Finding Death

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Nomad

Breakfast is different to what it used to me. Before, the officials and those with a higher rank than a simple foot soldier had food delivered to them. Nowadays it seems meals are a more communal affair- this place even has a food hall. When I walk in, following the trail of people, the room seems like it used to be storage, maybe for jet parts or weapons.

This is definitely not what I expected. I grab a tray and load up on weird pastries, heading back to my room. On the way back I pass an almost empty control room. These people are way too secure. Taking the moment I enter, pleased to see only Elanora and one other man, a different guy from yesterday, in the room. The woman smiles as I enter and I incline my head in response, sitting down at a computer in the far right corner.

I don't bother with the food. Instead I concentrate on dragging up the limited memory of what Clint did on the computer back in Dallas. First, my login, which thankfully still works. They haven't realised I'm part of those that took down Dallas and I need it to stay that way. For now, at least.

'31081997' is the eight-digit code I apprehensively type in, waiting for a sign my efforts have been rewarded.

The room goes dark.

By the commotion in the corridors, I assume the same thing had happened across the base. By now the outside doors will be closed forever, entombing the people inside. "What's going on?" Elanora questions, anxious. The man shrugs, hurrying out of the room.

"It could be an attack," I say. "I'll try and find out what's going on. Stay here and protect the control centre- I'll send in some soldiers," taking off, a part of me almost sad to leave Elanora behind. But she's HYDRA, so I can't trust her. I need to keep telling myself that.

Instead of doing what I said I'd do, I sprint through the corridors- the one housing my room is empty. Thank God. This is my escape route. Every HYDRA base comes with a trapdoor, secret hatch, whatever you want to call it in case of emergencies. An exit for the Winter Soldiers in case any Government came for us. Believe me, it's happened. These exits are only known by the Winter Soldiers and their 'handlers', so right now I'm the only one who knows this little hatch is here.

It's in the ceiling, as expected. Just like the Dallas one- most of them are. Why do you think the vents in Avengers Tower were so easy for me to climb into? Practice makes perfect. I push the tile back, dragging my body up into the gap. It's smaller and a lot dustier than I remember but it'll do. The tile falls closed behind me.

A long climb later, I know the base has been locked down, trapping its inhabitants underground forevermore. Or, at least, until the oxygen runs out. The place is basically an oversized vacuum so it won't be long now.

Sitting on a rung, head just inches away from the outside world, I hold the phone Sam gave me in my left hand. It lights up in my hand and I press on his name, listening to the hollow sound as it rings.

His voice startles me: 'Carter?'

"Uh, yeah?" how do people normally answer these things? "I kind of need a lift from the roof of Buckingham Palace."

'Holy shit, that's an ask,' Sam sighs. 'How soon?'

"Whenever you can get here, really," now would really be better, but that sounds rude.

'Twenty minutes. I'll land on the roof. Be careful.'

"I always am," I smirk, and wish he could see me.

*

Wind ruffles my hair, the telltale sign of an approaching aircraft. I look up, expecting a helicopter or plane of some kind yet there is only nothing.