck it in the breast pocket of my suit as an alarm sounds. I curse as I look up to the corner of the room and spot a camera.
I take the pistols from my thigh straps and kick open the door solders are surrounding the room at once. I hardly have to aim as I shoot, knocking each of them down one by one. Once the hallway is clear I sprint.
Footsteps echo down the halls and I pray this suit is bulletproof. The timer strapped to my palm begins blinking. I curse before heading into a random room. I find a medical table and doctors seemingly prepping for surgery. I raise my guns.
"Get out." I order.
The doctors scramble over one another to leave the room and I barricade the door with a chair and table. I press the button on my palmbefore I look to the table tk see Wanda laying unconscious.
Bullets Peirce the metal door behind me as I cross over to the table. The timer beeps loudly as Tears burn my eyes as I take her hand in mine.
"Im gonna get you back." I whisper before pressing my lips to her temple.
The helmet clasps over my head and I am sucked from the room as the door is broken down. My stomach churns as I stumble on solid ground. I open my eyes to see everyone standing around.
"Did we get em all." Bruce asks.
I reach into my lapel and pull the stone out with a smile.
"Are you telling me this actually worked?" Rhodes asks.
I laugh, bracing myself on my knees before Clint drops to his knees. I look over to him and the smile is whisked from my lips. Nat isn't beside him. I scan every face around and I don't see her. Panic fills my chest and my heart hammers in my ears.
"Where Nat?" I ask. "Where is she?"
He doesn't say anything as he looks at me then Steve. He softly shakes his head as tears spill down his cheeks. Grief stabs my chest as I take a severing step backward. Tears spill down my cheeks as I bring my hand over my mouth. A sob escapes as my knees slam into the platform.
YOU ARE READING
Winter Widow
Fanfiction'Dark nights lead to cold Winters' Valeria Isakov was raised in the Red Room. Killing is the only thing she knows. Working for Hydra for years left her with a deformed sense of reality. When Captain America becomes her next target she is faced with...
