The decision was made, and I could feel it in my bones—there was no going back now. Fury's words echoed in my mind as I left his office, Steve beside me, walking in silence. The weight of what we had agreed to felt like a burden, but it was one I knew I had to bear. There was no question now. Hydra was still out there, still plotting in the shadows, and it was up to us to stop them once and for all.
We moved quickly through the SHIELD facility, and though we were surrounded by agents, there was no sense of comfort here. I could feel the eyes on me, the weight of the countless surveillance cameras watching my every move. It wasn't just Hydra I had to worry about anymore—it was everyone.
"You're sure about this?" Steve asked, his voice low, careful. "There's no turning back. You know that, right?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure."
We didn't talk much more as we made our way to the briefing room. It was a cold, sterile place, the walls lined with holographic screens that flickered to life as we entered. Fury was already there, and sitting across from him were Natasha, Clint, and Maria Hill. The full team, minus a few key players. The Avengers were gathering, and for once, we were united by a common goal: taking down Hydra.
Fury stood up as we walked in, his one eye focused on me with a level of intensity that sent a chill down my spine. "Alright, Barnes, Rogers," he said, his voice steady. "Here's the plan."
He gestured to the holographic map on the table in front of us. It was a digital representation of a facility buried deep beneath a mountain in the Swiss Alps. Fury's fingers hovered over the screen, highlighting certain sections of the complex.
"This," he said, "is Hydra's last known stronghold. We've been tracking it for months, but they've kept their operations so tight, it's been damn near impossible to get close without alerting them. But I'm confident we've found the heart of their operation. If we take this facility down, we'll cripple Hydra's leadership, and we'll take out their most dangerous assets."
Clint raised an eyebrow. "And how do you suggest we do that, Fury? We're talking about a facility that's designed to be impregnable."
Fury didn't flinch. "We hit them fast. Hard. We don't give them time to react. We use everything we have to destroy their infrastructure, and we take out their command center."
"Sounds like a suicide mission," Natasha said, her voice calm, but the sharpness in her tone made it clear she didn't take the situation lightly.
"It's dangerous," Fury admitted, "but it's the only way. We've gathered intel on Hydra's leadership. If we can neutralize their top operatives, we'll break the backbone of their organization. This is our best shot."
Steve and I exchanged another look. I could feel the weight of it, the gravity of the mission. There would be no room for error. One slip-up, and we could lose everything. But we had no choice. Hydra had to be stopped.
"I'll do it," I said, my voice cutting through the silence that had fallen over the room. "Whatever it takes."
Steve nodded, his expression resolute. "Same here."
Fury's gaze flicked between the two of us, a faint nod of approval in his expression. "Good. We'll move out in twenty-four hours. Natasha, Clint, I'll need you both to prepare the extraction teams. Maria, I want you on comms. Barnes, Rogers—you're with me."
"Understood," Natasha said.
"We'll be ready," Clint added, already standing to prepare for the mission.
I didn't say anything as I left the room, Steve walking beside me. We didn't need to talk. We both knew what was coming. This wasn't just another fight; this was the fight that would determine the future. If we failed, Hydra would rise again. If we succeeded, we'd cripple them for good.
As we reached the armory, I couldn't help but think back on everything that had led me to this point. The memories, the body I inhabited, the people I had hurt, the lies I had to keep telling. It had been a long, painful road to get here, and I had no illusions about what would happen next. The world was counting on us, and I was going to make sure we didn't fail.
Steve and I geared up, strapping on the weapons we'd need for the mission. We were going in heavy. The facility would be a fortress, and we'd have to hit it hard and fast to take them by surprise.
I could feel the weight of the mission pressing down on me as I adjusted the straps on my combat gear. There was no turning back. This was it. Hydra had made their move, and now we were going to make ours.
As I loaded up my gear, I felt a surge of adrenaline. I wasn't just fighting for survival anymore. I was fighting for redemption. For the people Hydra had hurt. For everyone they had manipulated and destroyed.
Steve looked over at me as I finished, his expression more serious than I had ever seen it. "We're doing the right thing, Bucky. You know that, right?"
I nodded, my voice low. "I know."
We were ready. Ready to take down Hydra. Ready to face the darkness we had been running from. It wasn't going to be easy. It wasn't going to be pretty. But it was the only chance we had.
We walked out of the armory together, the weight of our resolve matching the heaviness of our footsteps.
This wasn't just another mission. This was our chance to end Hydra's reign of terror once and for all. And we were going to make sure they didn't get away this time.