Searece: I'm glad you continue to like APL, even if I break some hearts, fictional or otherwise lol.
A/N: Thank you for the follows and favorites and alerts. Leave a review with your thoughts, if you feel so inclined. I'd love to hear them! We're getting close to the BEST Marvel movie! Got some newbs coming in and reunions and it's gonna be a hawt mess, ya'll. I can't wait.
Chapter 29: Two Red Soldiers
In an undisclosed, abandoned town in the former Soviet Union, five muscular men clad in thick Kevlar armor surrounded an older man who was patiently observing the scientists working in front of him. He crossed his arms over his grey three-piece suit, eyes narrowed at the cryostasis chamber. Thick smoky steam was filling the metal tubes, traveling into the large chamber that was lit up only by a small yellow light inside. The older man's eyes flicked to the head scientist who was diligently flipping switches and watching the shaking pressure gauges on the wide control console. He muttered firm directions to his subordinates before he looked back at the important older man behind him. The man in the suit fixed his dark brown glasses higher on his nose before nodding in approval. The scientist flipped one final switch and a loud blasting alarm sounded.
"Red Dawn has been activated," the head scientist grinned almost maniacally as he typed in the security code passed down between generations.
More steam poured out of the large metal chamber and tubes, taking on too much pressure. A cracking sound resonated through the spacious vault as the iced-over locking mechanisms of the chamber began to click and whir back to life, rusty from the forty years of disuse. The scientists near the console ducked and covered their faces as sharp shards of ice shattered off the chamber. A small shard sliced passed the head scientist's cheek. He ignored the sting as his eyes enlarged with a mix of pure delight and extreme horror. The doors to the chamber opened slowly. Heavy white steam poured out, obstructing the view of the unpredictable asset that stood frozen inside. Encapsulated in ice was one of HYDRA's greatest weapons.
"Full power in five minutes, Doctor," another scientist called to their superior.
"Make it two," the older man in the suit snapped. He unbuttoned his jacket and placed his hands on his hips as he walked along the upper bridge of the facility.
The head scientist sputtered, "But, Sir! If we speed up the defrosting stage, there may be some irreversible damage to this asset…its brain functions might –"
"I said two minutes, Doctor," the older man narrowed his eyes at the younger man. He gulped and nodded to his subordinates who looked equally as wary.
With the push of a few more buttons, the cryo-chamber began sparking with bright electricity. The tall imposing figure was once again surrounded by a thick white steam as heat clashed with ice. A warning alarm started blaring as one of the metal tubes attached to the chamber flew off its connecting point and waved around haphazardly, blowing hot steam into the vault. One by one, the three other remaining tubes also blasted off the chamber from the intense pressure. The head scientist was sweating through his white lab coat now, trying to quell the situation. Glass and ice exploded as a burst of light filled the room, making the scientists duck for cover and the five bodyguards protect their boss. When the smoke cleared and the alarms stopped, a man – no – a monster stepped out of the chamber on surprisingly steady legs.
The creature was tall and quite muscular. It was in peak physical condition for a thing that'd been frozen since the 1970s, before the fall of the Soviet Union. It was wearing a bright red jumpsuit that covered his body and legs with the sleeves cut off. Heavily armored steel boots encased his feet up to his knees. A belt of the same steel circled the waist and held up large metal shoulder plates. Its skin was pure white and its golden yellow hair was half pulled up by a thick red tie. A red metal band ran across the forehead stamped with a white omega symbol in the middle. But it was the eyes that unnerved the scientists and the hardened bodyguards the most. The eyes, completely filled, were a dark ruby red – the color of blood – the color of the former Soviet Union.
The Mutant blinked.
The older man stepped out of his protective circle and placed his hands on the railing, looking down at the stoic creature. "Marvelous," he muttered, a dark grin curled his lips.
Omega Red turned his head slowly, taking in the scene of chaos in front of him. He flicked his red eyes to the man in the expensive looking suit above him. He looked strong. He looked authoritative. The old leaders—they were weak. They grew to fear the living weapon that was Omega Red. They restrained him and, in doing so, they lost their empire. The Mutant sneered. But, a new empire had brought him back from his long slumber. The new HYDRA Empire was ready to rise out of the ashes of its former Nazi background. Omega Red stared up at the man who was grinning down at him. Oh, yes, Omega Red thought with a cruel grin, he would watch as the new HYDRA fell—just as the Soviet Union before it—just as the Nazi Party before that.
The living Mutant weapon knew one thing for certain…
All Empires Must Fall.
In an undisclosed, abandoned bank vault somewhere in the United States, another HYDRA asset was waking. The Winter Soldier had been removed from his cryostasis chamber and shoved into a chair. His ankles and both of his wrists were encased in the strongest steel. Of course, Vibranium or Adamantium would have been more useful in this situation, but those metals were hard to come by. HYDRA may have been living in the shadow of SHIELD, but they knew that they might prematurely reveal themselves if SHIELD found any of their stash of precious metals missing.
The Soldier's eyes were shut tight as he became aware of the sound of movement behind him. Blue and green swirled in the darkness under his eyelids as his brain started to process the words being spoken by the two male doctors behind him. Something was different. Something was wrong. His body felt heavy – lethargic from being woken after half a decade of frozen hibernation. But, James Buchanan Barnes, would not remember this. His wrists jerked, only to be held down in place. He tried to kick his feet; they too were stuck. He tried to shout – to call out to somebody, anybody. To him. To her. But he could not find his voice. His nose and mouth were covered by a half mask – heavy and constricting.
"Sir," a timid voice called from behind The Soldier. He could hear the worry and fear in the scientist's voice. It always started like this.
"Not yet," said an older, deeper voice that sounded superior. "Let him struggle."
The Soldier's icy blue eyes popped open. In a few short blinks, his vision cleared and he was staring into the dusty blue eyes of the handler. The older man had his arms crossed over an expensive looking three-piece suit. His aged eyes were narrowed as he stared back into the icy blue eyes of the killer he controlled. The Soldier breathed heavily through his nose as he attempted to release himself of his bonds. The metal holding his left arm groaned pathetically. The handler smirked as The Winter Soldier fought his bonds.
"What do you remember," the man in charge taunted.
A flash of white burst through The Soldier's vision. He grunted deeply, shaking his head to rid himself of the stark color. What did he remember? The more he struggled to break free, the more colors jostled from his brain. Red, the color of blood. Black, the color of darkness. Blue, the color of the sky and the feeling of falling. Lavender. Brown. No – green? Brown and green. A forest. Eyes. The Soldier clenched his teeth in anger and frustration. The left metal cuff cracked.
"Sir," a smoother voice murmured to the handler. A man clad in thick black armor with a golden symbol on his arm leaned in closer to the older man. He touched the earpiece in his right ear and nodded gravely. He never took his eyes off The Soldier as he said, "Sir, there's a situation in Moscow with the Red Death. The team's been called in."
Secretary Alexander Pierce sighed, shaking his head in annoyance. Everything was going according to plan, but, of course, Nick Fury had been too on top of things. There was no need to worry, though. As long as SHIELD's eyes were taken off of New York for a few days, everything would go according to plan. SHIELD's downfall would begin tonight.
"You know what to do," Secretary Pierce tilted his head in the agent's direction. The armored man grunted his response and began to make his way out of the bank vault. The older man called after him, "Oh, and Agent Rumlow? No witnesses."
Brock Rumlow, leader of the SHIELD STRIKE team, smirked at his superior. "Hail HYDRA," his smirk turned into a grin. As he exited the vault, he heard the beginnings of The Asset's mental manipulation code. Rumlow laughed.
Longing
The Winter Soldier let out an animalistic growl. He couldn't remember—but he knew that word deep in his bones. He knew what came after and what it would do to him.
Rusted
As he struggled, as he fought to be free, the colors in his mind started to meld, developing into full shapes. Blood red lips. Dark green dress. Brown eyes. Green eyes. Blood red lips. Dark green dress. Brown eyes. Green eyes. Over and over in his mind, swirling and forming. Pushing the limits of his memory.
Seventeen
He roared behind the mask. His left wrist finally broke through the metal cuff that had been holding him to the chair. The scientists behind him shrieked in terror and five HYDRA agents in thick black Kevlar armor approached with their weapons raised. They flanked a smirking and motionless Alexander Pierce. He showed no sign of fear as the next two words quickly slipped from his lips in Russian.
Daybreak
Furnace
The Soldier screeched like a wild animal as he ripped the right cuff off his fleshy wrist. One of the agents pulled an electro-baton from his back and it crackled to life. As The Soldier lunged for Secretary Pierce, the agent smashed the baton into his chest. White hot pain spread all through his body as he seized up.
Nine
Benign
Blood red lips. Dark green dress. Brown eyes. Green eyes. A beautiful woman came into focus in his mind. She was crying. The Soldier couldn't help himself as he reached out to touch her face – to dry her tears – to let her know he was there. He could see her.
Homecoming
Sweetheart?
One
SWEETHEART!
Freight Car
The Winter Soldier slumped back in the chair that still held him prisoner and the woman vanished in the hazy smoke that suddenly clouded his mind.
"Ready to comply."
End Part Two
