Chapter 47
The Triskelion comes alive with the arrival of the World Security Council members. Each one receives a badge of privilege, a talisman that unlocks every door within the colossal edifice. They convene in the austere comfort of Pierce's office, oblivious to the tumult about to unfold.
Simultaneously, Rogers, Wilson, and Hill are on their own covert mission within the Triskelion, stealthily seizing control of its communication grid. Rogers steps forward, his voice resonating through the labyrinthine building. He unveils the rot within their ranks, the malignant HYDRA presence led by Pierce, with their sinister plans for Project Insight.
The echo of his revelations is still lingering when Rumlow and his men storm into the control room, their menacing presence aimed at one person - Cameron Klein. The air thickens with tension as they demand the launch of the Helicarriers. But resistance blooms unexpectedly as Agent 13 steps up, sparking a fierce firefight in her bid to thwart their mission. Yet despite the chaos and the bullets flying, Rumlow is relentless, achieving his goal - the Helicarriers roar to life, casting ominous shadows as they ascend into the air.
As the chaos of Rogers' revelation and Agent 13's intervention tore through the Triskelion, Nina found herself drawing the attention of HYDRA operatives. Their eyes were locked on her, a formidable opponent amidst the fray, a beacon in the storm.
"Try to keep up," Nina quipped to the nearest group of HYDRA operatives, an almost sly grin on her face despite the gravity of the situation. The remark served its purpose - the soldiers charged, their fear drowned in a wave of adrenaline and fury.
Nina's movements were a blur of precision and power, her suit humming with an almost electric energy as she danced amongst her adversaries. Each punch was calculated, each kick a carefully measured blow, cutting through the air and sending HYDRA soldiers sprawling. Despite the overwhelming numbers, she held her ground, her fighting style a symphony of movement, strength, and strategy. Her presence was a distraction, a potent diversion drawing HYDRA's focus from the more critical objectives at play.
Amidst the punches and parries, the grunts and clangs of battle, there was an underlying rhythm to Nina's movements - a dance of survival, a ballet of combat. She was a force to be reckoned with, a storm in the midst of chaos.
Meanwhile, in Pierce's office, the tension was almost palpable. The air was thick with anticipation, the weight of secrets and lies hanging heavy in the room. Romanoff and Fury were on high alert, their weapons trained on Pierce, their faces hardened masks of determination.
Pierce's hand was steady as he activated his device, triggering the fatal devices on the council members' badges. Fury and Romanoff could only watch in shock as the council members fell one by one, their lives snuffed out in an instant. The room was filled with a grim silence, the only sound the quiet hum of machinery, a chilling testament to Pierce's ruthlessness.
This was their reality, a world entangled in a web of deceit and corruption. And as Nina fought, as Romanoff and Fury faced off against Pierce, they were all painfully aware of the truth - their battle was far from over.
The looming shadow of the Insight Helicarriers, armed and deadly, cast a chilling pall over the Triskelion. Linked with satellites and armed with Zola's algorithm, they started scanning for targets, millions of innocents unknowingly under their crosshairs. Amidst this chilling crescendo, Rogers, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, manages to plant the final chip in the nick of time, altering their deadly trajectories towards each other. A cascade of destruction ensues, each Helicarrier turning its firepower onto the others, shooting each other out of the sky.
Pierce, witnessing the calamitous downfall of his machinations, brandishes the device on the security badge. His sinister intent - to force Romanoff to fly him out of the crumbling Triskelion. Romanoff, however, shocks him with a surprising move, activating a Taser Disk on herself. The jolt temporarily short-circuits the device, providing Fury with a narrow window of opportunity, which he takes, shooting Pierce dead.
All the while, Wilson grapples with Rumlow amidst the chaos, a violent ballet unfolding on the 41st floor. The crashing Helicarrier sends shockwaves through the Triskelion, forcing Wilson to make a daring escape, leaping out of the window. Fury, Romanoff, and Nina, having regrouped, swoop in at the nick of time, catching him in mid-fall.
Meanwhile, Rogers and Barnes continue their desperate struggle in the increasingly unstable chamber, caught in the Helicarriers' deadly crossfire. Exhausted, Rogers makes a heartfelt plea to Barnes, echoing the words his old friend had said to him decades ago, "I'm with you 'til the end of the line." Overcome, he slips into unconsciousness and plummets into the water below, only to be pulled out by Barnes, who then vanishes into the chaos.
Rumlow, trapped under rubble, is later shown being treated by medics. When Rogers regains consciousness, the world around him has changed. S.H.I.E.L.D. lies in tatters, its structure undermined by HYDRA. Fury has disappeared, shedding all signs of his former identity, replacing his iconic eyepatch with nondescript sunglasses. To the world, he is dead, and Rogers is instructed to keep it that way.
Meanwhile, Romanoff faces a Congressional hearing at the United States Capitol, surrounded by high-ranking members of the United States Department of Defense. The question on everyone's lips: who was the architect of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s downfall?
"I wasn't responsible," Romanoff responds to their accusations, her face resolute. "But I was a part of it. And for that, I hold myself accountable. But, you must understand, S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA... it's not as black and white as you believe."
Rogers, listening from afar, couldn't help but agree. The events of the past days had proven that nothing was as simple as it seemed. With a sigh, he turned away, resolved to face whatever challenges lay ahead. After all, he was a soldier. But this time, he wasn't alone. Nina was beside him, sharing the burden of the fight, the resilience of her spirit matching his own.
Rogers perused the file Romanoff handed him, the harsh realities of Barnes' recreation by HYDRA experimentation starkly illuminated in the cold lines of text. Wilson looked on, the somber silence lingering in the room before he spoke up, "You're going after Bucky, aren't you?"
"I have to, Sam," Rogers replied, the determination in his eyes unwavering.
"I get it, Cap. You don't have to do this alone," Sam assured him, a hand placed solidly on his shoulder. "I know. When do we start?"
As the men shared a moment of understanding, Nina and Natasha looked on. A smirk twitched on Natasha's lips as she turned to Nina, "Well, talk about a short tenure with S.H.I.E.L.D., huh?"
Nina chuckled in response, "Didn't think I'd get to add that to my resume so soon."
"And yet, you've already proved yourself an asset. Saved our asses back there. I'll put in a good word for you, maybe even get you a spot on the Avengers," Natasha teased.
Nina's heart skipped a beat at the mention, but she quickly composed herself, replying nonchalantly, "I suppose I could pencil it in my schedule."
Natasha laughed, "There's the spirit! A little ego goes a long way."
A few days later, Nina received a call from Natasha, "Tony wants to meet you. He's in the area. Interested?"
"No way! Really?" Nina asked, the excitement obvious in her voice.
"Really. But remember, Stark's a handful. Don't let him get to you," Natasha cautioned.
As Nina prepared for the meeting, she was abruptly interrupted by her AI, V, "Miss Nina, I must inform you, there has been an unfortunate incident in New York...a bombing. Peter was caught in the blast."
Nina's heart froze, her suit unconsciously equipping in broad daylight as the severity of the situation struck her. She could hardly process Natasha's voice still in her ear, talking about the Avengers. "V, where's Peter? What's his status?" Nina asked, her voice sharp with urgency.
All thoughts of Tony Stark and the Avengers were forgotten as she accelerated towards New York, her only focus on reaching Peter.
Yelena Belova stood in the distance, eyes narrowed as she watched the familiar figure of Nina dart off towards the city skyline, her suit reflecting the dying sun. A sigh escaped her lips as she ran a hand through her short blonde hair. Nina was acting on impulse, and she knew that it could be her downfall.
Flashbacks hit her like a tidal wave. Training sessions, combat practice, shared secrets in the dead of the night - all with Nina, the reckless daredevil with an iron will. She could still hear the echo of her laughter, the fire in her eyes when faced with a challenge, her unwavering dedication to help those she loved.
Closing her eyes, Yelena found herself at the brink of a decision. As much as she wanted to intervene, to guide Nina and shield her from the harsh lessons the world was yet to throw her way, she knew she couldn't. Pain, heartache, loss - they were all cruel teachers, but often, the most effective ones.
Pulling out her comm link, she keyed in a quick message, her thumb hovering over the send button. After a moment of hesitation, she pressed it, her message whizzing its way to Astrid, her superior.
"Astrid, it's Yelena. I have an update on Nina. She's heading to New York, there's been a bombing and someone she knows was caught in it," Yelena reported, keeping her voice steady.
Astrid's voice crackled through the comm link, "Thanks for the update, Yelena. This could be a crucial test for her."
Astrid relayed the news to Lydia. "Lydia, Yelena just reported in. Nina's heading to New York, due to an emotional crisis. What should we do?"
There was silence on the line for a moment. Lydia was often like this, pausing to sift through her thoughts, to weigh the pros and cons of every possible decision.
"I'll keep an eye on the situation," Lydia finally responded. "Let's give Nina some space for now. She needs to learn."
As the line went dead, Yelena was left with her memories of Nina - her relentless spirit, her drive, her heart. In many ways, she was still that reckless young girl she knew, just armed with a suit and a fierce determination to protect those she cared for. Yelena couldn't help but respect that, and as she looked off into the distance, she hoped that this world would be kind enough to let Nina learn without breaking her spirit.
Yelena watched Natasha from a safe distance, her mind filled with bittersweet memories of the past, of the family they once were. A sigh escaped her lips as she trudged through the deserted streets of D.C., her mind spinning with the whirring thoughts. The feeling of abandonment was still raw, a deep-seated anger at her surrogate family for leaving her to navigate the horrors of the Red Room alone. Yet, she couldn't help but feel a spark of gratitude towards her Empress, the only one who stayed, who guided her through the hellish years of her life.
She decided to break her silence. She couldn't be a shadow lurking in the background forever, especially not with Natasha. She made her way to a nondescript hotel in northern D.C., the establishment where Natasha had decided to lay low.
Entering the quiet hotel room, Yelena found Natasha on high alert. Natasha reacted instantly to the door opening, her gun drawn and aimed straight at Yelena. Yelena raised her hands in a placating gesture, a subtle sign of peace.
"Natty," Yelena greeted, her voice softer than it had been in years. "It's me, Yelena."
Natasha, her eyes hard and calculating, slowly lowered her gun. "Yelena? What are you doing here?"
Yelena shrugged, allowing a small smile to play on her lips. "I thought it was time we caught up, don't you?"
Natasha watched her for a moment before putting her gun away. "It's been a while, Yelena," she conceded, her voice cautious but not unkind.
They stood there, both aware of the chasm of years and experiences that had grown between them. The room was silent except for the soft hum of the air conditioner and the distant sounds of the city.
"Seems like it," Yelena replied, looking around the modest room. "So, this is where the famous Black Widow crashes?"
"Only when I'm in hiding," Natasha retorted, a ghost of a smile appearing on her face. "You've been keeping tabs on me?"
Yelena chuckled. "You could say that. After all, someone needs to look after her wayward older sister."
They shared a laugh, the tension in the room fading. They were both changed by time and circumstances, but underneath the hardened exteriors were the same girls who once considered each other family. Despite the distance and the years, the bond between them was as strong as ever.