Support my new novel with Power Stones please! Let's bring it to the first rank!
MHA: Bat to the Future: The Other Midoriya
(Check my profile or search by the name.)
PLEASE ADD TO YOUR LIBRARY!
**************
Nigel landed smoothly in the arctic despite the biting winds and lack of a proper runway. The jet's nose dipped slightly as it touched down on a flat expanse of ice, sliding to a gradual stop without any jolts or unnecessary dramatics. A quiet hum of the engines winding down filled the cabin as everyone unbuckled their seatbelts.
"Smooth enough for you, Sofia?" Nigel asked, flipping a few switches before leaning back in the pilot's seat, clearly pleased with himself.
"I'm impressed," Sofia said flatly, standing and grabbing her jacket. "You didn't kill us. Might be a new record."
Diego stretched out as he rose from his seat, smirking. "Let's take a moment to appreciate history being made—Nigel successfully landed without giving anyone heart palpitations."
Donald looked at Nigel like the old man had grown another head. "You almost crushed us to death in perfect weather on a smooth runway in Florida, and now you land like you've got NASA training in the middle of this godforsaken ice sheet?"
Nigel adjusted his captain's hat with a self-satisfied smirk. "Told you, it's about character. Maybe Florida was too easy—needed something more challenging to bring out my best."
Anthony groaned, rubbing his temples as he stepped off the jet. "You're impossible."
"And yet, here we are. Safe, sound, and slightly more appreciative of my talents," Nigel quipped, powering down the last of the systems before unbuckling himself.
"'Appreciative' isn't the word I'd use," Sofia muttered, wrapping her coat tighter around herself as she stepped onto the ice. The wind hit like a slap, cold enough to make her wince despite the layers.
Maria joined her, grinning as she took in the white expanse surrounding them. "Come on, Sofia. Think of it as an adventure. How often do you get to land in the middle of nowhere?"
"Hopefully never again," Sofia shot back, glancing at the snowy horizon. "I don't get why anyone would willingly be out here."
"It's peaceful," Nero said as he followed them out, hands in his pockets. The cold didn't seem to bother him much.
"Yeah, and no bars, no restaurants, and no signs of life," Diego added, stepping down with exaggerated flair, crunching the snow beneath his boots. "This place is a damn postcard for isolation."
"Could be worse," Maria said lightly. "At least we're not being shot at."
Diego grinned. "Yet. Give it time."
Nero chuckled, "Talking about being shot at…"
Diego groaned instantly, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I knew it! I knew there was a catch."
Waving him off, Nero continued, "Before we dig up Captain America and thaw him out, let's raid the HYDRA base in the area. Masks on."
A shared groan rippled through the group, except for Nigel, who just removed his captain's hat with a slight smirk as if he'd been expecting this. Sofia let out a resigned sigh while Diego muttered under his breath about never getting a straightforward mission without detours.
"I thought we were here for the guy on ice, not a side quest," Diego added, reluctantly reaching into his pack.
"HYDRA base first, Cap second. We're cleaning house, not just making discoveries," Nero said, pulling out a wooden mask from his jacket. He placed it over his face, the dark material fitting perfectly. His eyes began to glow a sharp orange hue beneath the hood as the ring's power activated.
Without hesitation, the rest of the crew followed suit. Each member pulled out their own wooden mask, carefully carved with simple, sharp lines. When worn, the only visible feature was the glowing eyes, each in a different hue—Anthony's shone in bright gold, Sofia's in a sea blue, Nigel's in a vivid purple, and Diego's in deep crimson. Donald stood aside, his eyes shining with emerald-green. Maria, standing beside Nero, pulled her hood up as her mask locked into place, her indigo glow completing the spectrum.
"Great," Sofia muttered, her voice slightly muffled behind the mask. "Nothing like stomping through snow to break into a frozen HYDRA bunker."
"Focus," Nero cut in, already moving ahead toward the barely visible ridges in the distance. "According to Prince's memories, the base should be about half a click from here. Minimal guards, but expect hidden defenses."
They moved swiftly, their boots crunching through the thick snow. Despite the biting cold, none of them complained further—this wasn't their first time dealing with extreme conditions. Diego, predictably, couldn't help himself for long.
"So, what exactly are we expecting in this HYDRA popsicle stand? Secret weapons? Weird tech?" he asked, his tone light but curious.
"Data," Nigel replied, stepping in beside Nero. "HYDRA's operations up north were always about research and resource control. If there's anything valuable left, it'll be buried in their archives."
"Valuable like 'new world-ending weapon' valuable?" Diego asked, spinning his ring absentmindedly.
"Valuable like information about how they planned to control the Neogene wave before it hit the public," Sofia said, eyes scanning the area ahead through the faint blue glow of her mask. "If they've got any data on what they were developing, it's better in our hands than someone else's."
Anthony added, "Especially if it involves anyone trying to revive HYDRA cells in the current mess."
They reached the ridge quickly, crouching low behind the snowy outcrop. Below, half-buried in ice and rock, was the entrance to what looked like an old military facility. Most of it had been camouflaged by the harsh environment, but faint glimmers of metal were visible where the snow had thinned.
Two guards stood outside, bundled in thick winter gear but visibly armed. Their movements were minimal, likely due to the cold, but their presence confirmed the base wasn't as abandoned as it appeared.
"Two outside," Nigel said quietly. "Probably more inside. Shouldn't be hard."
"Let's keep it quiet," Nero said, glancing at Maria. "Illusions. Sofia, loop the surveillance."
Sofia already had her fingers on her wrist device, tapping through the interface without looking up. "Give me a sec. Should be simple if their tech's as outdated as it looks." A few taps later, she added, "Loop's in place. Cameras will keep playing the same empty footage for the next twenty minutes."
Maria nodded, stepping forward. Her eyes glowed faintly behind her mask as she raised a hand, fingers moving in subtle patterns. The air shimmered slightly before settling. "They won't see or hear us unless we make direct contact. Move fast."
"On it," Anthony said, already inching toward the entrance.
Nero followed closely behind, keeping an eye on the guards as they approached. The guards looked bored, occasionally shifting in place to fight off the cold. Diego leaned over toward Sofia as they moved.
"Ten bucks says Anthony's the first one to slip on the ice."
Sofia didn't even glance at him. "You realize he can hear you, right?"
"Yeah, I'm counting on it," Diego whispered back, grinning beneath his mask.
Anthony, without breaking stride, flipped him off silently, drawing a suppressed chuckle from Maria. Diego mouthed, "Worth it," before refocusing on the task at hand.
Once they were close enough, Anthony gestured toward the nearest guard, indicating he'd take the one on the right. Nero gave a brief nod, signaling Diego to handle the left. Both guards had no idea what was coming.
Anthony moved first, slipping up behind his target and wrapping an arm around the man's neck in a smooth, practiced motion. The guard barely had time to register what was happening before he slumped unconscious to the ground. At the same moment, Diego darted forward, a flick of his wrist producing a thin wire he used to silently choke out the second guard. Within seconds, both were down.
"Neat and quiet," Diego said, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "Told you amateurs don't stand a chance."
Anthony gave him a look but didn't comment. He knelt down, checking the guards for anything useful. "Just standard gear. Nothing fancy."
"Doesn't matter. They were here to look scary, not actually fight," Nero said, stepping over one of the unconscious guards and gesturing toward the entrance. "Let's move before they notice something's off."
He turned to Sofia. "Did you manage to tap into their network? Show us inside."
"Already working on it," Sofia said, pulling up a small holographic interface from her wrist device. Her fingers moved quickly, tapping through layers of security as if peeling back the skin of an onion. After a few seconds, a simple blueprint of the base appeared, marked by flickering blue lines. "Got it. No heavy security inside, just a few patrols and some automated defenses. Basic stuff."
"Basic for us," Diego added, peering over her shoulder. "For them? Probably state-of-the-art when it was built. Too bad time left them behind."
"Focus," Nero said. "Where's the main server?"
Sofia enlarged a section of the blueprint near the back of the base. "Here. Ground level, northwest corner. Looks like a data hub—probably where they're keeping anything worth stealing."
"Any hidden surprises between us and the hub?" Anthony asked.
"Standard motion detectors and a couple of automated turrets in the central hallway," Sofia replied, zooming in on the defense grid. "We can disable them remotely if we're close enough, but the signal's weak out here."
Nigel adjusted his mask. "So, sneak and disable, or blast through it?"
"Let's try sneaking," Nero said. "Last thing we need is HYDRA's old alarm system waking up the neighborhood."
Diego grinned. "I love sneaky missions. Gives me an excuse to be dramatic."
Maria raised a brow. "You don't need an excuse for that."
Ignoring the jab, Diego turned to Sofia. "How long do you need to get close enough to disable the turrets?"
"Depends. How long can you keep quiet?" she shot back without missing a beat, already packing up her gear.
"Touché." Diego gestured ahead theatrically. "Lead on, fearless hacker."
Nero signaled, and the group began moving in sync toward the entrance. The cold air bit harder as they approached the door, its edges partially frozen over.
Sofia pointed at the blueprint on her wrist display, zooming in on the interior layout. "There are two guards posted just inside the door—one here, the other covering this angle. If we open the door normally, they'll have time to react, maybe even sound the alarm. Their first guess would probably be that the outside guys are coming in, but we can't bank on that."
Nero stepped forward, giving the door a quick once-over before closing his eyes briefly. His Observation Haki flared subtly, giving him a precise sense of the guards' exact positions behind the door. Without a word, he placed a hand on the cold metal surface, a faint shimmer of Sky Flames flickering around his fingers before vanishing as if absorbed by the structure. A moment later, two dull thuds echoed from inside.
He grabbed the handle and pushed the door open with ease. Inside, the guards lay sprawled on the floor, their heads twisted unnaturally to the side.
"How the hell did you do that?" Diego asked, stepping in with a raised eyebrow. He crouched by one of the guards, giving him a light tap to confirm he was out cold. "You didn't even open the door, man. That's some ninja-level shit."
Nero didn't bother answering right away, glancing back at the rest of the group to signal them forward. "We're wasting time. Sofia, keep monitoring the system."
"Already on it," Sofia muttered, her fingers dancing across her interface as she moved to the nearest corner, finding a spot with minimal line of sight from the hallway cameras. "Next hall's got those automated turrets. I'll disable them when we get close enough."
Diego gave a low whistle as he straightened up. "Still waiting for an answer, boss. Don't leave me hanging. Was that... I don't know, ghost hands? Psychic neck-snapping?"
Maria shot him a look, amused. "Let it go, Diego. Nero's always been full of surprises."
"Surprises are fine," Diego muttered, adjusting his mask as they advanced deeper into the hallway. "But when those surprises involve silent takedowns through walls, I get curious."
Nero looked at Diego, barely breaking his stride. "You've all figured out by now that our flames can enhance pretty much anything—software, the masks, even the environment around us. Same logic applies to the air. Atmosphere is just another medium. Think beyond what's obvious."
Diego stared at him, wide-eyed. "Wait. Did you just kill two HYDRA guards with… air?"
"Pretty much," Nero said, tossing him a grin. "These rings are overpowered. Once you hit full potential, you're in for some surprises."
Anthony gave a low whistle as he walked ahead. "You're telling me we've been playing around with basic upgrades when we could've been pulling stunts like this?"
"You've got the basics down," Nero replied, scanning the hallway ahead. "But if you stick to thinking like everyone else, you'll only ever get standard results."
Sofia nudged Anthony with her elbow. "You're slacking. Nero's the boss though."
Anthony rolled his eyes, keeping his attention on the corridor. "I'll catch up. Just don't expect me to start choking people out with oxygen anytime soon."
Diego, now fully invested, leaned toward Sofia. "You hearing this? We could've been bending air like ninjas, and nobody told us?"
Sofia didn't look up from her wrist device. "Maybe because Nero figured we'd use it for something stupid. Like making dramatic entrances or starting bar fights."
"First of all," Diego said, raising a finger, "dramatic entrances are an art form. Second, if I'd known I could do that, those mercs back at the party wouldn't have even made it through the door."
"Which is exactly why you weren't told," Nigel said, deadpan, from the back. "Let's not arm you with anything too dangerous. You'd probably suffocate people just for annoying you."
Diego smirked, clearly unbothered. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
"Focus," Nero cut in before the banter could spiral further. He glanced at Sofia. "Turrets?"
"Almost there," she said, fingers moving quickly across her interface. "Another twenty meters, and we should be in range to disable them."
They pressed forward, keeping low as they approached the junction where Sofia had marked the automated defenses. The hum of machinery grew louder, faint but distinct in the otherwise quiet corridor. Sofia crouched near the corner, her fingers tapping faster as she synced her device with the base's outdated system.
"Got it," she whispered, a small green icon flashing on her screen. "Turrets are down. Cameras are looping clean footage."
"Smooth," Anthony muttered, glancing up at the now-inert gun emplacements overhead. "Let's hope that's the last of their surprises."
"It won't be," Nigel said quietly. "HYDRA doesn't do simple layouts. They'll have a failsafe somewhere."
Diego peered around the corner, grinning. "Good thing we've got Sofia. She's like our cheat code for all things tech."
"I'm flattered," Sofia said dryly, standing and tucking her device away. "Let's keep moving. The server room's close."
Nero suddenly stopped mid-step. "I sense people heading our way."
The rest didn't hesitate, immediately activating their Haki to get a read on the incoming presence. Sofia's eyes narrowed behind her mask, fingers poised over her wrist device. "Four, maybe five. Moving fast."
"They're heading straight for us," Nigel added, voice low as he stepped to the side, keeping his profile slim against the wall. "Armed, standard formation."
"Guards or patrols?" Anthony asked, already inching toward a shadowy corner for better cover.
"Hard to tell, but they're not amateurs," Nero said. "Keep it quiet. Sofia, can you jam their comms without tripping the base's system?"
"Already on it," Sofia muttered, fingers flying over her interface. After a few quick taps, a soft beep signaled success. "Done. They won't be calling for help anytime soon."
Diego crouched slightly, adjusting the wire coiled around his wrist. "Guess we're going the silent route again. Can't have you stealing all the credit, Anthony."
Anthony didn't bother responding, instead focusing on the sound of footsteps echoing faintly down the corridor. They were getting closer.
"Maria," Nero said quietly. She nodded in response, her eyes glowing faintly as she activated her abilities. A subtle shimmer filled the air around them, bending light and sound just enough to cloak their group from casual observation.
The patrol came into view seconds later—five men in tactical gear, weapons held at the ready but not aimed. Their movements were precise, coordinated, but the tension in their posture suggested they weren't expecting trouble, just following protocol.
Nero signaled with two fingers, pointing toward Anthony and Diego, who both nodded and crept forward silently.
Anthony reached the first guard in two swift steps, his hand clamping over the man's mouth while his other arm locked around his neck. A quick squeeze, and the guard slumped unconscious. Almost simultaneously, Diego darted toward the second guard, the thin wire in his hand looping around the man's throat. With a sharp tug, the guard collapsed soundlessly.
The remaining three didn't even have time to react before Maria's illusions flickered briefly, disorienting them just long enough for Nigel and Nero to close the gap. A swift blow from Nero's elbow dropped one guard, while Nigel delivered a precise strike to the other's temple, knocking him out cold.
The last guard tried to raise his weapon, but before he could fire, Sofia appeared behind him, jamming a small device against the back of his neck. The man convulsed briefly before collapsing, the stun charge knocking him out instantly.
"Clean," Nero said, stepping back and surveying the downed patrol. "Tie them up. No alarms, no reinforcements."
"On it," Anthony muttered, already pulling out zip ties from his pouch. He and Nigel worked quickly, securing the unconscious guards while Diego leaned casually against the wall, spinning the wire around his fingers.
"Not bad," Diego said with a smirk. "Though I still say I had the most style points."
"Keep dreaming," Sofia shot back, packing up her gear. "You're lucky I didn't let that last guy get a shot off just to see you scramble."
Diego grinned. "Admit it, you'd miss me if I got shot."
"Miss the peace and quiet, maybe," Sofia muttered, turning back to Nero. "We're clear for now, but they'll probably notice this patrol missing sooner or later."
"Then we move faster," Nero said. "Sofia, keep monitoring their comms. If they shift frequencies or send a backup team, I want to know."
She gave a quick nod, already syncing her device with the base's internal systems again. "Consider it done."
With the guards secured and out of sight, they pressed on, moving deeper into the facility.
"How much farther?" Anthony asked, his eyes scanning every corner as they walked.
"Just around the next junction," Sofia replied. "The server room's behind a secured door. Shouldn't be too hard to crack."
While Sofia worked, Nero glanced at Nigel. "Anything on your end?"
Nigel shook his head. "No changes in patrol patterns. Either they're lazy, or they don't realize we're here yet."
"Let's keep it that way," Nero said. "Once we're inside, Sofia, download everything you can. We'll sort through it later."
"Got it," she muttered, focused entirely on the bypass process. A few seconds later, the keypad beeped, and the door slid open with a soft hiss. "We're in."
They moved inside quickly, the door closing behind them. The server room was dimly lit, rows of old data banks humming quietly as they processed information. Sofia wasted no time, connecting her device to the main terminal and initiating a full data download.
"Five minutes, tops," she said, eyes scanning the progress bar on her screen.
Diego leaned against one of the servers, casually flipping a small coin between his fingers. "You know, for a supposedly high-tech evil organization, HYDRA's setup is kind of underwhelming."
"Not every base is a secret super-lab," Donald said from the back, finally speaking up after remaining quiet for most of the mission. "This place was probably a secondary outpost. Minimal resources, just enough to stay off the radar."
"Well, they failed at that," Diego said, pocketing the coin. "Because here we are, raiding their stuff."
"Quiet," Anthony said suddenly, holding up a hand. His Haki flared briefly. "More movement. Could be another patrol."
Nero's eyes narrowed. "How close?"
"Near the main entrance. They're probably checking on the missing team," Anthony replied.
"Good," Nero said. "Let's finish this before they figure out what's happening."
"Download's at 60%," Sofia reported. "Another couple of minutes."
"That's a couple of minutes we might not have," Nigel said, glancing at the door. "If they sound the alarm, this place will lock down fast."
Nero looked at them with a small smile. "That's actually the plan."
Diego tilted his head, staring at Nero like he'd misheard. "What do you mean, that's the plan? Pretty sure I didn't sign up for a suicide mission."
Nero shrugged, nonchalantly gesturing to the door. "You didn't think I'd leave a base full of HYDRA goons alive, did you?"
Before anyone could respond, Nero raised his hand and blasted the door with a concentrated burst of flame, the sudden explosion echoing through the facility. The noise was deafening, reverberating down the halls and setting off a chorus of alarms.
"Subtle," Sofia muttered, her fingers flying over her device. "You realize this just cut my timeline in half, right?"
"That's why you're the best," Nero said, glancing back at her. "Get the data, and we'll clean up the mess."
Anthony gritted his teeth, already moving toward the entrance. "So much for sneaking out. What's the plan now?"
"We make them come to us," Nero said. "When Sofia's done, we leave under Maria's illusions. Then I'll show you another way to use your flames."
Diego let out an exasperated sigh, pushing himself off the wall. "And here I thought this was going to be a quiet mission."
"Quiet missions don't exist when HYDRA's involved," Maria said, stepping closer to Nero. "Ready when you are."
"They'll be here in less than two minutes," Nigel said, checking the hallway. "Sofia?"
"Almost there," Sofia snapped, glaring at her progress bar as it crawled toward completion. "I need thirty seconds, maybe less."
"Make it twenty," Anthony muttered, peering out of the room. He could already hear the approaching footsteps, heavy and fast. "We've got company."
Nero nodded toward Maria. "Get ready. As soon as Sofia's done, we move."
Maria closed her eyes briefly, the faint shimmer of her illusions rippling outward as the air around them seemed to distort. Diego whistled softly, watching the effect spread.
"Never gets old," he said, adjusting his mask. "So, what's the escape plan? Straight run, or are we stopping to say hi to our new friends?"
"Straight run," Nero said firmly. "They won't know we're gone until it's too late."
"Download complete," Sofia announced, yanking her device free from the terminal. "Let's go."
As she spoke, the first of the guards rounded the corner outside, weapons drawn and flashlights cutting through the dim hallway. Maria's illusions worked instantly, bending the light around their group and rendering them invisible to the incoming soldiers.
Nero gestured for them to move, leading the way out of the room and down the hall. The guards, unaware of their presence, spread out, shouting commands to each other as they searched for intruders.
Diego leaned closer to Sofia as they moved. "Think we could've gotten out without blowing the door?"
"Sure," Sofia said dryly. "But where's the fun in that?"
They reached the exit quickly, slipping past another patrol that had just entered the facility. The biting cold hit them as they stepped back onto the icy expanse outside, but no one slowed down. The alarms were still blaring, the sound muffled slightly by the heavy snow.
"Maria, keep it up until we're clear," Nero said, glancing back at her. "Once we're far enough, drop the illusions."
She gave a small nod, her focus unwavering. The shimmer around them remained steady, distorting their shapes and blending them into the icy backdrop.
Behind them, the guards inside the base scrambled to make sense of the situation. They searched room after room, finding nothing but the unconscious patrol and the destroyed server room. Confusion turned to panic as they realized they had no idea where the intruders had gone.
The group kept moving, the wind howling around them as they put distance between themselves and the base. Once they were far enough, Maria let out a slow breath, the illusions fading as she lowered her hand.
"We're clear," she said.
"Not yet," Nero said, stopping and turning back toward the base. He raised his hand, his ring glowing faintly. "Time for cleanup."
"What are you doing?" Sofia asked, "Explain the process to us!"
Nero nodded, the faint orange glow of his ring intensifying as he extended his fingers toward the distant HYDRA base. Energy coursed along the length of his fingertips, rippling faintly in the cold air.
Diego stepped closer, one brow raised. "Alright, boss, care to explain this one? Because you're looking a little too much like you're about to summon a fireball."
Sofia folded her arms, standing beside Diego. "He's not summoning anything. He's agitating the oxygen."
Diego blinked, glancing between her and Nero. "The what now?"
Nero didn't look away from the base, focusing on the energy flowing from his ring. "Oxygen molecules are easy to excite. Heat, pressure, or, in this case, concentrated flames can push them into a higher energy state. Once they reach their limit—"
"They combust," Sofia finished, cutting him off. She gestured toward the base. "That whole place is practically a tinderbox with all the stored oxygen in there. You just need the right spark."
Diego leaned back, nodding slowly. "Cool, cool. So, we're turning science into fireworks. I like it."
"Glad you're entertained," Anthony muttered. He stood nearby, keeping an eye on their surroundings. "But how do we know this won't, you know, blow up the entire ridge we're standing on?"
"It's controlled," Nero said simply. "I'm not trying to blow the place sky-high, just take out what's inside. The structure will absorb most of the heat."
"'Most' isn't exactly comforting," Nigel chimed in, adjusting his mask. "We're not exactly far enough away to avoid the fallout."
"You'll live," Nero replied. He shifted his stance slightly, his focus sharpening as a low hum emanated from the flames surrounding his hand. The distant sound of alarms from the base grew fainter, almost as if the entire facility held its breath.
Maria stepped beside him, watching the glow intensify. "Are you sure they'll even realize what's happening? Seems like overkill for a few mercs and outdated tech."
"It's not about them realizing," Nero said. "It's about sending a message to whoever sent them. They'll know."
"Classic Nero," Diego muttered with a grin, stepping back and gesturing dramatically. "Big gestures, bigger consequences. I love it."
The energy in Nero's ring surged, a faint crackling sound rippling outward as he released the flame into the air. It wasn't a beam or a burst but a subtle ripple, almost invisible, that traveled toward the base.
Anthony furrowed his brow, watching the air shimmer in its wake. "That's it? No big explosion?"
"Patience," Nero said.
The ripple reached the base, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a sudden, muffled roar, the structure seemed to implode from within. The lights flickered violently before cutting out entirely, and a plume of smoke began pouring from the vents. The ground vibrated slightly underfoot, but the surrounding ice held steady.
Inside, the agitated oxygen reached critical levels, igniting everything combustible in the confined space. The controlled combustion moved in waves, consuming equipment, files, and anything else that hadn't been fireproofed. The guards who had been scrambling through the corridors moments earlier barely had time to react before collapsing from the sudden depletion of breathable air.
Outside, the group watched as the smoke thickened, curling up into the sky like a signal flare. Sofia's wrist device beeped softly, and she glanced down at it.
"Cameras are dead. Comms are offline. Whatever data they had left in there is toast."
"Good," Nero said, lowering his hand. The glow of his ring dimmed to nothing, and the hum dissipated. "No one's scavenging from this place again."
Maria tilted her head, watching the smoke rise. "And the guards?"
"Dead," Nero replied, turning away, "Humans are not fireproof. Let's go and save Captain. SHIELD will arrive very soon."
The group at first didn't get it. Diego broke the silence, tilting his head toward Nero. "What's the rush? That fire's barely lit, and you're already acting like we're late for something."
Then it clicked. Anthony's face hardened. "Right. SHIELD will send a team to check this place out."
"Of course, they will," Sofia muttered, staring at the smoking base in the distance. "Their bosses were HYDRA agents for decades. Someone high up will want to keep this quiet."
Diego scoffed, adjusting his mask. "And here I thought we'd get at least ten minutes to catch our breath."
Maria stepped closer to Nero. "Do we need to worry about SHIELD showing up with heavy reinforcements?"
"Doubtful," Nero replied, turning his back to the smoke billowing from the ruined HYDRA base. "They'll send an investigation team first, not a strike force. They won't expect anyone to stick around after causing this much noise. I already arranged for Erwin to meet them. We'll hand Captain over to him."
Maria's head tilted slightly. "That simple, huh? You're not worried about SHIELD asking questions?"
"They'll ask Erwin, not us," Nero said, adjusting the hood of his jacket. "It's his job to give them just enough answers to keep them chasing their tails."
Diego glanced back at the base, the last wisps of smoke curling into the sky. "So, are we digging up the star-spangled popsicle now, or what?"
"Yes," Sofia said flatly. "Unless you'd rather sit here and wait for SHIELD to show up with questions we don't want to answer."
Diego grinned, spreading his arms theatrically. "Hey, I'm great at answering questions. Might even get us an invite to their next fancy gala."
"Keep dreaming," Maria muttered, following Nero.
-----
To Read up to 75 advance Chapters (25 for each novel) and support me...
patreon.com/thefanficgod1
Please drop a comment and like the chapter!