Eternal Winter

XXII: Assail

December 31 2025

Area Classified

The sounds of gunfire filled the air, and gas fogged their view. Natasha and the others pulled on their hood and pressed the buttons on their upper wrist. She watched as her body disappeared, turning into the colors behind her.

The shattered glass was quiet beneath their feet as everyone charged outside, with their cloaking devices leading the way. Natasha saw their figures through her goggles, red silhouettes of her team scattered across like blood splattered on a white sheet of paper.

Confusion poured across their guest's faces as they fired bullets in every direction, hoping to pierce flesh. The snow was soft, making their movements visible yet silent. A smirk grew on Natasha's face as she stormed to one of Trikov's men. Her leg caught behind his as he fell on the plush surface, giving him no time to move she punched his jaw, sending high voltage jolts of bleeding red electricity through his veins. She could feel his insides burn with every shock until he was no longer breathing.

James ran across the snow, snapping necks with the kick of his boot and knocking down ammunition, causing the men to be vulnerable to the wrath of the devils coming to take their lives.

Clint's arrows pierced through the icy Russian air, penetrating the warm flesh of his targets. Shocks of pain spread across their bodies as they fell into the shaved ice. Blood seeped through creating crimson spider webs in the ivory mass. Wind blew across the field as Sam flew by, spinning and shooting down his enemies with his pair of Steyr SPPs. Bullets were dropping down like rain all around them and blood covered their paths. Black figures were spread across the white field like shadows against the sun.

It was a beautiful disaster.

The team's movements were in sync as Steve's shield zipped through the air, striking out two men in its path.

Red slithered around Wanda's hands and legs, sneaking across the snow to its prey. She threw three men across the ivory mass while Steve turned their lights out. James was charging to his next victim, running through them like they were nothing but broken branches in his track. Throwing his knives as he passed by.

Natasha's legs were wrapped around one of the men's neck as another began shooting in her direction. Snow flew around her as she flipped over the man and used him as a shield. The bullets pierced his flesh and he laid lifeless on top of her.

"Dammit." Natasha said as she pushed the dead weight off of her.

"Where's Trikov?" James said as he shot a man through his head.

"The bastard didn't come." Clint chimed in.

Wanda jumped across the field, red following her trail as she landed beside Natasha. "We need to end this fast."

"Couldn't have said it better myself. Ready?" Wanda nodded.

Natasha pulled out her Glocks and ran to her next target, snow flying behind her as she did a jump kick to the back of someone's neck and shot two men while in the air.

Wanda was behind her, taking out the last three men with the single motion of her fingers. Bright red magic being the last light in their dying breaths. James put bullets through their skulls for precautions. Natasha pulled off her hood and mask, her auburn curls burned like a raging fire that spread across a lively forest. They then pulled off their hoods and masks while disabling the cloaking system.

"Someone enjoyed that too much." Natasha winked.

"Gotta let your anger out somewhere." James said with a smile on his face.

Sam and Steve ran to them and looked around at the bodies that laid across the no longer pure snow.

"Now how did this help us?" Steve said.

"Easy," Natasha turned around and headed to the nearest SUV, the team followed behind. She jumped inside and Wanda jumped in the passenger's seat.

The screen lit up as Natasha tapped the glass. Wanda then turned her head to the confused and curious men in front of her. "They have their destination wired into the navigation."

"We just need a finger print of one of the rats for authorization." Natasha added.

"On it." James said as he headed to one of the bodies, returning with a finger in his palm.

They all stared at him with one eyebrow up.

"What? You want me to drag the entire body here?"

Natasha took the finger and placed it against the screen, it glowed green with recognition.

"Bingo." She said with a smile on her face.

They all stared at her, waiting for an answer. "Now where is he?"

"Get in the car and you'll find out."

Steve and Sam hopped into the second car and Clint and Wanda hopped into the third. James and Natasha led their path to vengeance.

Russian winters are strange and mysterious. Everything is covered in a thick blanket of snow, even the nightmares that haunted you day and night were hidden from your reach. The thought of it sent chills down Natasha's spine as she drove down the road that was nothing but snow.

"How come I never drive?" James asked in curiosity.

"Cause you're a little too reckless." Natasha said blankly.

"That never seemed to stop you from letting me steer the wheel." James smirked.

"Oh med (honey), I never let you steer. I just let you think so."

James laughed. "You're the only one that I give the wheel to, med (honey)."

"You know we can hear you guys right?" Clint said through the mic.

"Loud and clear Barton." James responded.

Clint turned to Wanda. "Aren't you grateful you aren't in that compact space with them?" Knowing that Natasha and James could hear him.

"At least it's more amusing." Wanda said.

James started laughing. "Ouch. I can hear the pain."

"Calm down children, we're gonna be hearing a lot from each other for the next two hours." Natasha said as she stared at the emptiness in front of her, picturing Trikov's head on an iron pole.