2014

Sokovia

HYDRA Research Base

A Few Moments Earlier

 

(Brock POV)

In the cockpit of the cloaked hovercar hovering high above the imposing HYDRA Research Base in Sokovia, I sat alongside my two trusted subordinates, Ava and Zeru, as I fix my eyes on the base below us.

"This place's security is no joke," Zeru said, his voice holding a note of awe as he looked over the scans of the compound, "Force field, alien-tech weaponry...they really don't want anyone getting in or out."

"Hydra must've paid a pretty penny to build this kind of setup," Ava noted, her eyes scanning the perimeter of the base.

I nodded, my mind racing as I surveyed the base below.

The force field shimmered with an otherworldly blue glow, pulsating with power. The alien-tech turrets, sleek and deadly, lined the walls, ready to unleash their destructive energy on any intruder.

It was a fortress, seemingly impenetrable.

I took a moment to think, weighing our options carefully. We needed to act fast, and every move had to be precise.

After a moment of silence, I finally spoke, my voice determined and focused.

"Alright, here's the plan. I'll go in first and act as a distraction. While the guards are focused on me, Zeru, you locate the central control room and breach the security system. I want full control of the base's automated systems. Ava, you'll be our eyes and ears inside the base, gathering intelligence and eliminating any opposition you encounter."

Ava and Zeru both nodded in agreement at the plan, their eyes reflecting the same determination I felt within me.

"Both of you stay in communication at all times. If you locate either of the targets, keep them alive. I want to finish them myself," I ordered.

My two companions exchanged looks of understanding.

"Understood," they answered in unison.

I shot each of them one last glance, making sure they were ready to take action, before I opened the door of the cloaked hovercar, allowing the cool night air to fill the vehicle.

Adrenaline surged through my veins as I prepared myself for action, my heart pounding with anticipation at the battle ahead.

Without any further words, I leaped from the hovercar, falling down through the starry sky like a comet plummeting toward the compound below.

As I fell, inky black liquid began to seep from my skin as the dark metal plates of my armor settled in place, enveloping my body. A crimson haze filled my vision as my skeletal helmet locked tightly around my head, completing my transformation and providing the protection I needed for the upcoming battle.

Hurdling down through the air in the heavy armor, my momentum increased rapidly and a crimson-red force field began to flicker around me as I neared the blue energy barrier surrounding the base.

*Booom!!!*

The impact was explosive, and a loud thundering shockwave reverberated through the air as the crimson force field around me collided with the blue force field protecting the base.

The air whirred with the crackling of static electricity as the two opposing forces attempted to push against each other, neither yielding to the other.

But the conflict lasted only a few seconds before the crimson force around me broke through the barrier, shattering it with sheer power. The explosion was deafening, and shockwaves traveled across the entire compound as I crashed through the barrier and collided with the ground in the courtyard of the base, creating a massive crater that shook the very foundation of the structure and sent dust and debris to fill the air.

The ground continued to tremble slightly beneath my feet as I rose from the rubble, my armor gleaming ominously in the moonlight as the dust began to settle.

Hydra soldiers rushed to the scene, their weapons raised and their faces etched with surprise and fear as they gazed upon my armored form.

Without asking questions, they began to open fire and, with a deep, guttural growl, I charged forward, my crimson force field deflecting all the alien-tech blasts that came my way.

Like an unleashed demon, I plowed through the enemy line, my attacks causing them to fall in droves as blood and organs began to soak the battlefield.

"Take him down! Fire! Fire!" one of the enemy captains yelled, his voice filled with desperation.

But their attempts were futile.

With each swing of my powerful armored claws and fists, I sent soldiers flying across the courtyard, crashing into the walls of the compound with bone-crunching impacts.

Each of my blows struck true, and I reveled in the frenzy of battle, my senses heightened like a drug addict who'd found his rush.

A barrage of energy continued to rain down from the walls, and four wide streams of blue energy erupted from the enemy line as more soldiers fired at me with their Chitauri cannons, but the blasts never reached my charging form. Instead, the beams of energy reflected off the red force field protecting me, and struck their allies surrounding me, tearing through their flesh and destroying their ranks even further.

The battle became brutal, and it filled the air with the sounds of energy blasts, metal clashing, and the grunts of soldiers fighting for their lives.

As I cut through the mass of enemies, I noticed Ava and Zeru spring into action, making use of the chaos I created to infiltrate the base undetected. Ava's abilities allowed her to slip through the confusion of the battle like a shadow in the night, taking down guards silently and swiftly as she moved, while Zeru's tech prowess enabled him to bypass the base's intricate security systems with ease.

One by one, I took down the Hydra soldiers, their advanced weapons proving no match for my defenses. They fell like dominoes, unable to withstand the onslaught of power I unleashed upon them.

With each opponent I took down, I grew more confident and more powerful. The dark power of Cyttorak coursed through my veins, fueling my rage and boosting my abilities. My strikes became even more devastating, and with each death, I could practically feel the mounting fear in the Hydra soldiers' minds as they realized the magnitude of the threat they faced.

But despite my overwhelming advantage, the fight was far from over as even more soldiers poured out from the inside of the compound, surrounding me as I battled my way through their ranks. Their numbers were growing, and it was clear to see that they had enhanced these new troops with some abilities of their own, giving them a modicum of power.

Various methods of attack emerged from the pack, and soon I found myself facing small bursts of fire and lightning shot from hands, melee weapons wielded by soldiers with enhanced strength, and even a weak telekinetic pull that tried to yank me off my feet.

But with each new superpowered opponent that appeared, my exhilaration from the battle only intensified.

Their weak abilities proved no match for the sheer power I wielded, and with every kill, I felt that dark sense of intoxication rippling through my veins as the destruction I was wreaking fueled my abilities even further.

"Ha ha ha ha!" I laughed, the sound echoing eerily through the courtyard, as I mercilessly decimated the enhanced HYDRA forces.

Blood splattered on my armor as I delivered blow after blow, the air filled with the screams of the fallen, the shouts of the enemy, and the thuds of bodies hitting the ground.

My mind was filled with nothing but the fight.

The thrill of battle.

And the destruction of my enemies.

It was...euphoric.

And it made me even more eager for more.

The reinforcements didn't even slow me down as I struck them down one after another. Their numbers dwindled, and the few survivors who were left standing began to retreat inside the base, seeking shelter from the unstoppable force that had descended upon them.

I allowed them to flee into the building, a wicked grin forming on my skeletal faceplate as I watched them scramble for a semblance of safety. But any who tried to leave the walls of the compound met the same fate as their fallen comrades.

Before long, I stood alone in the courtyard, surrounded by a sea of corpses that littered the now blood-soaked stone. The moonlight cast an eerie glow on the carnage, turning the once orderly and pristine compound into a scene straight out of a horror movie.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and the lingering scent of destruction.

With my dark armor reflecting the moonlight, I shook the blood from my gauntlets, my heart still pounding with exhilaration from the battle. My glowing, crimson eyes glinted in the night, and I glanced down at my hands, relishing the sight of the dried blood crusted on the claws on my gauntlet-covered fingers.

Without hesitation, I stomped through the mass of corpses, their lifeless forms a testament to the havoc I had wrought. Each step echoed through the courtyard, the squelchy sound of victory resonating in my ears as leftover bones and guts were crushed beneath my feet.

As I made my way into the base, a chilling silence fell upon the once-bustling compound. The hallways were empty; the soldiers retreating to the deepest corners of the facility to escape my wrath.

With my skeletal faceplate twisted into a cruel smile, I continued my relentless advance, my dark armor soaked in the blood of my enemies.

I moved forward with purpose, examining the base for any sign of the targets I sought.

The base was a labyrinth of corridors and chambers, but the halls were quiet, save for the blaring alarms, and the distant sound of gunfire still echoing from somewhere deep within the complex.

On my way, I encountered more Hydra soldiers, but I was relentless. Tearing through them with ruthless precision.

I could hear the panicked whispers of the surviving soldiers as they cowered in the shadows, their bravado shattered by the sight of their fallen comrades and the monster that was currently tearing through their base.

"Status Report," I called over the comms as I continued moving down the corridors, listening for any sounds of life.

"I've breached the main control room and I have full control of their systems," Zeru spoke through the earpiece. "The base is secure. No one will get in or out without my authorization."

I nodded in satisfaction, continuing my search for the targets I knew must be somewhere inside the base.

"Good work, Zeru. Ava? Any news?" I asked.

"I'm currently in what looks like some sort of medical bay, and have eyes on one of the targets." Ava's voice sounded hushed, as if she were whispering into the microphone of her helmet.

"Which one?" I asked.

"The General," She replied. "But she's not alone. A... weird-looking young woman is following her around. She's definitely enhanced by the looks of it."

My interest piqued, I paused for a moment and considered my options.

"Zeru, have you seen any signs of the other target yet?" I asked.

"No, not yet," He responded. "Still searching for him on the camera feeds."

"Alright, let me know when you have his location. Ava, send me your position," I ordered.

"Copy that, Boss," she said, and I began to make my way deeper into the base.

*********

Sokovia

HYDRA Research Base, Medical Bay

 

(Omniscient POV)

General Hale's mind was in chaos as she hurried through the labyrinthine corridors of the HYDRA Research Base, her heart pounding with fear and anger. She could hear the sounds of chaos outside the walls, the deafening screams and gunfire telling her that something terrible was happening.

Behind her, levitating a few inches off the floor, was a young woman with strange eyes and unnatural features. The girl appeared to be in her late teens, with cropped blonde hair and skin the color of polished steel. Her eyes were mismatched, one green and the other a glowing pale blue.

If Brock were here, he would probably barely recognize this girl as the same one he went to school with, given how much alteration had been done to her appearance.

Ruby Hale glided effortlessly behind her mother, keeping pace with her as they moved out of the medical bay, where she had, only a few minutes ago, been locked up in one of the stasis chambers for an unknown period of time.

A look of confusion and concern was etched on her young face.

Ruby had been through a lot since leaving the academy and being forced by her Mother to undergo one of Hydra's many superhuman experiments, but General Hale was determined to keep her safe, no matter what.

"What's happening, Mom?!" Ruby cried out, reaching out to clutch the General's hand tightly like she did when she was a little girl.

General Hale glanced back at the young woman, a sad smile touching her lips.

She reached out and squeezed the young girl's hand reassuringly.

The experiment had given Ruby the amazing powers of gravity manipulation, but that hadn't come without cost.

Her appearance, as well as her mind, had been altered beyond recognition.

In fact, Hale wasn't even sure if the girl before her was even truly her daughter anymore, as she acted so different than the young woman she'd once known.

But that didn't mean she wasn't still her child, though.

"We need to find a safe place, Ruby," the General replied, her voice steady but filled with urgency. "Stay close to me and do exactly as I say, okay?"

Ruby nodded, her eyes wide with fear and curiosity as she followed her mother through the dimly lit hallways. As they turned a corner, they came face to face with one of the enhanced HYDRA soldiers, his eyes glowing faintly with power.

"General Hale, I've been ordered to protect you at all costs," the soldier spoke with a cold, monotone voice.

Before the General could react, Ruby's eyes flickered with an unnatural glow, and she extended her hand toward the soldier. With a burst of force, the soldier was thrown across the hallway, crashing into the wall with a bone-shattering impact.

The General's eyes widened in shock and concern as she looked at her daughter.

"Ruby!" She exclaimed.

"Mom, it's fine," Ruby said, shaking her head and dismissing the glowing effect. "That man was trying to hurt you. You can trust me."

The General stared at her daughter in disbelief, not quite believing what she'd just heard.

"He wasn't..." General Hale sighed, wrapping her arms around her daughter tightly. "Just...don't do that again, unless I specifically tell you to."

Ruby chuckled humorlessly, nodding her agreement.

She had been exhibiting these strange powers ever since merging with the Gravitonium (a rare metal that possesses unique gravitational properties), and the General had hoped that they could train her to keep them under control.

But it seemed like Ruby's powers were growing more powerful with each day, and the General feared what that meant for her daughter's safety.

"Ruby, we need to keep moving," the General said, trying to keep her voice calm despite the turmoil inside her. "We have to find a way out of here."

Ruby nodded, her unfocused eyes wondering about her surroundings as she followed her mother through the twisting corridors of the HYDRA Research Base.

As they continued their frantic journey, they could hear the sounds of fighting getting closer behind them.

Then, turning a corner, they saw the first bodies littering the hallway ahead of them.

There were dozens, maybe even hundreds of dead soldiers lying in the bloodstained corridor, the walls freshly painted in red as numerous cuts and slashes covered the bodies. Many of the corpses were missing limbs, their heads caved in, and some even decapitated.

General Hale took a shuddering breath, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"Mom, who did this?" Ruby asked, her voice trembling with fear and curiosity.

General Hale kept her eyes forward, her mind racing as she searched for a way to escape the base.

"I don't know," she replied, her voice low and tense. "But we need to find a way out of here before they find us."

The two of them hurried down one hallway after another, searching for any sign of an exit. But everywhere they turned, they were met with locked doors and dead ends.

The General's heart pounded in her chest as she realized that they were trapped, with no way out.

As they turned another corner, the General couldn't help but gasp.

Ahead of them, a unit of enhanced HYDRA soldiers was firing their various weapons and abilities down the hall at what looked to be a single armored figure, who strolled casually through the hail of bullets and blasts.

His skeletal smile and glowing crimson eyes painted a gruesome portrait of the man's true nature as he sauntered down the hall.

As he neared the unit, the armored figure stretched out his arms before bringing his gauntleted hands together with a thunderous force.

*Clap!!*

A wave of sonic energy rippled out from the center of his palms, shattering any glass along the hall and sending the soldiers flying down the long hallway toward the mother and daughter.

"Ruby!!" General Hale screamed, prompting the young woman to raise her hand in the direction of the incoming bodies.

With a surge of gravitational force, the bodies slowed in the air, before slamming down into the floor with such pressure that the tiles cracked and shattered, the concrete caving in from the strength of the impact.

From the far end of the hall, Brock watched the spectacle with slight interest, his curiosity piqued as he noticed that the young woman's powers were way above the level of the soldiers he had dealt with so far.

Again, Ruby conjured a burst of force, sending the soldiers flying back the way they'd come from.

Brock didn't even flinch, standing his ground as the dead soldiers' bodies crashed into him and fell to the ground in a heap.

"Interesting," Brock mused aloud, his voice resonating with dark amusement.

Ruby's mismatched eyes narrowed as she faced the armored figure, her powers crackling with gravitational energy.

"Who are you?!" she demanded, her voice laced with a mix of fear and defiance.

Brock grinned behind his skeletal faceplate which mirrored his expression, as his crimson eyes locked onto the young woman.

"I'm a little hurt you don't recognize me," he declared, his jovial voice carrying a menacing tone. "I thought you never forget your first."

Sensing the danger radiating off the armored man, General Hale stepped protectively in front of Ruby, her mind racing for a way to take down or escape from the formidable opponent before them.

"Stay away from my daughter," she commanded, her voice steady despite the fear she felt.

Brock chuckled darkly, taking a menacing step forward.

"Relax, General. Just saying hey to a past fling," he taunted.

General Hale looked confused at those words.

"What are you talki-"

*Beep! Beep! Beep!*

Suddenly, a loud beeping sound rang out from Brock's comm device, interrupting the General's words and breaking the tense standoff.

Brock frowned, tapping the device to answer the call.

"What is it?" he growled into the device.

"Boss, I've found the other target," Zeru's voice came through the comm. "He's moving towards the holding cells on Level B4."

A malicious grin spread across Brock's faceplate as he heard the news.

"Good work. We'll finish up here, then head that way," he replied, ending the call.

"Looks like our reunion will have to be short," Brock said, turning his attention back to the General and Ruby. "I've got some other business to attend to."

General Hale backed away warily as the armored figure sauntered toward them, her mind racing with questions and confusion.

"Wait! Who are you? Why are you attacking this base?" She called out, hoping to stall the mysterious man for as long as possible.

Brock paused and slightly chuckles at that, lamenting to himself how his revenge would be pointless if they didn't know who was killing them. With a thought, his helmet retracts into the back of his armor as he revealed his familiar face to the mother-and-daughter pair.

The General's eyes widened slightly in vague recognition at the reveal, while Ruby's heart skipped a beat as she immediately recognized the face under the dark armor.

"B-brock?" she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Is that...is that really you?"

"Hey, long time no see," Brock replied, ignoring the inner turmoil the young woman was obviously going through at the sight of him.

"I-I don't understand," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"So, um, look...it's good to see you and all, like the new look," Brock started as he took a step closer, his muscles tense and poised to strike. "But I kinda have to kill your mom now..."

**********

A/n: Hey guys, I hope you are enjoying the story so far, and as always, thanks for reading!

If you like my work and want to support it, check out Patreon.com/Swarthy, where you can read early chapters or go to Paypal.me/xSwarthyx Every bit helps and is appreciated.