Chapter 10 – Dead Circle, 2011

Rhodey looked at the HUD as a question mark appeared and the words "Unknown Caller" appeared in red letters in front of him.

"Colonel?" Black Widow's voice said.

"Widow." Rhodey replied, minimising the blank caller I.D. to the bottom left of the screen above the GPS. He glanced down at the ground below him and saw he was passing over Marbella. He knew this was Marbella because the name glowed softly at the top of the GPS map.

"How successful was your mission?"

Rhodey frowned, "Well I'm in the suit, passing over the south of Spain and the Mediterranean sea." He informed her.

"Did anyone standing in your way?"

"Yes." Was all Rhodey replied.

There was a pause in the conversation, and Rhodey flew lower, skimming along the ocean.

"Do you know where the Arctic Circle is?"

"Of course." Rhodey snapped.

He could almost hear Widow rolling her eyes. "Head there. We'll find you." She said and the call died.

Rhodey rolled his eyes and barrel rolled, turning to the left to head North-East across Italy, turning the afterburners on with a simple command to Y.A.R.V.I.S.

Soon enough Rhodey touched down on the snowy plains of the Arctic Circle. He looked around, but it was hard to make anything out with the snow whipping around him constantly, even thermal vision was having a hard time since it was so cold. He looked around, and activated the flamethrower on his left gauntlet, but it had little effect.

Even though he had a clock on the HUD of the armour, he found himself losing track of time as he used the GPS system to navigate his way across to the half-rusted-out shells of Soviet submarines. He looked at them through the faceplates eye's with a degree of sadness. He wondered if Tony had ever thought about rusting as a factor in the armour he now wore.

He looked up and around when he heard something, and saw some form of aircraft approaching through the snow; the shape loomed up upon him through the thick clouds of snow, and he brought his gauntlets up, activating the minigun on his shoulder. He heard the whirring of the gun faintly as he narrowed his eyes at the craft, thinking it to be of S.H.I.E.L.D. ownership.

He continued to watch the craft until it touched down into the snow, and a staircase descended from the rear of the shuttle and then Widow appeared, walking down the ramp towards him. Rhodey sighed inaudibly and lowered his weapons.

"You had no trouble getting here?" Widow asked him as she pulled at her coat.

"No. Why are we here?" Rhodey asked, changing the subject.

Widow rolled her eyes, "This ground is Soviet soil. S.H.I.E.L.D. has no power here. Plus this is a dead zone." She explained, "We would like to welcome you, Colonel Rhodes, to Hydra."

Rhodey blinked, then laughed, but what Widow heard was more like a mechanical grinding.

"Hydra? You mean that fantasy organisation dreamt up with the Captain America bullshit we're fed as kids in the US?" he said, "Yeah right, sweetheart."

"Hydra is very real, Colonel." Widow said flatly, "Our leader has noticed you, and would like to welcome you into Hydra, we can give you anything you want, even more power than you have now." She said seductively.

Rhodey's ears perked up at this. "I want new armour." Rhodey said, the faceplate sliding up to reveal his face as they walked up onto the craft. Rhodey stopped her as they reached the door, and he pinned her easily to the metal wall. "And you." He said darkly, his voice and eyes burning with lust for the foreign redhead.

Widow looked up at him, "What is it you want to do, Rhodes?" she asked, and rolled her eyes when a sick smirk rolled onto Rhodey's face. "I mean...with your power."

"I want to make Tony Stark suffer. I want to destroy all hope that he and the rest of America have." He asked.

"I think we can help you," Widow said, her lips brushing against Rhodey's.