That was mean of me to leave all you guys on that cliffhanger...hehehe. ;)
So just a quick update on my health, don't read if you don't care. But I thought I should just let you guys know what's up. :)
I have been seeing little improvements, but it's only my second week of treatment, so things will get better, and so I am finally hopeful. I haven't had hope; of getting better in a very long time, so I am truly excited. I've met a few other girls my age, and it is incredible to talk to people that understand what it's like to have this disease. I have been able to get quite a few things off my chest, and I actually feel happy. (And that doesn't sound cool, but I haven't been happy in years) So I am having a good time. :)
The doc's found out I am allergic to my own DNA...So now that we have that figured out we are one step closer to fixing me! (I just thought that was really funny) I mean who is allergic to themselves? Haha. So anyways...
I could babble about how excited I am, and my newfound hope all day, so I'll stop now.
Off to chapter 26 you go!
Chapter 26:
Hours Earlier:
Sam sat on the back of the QuinnJet, Cap and Widow sitting in the front as they soared above the big apple. Thor sat across from him, looking far too big for his seat, he tossed his hammer up and down in his hand, its dull clapping sound the only thing disrupting the silence inside the plane. The blond was looking far more excited for the mission than Sam felt.
It wasn't that Sam wasn't glad to get some action, (it had been far too long) it was just that Hydra gave him the creeps. The whole origination, from their little 'Hail Hydra' quote, to their experimenting on people. It always felt just wrong. And every time Sam had to deal with these people it made him feel tainted like the whole situation had left him dirty. He always felt that the only thing that could wash away the filth of Hydra would be a nice long shower, one of those gross green drinks, that was heaping with kale and some PBS television. Y'know, to clean the body, soul, and mind.
There hadn't been any activity that Sam knew of from Hydra since they had attacked he, Clint, Nat, and Peter a few weeks back. But he kind of felt that the saying 'the calm before the storm' was very appropriate in this case. Nothing was ever simple when it came to Hydra.
The base they were headed to was located a bit outside the city. It was settled in a dark and forgotten corner, where no one would think to look. Sam readied himself as the jet came down, landing in a field of yellowed, overgrown, grass. As the engine hummed to a still.
Steve stood from his seat, his shield strapped to his back his helmet placed on his head ready for combat, as he wore the symbolic colors red, white, and blue. Sam still felt slightly out of place as he glanced to his three teammates.
Black Widow in her dark body suit, knives, and guns strapped to every place possible on her person. Her red, vibrant hair still looking done and pristine even though they were about to head into a fight.
Thor standing tall, as his red cape billowed behind him. His long blond hair framing his pronounced jawline, as he held tightly to his hammer. Clearly ready for what he would call a 'vigorous battle'.
"Natasha and I will go in through the back. Thor and Sam go in through the roof. Maybe an aerial assault will do us some good." Steve told them as they walked from the jet.
"Got it," Sam replied as he spread his wings. Running for a few steps and taking off. Flying upwards, soaring over the large dilapidated factory. The large once colorful, but now faded blocked letters O, Y, and S stacked on top of each other, sitting on the roof, looking as if a child had crookedly sat them there. The T left broken on the ground below. Leaving the incomplete word 'OYS' on top of the building. Sam landed on the roof with a dull 'thunk'. Walking behind the large blocked letters for cover. Thor landed beside him his cape making a rustling sound.
"On my word." Steve's voice said softly over the comm, a moment later.
Sam gave a curt nod to Thor, the god readying his hammer, crouching down next to Sam's spread wings in reply. It was raining lightly, the sky clouded over by a g ray overcast. A crow squawked in the distance. Making the seconds seem like they lasted far too long.
"Alright, take anyone that you find out quietly. Remember this is a covert mission." Cap called over the comm. Sam leaped into the air as Thor burst through one of the many holes in the roof, his hammer pointed in front of him, making him look far too menacing and powerful.
Sam swept downwards through the rafters, having to lean in a pattern, retraced his wings in and out, in order to fit through the slanted beams. He found a sniper perched on one of the beams, his gun pointed square at Natasha's head. Sam swooped down taking him out in one swift kick. Sending the man flying to the floor.
Cap and Widow went after the guards stationed at the door. Natasha running at one large man, before leaping up in one fluid move, wrapping her legs around his neck as she spun around. Bringing him to the ground before clocking him in the face, knocking him out efficiently and quietly.
Steve threw a gut punch at his opponent, and then brought his shield down on the man's head, rendering him unconscious. He then threw his shield backward hitting a woman in the legs with it. Causing her to fall, making it easier for Steve to deal with her smoothly and swiftly.
Thor put himself right in the smack middle of three guards, smiling at them before swinging his hammer into them, making a Hydra sandwich before hitting them with what sounded like a very pain filled 'thud'. Sam was sure glad the man was on their side.
Falcon landed next to the Captain his boots crunching on some debris. "Falcon and I will go in from the left. Thor and Widow go to the right." Captain America addressed them, not bothering to look at his team, but heading for his destination. No one gave a verbal reply, instead all turning to their assigned locations.
Inside the warehouse was dark, the smell of dust, mold, and rusted metal tainted the air. Making Sam's nose scrunch in disgust. The few holes in the roof letting in the cold air of the outside drops of rain splattering on the concrete ground below. The little bit of light they had to see by leaking through those same holes.
Falcon followed The Captain's long and meaningful strides. Steve leaned forward lifting up what looked to be a regular crate the word 'Barbie' painted on the outside. The wood splintered it's sound echoing in the large space as the super-soldier ripped it up.
Under the large crate were old looking metal doors, with Hydra's red symbol engraved into them. The doors sat similarly to the ones you might see placed on a cellar. Cap pulled them open, the metal squeaking far too loudly for comfort, being the only sound other than the rain.
A steep dark stairway was held below. Leading to what Sam didn't know. Cap signaled for Falcon to follow. The two men crept down the stairs, going as quietly as humanly possible.
The air down here was cold and tasted of copper. It sent Sam's nerves on edge. Making his stomach knot up as he focused on his next footfall. Falcon made sure to breathe quietly and deeply, willing himself to stay calm, to stay alert. To watch out for anything that might be a trap or give them away.
The end of the stairs leads to a thin hallway, the floors, walls, and ceiling made of a rusted metal. It was a cramped and small walkway, leaving Falcon feeling almost claustrophobic. It was silent, save for their footsteps, and a lonely drop of water every few seconds. Sam had counted thirty-two so far.
It was slightly confusing that no alarms had gone off, or that no Hydra agents had found them as of yet. Two doors sat across from one another up ahead, Steve walked a bit faster in front of Sam.
"We have two separate doors down on our end." Natasha's voice came softly from the comm.
"Infiltrate as quietly as possible," Cap ordered. The comms went silent once again, the sound of Sam's own breathing the only thing he had to focus on.
Steve gave him a look before pointing to the door on the left, signaling for Falcon to take that door, while the super-soldier took the one to the right.
Sam nodded glumly, approaching the door as Steve placed his hand on the handle for his own. Sam looked to Steve awaiting his order. The man gave him a curt nod before both men whipped their doors open and rushed forward.
The room beyond was dark, that was the only thing Sam was able to register before the door shut behind him with a loud slam, and another thick metal door slid down from the ceiling covering the first door behind it. A very final sounding 'boom' coming from it as it connected with the ground.
"Guys!" Natasha called over the comm, "don't go in, it's a-"
"Trap." Cap finished for her.
"Damn." Widow grumbled over the line.
"I don't think I can blow through this," Sam told them as he ran a hand over the cold metal.
"I'm not sure I can break through it either, even with my shield," Steve admitted with a sigh.
"Aye, even the mighty Mjölnir cannot penetrate this substance." Thor agreed on the other end.
Sam turned to look about the room. Or well, he shouldn't say room, it was another one of those hallways. "What should we do Cap?" He asked, pressing a finger to his helmet to turn his night vision on.
"I guess we head forward. If Thor's hammer can't break down the door, then we don't have any other option." Steve answered. "Check the comms regularly, I want to know if something interferes or jams our signals right away. If that does happen we need to backtrack and call the team." He went on.
"You don't think we should call now?" Natasha asked, sounding flat toned.
"Why? We haven't found anything yet." Steve stated. "Haven't even run into any Hydra goons down here." He went on, sighing on his end. Sam could picture him pinching the bridge of his nose as he thought things over. "I don't want to call until we know we need the team. For all we know this could just be a setup defense mechanism, a way to keep people out, it's not particularly a trap." He finished.
Thor hummed, the sound crackling in Sam's ear. "Shall we head forth then?" He asked a moment later, making Falcon wince with the volume.
"Yes, but be on guard," Steve answered, sounding as if he was moving already himself.
"Always," Thor replied.
Sam swallowed, he and Widow staying silent on the line. He walked forward not seeing an end to the hallway ahead. He sighed to himself, taking off in a jog.
Sam would guess he had been walking in the dark, damp, endless hallway for about fifteen minutes now. It was cold, colder than even outside. Falcon could see his breath, it misting up his visor as he sighed.
"This is thank-god-I'm-not-Clint, checking in," Natasha spoke up, her voice a bit muffled from the comm.
Sam snorted to himself, "Thank-god-I-don't-smell-like-Clint, responding." Sam replied.
"Thank-god-I-don't-look-like-Clint, hearing you loud and clear." Steve sounded like he was smirking from the other side of the comm.
"HA! Thanking-the-gods-that-I-do-not-have-the-mere-strength-of-Clint, also here." Thor boomed over the comm, making Sam want to pull off his helmet.
Cap chuckled over the line as Natasha spoke up. "Anyone finding anything?" She asked. "I'm still walking down a narrow hall, with no end in sight." She stated.
"Same," Sam replied with a sigh.
"Nothing, not even light," Steve replied.
"I too have found the 'squat'," Thor said sounding less loud in Sam's abused ears.
"Keep checking in, I want to know if anything happens," Steve said a moment later. "Thank-god-I-don't-look-like-Clint, out." He finished.
"Thank-god-I'm-not-Clint, out," Natasha replied.
"Thank-god-I-don't-smell-like-Clint, also out," Sam said a slight smirk on his face.
"Out is the thanking-the-gods-that-I-do-not-have-the-mere-strength-of-Clint." Thor bellowed Sam gasped, taking off his helmet this time, around, rubbing roughly at his ringing ears.
Sam had started jogging again, he went back and forth from it, stopping every once and a while as he got bored. He wasn't sure how one hallway could possibly be so long, but no matter how many turns he took there was never an end.
Sam huffed to himself as he turned yet another corner. He felt on edge, the longer he walked the colder it got, his hot breath puffing out in front of him. The only sounds his footsteps and the lone drips of water. He felt that he might go insane if something didn't happen soon.
Because something always happened, always, it wasn't what would happen or even the uncertainty that was getting to Falcon, though, it was just the waiting. The longer he waited, the tighter his chest felt and the worse his headache became.
He was done with this incessant hallway, and he was done with waiting, he wanted, no needed, some action.
"God, it's freezing," Sam muttered to himself, shivering as he turned yet another corner.
"Freezing?" Steve panted on the other end. "I'm melting." Sam almost jumped at the other man's voice, forgetting that he had the comm in.
"Aye." Thor sounded far less loud as he spoke this time. "The heat is quite scorching indeed." He agreed. "I would much rather be engaged in a vigorous battle with frost giants."
Sam felt his eyebrows scrunch up as he stared into the darkness. "What about you Natasha?" He asked.
"Cold." She said tersely, "I have a door." She stated a moment later.
"Hm," Cap hummed on the other side. Falcon had his head down, his nose pointed to his unseen shoes as he walked, his head bonked into something cold and hard. He rubbed at his forehead from under his helmet.
"I think I just found one too," Falcon stated, turning his night vision back on. He hadn't bothered after he put his helmet back on the first time. It tinted everything in a green, but at least he was able to see. There was a large metal door in front of him. It was wide enough to fit three Thor's maybe even a Hulk. And tall enough that Sam had to strain his neck to see the top.
"Proceed." The Captain's voice spoke softly in Sam's ears. "Thor and I will inform you if we find an exit." Sam nodded even though no one could see him.
"Ready bird-boy?" Natasha addressed him, you could hear the smirk in her voice.
"To get out of this dark and cold hallway?" He asked back, "I think so."
She huffed a laugh as Falcon reached for the long pointed handle. Bits of crystallized water falling off of it as he turned the iced over metal.
Bright white lights invaded Falcon's vision as he swung the thick metal door open. He walked forward having to switch off his night vision, not being able to see with it on now.
The moment his eyes adjusted to the new found light his breath caught in his throat. Dozens, dozens, upon dozens of Hydra agents filled the room. The wide, giant like doors slammed behind Falcon. And all hell broke loose.
Sam rushed forward spreading his wings outwards as he jumped up and above the masses of men and women. Each agent was armed with an odd looking gun, it had a thick barrel and was small in length, about the size of Falcon's forearm.
He had to dodge as a few odd looking objects were shot at him from below. The room in itself was large the floor at least fifteen feet under Falcon as he flew above. The walls and floor all a shining new metal, unlike the rusted hallway he had just been in for the last half hour.
The other side of the room was in chaos, guards yelling and grunting as countless guns were fired off. The sounds of battle jarring Sam into reality. In the middle of the chaos was a woman. Her red hair bouncing off her black covered shoulders as she took out Hydra agent after Hydra agent. Natasha.
Falcon swooped down knocking a few Hydra goons down and away from Nat with his wings. "Bout time," Natasha grunted as she punched a man in the throat, making him splutter as he fell backward.
Sam used his wings to defend himself, putting his back to Widow's as more Hydra came rushing forward. "Didn't realize the all great and powerful Black Widow needed Falcon's help." He retorted, kicking a man in the kneecap, before slashing his wings forward using them as knives against their enemies.
In reply Natasha leaped upwards doing a three-sixty over a few opponents and sweeping her foot forward knocking one down, then running at him, using his back as leverage to smash her booted feet into another's face. The crunch of cartilage could be heard as he yelped in pain and rage. Natasha paid it no mind as she went to the third. Spinning around as she slammed her elbow into the other woman's windpipe.
"Yes." Natasha agreed, her voice as monotone as can be. "Thank you for coming to my rescue."
Sam snorted as he punched a man in the face before elbowing another, using his wings as makeshift shields for him and Widow against the flying objects the Hydra agents were firing at them. The sound of shattering glass could be heard as the things fell to the ground. Covering the floor in a red tinted liquid and broken glass.
"What are they shooting at us?" Sam asked over the loud sounds of the fight.
"Syringes," Natasha answered actually sounding a bit out of breath. "I can't tell with what though." She went on, dropping to her hands and spinning around like a lethal top, knocking the feet from under many Hydra agents.
The needles were bouncing off of Falcon's metal wings, making 'tinging' noises as they hit. "You think they're tranquilizers?" He called out. Socking a man in the gut before slashing his wing forward and cutting the man across the chest.
"No, doesn't seem like it," Natasha told him, doing a cartwheel before launching her body forward doing a perfect split in the air and kicking two men in the face at the same time.
Sam ran forward elbowing a man in the gut before launching off some explosives. Taking out a group of vengeful looking Hydra. The room was filling with more and more smoke as Falcon used his weapons, making it harder to see, harder to fight, harder to breathe.
At one point he lost Natasha, the Hydra cutting them off from each other. Herding them away from one another in an effort to separate them. Sam spread his wings spinning in a circle and letting his booted feet smash into the Hydra surrounding him.
He landed with a crunch, the whole floor covered in that red-ish liquid at this point. A man lunged forward with a knife catching Sam on his collar bone making him wince as the warmth of blood spilled over. Sam kicked out sending the man flying back before he flew upwards searching for Natasha.
He found her surrounded, in the far corner of the room. She was still a Hydra butt-kicking machine. Kicking out, and flipping about as she held a knife in one hand. But there were too many, Sam was too far away, and any explosives he shot out would no doubt injure Black Widow as well as the Hydra.
Sam could do nothing more but watch wide-eyed, as multiple Hydra fired their guns. The sound banging on Falcon's ears as he rushed forward, trying to get to his teammate. Natasha was able to avoid a few of the syringes. But like Sam had observed before, there were just too many. One of the needles embedded itself in her arm, another by her hip.
Widow ripped them out, but what had been done, had been done. She swayed as she ran towards her attackers, kicking a few before falling to her hands and knees. Sam landed next to her, grabbing her around the waist, and taking her away from the men and women that surrounded her, swooping the both of them back into the air.
"Widow?" Sam asked, voice a bit strained.
She made a distressed noise in the back of her throat before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she was gone. Sam frantically checked for a pulse, finding a strong and steady one. But she was out, whatever drug they had shot her with now freely flowing through her system.
Sam shielded them with his wings as he tucked his body into a ball, flipping them to a less populated area of the room. He locked his wings behind him as he sat Natasha's unconscious form on the cold floor. Jumping back up and flying to the last thirty or so Hydra.
He sent a few bombs at them, but he couldn't use his heavy duty ones, not in this small of a proximity. There were shouts and cries of pain as they exploded under the enemy's feet, sending men and women flying. Falcon swooped down taking a few out with his wings, before landing and using his legs, arms, and wings to fend off from the Hydra.
He was doing well, his sharp wings helping him to fight off the Hydra. Slashing out with them, it helped make a protective barrier around Sam, the Hydra to afraid to get any closer in fear that they would be sliced open like their comrades.
An either very stupid, or very brave woman ran forward, trying to cut Falcon with a long and very deadly looking blade. Sam swung out catching her in the ear before kicking her sideways in the knee. She cried out in pain but was still able to graze Sam's left calf with her knife as she fell. He stomped on her hand a moment later causing her to drop the blade, a hiss passing through her red lips, as Sam did so.
Falcon was far to focused on the last remaining Hydra goons to notice the redhead coming up from behind him. He had taken out most of the Hydra agents, there were only fifteen or so left. His heart was pounding in his chest, and even though it was freezing in here his insides felt red hot.
He needed to finish this, he needed to get Natasha out of here, and he needed to find Cap and Thor or call in the other Avengers to assemble.
He slammed his foot into a man's lower back before whipping his wing out and stabbing another in the shoulder. Both men cried out in pain, Sam was about to take them out but was caught off guard as both men smiled.
One's teeth shining with red, as the other took in wheezing breaths. There was no reason for these men to be smiling at Sam. A ball of ice started to melt in Falcon's stomach as he turned around, a contrast to the heat he had been feeling only moments ago.
Right behind him, staring the blankest of stares was Natasha. Her face blank as her eyes stared into Sam's own as if his eyes weren't covered by a helmet. Sam whipped around finding that the Hydra agents had fled to the other side of the room, most looking beaten and battered, but all smiling at Sam. As if they were all a part of an inside joke that Sam didn't know about.
"Widow?" Sam asked, taking a step forward as he glanced back to her. "Are you okay?" He went on, feeling that ball of ice spreading throughout his body.
She didn't answer instead running forward and jumping up, twisting her body and wrapping her legs around Sam's neck. A move he had seen her complete many times while out on missions. But never before has she used it on him.
Sam cried out in surprise more than pain as his body was thrown backward. Glass scraped against his wings as he hit the floor. Natasha didn't take a moment before she wrapped her legs around his torso, hitting him hard in the stomach with her balled up hand.
Sam wheezed as he bucked her off. She rolled to the side, her face still blank and unchanging as her blue eyes remained on his. "Widow?" He coughed out, flying in the air and away from her reach.
She stood slowly, her hair was wet on one side, being soaked by all the liquid on the floor, a few rips littered her suit, a red gash on her cheek bone. She stood stock still for a moment, Sam felt frozen as he watched her. What was in those syringes?
Natasha cocked her head to the side, before running forward, using the stacked bodies of some Hydra as a boost before grabbing Falcon by the leg. Sam yelped as he now had her whole body weight thrashing about as she dangled from his leg. She climbed up his body throwing him off kilter, twisting his fingers the wrong way before leaning so they came crashing to the ground.
Sam cried out as his body was scraped against the glass littered floor. His right arm pinned under his back and wings in an uncomfortable position. Falcon kicked out catching Nat in the hip, but she paid it no mind. Opting instead to pin Falcon's left arm above him, twisting his elbow the wrong way, to the point that he felt it might snap.
"Nat, stop." He whispered to his teammate.
She didn't listen. Her eyes never leaving his as she reached to the floor and picked up a syringe. Sam's breath shuttered out of his chest as he swiped his wings out, trying to knock the needle from her grip. It left a red gash along her arm, but again she didn't react. The block of ice in his stomach had melted leaving his whole body cold, his blood frozen as his heart pounding in his chest.
"Widow, no!" He yelled, bucking his hips forward. She twisted his arm further, causing it to make a popping sound. Broken or dislocated. Tears of agony jumped to Sam's eyes, as he grunted in pain, gnashing his teeth together in order to not make any other sound.
Natasha pointed the needle to his side before plunging it in. Sam cried out, slicing at her with his wings. But it was too late, whatever that drug was, was in him. Whatever it did to Natasha it was about to do to him. Widow flipped off him before walking over to the Hydra standing at the other side of the room. Her strides almost robotic.
Sam's vision was blurring, his muscles felt stiff, unmoving, to heavy. He watched as Natasha stood before a Hydra agent and stated "Mission complete." Sam felt his breath stutter from his lips, as she kneeled before them.
"Good." The man stated, sounding angry. "Next assignment disassemble the A-" Sam couldn't make out the words, they sounded jumbled and slow to his drugged brain. His eyes were too heavy, he tried to keep them open, he tried. But it was becoming impossible, his thoughts felt as if they were being sucked from his mind, turning them too liquid, making them run through his fingers as he tried to grasp just one.
And then there was nothingness.
Hehehe, you still don't know what happened to Peter...Hehehe, I am so mean...
So tell me what you thought, did I do an okay job writing from Sam's perspective? I've done him in little bits, but I hadn't done a whole chapter from his point of view, so I was kind of nervous, and honestly I thought about not even posting this chapter. I am more comfortable writing for Peter than I am for anyone else. So what do you guys think, how'd I do?
Also, plot...You guys are finally seeing my plot now...And I am super excited!
Alright kiddos, thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and I will see you in a week, Fernandidilly-yo out! ;P