Winter Phoenix: HYDRA Is Your Place (A 2008-2012 Marvel Fanfiction)

VI: Первая миссия (First Mission)

October 2008. A quiet street in Vyatskoye, Russia.

Winter Phoenix/SA-8431's POV

I stood at the corner of the street, sipping the coffee, staring with watchful eyes at the street in front of me.

'How's the view from up on the roof, Winter?' I asked nonchalantly, adjusting my hairband. Across the street was my good friend from the Red Room, Viktri Karpov, the colonel's niece, cleaning her motorcycle near the Russian gas station. She had her sunglasses on, and kept her eyes on the road and her motorcycle at the same time.

'What do you see?' Winter asked, completely ignoring my question.

'Barely any cars. Where are you? What can you see?'

'One question at a time, Phoenix,' he scolded lightheartedly. 'And I've got a great view, thank you. On the roof to your right, two houses down.' I kept scanning the street carefully, then stole a glance to see Winter perched up there with a sniper gun, pointed at the street. 'What are we looking for, Viktri?' I heard Winter ask. She spoke soon after.

'A green car, probably American-imported. They'd have two bodyguards on them, plus the driver. The payload is most likely in the back of the vehicle.'

'You don't think the target would have the payload on them, Viktri?' I asked.

'Maybe. There's a high chance that would happen.'

'We need to be prepared for that, in the event that that is the case.'

'To beg the question,' Winter asked, 'why are we speaking in English?'

'This small town only speaks Russian. We speak in English, they won't know what we're up to. Russian government doesn't even know we're up to this. Best to keep it that way. Secretive. Clandestine, if you will,' Viktri replied. I laughed as I kept surveying the street.

'Alright, guys, keep your eyes peeled. That car's bound to come up somewhere.' Just then a green car drove straight past me. I spied the license plate. 'Definitely American. They've got the payload on them. Winter, take the driver out.' I heard the subtle shot of the sniper, thanks to my advanced hearing and the vehicle spun wildly and crashed on the other side of the road, taking another car out with it. There was chaos in the next few minutes, though I was well acquainted to it. I began walking up the street, then saw a young man get out with the payload in his arms. With his bodyguard, they climbed on a motorbike. Taking my pistol out from the waistband of my jeans, I aimed and fired at the wheel of the motorcycle. It popped and the small vehicle spun out and crashed. Shrugging off my jacket, I walked towards the crashed motorcycle, gun in hand, my black HYDRA gear fully showing. People were screaming and running all over the place, yelling in Russian, but I barely noticed the ensuing chaos. Winter joined me at my side and we came up to the two.

They tried to run away, but I grabbed the bodyguard by the collar, motioning for Winter to move around to the target, grab the payload, and kill him. He did so with ease, snapping his neck with his metal hand.

'What are you?' the man asked in English. I threw him up against a car.

'Вы бы хорошо, чтобы не бороться. Это бесполезно (You would do well to not struggle. It is futile),' I replied darkly in Russian, gripping the man's collar with a gloved hand. He struggled, his face white with fear. I leaned closer to him, my lips just grazing his neck. 'Какой твой предпочтительный метод смерти (What is your preferred method of death)?'

'What are you?' was all the man could choke out as he stared at me with wide eyes. Of course the idiot couldn't understand me. I glared deeply into his eyes. Then I released my hold and threw him on the street.

'I'm growing impatient. Talk. Now. Or the last thing you will see will be my gun pointed at your head,' I growled in English.

'You don't know what you're dealing with. The papers in that briefcase - they have information on a serum. One that can turn people into nightmare creatures. Werewolves, vampires, creatures of the night.' I picked him up with one hand and dragged him to the car and thrust him up against it again.

'I think I do know what I'm dealing with.'

'Who are you?'

'A monster,' I replied, giving a small smile. Raising my gun, I shot him. He fell to the ice-covered road, dark red blood staining the snow like paint. I tucked my gun away as a motorcycle rolled up behind us. Viktri stood and taking off her helmet, she signalled for Winter to get his motorcycle. He replied with just a curt nod and ran off to get it, first giving the payload to me. Viktri came to me, her helmet tucked under her arm.

'It's done?' she asked.

'Yes. It is. His last words were confusing, though. He said something about a nightmare serum, something that could - change people. Into mythical creatures, like werewolves.'

'That's astounding.' I opened my mouth to say more, but then Winter rolled up with his motorcycle, his sniper gun strapped to his back. He inclined his head, and I knew what he meant. Giving the case to Viktri, I climbed on the motorcycle behind the Winter Soldier. Wrapping my arms around his waist, he drove off as Viktri trailed behind us on her motorcycle.