The silence was eery, and like the grave stirring in the horror films Steve hadn't begun to realize the magnitude of how quiet it was. His plane was soaring through the alps and a fog settled in his mind as haunting as it had ever been. How long ago had he been here? What was once a world of mystery and war, now became a world tattered with grief, and even more so his own.
When Natasha had called him he was surprised at the urgency, with so few words exchanged that did not include 'Nazi's' or 'experiments', he could hardly tell her anything different then if she were Stark's computer. If something was so wrong that he was asked to be placed on a plane and flew across the world in mere hours, he wondered how terrible it could truly be.
There was some comfort in the word that Barton was with her, knowing that Natasha wasn't completely alone in whatever she was facing aided something to the Captain's worry. As the rattle of the air whisked by the plane he peered through the glinting windows at the offending light streaming in. A new day, he thought, so much for a good night's sleep. It was made clear to Steve that after everything that had happened normality would no longer be something he could sleep on.
The world was different, and he wasn't entirely sure whether or not this world was meant for him. The plane after some time began to pull on past the snow covered mountains and as the sun pulled away from the shining ice he began to settle back into seat. Perhaps the memories wouldn't take him today, and perhaps he would be given the luxury of returning home after this and sleeping for a good long while.
As they neared the base Steve pulled himself from his seat. He leaned forward to pull his shield from behind the bag, but he had brought he got an eye full from one of the pilot's. "Widow want's a full drop Cap, no sky diving today." The accent laced voice echoed, his brow rose at the remark before finding himself leaning back against the cabin walls. After suiting up the rest of his gear, the easy landing seemed almost to charade. Had Nat really pulled him this far east for a little game of hide and seek? His gaze was searching for the familiar gleam of crimson but instead found something less remarkable.
Barton stepped out of the decaying iron fencing that littered the surrounding area, from what Steve could see it surrounded what looked to be like a large forgotten church. His blond brows rose in question but Clint had other ideas. "Nat's inside, but I think you outta come with me first." He answered the unspoken question, but Steven nodded before following in step.
They were quiet, he thought, all of the soldiers were quiet as they scampered around the two. As Clint stepped under a unmistakable army style tent, Steve looked at him with almost unresting curiosity. They stood there silently for a moment before Steve finally began to grow frustrated. "Are we gonna play charades all day or is someone gonna tell me what the hell is going on?" His voice was stern, almost angry, but he didn't let it waver in his conviction. "Relax Rogers," he heard in a softer more amused tone.
He turned to see the Widow staring back at him with even an unease in her eyes. Despite the mirth in her comments he could tell something had gone desperately awry. "I've already been to basic Natasha," He replied with before pulling his shield from his back and laying it to the table in front of him. "Why don't we start with what this base is? Did Fury send you here? Or is this something else? Why am I here? Or better yet, what do you want me to do here?" Steve began in his usual docile string of questioning. Natasha's eyes grew harder, and Steve's followed suit. "What's going on Nat?" He asked quietly, his mouth in a hard line.
"We found a body." Clint replied from behind them both, Steve turning to look at him almost with a unconvinced confusion. Natasha sighed before moving behind Steve and over to a set of luggage that was clearly military grade surveillance equipment. Barton took the hint before grabbing hold of the duffle and ducking out of the back of the tent. "What body Natasha?" Steve asked again, this time moving to stand directly at her side.
What was the show for? So many S.H.I.E.L.D agent's gathered around like the circus was going on, and Steven seemed to be the only one without a ticket. As she turned he could almost see the uneasiness in her eyes. What was it? "Is it Schmidt?" He asked at random, almost wanting to see what reaction he could probe before she turned her gaze past him and out of the tent. She began to move, carrying a bag of medical equipment before glancing back at him almost demanding. Steve was use to Natasha getting her way, but he wasn't use to the secrecy even from her.
As they entered the perimeter of the enclosure he could feel the heat of the glances flickered his way. It was like that had found him all over again, so many people there and for what? The large church doors had been propped open and as the two walked within Steve couldn't help but notice the beautiful decay of the room. Ornamentals that had decorated the walls still appeared through thick smears of dust and dirt. He wondered briefly what it would have looked like before, and if it ever had the potential to look like it again.
Natasha didn't wait, turning instead to the side of the church entrance, down a back stair case to a basement area. As he followed Steve was surprised in the quick change of scenery, what was once smudge and stale air, now was clean and clinical. The many proto labs that had been set up around what seemed to be a large interior room was like being in Hydra lab all over again. He paused in that thought, glancing around before moving to grab Nat's bag and pulling her back. Her breathe stalled in her restlessness before turning to look him dead in the eye.
"Hydra huh? You couldn't just tell me you found a dead Hydra base?" He asked quietly, concerned and confused at the lack of forthcoming from the woman but before he could ask another round of questions she replied back. "I'm not worried about the dead here, I'm more worried about the one still alive." His brow shot up before looking directly over at the interior room. He pushed past Natasha before heading straight to the doorway.
"Steve wait!" She echoed before moving to catch up to him, as she came to his side again she snatched at his wrist before huffing in breath. "You shouldn't go in there, not till we know for sure." She continued before he shook her hand off his own. "You wouldn't of called if you hadn't known for sure, now damn it Natasha let me see what the hell is going on." He nearly growled in return before pushing past the other agent's and walked into the inner room.
It was like night and day, and as he walked in the clinical walls faded into a black dampness. The room appeared to have been shut off for decades, and the hissing of aged electrical equipment brought him to the centerfold of the room. In the center was a elongated chamber standing up right and gleaming. The only clean thing in the room, and it housed a window towards the top much like the chamber he remembered from so long ago. He couldn't pull his gaze away, and even as he heard Natasha enter behind him he stepped closer towards it.
His eyes raked over it, the steal covering much of the exterior, but once approached he was able to see into the glass that the window enclosed. Through the thin layer, he saw crystals of ice and a nestle of hair. He focused through the glaze of moisture only for his eyes to meet with another pair. Frozen like a photograph, he saw a pair of eyes that had long haunted him. His heart began to race and suddenly the only thing in the room were those eyes and his own. Natasha moved closer to him, realizing his distress before watching him move to touch the glass almost heartbroken. "Oh my god...what have they done to you?" He whispered.