(Forgive me if I make any mistakes with the time zones around the world)

Plasma57: thank you

Ilikehats2: don't you remember the sound Peter makes throughout the show's episodes when things… go unexpectedly?

Chapter 21: Recon Mission

(The next day above the Black Sea a few hundred miles from the coastline)

It's 1:00 P.M. eastern time (6:00 A.M. western time), and Cap and his squad are almost at the mountain range. Among the group are some of the most experienced and skilled individuals of all the heroes. Cap had chosen his group from the ones he thought would do well in a militarized situation and if it came to a fight with the vampires before they could make their escape. The younger heroes were left back in NYC. While he did believe they have good hearts and will be great when they get older; he still stoke to his beliefs they weren't ready for this kind of fight.

'They're good kids, they just don't understand.' Cap sighed in his mind. "Something troubles you Captain?" Thor asked. "Just thinking Thor." Rogers replied. "Careful now, don't want to hurt yourself." Hawkeye chuckled. "Grah… Don't you ever shut up, bub?!" Wolverine snarled. "Easy with the breath, you might kill one of us." Hawkeye retorted as he covered his mouth and nose.

Wolverine got on his feet quickly and snarled as the claws came out. Hawkeye squeaked like a mouse in fear. Blade growled in annoyance at Clint's stupidity.

"Cap, what's the drill? Quick survey of the mountains? Or do we do a full on manhunt?" Red-Hulk asked. "In-between the two. We need to check-off area where Dracula wouldn't put his fortress at, but we also need to see if we can find any sign of recent, abnormal activity in the mountain range." Steve answered. "Then let's get down there." Hawkeye said. "First a quick sweep of the mountains. Rule out every place where Dracula wouldn't set up shop." Cap replied.

Blade snarled with annoyance at the plan. The others turned to him.

"We should be down there hunting Dracula and his vampire menace. Cut off the head of the snake." The dhampir hissed. "I chose you to come along because of your knowledge of vampire behavior and activity. I know some about vampirism, had to work with them back in the 40's. But you've… encountered them far longer than any of us." Cap calmly replied.

Blade grunted, but nodded. He realized they'd have to search carefully for the vampires. It was their best chance of finding them. After an hour of scanning the mountains they landed in an area which looked promising.

"What happens when when/if we find them?" Hawkeye asked. "Observe the surrounding area and study as much of what we see as we can. Then we head back and prepare for an attack." Cap answered. "They'll smell us coming from a mile or so away. How are we going to get close without them knowing?" Hawkeye said.

Hawkeye did have a point. Vampires have acute senses, their sense of smell one of the keenest. They can detect the smallest amount of blood from a great distance away. Their predatory abilities gave them these incredible gifts and abilities to hunt and survive.

"Leave that to me…" Blade said ominously.

(Outside the jet)

The recon squad walk outside of the jet. The look on Hawkeye's face wasn't a pleased expression.

"We never speak of this to anyone." Hawkeye hissed. "We'll have to do this when we bring the others. Now stay quiet and calm." Cap replied.

The group spread out about 20 ft. apart from one another. They scanned the woods carefully, sense sharp. Thor was the most… uncomfortable with the situation. He is an individual of action, not observation.

"Captain I am most confused to why you chose me to accompany you. I'm a warrior of battle. I don't play these games of hide-and-seek." Thor said. "You're one of our big guns, and you're the one of the only ones who is best suited for fighting vampires. They don't have much of an edge against you." Cap answered. "Well I know..." Thor started to boast before a gruff voice interjected, "Hey Goldilocks, shut your trap. We have to be careful here. Got it, bub?" "You dare insult the prince of Asgard!" Thor bellowed. "Shut up, bub!" Wolverine snarled.

Cap moved between the two, holding his hands out to stop the potential fight. They didn't need these two battling.

"Cut it you two. We need to stay focused." Cap said calmly, but the conviction in his voice made its presence known. "Cap, Blade's got something." Red-Hulk said.

The three men walked over to see Blade checking a decomposing deer carcass.

"So? It's a dead deer?" Hawkeye said. "I thought you had great eye-sight? Look closer." Blade scoffed as he held the animal's head to the side.

Then Clint saw it: four tooth marks in the animal's neck.

"Vampire." Blade deadpanned. "The deer died of natural causes, the animal's body is decomposing normally except for the loss of blood. This vamp feed on this guy after he died. Wait…" Logan grunted.

He inhaled the scents of the area. He recognized one of the smells.

"It's Webs. I can smell him. His scent is still similar to the way he was before becoming a vampire. I have his scent locked in." Logan explained. "That is… most disturbing…" Thor gagged. "Shut it. Come one, can track the scent." Wolverine snarled.

The group followed Wolverine as his nose honed in on Peter's scent. Blade was impressed; he hadn't met many individuals with Logan's skill-set. After about 15 minutes Logan stopped. Logan crawled into some bushes and the others followed suit.

"What is the meaning of this?" Thor grumbled. "Yeah, why do…" Hawkeye started to say, before his and Thor's mouths were covered by rough, strong hands.

Wolverine shushed them and nodded his head forward. Both avengers looked forward and their eyes widened with surprise. There they saw in the side of the mountain stood Dracula's fortress. The inner walls are impeded into the earthen giant.

"Whoa…" Red-Hulk gasped.

The mountain has to have been created centuries ago, because the outer walls are quite old. But they are well kept, meaning it's being occupied currently.

"Let's go." Blade said. "Not yet, look." Cap whispered as he pointed to the castle's entrance.

About 30-40 armed guards stand at the entrance and about the same amount patrol on the outer walls. But there was something off about these vampires. They didn't look like the bat-men the group knew, these looked human in appearance. But they also saw several human-looking individuals in civilian clothing walking into the castle; they had the same red eyes.

"Are those even vampires?" Hawkeye said as Wolverine released both him and Thor. "They have the red eyes and fangs. Strange… Dracula's the only vampire I've ever seen to look human." Cap replied. "It doesn't matter." Blade snarled. "That's enough out of you. Shut it, bub." Logan growled. "Come one, we have to head back." Cap said.

(Back in the jet)

The group took off quickly and started heading west.

"Captain America for Avengers' Tower." Cap said over his communicator.

A screen popped up on the jet's holographic communicator. A familiar face was there.

"We hear you Cap. Find it?" Iron Man said. "Did you find Peter?!" White Tiger screeched as she pushed Iron Man out of the way.

The recon squad could hear Stark cuss and yelp as he fell to the ground. All but Cap and Blade laughed at this. White Tiger's eyes narrowed with annoyance as she growled, awaiting an answer.

"We didn't find Peter. But we found where they're keeping him at. We'll tell everyone more when we get back." Cap answered. "Got it." Ava replied. "Jerk…" Stark mumbled in the background.

White Tiger's eyes narrowed with even more rage.

"This should be good." Wolverine chuckled. "W-W-Wai..." Stark couldn't finish as White Tiger lunged at him.

The squad could hear the blows landing and Stark's 'girly' screams of pain. This time, all of the squad laughed.

To be continued…