Chapter Nineteen: Winter Soldier
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"Did you hear that?"
"Yeah!"
"Looks like we've been compromised."
"Maybe!"
"Did something happen? Is there a problem?"
A gunshot was heard.
"No, that was something exploding in the distance."
"They attacked the base, let's go."
William nodded, opened the door quietly, and looked outside. No one was visible. He stepped out carefully, followed by Natasha and Coulson.
"This is really a problem, but I don't think it's for this base."
Coulson spoke softly.
William nodded in agreement.
"So, where was the attack?"
"The closest place to here is the hidden Iraqi base where our mission is. Seems like someone else is after the scientists too."
"Right. My name's Natasha, you have good hearing."
"I think so… Natasha."
William smiled and looked at the beautiful girl. Despite her attractiveness, she gave an incredible sense of danger to William and any other man, as if saying, stay away from me.
The three of them set off and reached the command center.
They knocked and entered without hesitation.
Several people who were discussing something loudly turned to look at them, then continued their work silently.
"Seems like they don't like us much."
"No secret agent soldier is liked. They think we're cowards."
"Aren't you going to take off your face mask?"
"My skin is sensitive."
"Yeah, sure, I believe that."
"Colonel Davis, what happened?"
"Oh, this is military business, confidential. I don't think you need to know the secrets of the US army."
Colonel Davis, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair, spoke emotionlessly, like a robot.
William and Natasha stood aside, ready to display their presence for Coulson.
"But we have government orders to rescue for this mission."
"I know it's neat, but the army can also rescue those two. But Congress isn't satisfied with your performance, so we're here."
"You know I'm the boss here. This is a military base in a war zone, I give orders, not the president or those greedy congressmen."
Natasha said, "I think until this discussion ends, let's step outside and get some fresh air."
Natasha quietly backed up and walked away.
"Ah, right, it's stuffy underground, so… bye."
William followed behind Natasha.
The discussion between Coulson and Colonel Davis continued.
"Who do you think needs those scientists more, that they're making such a fuss?"
"Iran, North Korea, or many others."
"Right. William, at what age did you start missions?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Uh… curiosity."
"You know, I started at sixteen."
"Well, I was eighteen."
"What was your coolest mission? I've had a few. For example, someone tried to kill me with a bow and arrow, and in the end, we became friends."
"With a bow and arrow? What century are you from?"
"Well, it was a wild mission. I don't think all of them were the same. Either I was protecting someone, doing an assassination, or spying on certain individuals."
"Uh, Natasha, do you like animals?"
"Well, I guess. But if I wanted to keep them, I wouldn't, because I'm too busy. I don't have the time. In our organization, I handle the most work, very fast and accurately."
Natasha proudly lifted her head, waiting for William to praise her. But William just gave her a thumbs-up: "You're very patient, sister."
"Well, I have a pet wolf at home."
"A wolf?"
"Yeah, I raised it since childhood. It's like family to me."
"Lucky you."
"By the way, this skin and hair color, is it a disease?"
"Oh, yes. It's a genetic condition, still in the intermediate stage."
"Oh, I hope it doesn't cause problems for you."
"No problem, I've dealt with it."
William and Natasha, talking, left the base.
"Do you know which path to take?"
"Should be to the left."
Following the sounds of the U.S. army clashing with mercenaries, they changed paths a few times and reached the back of the Iraqi base. They climbed the wall, cut the barbed wire, and crossed the minefield with Natasha using a mine detector.
William walked through a path littered with bodies and reached a quiet room. Both William and Natasha saw the bodies of the two atomic scientists—they had just been killed.
William sensed something, grabbed Natasha, and exited the room. Natasha turned her head and saw a man wearing a mask like William's, but the danger emanating from him was far greater.
From Natasha's perspective, after talking with William, he was a simple man with complex thoughts; as long as you don't try to kill him, he won't bother you. But this man in front of them would kill anyone who stood in his way.
William took cover behind a column with Natasha, signaling with his hands:
"I'll block him, you hit him."
Natasha nodded in agreement.
William threw a dagger at the man's head. The man dodged slightly, but this was expected. William aimed his sidearm at the man's left hand, and Natasha aimed at his legs.
They both fired. The man raised his left hand to block the bullet and dodged Natasha's shot.
"Yeah, catch the bullet, unless you're Superman!"
But the sound they heard wasn't flesh hitting flesh—it was metal against metal. William and Natasha exchanged shocked glances. The man's hand was metal.
They fired again, targeting differently. But the metal hand wasn't useless; he spun and ducked behind a wall, avoiding the bullets.
He raised an automatic rifle and started firing at the column while moving closer. With his metal hand, he punched the column, creating a hole, but saw no one there.
Natasha and William both understood what the metal hand meant: this man, in the past seventy years, had emerged from his hideout multiple times to assassinate key individuals. Counting his kills would fill several pages of history books.
They both knew that in terms of power and experience, they hadn't reached the Winter Soldier's level. And they had lost their objective, so they made a hard decision to flee. But before escaping, both Natasha and William pulled grenades from their belts.
"Yours or mine?"
Natasha thought about the similarity in their actions and decisions.
"Why both? No!"
William laughed and nodded. They threw the grenades behind the column and ran.
When the column collapsed, the Winter Soldier saw the grenades and leapt back at incredible speed. But it was slightly too late; a few fragments hit his chest, back, and neck. With his physique, escaping was still easy. He rose and fled silently.
"Why did they throw two grenades? One would've worked. Today's youth is unpredictable. Next time, I'll be careful of these strange kids."
William and Natasha ran to the base's exit, straightened themselves, took deep breaths, and resumed talking.
Five minutes later, the door opened, and someone stepped out, intending to close it, but heard voices discussing a meeting. He looked and saw the two secret agents who had arrived hours earlier.
"Look at them. In the middle of a war zone for a date? What does Congress think sending them instead of us will do?"
"Hey, you two, what are you doing here?"
Seeing their red faces, I felt inwardly pleased. This is how it should be.
"Hmm, I'll let it slide this time, but next time I'll report you to my superior."
"Thank you, boss."
I smirked. "Yeah, boss is the right word. You may enter."
"Alright, boss."
"Ah, what a good life I have, what a good man I am."
Both William and Natasha lowered their heads, face full of sorrow, entered, and inwardly smirked: what a simple man!
When they reached their room, they saw Coulson drinking hot water.
"Ah, you two came."
Coulson's voice was hoarse.
William and Natasha, affected, gave a thumbs-up and said in unison:
"Good job, hero."
Coulson looked at them, sensed nothing unusual, but noticed their respectful gazes. He felt slightly embarrassed.
"Well Natasha and William, I tried my best but couldn't convince Colonel Davis."
Natasha secretly glanced at William; the other man looked straight ahead like a deaf person. She gritted her teeth and recorded this moment in her revenge notebook: I'll remember this.
"Coulson, if they don't allow it, then we won't go either."
"So I heard correctly, Natasha. You're giving up on the mission?"
"Yeah, it's problematic."
"Well, the Natasha we know… if they closed the door, she'll enter through the window."
"Very impulsive?"
"Well, that's why missions get done fast."
Natasha kicked William's shin and stared at Coulson: "You talk too much."
Coulson felt uneasy, quickly turned, and began stirring hot water with honey for his damaged throat.
"Well Coulson, I know it was a bit rushed earlier, but after talking to William, I've adjusted myself a bit."
Coulson gave William a strange look: Could this inexperienced guy be falling for this Black Widow?
I must prepare a convincing speech about these harmful loves for these young ones.
With Coulson's eyes full of pity and the girl's full of joy, William raised his palm showing written words—an email address.
"See? We became good friends. Natasha even gave me her email. Look. Don't be jealous, Coulson."
"When did I write my email on this kid's hand? I don't remember."
Natasha knew William's plan. Before Coulson could prepare a speech about himself, she changed the topic:
"Well, what do we do now?"
"Let's wait for news from the organization."
Everyone went to their corners and started making their calls. Natasha also separately reported what she had seen to Fury.