Chapter 18: The Winter Soldier's Shadow
Brock Rumlow. The name, to Adam, was synonymous with a certain brand of muscular, unblinking evil. A HYDRA thug who wore a SHIELD uniform like a cheap suit. According to the decrypted list from Jasper Sitwell, he was a major player, a high-ranking sleeper agent within the organization. A man whose betrayal would be a major domino in the coming chaos.
"Okay, so here's the plan," Adam said, standing in front of a giant screen displaying Rumlow's face, a scowl permanently etched on his features. "We're going to hit him hard, hit him fast, and hit him where he's not expecting it. We can't let him get the drop on us. He's a smart cookie, but he's also a walking ego."
Frank was sharpening another knife, his movements precise and deadly. "You got a location?"
"He's at a SHIELD black site, overseeing a tactical training exercise," Adam explained, a smirk playing on his lips. "It's a perfect place to ambush a guy who thinks he's the top dog. It's a deserted warehouse district, far away from any major population centers. No innocent bystanders, no collateral damage. Just a good old-fashioned beatdown."
Scott, who was nervously eating a donut, looked at Adam with a worried expression. "Beatdown? Isn't that… Frank's thing?"
"It's everyone's thing now," Frank grunted, his Furious Strength Gu flaring in anticipation. "You're a part of the team, kid. You gotta be ready for a little rough and tumble."
"But... what if he hits back?" Scott asked, looking terrified.
"He will," Adam said. "And that's where we come in. We'll be his personal punching bag. A very, very distracting one."
They arrived at the black site, a sprawling complex of rusty warehouses and forgotten machinery. It was a perfect setting for a showdown, the kind of place where a hero would deliver a witty one-liner before taking down the bad guy. Adam, with his meta-knowledge, knew the layout of the complex and the likely patrol routes of Rumlow's men.
"Okay, he's in Warehouse 7," Adam whispered into his comms. "Skye, you lock down the exits. Scott, you're on ambush duty. Frank, you're the main event. Luis, you're the distraction."
"Distraction? Oh, I'm good at that," Luis said, his voice full of an almost manic energy. "I once distracted a guy so hard he forgot his own name. It was a beautiful thing to witness." His Clarity Gu was already working, analyzing the environment, the positions of the guards, and the most efficient way to get everyone's attention.
The plan was simple. Scott would shrink down, sneak into the warehouse, and at the perfect moment, use his Growing Gu to create a diversion. Then, Frank would charge in, a one-man army. And while Rumlow was dealing with the chaos, Skye would lock the exits, and Luis would use his fast-talking to keep the remaining soldiers off-balance.
Scott, shrinking down to the size of a bug, made his way into the warehouse. He found a large, unassuming forklift parked near the main entrance. "Okay, here goes nothing," he whispered. He activated his Growing Gu, and the small, rusted forklift began to grow. It grew and grew, until it was a monstrous, ten-ton piece of machinery that blocked the main entrance.
The HYDRA soldiers, who were milling about, looked at the giant forklift with a mixture of confusion and terror. They were used to fighting super-soldiers, not getting ambushed by heavy machinery.
Frank, with a roar, burst into the warehouse. His Furious Strength Gu was at full power, his muscles bulging, his eyes a terrifying blue. He was a whirlwind of violence, a force of nature that tore through the HYDRA soldiers like a hot knife through butter.
Rumlow, who was overseeing the training, saw the chaos unfolding and, with a grim smirk, charged forward. He was a beast of a man, his enhanced strength and training making him a match for even Frank. The two of them collided, a brutal ballet of punches, kicks, and grunts.
Adam, who was watching from the sidelines, saw that Frank was getting a bit reckless. Rumlow was a trained killer, not just a brute. He needed to be thrown off his game. Adam activated his comms and yelled, "Rumlow! Hey! Remember that time you lost a bet to Captain America and had to wear a pink tutu for a week?"
The sheer absurdity of the statement, a piece of information from Adam's meta-knowledge that was entirely made up, was enough to make Rumlow falter for a split second. A single, fleeting moment of confusion that was all Frank needed. He landed a brutal punch to Rumlow's face, sending him flying across the warehouse.
"Nice one, Stiels," Frank grunted, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "But a pink tutu? Really?"
"It's a great visual, isn't it?" Adam retorted, a smirk on his face.
The fight was over. Rumlow, battered and bruised, was unconscious. Skye, who had been watching the whole thing, used her Techno Gu to secure him in a set of specialized restraints that Adam had commissioned.
[Main Mission complete! Neutralize Brock Rumlow. Reward: 50 Coins, 1 Gu Egg (Uncommon Gu), Brock Rumlow Gu-Sack.Character Discovered: Brock Rumlow. Gu available for cultivation: Crossbones Gu (Rank 3).]
Skye looked at the man, a look of disgust on her face. "He's just… a man," she said, her voice filled with a profound sense of disappointment. "I thought he'd be some super-villain, but he's just a guy who chose to be a monster."
"That's the scariest part, isn't it?" Adam said, his voice soft. "That anyone can choose to be a monster. And that's why we're here. To make sure they don't."
They had their man. But Adam knew this was just the beginning. The Winter Soldier was still out there. And he was coming.
"I've gotta be the one to stop him," he thought. "I'm the one who knows what's coming. I'm the one with the cheat codes. I just hope the game doesn't crash on me."
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