2014

Sokovia

HYDRA Research Base

Lower Basement Level

(Dr. Whitehall POV)

"I am death," The Armored Figure intoned, his words dripping with a macabre sense of finality. "And I've come to collect what is owed."

The tension in the air was palpable as his gruff, modulated voice reverberated through the dimly lit corridor and hung over me like a shroud.

The flickering beam of my flashlight revealed only a glimpse of his ominous form advancing with an eerie grace that sent a shiver down my spine. As he drew nearer, the figure's crimson eyes seemed to glow brighter, as the lines in the suit of his armor began to lightly pulse with the same crimson glow, as though eager to penetrate the darkness and reveal his terrifying visage.

My heart pounded in my chest as the facade of control I was trying to project was slowly shattering in the face of this enigmatic threat. My hand trembled as I struggled to keep the flashlight steady, the weak beam casting long, distorted shadows on the walls.

The Armored Figure's words and aura had ignited a primal fear within me, one that I had never experienced before. The notion of death personified, of reckoning for my actions, chilled me to my core.

I was a scientist, a man of intellect and calculation, and yet at this moment, I felt utterly powerless.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" I stammered, my voice cracking as I tried to assert authority that was rapidly slipping away. "Do you even know who you're messing with?! This place is under HYDRA's protection!!"

The Armored Figure's response was a cold chuckle that seemed to echo through the corridor, mocking my feeble attempts to assert control.

"Protection? Is that what you call this?" he retorted, his voice dripping with derision. "I've infiltrated your facility, slaughtered my way through the throng of ants you call guards, and just killed one of your most powerful agents... Safe to say your notion of 'protection' is nothing more than a delusion."

"S-stay back!" I managed to croak, my voice shaky as I registered his words and took a step backward.

What the hell is going on here!! I was supposed to be the one in control, the one orchestrating everything to MY advantage. But in the face of this relentless...thing! All my carefully laid plans felt like paper in a hurricane.

The armored figure's steps remained unhurried, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that sent a chill down my spine. The atmosphere grew heavy with a sense of impending doom, and despite my attempts to assert authority, I felt a growing sense of powerlessness well up inside me with each heavy step he took.

Beside me, Pietro tightened his grip on Wanda's restraints, his tense posture revealing a mixture of fear and strain.

He remained silent, his vacant gaze shifting between the figure and me, torn between his programmed loyalty to me and an undeniable awareness of the overwhelming danger.

Wanda's attention, however, remained riveted on the armored figure. Her scarlet eyes shimmered with a mix of fascination and trepidation, as a strange dazed look overtook her face.

As the Armored Figure drew closer, his presence seemed to make the air crackle with a charged energy, and a feeling of inevitability settled over me like a suffocating blanket.

"L-look, whoever you are...there's no reason we need to resort to violence!" I shouted, my voice wavering but desperate. "I have connections, resources! I can offer you anything you desire..."

The Armored Figure's steps halted for a moment, and I dared to hope that my words had struck a chord, that perhaps negotiation would be possible.

But then a low, almost mocking chuckle reverberated within the confines of his helmet.

It was a sound that sent a shiver down my spine, for it carried an air of indifference, as if my pleas were nothing more than the desperate cries of a trapped animal.

"Anything I desire?" his voice resonated, laced with an eerie calmness that seemed to amplify the weight of his words. "Like what, doctor? Money? Power? Security? Maybe even a high-ranking position within your damnable organization?"

His scornful laughter echoed throughout the corridor, seeming to mock my very attempt at persuasion.

It was clear that he wasn't listening to me anymore, and there was nothing else to be said. The Armored Figure's unflinching gaze made it plain that he had already reached the conclusion of our conflict.

I was cornered, and my options were limited. Though I was loathe to waste him here, I knew that my only viable course of action was to use the only weapon I had at my disposal—my mutant pawn.

My fingers tightened around the small remote that was connected to Pietro's cybernetic attachments, a desperate idea forming in my mind.

The Armored Figure's appearance might have sent my carefully crafted plans into disarray, but I wasn't going to just let this be the end of my story.

"Pietro," I hissed, my voice a mix of anxiety and determination. "Kill Him! Now!!"

The words left my lips with a frenzied urgency, driven by the surge of adrenaline and a desperate need to regain control of the situation. Pietro's loyalty to me had been meticulously ingrained, his programming compelling him to obey my commands without question.

With a flicker of motion, Pietro moved. In an instant, he released his hold of Wanda's restraints, his movements a blur as he charged toward the Armored Figure with incredible speed. The sound of his footsteps was like a rapid drumbeat, echoing through the corridor.

The Armored Figure's gaze shifted from me to Pietro, his stance unwavering.

He seemed unimpressed by Pietro's rapid approach, his reaction time surprisingly swift for someone encased in such heavy armor as his glowing orbs followed the blur of movement as if tracking a predictable path.

*Crack!!*

Pietro moved with a momentum that belied his lanky frame, his lightning-fast fists striking the figure's chest with a resounding crack, but to my astonishment, the impact barely seemed to register. The Figure's armor absorbed the blow with almost casual ease, his body unwavering despite the force of Pietro's attack.

Pietro, on the other hand, staggered back a few steps, his expression of shock mirroring mine as he raised his now bloody and disfigured hand in disbelief. It was clear that the blow had done more damage to him than his opponent, as the bones in his hand were obviously fractured from the impact.

"Impossible!!" I exclaimed, my voice a mixture of astonishment and horror. Pietro's inhuman speed was supposed to make him a formidable asset...but this Armored bastard had withstood his blow without even flinching.

"Is that the best you can do?" he taunted, his voice carrying a note of mockery as his armored hand shot forward in a blur of motion, almost catching Pietro off guard.

But Pietro was alert, reacting with admirable speed as he ducked to the side, avoiding the fatal strike that would have crushed his skull. Still, the air behind the force of the blow sent him staggering across the floor as he quickly regained his balance and moved back cautiously.

The speedster's movements slowed as he reeled from the realization that his attack had been rendered almost ineffective against the formidable armor of the Figure.

Pietro's vacant eyes flicked between me and the Armored Figure, his expression a mix of confusion and fear. The reality of the situation seemed to be dawning on him, the realization that his enhanced abilities were inadequate against this new threat.

The armored visage tilted slightly, his gaze shifting to Pietro's bloodied hand as he spoke. "Just lay down...you're not strong enough to beat me."

As the Invader's words hung in the air, my heart pounded in my chest as I realized that my last attempt to regain control of this situation had failed. The fact was a bitter pill to swallow, the taste of defeat leaving a sour tang on my tongue.

But I wasn't one to admit defeat easily. I had manipulated the course of countless world events, orchestrated the deaths of millions of people, and I wouldn't let it all crumble in an instant. I had one last card to play, and I was determined to see it through.

With a mixture of desperation and calculated resolve, I made a split-second decision.

As the Figure's attention remained focused on Pietro, I fumbled for the chain of Wanda's restraints on the ground and pulled her back into the fray, making sure that she was between me and the armored opponent.

Wanda's scarlet gaze flicked toward me, but quickly moved back to the ongoing battle as she watched with wide listless eyes.

"Come with me, Wanda!" I urged, my voice laced with urgency as I struggled to pull her back toward the escape hatch. "We need to get out of here!"

Wanda's scarlet gaze remained fixed on the Figure, her eyes shimmering with a complex blend of emotions as she ignored my hard tugs on the chain.

I reached out and grabbed her arm, my fingers closing around her wrist with a tight grip that dug into her soft skin. But as I tried to drag her away, I felt a sudden surge of resistance from her body as she pulled and jerked her arm away from my touch.

She turned her head toward me and her scarlet eyes bore into mine, her gaze intense as she wrenched her arm out of my grasp.

"No," she whispered, her voice tinged with a strange, otherwordly determination. "I...I can't leave...I still need to understand."

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Frustration and anger flared within me at her nonsensical blabber and show of defiance, and I tightened my hold on her leash and yanked on it hard, causing her to stumble backward as she resisted the pull.

"Don't you ever say no to me you little bitch!" I insisted, trying to keep up my act so that she'd fall under my sway. "If you don't want to get hurt you'll—"

*Crash!*

A sudden loud noise rang out in the enclosed space, startling both of us as we returned our focus to the fight that was unfolding just a few feet away.

Pietro's swift movements and the Figure's powerful blows had created a frenzied dance of violence, a clash of strength and speed that seemed to defy the laws of nature. Pietro's fists moved with a frenetic energy, striking out at blurring speeds, while the Figure's armored limbs moved with precision and force.

But despite Pietro's remarkable agility and speed, it was clear that he was struggling to land a significant blow against his armored opponent. The Figure's movements were calculated and efficient, each strike aimed at the fraction of a second when Pietro slowed to attack.

The speedster zig-zagged around the figure before instantly appearing at his side and throwing a punch at his mid-section. But, in a split second, the Figure's armored gauntlet shot forward, gripping Pietro's remaining hand and squeezing it with an inhuman strength.

"Aaaarrrghh!!!" Pietro's expression twisted with pain as a guttural cry escaped his lips, and his struggles intensified as he tried to break free from the Figure's vice-like grip.

I watched with a mixture of fear and anticipation as the Figure's other hand, the one not restraining Pietro, slowly repositioned itself, fingers curling into a fist as it glowed with a faint but growing crimson energy.

And then, with a sudden, explosive burst of power, the Figure's fist struck Pietro's chest, releasing a shockwave of force that sent him hurtling through the air, crashing into the concrete wall with a sickening thud.

*Crash!*

Pietro collided with the wall with a bone-jarring impact, a spray of blood accompanying his collision as his body crumpled to the ground, his breath ragged and his body clearly battered and broken. He struggled to push himself up, his movements sluggish as he fought to regain his footing.

"Pietro!" Wanda's voice rang out, her cry filled with anguish and desperation as she watched her brother's prone form. She tried to run toward him, but I pulled her back by the leash of the chain, making sure to keep her as a shield between me at that Armored Monster.

The Armored Figure approached the fallen Pietro with measured steps, his crimson eyes fixed on his prey. Pietro's vacant gaze flicked up to meet the Figure's, a mixture of pain and defiance in his eyes.

"Stay down," the Figure intoned, his voice devoid of emotion. "It's over."

Pietro's response was a stubborn glare as he weakly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Despite the odds, he seemed determined to continue fighting, his artificial loyalty and machinelike sense of duty propelling him forward even in the face of overwhelming defeat.

The Armored Figure's response was a sigh, an almost weary expression crossing his skeletal visage. With a sudden motion, he raised his gauntleted fist, crimson energy crackling between the edges of the dark metal as he prepared to deliver a final, devastating blow to Pietro.

"Don't!!!"

Just as the Armored Figure's hand began to descend, a powerful surge of energy radiated through the corridor, the air itself seeming to vibrate with an otherworldly force. The Armored Figure paused mid-motion, his gaze shifting from Pietro to the source of this new energy.

"Don't...Please don't kill him!" Wanda's voice echoed through the corridor, her tone carrying a weight of desperation that seemed to cut through the tension like a blade.

Her scarlet eyes blazed with a newfound fire as she took a step forward, her stance firm and unwavering even as I kept my shaky hold of the other end of the now rigid chain.

The words hung in the air, a command that seemed to carry an elemental force, a resonance that echoed through the very fabric of reality. The Armored Figure froze in place, his crimson eyes widening ever so slightly as he turned his gaze to Wanda. And, for the first time since his appearance here, he seemed to look at her, truly look at her, as if just now noticing her for the first time.

She stood there, her scarlet eyes locked onto the Figure, her presence exuding a sense of power as held up her pale face, which was caked in filth and blood.

The air seemed to crackle with energy as the two of them stared at each other, their eyes burning with different but eerily similar shades of crimson and scarlet.

The energy that had enveloped the corridor began to swirl around them, a maelstrom of crimson and scarlet that defied explanation. The two forces clashed and melded, creating an aura of tension that seemed to draw the very air between them.

The Figure's armor seemed to almost resonate with the energy that radiated from Wanda, a harmonious symphony of power that defied comprehension.

Time seemed to stand still, the weight of the moment stretching out into eternity as their eyes were locked in an intense exchange, a silent conversation conducted that only they could understand.

In that brief, suspended moment, the Armored Figure's aura of invincibility wavered, his defenses momentarily lowered as his gaze met Wanda's. It was a look that held a myriad of emotions—recognition, uncertainty, and a glimmer of something deeper that defied explanation.

And then, just as abruptly as it had begun, the moment shattered. The Figure's crimson eyes flickered, his stance shifting imperceptibly as he stepped back, his attention finally moving away from Wanda.

A sense of awe washed over me as I watched this unprecedented exchange, a realization dawning on me that there might be a history between these two enigmatic beings that I could barely fathom... but maybe I could use it to my advantage.

Pulling my thoughts back to the current situation, I watched as the Armored Figure returned his gaze toward Wanda's and, with a slight nod of his head, he acknowledged her plea, his movements deliberate as he stepped away from the fallen Pietro and began to walk past him toward Wanda and me.

I inched back at his approach, trying to pull Wanda back with me but she stood her ground, her scarlet eyes locked onto the approaching Armored Figure.

Her stance remained resolute, a mix of determination and apprehension emanating from her as the maelstrom of energy that had enveloped the corridor began to fade around them.

As the Figure drew closer, I felt a renewed surge of panic and desperation. My carefully crafted plans were crumbling before me, and I was being rendered obsolete by the very forces I had sought to control. I couldn't allow this to happen—I needed to regain control of the situation, to assert my authority.

"S-stop!" I shouted, my voice cracking with a mix of rage and fear. "D-don't come any closer! She's under my control!!"

The Armored Figure's steps paused for a moment, and I seized the opportunity, my fingers fumbling with the remote control that connected to Pietro's cybernetic attachments. With a press of a button, a surge of electrical energy coursed through Pietro's body, his cybernetic enhancements activating with a jolt.

Pietro's body convulsed, his limbs spasming as the cybernetic components overrode his nervous system, forcing him to his feet and driving him forward in a jerky, unnatural manner. He moved toward the Figure, his movements stiff and mechanical, a puppet controlled by my will.

The Armored Figure's gaze shifted to Pietro, his crimson eyes narrowing with a mix of recognition, as if he could see through the facade and could sense the manipulation I was trying to play.

"No!" Wanda's voice rang out again, this time with an even stronger command, her power pulsating through the corridor like a shockwave. The dark scarlet energy swirling around her wanting to be released and used, but was luckily being stopped by the mutant gene inhibitor I built into her restraints.

Pietro's struggles increased, his body shaking violently as he fought against the technology that held him in check. But it was clear that the cybernetic enhancements that coursed through Pietro's body were gradually overcoming his natural mental resistance as his broken and limp body struggled to move on it's on.

The Armored Figure's glowing crimson eyes shifted between Me, Wanda, and Pietro, his expression an enigma that I couldn't decipher. It was as if he was processing something, weighing his options, and considering the implications of this unexpected turn of events.

The Armored Figure remained silent for a moment, his gaze flickering between the three of us. His crimson eyes landed on Wanda's for a moment, and then he turned toward me. A brief, tense silence ensued as his piercing gaze bore into me and I felt paralyzed by his penetrating stare.

"Ha...haha..Hahaha," The armored figure finally broke the silence, as he began to laugh to himself, amusement evident in the deep chuckle that rang out through the corridor, the sound jarring and strange coming from such an inhuman mouth.

"What a joke..." He stated before exploding forward in a blur of motion that left me staring after him in a daze.

He was upon me in the blink of an eye, his heavy gauntleted hand reaching forth and crushing the remote while I still clutched it in my hand.

*Bones Crunching!!*

"Aaaaaarrrgggghhhhh!" I shrieked, feeling as though my arm was being crushed in a press as both the remote and the bones in my hand were disintegrated into dust.

The Armored Figure didn't stop there, however. He grabbed my neck with his other hand, squeezing it painfully tight. He lifted me off the ground, his grip making my lungs burn with exertion as he held me aloft with ease.

"Ahhh...aaghh!" I gasped, struggling to break free from his powerful grasp.

His cold gaze burned with crimson light as he looked down at me, seemingly unconcerned about the fact that he was holding my struggling body in the air.

I struggled to speak, but the pressure on my throat prevented me from doing so.

At that moment, all I wanted was to get away from him as fast as possible. Even though I knew that I wasn't strong enough to escape him, the idea of struggling in vain against him seemed preferable to remaining here.

My brain processed that information as I desperately tried to formulate a plan, desperate to find a way out of this place and far away from this Monster!

"You know...this would almost be funny if you weren't so fucking pathetic." He said, shaking his head and letting go of me.

"Nnng!" I grunted, a blast of heat and pain washing over me as I slammed into the cold stone floor face first, my head ringing and my vision swam for a moment before returning to focus as I fought to take in a breath.

I lay there for a moment, dazed and disoriented, before pushing myself up onto my elbow and rolling over onto my back.

My eyes widened in horror as I saw the Armored Figure standing above me, his crimson eyes gleaming with maniacal glee.

"You didn't think we were done, did you?" he hissed, his voice cold and emotionless.

Before I could respond, his armored foot came down on my chest, the weight of it pressing against me with a force that made my ribs creak and my breath catch in my throat.

Agony shot through my body as I struggled to draw in air, my vision blurring with the pain and pressure.

His boot pinned me to the ground, and I could feel the suffocating weight of his presence as he loomed over me. My heart raced in panic as the bones of my ribs creaked eerily under the slow force of his heavy boot, and a sense of helplessness washed over me, the realization that my power and influence meant nothing in the face of this overwhelming force.

His armored hands reached down, fingers curling around my throat with a grip that threatened to crush the life out of me. His eyes bore into mine, looking at me as if the insignificance of my existence was a bother to him.

"Not yet...Still not enough," he murmured to himself, his words a chilling promise that sent a shiver down my spine.

As the pressure on my chest and throat increased, my vision began to blur, and the world around me seemed to fade into darkness. My struggle against his iron grip was futile, and the reality of my impending demise sank in.

But just as the edges of consciousness were beginning to slip away, he let go of me abruptly. The release was so unexpected that I gasped for breath, my body convulsing as I drew in ragged gulps of air. I lay on the cold concrete, my chest heaving, feeling the sweat that had gathered on my brow mingling with the grit of the floor beneath me.

As I struggled to regain my senses, I saw the Armored Figure step back, his crimson eyes still locked onto me, a mixture of disdain and something else that I couldn't quite place.

With a final glance in my direction, the Armored Figure's presence seemed to diminish, his aura of power retracting like a fading storm. The maelstrom of energy that had surrounded him began to recede, tendrils of crimson light retreating like tendrils of mist before the dawn.

The Figure's armor seemed to shift, the chilling hum of power that had been a constant undercurrent quieting as the crimson glow that had pulsed within its lines dimmed. Slowly, piece by piece, the skeletal helmet around his head began to retract, receding into the back of the suit.

As the helmet retracted, the face that emerged was not the visage of a grotesque monster or a soulless machine like I was expecting, but that of a young man...one with a familiar face that sent a shockwave of realization through me.

The rugged features, hardened expression, and hazel eyes that held a cold determination—all of it coalesced into the image of someone I had once known, someone I had trained...someone I had thought was supposed to be dead.

"B-brock Rumlow?" I whispered, my voice tinged with a mix of astonishment and dread.

Brock Rumlow's lips curved into a humorless smile, the expression a blend of amusement and something darker that lurked beneath the surface. He looked down at me, the weight of his gaze causing a chill to crawl down my spine.

"Dr. Whitehall," he spoke, his voice low and raspy, carrying an air of authority that made it clear he was not a mere pawn in this game anymore. "It's been a while."

**********

A/n: Hey guys, I hope you are enjoying the story so far, and as always, thanks for reading!

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