Chapter: 43
"So then," I said to all the soldiers surrounding us, "are you sure you all want to really do this?" I asked them all. A bunch of them looked like they were raring to throw down, but then others just genuinely looked confused. They were also looking between Iron Man and myself with trepidation.
"Of course we are sure, bitch! You're the one who came in here and attacked Mr. Killian! Now you'll get what's coming to you!" The man who had flung me into this room shouted out. The soldiers all seemed to gain some confidence at his rude words towards me. His statement pretty much confirmed for me that he had no idea what was actually going on though. He seemed to be under the impression that Tony and I were attacking them.
"That's right, Darrell!" Aldrich called out. "Now all of you attack–"
"HOLD IT!" I yelled out, interrupting him. To my surprise, all the soldiers actually stopped and listened to me. "First of all, we did not come in here and attack Aldrich. He attacked us when we came here for a peaceful meeting. And second of all, your boss has decided to join Hydra. Are you all ok working for a man like that?" I said, gesturing to the one-armed Winter Soldier standing off to the side. He was currently watching with indifference.
"Hydra?" One of the other soldiers in the room asked aloud. He was one of the ones I'd noticed that looked like he had no clue what was going on.
"Hey, who is that guy anyway? I've never seen him around here before. And how come he has a messed-up metal arm? Shouldn't Extremis have healed him?" A female soldier added.
"Yeah, me neither." "Same." "Is Boss Killian a Nazi now!?" More and more of his minions were actually starting to ask questions as the will to fight started to leave them.
Aldrich had a panicked look on his face when his soldiers started asking questions. "He… he's a new special trial. His shoulder is so riddled with experimental technologies that Extremis wasn't able to heal his arm. And no he isn't Hydra! That's ludicrous!" He made up a lie on the spot. A few of his more gullible soldiers looked like they believed him.
"Hey, you over there," Iron Man called out to the Winter Soldier. The man looked back. "Hail Hydra!" Iron Man called out jokingly.
"Hail Hydra!" the Winter Soldier automatically responded. His tone was completely serious and not joking like Tony's was.. Upon seeing that, around half of the Extremis soldiers started powering down and returned to their full human appearances. To my surprise, the rude soldier who had been cursing me actually spoke up.
"Mr. Killian," Darrell said. "I just want you to know that I am extremely grateful to you for giving me back my legs. I lost both of them overseas, and it felt like my country abandoned me when I returned a cripple. I was living on the streets and you saved me from that. I would have done absolutely anything to repay you for healing me. That being said… I'm afraid I can't join a Nazi organization. I'm sorry, sir. My grandpa fought and died against them in World War II." Darrell said as he turned and started walking away. I was glad to see an underling making an actual informed decision. Good for him… even if he did throw me through a wall and call me a bitch multiple times.
"I can't be a part of this either..." "Me too." "I'm sorry, sir..."
Nine more of the soldiers followed after Darrell and left through the big angel-shaped hole in the wall.
"Holy crap, Layla, that actually worked. Their numbers just got cut in half." Iron Man exclaimed.
"I mean, this isn't some movie, and those aren't just mindless thugs. They're people who can make their own decisions. And now we don't have to feel bad about taking the rest out because they're apparently fine working for Hydra." I replied as I gestured to the remaining ten soldiers. None of them seemed bothered by Aldrich's loyalties.
"Fuck those guys! They were weak, and we didn't need them!" A particularly large and angry man yelled out. Aldrich himself was looking incredibly pissed off as well. Less at us though, and more at the Winter Soldier who made no move to stop half his forces from walking out on them.
"What the hell, Assassin!? Why didn't you stop them from leaving?!" Aldrich yelled at the Winter Soldier.
"My only directives are to eliminate Tony Stark and the Fallen Angel known as Layla. As those soldiers had not officially joined Hydra yet, their leaving has no conflicts with my orders," the Winter Soldier replied in monotone. His gaze then turned back to me as we locked eyes. I could see some fire in them. I think he was still mad that I broke his titanium arm.
"Well, I suppose that's that then," Iron Man said before he raised his arm and quickly blasted a nearby soldier in the face. All the talking had thrown them off, and the small force had dropped their guards. I immediately joined in and sent a Light spear through another one's head. He wasn't regenerating from that. Just like that, their numbers dropped even further.
"Fuck! Kill them!" Aldrich shouted in panic. I was thankful this training room had high ceilings as Iron Man and I both leapt into the air as nine fireballs were hurled at us and exploded where we were standing.
"Hey, Tony, just remember–"
"Don't kill Killian. We need him alive, I know." He said as he started flying around the room, blasting the flaming soldiers left and right.
I was about to do the same before my instincts screamed at me to dodge. I did just that, as the Winter Soldier flew by feet first. He slammed into a wall across the room, completely demolishing it. The man just tried to jump-kick me 15 feet in the air…
[-50HP!]
"OW! I shouted in pain as I felt something incredibly hot slam into my back. I spun around to see where that fireball came from and saw Aldrich smirking at me. The smirk was wiped off his face a second later as a repulsor blast from Iron Man sent him flying across the room.
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