The team had moved swiftly under the cover of darkness, marching through the frigid landscape toward the Hydra stronghold. Snow crunched beneath their boots, and every breath misted in the freezing air. Captain America led the way, his shield strapped securely to his back. Bucky walked at his side, rifle ready. Blonde Phantom and Whizzer followed closely, their eyes scanning for any sign of enemy movement.
They huddled near a cliffside at dawn. From their vantage point, they could see the sprawling Hydra base—a maze of concrete bunkers and guard towers nestled into the icy mountains.
"Hydra sure knows how to pick a location," Whizzer muttered, shivering slightly. "Couldn't they build their evil hideouts in the tropics for once?"
Blonde Phantom smirked, crouching beside him. "What's the matter? Too cold for the man with super speed?"
"Hey, running fast doesn't mean I'm insulated," Whizzer shot back, rubbing his hands together.
Steve crouched at the edge of the cliff, studying the map the soldier had given him the night before. "We'll split up. Bucky and I will hit the main gate—draw as much attention as we can. Blonde Phantom, Whizzer—you two find another way inside. Get to their supply room and cause as much chaos as possible."
Bucky frowned. "You sure splitting up's a good idea, Steve?"
"It's the only way we can pull this off," Steve said firmly. "Red Skull's here, and if they really have some kind of weapon, we can't let them deploy it."
Blonde Phantom raised a brow. "You're awfully confident for someone about to storm a Hydra fortress with four people."
Steve smiled faintly. "We've faced worse odds."
Whizzer stretched his legs. "Alright, Cap. If you're going to play hero, I'll play distraction. Just don't keep me waiting when the fireworks start."
The moment they descended from the cliff, the mission erupted into chaos. Steve and Bucky approached the front gate, keeping low behind snow-covered rocks. Hydra guards patrolled the perimeter, their black uniforms standing stark against the white landscape.
Steve gave Bucky a nod. "On my mark."
Bucky smirked, adjusting his rifle. "I'm ready when you are, pal."
Steve rose to his feet, pulling his shield free. "Mark!"
The first Hydra guard barely had time to react before Steve hurled the shield. It slammed into his chest, knocking him unconscious. Bucky took out two more guards with clean shots, and the rest of the base erupted into shouting and alarm bells.
"Here they come!" Bucky shouted as Hydra soldiers poured from the gates, weapons raised.
Steve charged forward, shield deflecting bullets as he closed the distance. He slammed into the first group of soldiers, striking them with precision. "Bucky, cover the left flank!"
"On it!" Bucky responded, dropping behind a snowbank and firing bursts of suppressing shots.
On the other side of the stronghold, Blonde Phantom and Whizzer moved silently through a narrow maintenance tunnel. Blonde Phantom held her pistols ready, eyes sharp as she scanned the area. Whizzer followed close behind, his usual chatter replaced by tense silence.
"Hey, Louise," Whizzer whispered, finally breaking the quiet. "You ever get the feeling we're in way over our heads?"
Blonde Phantom didn't look back. "Every time. But what's the alternative? Sitting on the sidelines while Hydra runs the world?"
Whizzer sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I get it. I just hope Rogers knows what he's doing."
They reached a sealed metal door, its frame lined with frost. Blonde Phantom motioned for Whizzer to stand back. "This is it. Supply room's on the other side."
Whizzer stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "I'll take care of the door. Stand back."
Before Blonde Phantom could argue, Whizzer sprinted forward in a blur of motion. He struck the door at full speed, the force sending a deafening clang echoing through the tunnel. The metal buckled and collapsed inward, revealing rows of crates and Hydra supplies.
Blonde Phantom holstered her pistols, shaking her head. "Subtle."
Whizzer grinned. "You're welcome."
Back at the main gate, Steve and Bucky fought their way deeper into the fortress. The Hydra soldiers were relentless, but Steve pushed forward, his shield a blur of red, white, and blue as it deflected and struck down enemies.
"Steve, we're getting boxed in here!" Bucky shouted, ducking behind cover as explosions erupted around them.
Steve glanced up, noticing reinforcements pouring onto the walls. Hydra's defenses were tightening. He gritted his teeth, scanning the chaos for an opening. "We hold our ground, Buck. Blonde Phantom and Whizzer should be hitting them any moment."
Suddenly, a voice echoed across the battlefield, chilling and sharp. "Ah, the great Captain America. How predictable."
Steve froze, his gaze snapping upward to see a figure standing on a platform above the gate—Johann Schmidt, the Red Skull.
Red Skull's crimson face twisted into a mocking smile. "Did you really think you could stop Hydra with such pitiful resistance?"
Bucky growled under his breath. "Of course he'd show up."
Steve tightened his grip on his shield. "Skull! It ends here!"
Red Skull laughed coldly. "No, Captain. For you, it ends today."
Steve Rogers narrowed his eyes at Red Skull, whose voice echoed off the steel walls of the fortress. The Hydra guards began to rally, emboldened by their leader's presence. Bullets ricocheted off Steve's shield as Bucky pulled back, shouting over the chaos.
"We're not gonna last long at this rate, Steve!" Bucky called, firing a shot that clipped one guard before ducking behind cover.
Steve's mind raced. They needed a distraction—and fast. He spotted an armored Hydra truck nearby, parked haphazardly near an ammo cache.
"Bucky!" Steve shouted. "Cover me!"
Bucky's brow furrowed. "Steve, what are you—"
Before he could finish, Steve sprinted forward, shield up. Gunfire rained down from the battlements as Steve reached the truck, sliding behind its heavy frame. With a powerful heave, he ripped the gas cap off and grabbed a grenade from his belt.
"Let's see if this gets Skull's attention," Steve muttered. He pulled the pin, dropped the grenade into the tank, and sprinted away just as the truck exploded in a fiery blast.
The explosion rocked the stronghold. Red Skull's smug expression faltered as flames engulfed Hydra soldiers and scattered debris.
Blonde Phantom and Whizzer, crouched inside the supply room, felt the ground quake beneath them as the explosion rumbled. Blonde Phantom spun toward the doorway, guns at the ready.
"Looks like Rogers is getting creative," she said dryly.
Whizzer smirked, zipping across the room to inspect a crate. "I like the guy. Big explosions, bold moves. Definitely Captain material."
Blonde Phantom shot him a sharp look. "Focus, Whizzer. What are we looking for?"
Whizzer opened a crate to reveal rows of strange cylindrical devices with glowing green cores. "Hydra tech, and I don't think they're fireworks."
Blonde Phantom's eyes narrowed. "Weapons. We need to destroy them."
Whizzer grinned. "Leave that to me."
In a blur, Whizzer sped around the room, snatching Hydra weapons and piling them into the center. Blonde Phantom kept watch by the door, taking out any guards who dared peek inside.
"Almost done!" Whizzer called, his voice a faint echo as he dashed.
Blonde Phantom turned, firing a precise shot that dropped a Hydra soldier sneaking up behind Whizzer. "Move faster."
Outside, Red Skull growled as the flames from the explosion died down. His piercing gaze fell on Steve and Bucky, who were now regrouping by the base of the fortress wall.
"Enough of this foolishness!" Skull snapped, turning to his guards. "Activate the Betaraye Device! I want those intruders destroyed!"
From the center of the stronghold, mechanical grinding echoed as a massive cannon began rising from the ground—an ominous weapon covered in Hydra's signature insignia. Red Skull spread his arms, triumphant.
"Witness the future of war, Captain Rogers! Hydra's betaraye will rewrite history!"
Steve exchanged a worried glance with Bucky as the cannon began humming with energy.
"That can't be good," Bucky muttered.
Steve tightened his grip on his shield. "We need to stop that weapon, now."
Red Skull laughed darkly as guards swarmed around him. "You will fail, Captain America. Just as all who oppose Hydra must!"
Whizzer skidded to a halt as Blonde Phantom tapped his shoulder, nodding toward the sound of machinery outside.
"That weapon—we need to stop it," she said.
Whizzer glanced toward the distant hum of the Betaraye Device. "Alright, we're heroes now, huh? No one ever tells me these things."
They moved quickly through the narrow tunnels, Blonde Phantom leading the way. Emerging onto a balcony overlooking the battlefield, they spotted Steve and Bucky pinned down below as the massive cannon took shape.
"Looks like Cap's in trouble," Whizzer said, eyes narrowing. "Let's give him a hand."
Blonde Phantom nodded. "You get down there. I'll handle the cannon."
Before Whizzer could respond, she fired a grappling line, swinging off the balcony toward the cannon's upper controls. Whizzer, grinning at her boldness, leaped over the railing, hitting the ground in a blur of speed.
*
Steve and Bucky were locked in a brutal fight as Hydra guards swarmed around them. Steve swung his shield, knocking out two soldiers before raising it just in time to block incoming fire.
Bucky's rifle clicked empty, and he ducked behind Steve for cover. "Steve, we're getting overrun here!"
Suddenly, a whoosh of wind blasted through the battlefield as Whizzer appeared, knocking down guards like bowling pins. He skidded to a stop beside Steve, panting slightly.
"Need a little help, Cap?" Whizzer said with a wink.
Steve blinked in surprise. "Whizzer? What are you doing here?"
"Saving your life, apparently," Whizzer quipped. "Try to keep up!"
With that, Whizzer dashed back into the fray, clearing a path through the Hydra soldiers. Steve shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Unexpected allies, huh?"
Bucky reloaded his rifle, smirking. "I'll take all the help we can get."
*
The Betaraye Device roared to life, a menacing hum reverberating through the stronghold. Energy crackled along its barrel as Blonde Phantom gripped her grappling line, landing deftly on the upper platform. Her sharp eyes scanned the weapon's control panel—an intricate Hydra interface covered in runes and dials.
"Hydra sure knows how to complicate a machine," she muttered, drawing her pistols.
Two guards spun toward her. Blonde Phantom didn't hesitate. She fired clean, precise shots, dropping them before they could react. Holstering one pistol, she approached the panel and frowned at the unfamiliar symbols.
"Alright, Louise," she whispered to herself. "Time to improvise."
Meanwhile, on the ground below, Steve Rogers charged through a wave of Hydra soldiers, shield slamming into enemies like a battering ram. Whizzer zipped around him, his speed blurring as he disarmed guards and knocked them unconscious in rapid succession.
"Is this a typical Tuesday for you?" Whizzer quipped, skidding to a halt beside Steve.
Steve smirked mid-fight. "You get used to it."
Whizzer ducked a punch, grabbing a soldier's helmet and tapping it playfully. "You Hydra types really need a new uniform." He tossed the helmet aside and sped off again.
Steve kept advancing, shielding Bucky, who provided covering fire. "Bucky! Can you get closer to the cannon?"
Bucky grunted, reloading his rifle. "Not unless I grow wings, Steve!"
"Then we make a path!" Steve roared. He launched his shield, ricocheting it off three guards before catching it effortlessly.
From above, Red Skull watched with cold fury. Blonde Phantom's efforts hadn't gone unnoticed, and he activated a comm system to the guards near the platform.
"Seize the woman. Now!"
Two Hydra enforcers stormed onto the platform, cutting off Blonde Phantom's escape. She spun to face them, dodging a heavy punch from one before firing twice, striking the other in the leg.
"Persistent," she muttered as she ducked behind a support beam, narrowly avoiding gunfire.
Red Skull turned his attention to Steve and Whizzer. He grabbed a handheld control and activated a second mechanism—an array of turrets unfolded across the battlefield.
"Let's see how your shield fares against this, Captain!" Skull sneered, pressing a button.
The turrets unleashed a barrage of gunfire, forcing Steve to raise his shield defensively. Whizzer darted back, narrowly avoiding the rain of bullets.
"Cap, those things are gonna pin us down!" Whizzer shouted.
Steve gritted his teeth. "We need to take them out. I'll cover you—get moving!"
"On it!" Whizzer replied, dashing toward the turrets.
While Steve and Whizzer battled on the ground, Bucky spotted an opening. He sprinted through a side corridor, using the chaos to slip unnoticed toward the fortress wall. Scaling a ladder, he climbed onto a ledge that overlooked the cannon platform.
He raised his rifle, sighting down at the guards threatening Blonde Phantom. "Come on, Louise—move!" he muttered under his breath.
With precise aim, Bucky fired. A Hydra soldier dropped instantly, and the second turned in shock. Blonde Phantom seized the opportunity, disarming him with a sharp kick before finishing him off.
Blonde Phantom glanced down and gave a quick salute. "You're a good shot, Barnes."
"Don't mention it!" Bucky called back, reloading his rifle.
The battlefield was chaos—Steve and Whizzer fought to keep the Hydra soldiers at bay, Blonde Phantom worked frantically to disable the cannon, and Bucky provided cover fire from above.
Whizzer skidded to a stop next to Steve, breathing hard. "Cap, we can't hold this line forever!"
Steve looked up, his gaze narrowing on the
Betaraye Device, still charging with ominous energy. "We don't have to. We just need to buy Blonde Phantom time."
Whizzer grinned. "Well, you're in luck—I'm fast."
Before Steve could respond, Whizzer dashed off, creating chaos by smashing Hydra equipment and baiting their soldiers away from the cannon.
*
On the platform, Blonde Phantom finally found the device's primary controls. A series of red lights blinked ominously, and a screen flashed a countdown timer: 02:00.
Her eyes widened. "Two minutes? You've got to be kidding me."
She tapped a few buttons, trying to deactivate the mechanism. Nothing worked. The cannon rumbled, energy building.
Blonde Phantom muttered under her breath. "Alright, Plan B." She planted explosives along the base of the device, setting the charges with trembling hands as the countdown ticked away.
The countdown continued, the Betaraye Device glowing ominously with arcs of energy building across its core. Blonde Phantom set the last explosive with practiced speed, sweat streaking her brow. 1:30.
"Come on, come on," she muttered, pulling her grappling line from her belt.
Hydra reinforcements poured onto the platform, shouting in German.
One officer barked, "Halten Sie sie auf!" (Stop her!)
Blonde Phantom smiled darkly. "Sorry, boys. Show's over."
She fired the grappling hook at a steel beam above and leapt, swinging across the platform as gunfire erupted. Sparks showered behind her as bullets ricocheted off metal, but she landed nimbly on a narrow walkway.
A Hydra soldier charged her, but Blonde Phantom sidestepped him. "Too slow!" she taunted, sending him tumbling off the edge with a sharp kick.
Down below, the Hydra soldiers advanced with renewed aggression. Steve Rogers' shield struck like a lightning bolt, dropping enemy after enemy as he led the charge.
Whizzer dashed alongside him, a red blur zipping through the chaos. He stopped briefly next to Steve, panting but grinning. "I think they're getting mad."
"Then we're doing something right," Steve replied. He caught his shield mid-air, deflecting a burst of gunfire. "We need to clear this area before Blonde Phantom detonates the explosives."
Bucky's voice crackled over Steve's radio from his elevated position. "Cap! Reinforcements are moving in—more trucks coming up the pass!"
"Great," Whizzer groaned.
Steve frowned, scanning the mountainside. "Bucky, take out as many of those trucks as you can. We'll hold here."
"Got it," Bucky confirmed.
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed through the Hydra stronghold.
"Captain America!"
Steve and Whizzer turned to see Red Skull emerging from the shadows of the main structure. Clad in his military coat and striking red visage, he exuded power and menace.
"Johann Schmidt," Steve muttered grimly.
Red Skull sneered. "You've proven to be quite the nuisance, Rogers. But your futile resistance ends here." He raised a gloved hand, signaling a new wave of Hydra enforcers armed with flamethrowers and heavy weaponry.
Steve stepped forward, shield at the ready. "I've heard that before, Skull. You'll need more than flamethrowers to stop me."
Red Skull's cruel smile widened. "We shall see."
With a snap of his fingers, the flamethrower units advanced, spewing fire across the battlefield. The heat forced Steve and Whizzer to retreat behind a crumbling wall.
Whizzer coughed, waving away smoke. "You were saying about stopping him?"
Steve grimaced. "We'll figure something out. Can you disarm those units?"
Whizzer nodded, brushing soot from his suit. "I can try, but this'll get ugly."
"Go. I'll cover you."
From his perch, Bucky spotted the incoming Hydra reinforcements—a convoy of trucks crawling up the mountainside. Gritting his teeth, he pulled a grenade launcher from his pack and took aim.
"Let's see how tough these trucks really are," he muttered.
Thoom!
The grenade hit the lead truck, engulfing it in flames. The explosion sent the vehicles behind it into chaos, blocking the narrow mountain road. Bucky smirked as debris scattered, buying his team precious time.
But his satisfaction was short-lived—Hydra snipers on nearby ridges turned their attention toward him. Bullets whizzed past as he ducked for cover.
"Steve, I'm pinned down!" Bucky radioed urgently.
"Hang tight, Bucky!" Steve replied. "We're almost there!"
Back on the platform, Blonde Phantom darted toward the exit. She glanced over her shoulder at the Betaraye Device. The timer flashed ominously: 00:30.
"Oh, this is going to be close," she murmured.
Red Skull's voice echoed through the fortress. "Your efforts are meaningless, Captain America! The Betaraye Device will ignite the tide of victory!"
Blonde Phantom tapped her radio. "Cap, explosives are set! You've got thirty seconds!"
Steve's voice crackled back, calm and resolute. "Understood. Everyone, fall back!"
Whizzer skidded to a halt next to Steve, smoke rising around them. "Cap, we need to move!"
Steve glanced toward the upper platform, where Blonde Phantom disappeared into the shadows. "Bucky, can you get clear?"
Bucky's voice was faint but steady. "I'll make it. Don't wait for me!"
Steve nodded to Whizzer. "Let's go!"
The two bolted for the exit as the fortress began to shake. Explosions erupted in the upper levels, and Hydra soldiers screamed as debris rained down. Red Skull watched the destruction, his expression darkening.
"Fools," he hissed.
Blonde Phantom rejoined Steve and Whizzer as they sprinted from the collapsing stronghold. "You two always this dramatic?" she teased.
"Only when the situation calls for it," Steve quipped, leading them through the smoke and flames.
The three emerged onto the mountainside just as the final charges detonated. The Betaraye Device exploded in a brilliant flash, sending shockwaves that echoed across the valley. The Hydra fortress crumbled into rubble, swallowed by fire and smoke.
The mountainside shook violently as the Hydra fortress crumbled behind them. Steve, Whizzer, and Blonde Phantom shielded themselves against the concussive force of the blast, their ears ringing as debris rained down.
"Everyone in one piece?" Steve asked, steadying himself.
Blonde Phantom dusted ash from her coat. "Never better, soldier boy."
Whizzer groaned, "Remind me to skip the explosions next time."
Steve turned back toward the ruins, his expression grim. "We didn't get Schmidt."
From the rubble of the destroyed fortress, a lone figure emerged—Red Skull, singed but very much alive. He glared down at the retreating heroes, his eyes burning with vengeance.
"This isn't over, Rogers," he growled under his breath, before disappearing into the smoke.
Hours later, the trio regrouped at an Allied forward camp under cover of night. Soldiers bustled around them, tending to the wounded and organizing their next assault.
Steve stood at a map table, speaking to an officer about their failed attempt to capture Hydra's leader. Whizzer sat nearby, bandaging his arm as Blonde Phantom paced.
"We blew up their toy, but Red Skull slipped away," Whizzer said, frustrated.
Blonde Phantom nodded, arms crossed. "He's too slippery. But we put a dent in Hydra's plans tonight. That's a win."
Steve approached, his face serious but calm. "We'll get another shot at him. For now, we regroup. Hydra's not done, but neither are we."
Blonde Phantom looked at Steve with quiet admiration. "You don't give up, do you?"
"No," Steve replied firmly, looking out toward the mountains. "Not when there's still a fight to win."
*
*
Unbeknownst to the group, in the distant woods beyond the camp, Bucky Barnes watched the Allied soldiers from the shadows. His rifle was slung across his back, and his uniform was tattered. His face, though worn, showed no emotion.
Hydra agents crept nearby, silently directing Bucky to retreat deeper into enemy territory. The faint glimmer of Hydra's mind control lingered in his eyes, but his lips barely moved as he whispered:
"Steve...?"
TO BE CONTINUED...