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

XVI: SHIELD

December 2010. Arlington, Virginia. 

Third Person POV

'Director, the Winter Soldier and the Winter Phoenix were just spotted in Berlin,' Agent Romanoff said, placing a photo that a security camera took of the two on Director Fury's desk. 

'But why were they there?' 

'Taking out a high-profile target. They've been blending in, surprisingly well. It's taken at least several months to get a good look at them.'

'When was the last time we had a look at the Winter Soldier?' 

'1991, I think. The assassination of the Starks.' Just then something on the Director's phone beeped, and he looked at it, mutely showing it to Agent Romanoff. 

'It seems as if you were right, about the target. A high-ranking Berlin government official was found dead in his apartment - along with multiple bottles of whiskey.'

'So he drank himself to death,' Romanoff assumed. 

'Quite the opposite. Drinking was a part of it, but he had several lacerations, all inflicted from knives, and a bullet wound to the head. Single shot, the doctors in autopsy retrieved a 9mm bullet.' 

'They wanted something from him.' 

'He had several files of interest, all of them pertaining to human trafficking. The Winter Soldier and his partner took them.' 

'Why human trafficking? Surely HYDRA has no interest.'

'Of normal people, no. But these were enhanced, Agent Romanoff. All born with different powers, stolen at a young age - these are the kind of people, no, children, that HYDRA wants as soldiers for their experiments. The safe that the files were locked in contained a combination code, of five numbers. Judging by the lacerations, one of them tortured him for the code, then killed him.' 

'Were there prints on the knife?' the young female agent asked. 

'No. It's clear they wore leather gloves, and they covered their tracks superbly well. It is just as well they were seen on camera, otherwise they would have been ghosts again. Well done, Agent Romanoff.'

'Thank you, sir,' she said, a mild blush crossing her cheeks as she looked down, not used to Director Fury's lavish praise of her work. 

'Anything else you can find about these two - ghosts, Agent Romanoff, would be extremely helpful.' 

'I'll look into it, sir,' she said softly. 

'I know you won't let me down.' She turned and went to leave the room, shutting the door soon after. 

Time skip 

'Director! Agent Romanoff! We found something.' The two of them strode into the examination room. 

'What is it?' the Director asked, his voice sharp. 

'We found something. A strand of hair.' Agent Romanoff frowned, peering at the long single strand of dark brown hair. 'It's not his, is it?' she asked. 

'No,' the lead scientist said, coming towards them, cleaning his hands with sanitiser. 'At first, that's what we thought it was. We were wrong. The DNA, it's - just have a look.' They came over to a computer screen, and on it showed the DNA results. 

MATCH FOUND

ADELAIDE RUBY PEARSON-LEHNSHERR-XAVIER

AGE: CURRENTLY UNKNOWN

STATUS: DECEASED

'It says she's dead,' Agent Romanoff said. She noticed a presence behind her and turned to see Agent Clint Barton behind her, his arms crossed, studying the DNA sample like a hawk. The two of them had been friends ever since Budapest, and being involved in the case of the Winter Soldier and the Winter Phoenix helped grow their relationship quite a lot.

'But you spotted her in Berlin, didn't you?'

'Look, Agents Romanoff and Barton, if she's really alive, we don't want anyone to know. Not yet. I wouldn't put it past HYDRA though to give Adelaide Lehnsherr a place in their ranks alongside their signature asset. She's a mutant, and her father is one of the most powerful in the world. How long has she been active, Agent Barton?'

'Two years. She was admitted to the George Washington Hospital in 1991 for suspected brain damage. She was comatose. In 2008, she just - up and disappeared. No one knows where she went.'

'Any footage, Agent Romanoff?'

'None, sir. The footage was wiped completely.'

'When did the disappearing occur?'

'Ten pm at night, sir,' Agent Barton replied.

'HYDRA would pull a stunt like that. But why wait until 2008 to kidnap her?'

'Maybe they were waiting for the vigilance of the X-Men to grow slack,' Agent Barton replied. 'Her husband had been visiting her for years, and he always got Doctor McCoy to check the surveillance. Her father was also quite watchful of her as well.'

'Someone must have paid off the doctors and nurses watching her to lend a blind eye to the kidnapping.'

'HYDRA would have,' Agent Romanoff mused. 'They've seen the strength of the mutant race for years. She's the most powerful of them all, asides from Jean Grey. After all, the two both internalised the Phoenix Force. Perhaps that's why she was named the Winter Phoenix.'

'It is exactly why, Agent Romanoff,' Director Fury said. 'I'll assign the two of you on this case. Find what you can, talk to whoever you can, get any information you need, at any cost. We have to find out what HYDRA means to keep doing with the Winter Phoenix and her partner. I'll have to assign a mole to HYDRA's ranks, to see the Winter Phoenix herself, wherever she's being trained.' 

'Yes, sir,' the two said, and left the room. The Director heard the click of shoes. 

'How's Lola?' he asked, without even turning. 

'She's fine,' Agent Coulson said. He spoke to the Director. 'Sir, do you think tracking HYDRA is the right idea?'

'I need answers,' Director Fury said. 'Adelaide Lehnsherr is something we have not seen or comprehended since the most powerful mutants were born. She's an asset, to both sides. I'm assigning a mole to HYDRA's ranks. They'll never know.'

'No, sir, they won't. But if HYDRA catches on - we may never get a good view of the Winter Soldier and his partner again. They'll take more precautions to not be struck out.' 

'I know, Coulson. But it's our only shot. I've put Romanoff and Barton on this, to find out whatever they can about HYDRA's two favorite soldiers.' 

'Agent Romanoff once belonged to the Red Room, and HYDRA and the Red Room have been seen closing several deals between each other, based on intel from Russia. Most of them having to do with the kidnapping and capture of teenage girls, even girls as young as three. Do you really think it's a good idea getting her back near the Red Room?' 

'I don't think she'll have to be anywhere near there. Agent Barton will protect her as much as he can. They will be fine. They won't even have to do much field work. Just investigating. And I'll send the mole to HYDRA.' 

'We don't even know where the Winter Phoenix and her Soldier are stationed.' 

'We'll find out soon enough, Agent Coulson!' Director Fury called out as he turned around and left the room, black leather trenchcoat swinging behind him.