The cold wind whipped against the side of Tony Stark's private jet as it flew through the night sky, leaving the Mediterranean behind. The sleek, high-tech aircraft was well equipped for stealth, and its occupants were well aware of the dangers that awaited them in the dark corners of Eastern Europe. Inside, the cabin was silent, the mood tense as they neared their destination: a small, remote facility that Natasha had identified from the encrypted data retrieved from the mercenaries.
Snake Eyes sat near the back of the cabin, methodically sharpening his katana, his focus unwavering. The rhythmic sound of the blade against the whetstone was the only noise that broke the silence. His mind was clear, but his body was prepared for what lay ahead. This mission wasn't just about stopping the Red Room's current plan—it was about confronting the very institution that had shaped both his and Natasha's lives.
Across the cabin, Natasha Romanoff stared out the window, her face illuminated by the faint glow of the moon. Her thoughts were far from the jet, back in the cold training halls of the Red Room, where every day had been a struggle to survive, to remain human in a world designed to strip that away. She hadn't set foot in Eastern Europe in years, not since her defection to S.H.I.E.L.D., but now, it seemed like fate was dragging her back to where it all began.
The silence was broken by Tony Stark, who stood up from his seat and stretched, clearly uncomfortable in the tension-filled cabin. "Alright, so here's the deal," Stark said, trying to inject a bit of levity into the situation. "I'm not exactly thrilled about being a part of some covert, 'stop the world from ending' mission in the middle of Eastern Europe. But hey, you guys are the experts in this kind of thing, so I'm trusting you. Just, you know, try not to get me killed, okay?"
Natasha smirked, her eyes flicking to Tony briefly before returning to the window. "Don't worry, Tony. If anything goes wrong, I'll make sure you're the last one standing."
Snake Eyes didn't look up from his blade, but he could sense the tension between the two of them. Stark, for all his bravado, was out of his element. Snake Eyes and Natasha were used to working in the shadows, navigating the complexities of espionage and assassination. Stark, on the other hand, was used to fighting on a much grander stage, where explosions and media coverage were part of the package.
"Right, comforting," Stark muttered, sinking back into his seat.
Natasha, however, couldn't shake the feeling of dread creeping into her gut. The facility they were heading to was in a region long abandoned by most governments, a relic of the Cold War era. The Red Room had chosen it for a reason. It was isolated, forgotten, a place where they could operate without interference from the outside world. What worried her most wasn't just what they might find there, but the memories that would resurface the moment they set foot on that ground.
After a few more hours of flight, J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark's A.I., alerted them that they were approaching the target location.
"We'll be landing in five minutes," the smooth voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. announced. "I've scanned the area, and there's minimal activity on the surface, though there are signs of underground structures."
"Underground structures?" Stark raised an eyebrow. "Why does it always have to be underground?"
Natasha stood, fastening the holster of her weapons to her thigh. Her demeanor shifted instantly, her mind now completely focused on the mission. "It's where the Red Room has always operated. They work in the shadows, where no one can find them."
Snake Eyes followed suit, sheathing his katana with a swift motion before checking the rest of his gear. He had no doubt that the facility was heavily fortified. The Red Room was never sloppy when it came to their operations, and they would expect anyone with ties to them to know that.
As the jet descended, they could see the outline of a small, decrepit building surrounded by thick forest. It was exactly the kind of place you'd expect to find an old Cold War relic—remote, forgotten by time, and hidden from the eyes of the modern world.
The jet landed silently on a patch of open ground a mile away from the facility. Stark turned to Natasha and Snake Eyes, his usual cocky demeanor replaced by a more serious expression. "Alright, I'm not going in without my suit. J.A.R.V.I.S., get me suited up."
As Tony's Iron Man suit assembled around him, Natasha gave him a nod of approval. "Good idea. If things go south, we'll need all the firepower we can get."
Snake Eyes didn't say a word, but his eyes were already scanning the perimeter. He felt the same unease that Natasha did. The air was thick with the presence of something they couldn't yet see—an unseen danger lurking beneath the surface.
The three of them moved silently through the forest, approaching the facility from a distance. Snake Eyes led the way, his movements almost invisible in the darkness, blending into the shadows as if he were a part of them. Natasha followed close behind, her steps just as quiet, her senses heightened by years of training. Stark, in his Iron Man suit, hovered slightly above the ground, his repulsors muted to avoid detection.
When they reached the outer edge of the facility, Snake Eyes stopped, raising his hand to signal the others. He motioned toward a small clearing where several guards patrolled the perimeter, their faces covered by masks. They were armed, but they didn't seem to be expecting an attack. That would change soon enough.
Natasha leaned in close to Snake Eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. "We need to take out the guards before they can sound the alarm. You take the left side, I'll take the right."
Snake Eyes nodded, his body already moving into position. He moved like a ghost, silently approaching the guards from behind. In one fluid motion, he struck, his katana cutting through the air with deadly precision. The first guard fell without a sound, his body crumpling to the ground.
Natasha, on the opposite side, took out her target just as efficiently, her movements swift and decisive. The guards never stood a chance.
Stark hovered above them, watching their efficiency with a mixture of awe and concern. "You guys really don't mess around, do you?"
Natasha shot him a quick glance. "We don't have time to mess around, Tony. Let's move."
They approached the entrance of the facility, a rusted metal door that looked like it hadn't been opened in decades. Natasha knelt beside the door, examining the lock. It was high-tech, far more advanced than the exterior of the building suggested.
"This isn't just an old base," she said, her voice tight. "They've upgraded the security. They're expecting someone."
"Great," Stark muttered. "I'll take care of it."
As Stark began working on bypassing the security system with his suit's tech, Snake Eyes' eyes flickered toward the treeline. His instincts were telling him something was wrong. The forest was too quiet, the night too still. He scanned the area, his senses sharp, and then he saw it—movement in the shadows, just beyond the edge of the clearing.
Before he could react, a sharp sound pierced the air. A dart struck him in the shoulder, embedding itself deep into his skin. Snake Eyes staggered, reaching for the dart, but the effects were immediate. His vision blurred, his body feeling heavy as a wave of numbness washed over him.
Natasha turned just in time to see Snake Eyes collapse to one knee, his hand clutching the dart.
"Snake!" she shouted, rushing to his side. But before she could reach him, more figures emerged from the trees, moving with the precision of trained operatives. They wore the same masks as the guards, their faces hidden, but Natasha knew who they were.
Red Room operatives.
Stark raised his hand, his repulsor charging. "I've got this!"
Before he could fire, a surge of energy erupted from the facility, hitting his suit with a powerful electromagnetic pulse. Stark's suit shut down immediately, sending him crashing to the ground.
Natasha stood frozen for a split second, her eyes darting between Stark's immobile form and Snake Eyes' unconscious body. She was surrounded, outnumbered, and her closest allies had been taken out in an instant.
The Red Room had planned for this. They had been waiting.
And now, they had her right where they wanted her.