Chapter 117: New Plan
"I just saw Sergeant Barnes. He took two men and went after that bald guy!"
a soldier replied.
Steve was about to ask more when he heard Mason's voice from nearby. "Steve, I need to discuss something with you."
"You guys follow the direction Sergeant Barnes went and provide him with some support." He then quickly walked toward Mason.
"I have a plan that can completely destroy Hydra's forces!"
Steve's eyes lit up.
Mason led him deep into the abbey, where Professor Bruttenholm was holding baby Hellboy, gently keeping him calm.
"This little guy escaped from the dimensional portal. He's intelligent and should be the biggest asset from this operation," Mason said, gesturing to Hellboy.
Steve reached out to interact with him, but Hellboy bared his teeth and pulled away.
"I'm taking him back to Schmidt!"
"What?"
"That's impossible!" Professor Bruttenholm protested.
Steve remained silent, trusting that Mason would provide a satisfactory explanation.
"Hydra doesn't have many bases left, maybe only three or four. But Schmidt's whereabouts are unknown; nobody knows exactly which facility he's hiding in."
"If I bring him back, I'm confident I can locate Schmidt, which will pinpoint his base. With our combined strike, we can completely eliminate Hydra's operations!"
"You know Red Skull Schmidt is the core of Hydra. Once he falls, the other bases will collapse. We can quickly track them down and destroy them!"
"That way, we can end this war sooner!"
"No, Mason, that's not fair to you!" Steve shook his head.
"You finally escaped that nightmare; I can't let you risk your life again!"
"You've already done enough for me!"
Mason thought to himself, Brother, you don't understand. My mission objective requires this; I really can't refuse.
Mason's expression hardened, adopting a determined demeanor.
"Now isn't the time to think about that. The sooner we end Hydra's operations, the sooner we can end this war, and save thousands of soldiers and countless families!"
"What does my personal safety matter?"
"Mason!"
"Don't try to persuade me. This is our best opportunity!" Mason interrupted Steve.
"Contact Carter. There's no time to waste. We need to move now!"
"Okay... alright!" Seeing Mason's resolute attitude, Steve reluctantly agreed.
"You have to promise me you'll come back alive!" Although he had confidence in Mason, Steve was still worried about him being trapped in Hydra's base.
Mason smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be back in time for your wedding with Carter!"
To return to Hydra's base, Mason needed to locate several other operatives who had come to Britain on assignment.
He carried Hellboy and left the abbey first.
When Steve went outside, the cleanup was nearly complete. They had contacted the British government, and transport ships were already en route.
Carter fully supported Mason's plan and convened an emergency meeting, mobilizing all available resources. They would wait for Mason's specific location intel before commencing operations.
"Has Sergeant Barnes not returned yet?"
The man named Issa was supposedly just a scientist with minimal combat ability. Logically, with Barnes' combat experience, apprehending an ordinary person should have been straightforward. Yet even after everything was finished, he still hadn't returned, which concerned Steve.
The soldiers Steve sent to track Barnes' group returned reporting no trace of him. Steve felt a surge of frustration. He wanted to investigate himself, but Mason's operation was urgent, and he couldn't spare the time.
"The terrain on this island is difficult, and it's raining. They must have lost his trail. Leave this to me," a bearded man said to Steve.
He was a member of the Howling Commandos, technically skilled and experienced in combat; Steve trusted him completely.
"Alright, be careful. Contact me immediately if anything happens," Steve instructed before boarding the transport and departing.
Meanwhile, James Barnes, whom he was concerned about, sat motionless in a sealed cabin.
The cabin was dimly lit, and as the vessel rocked, the light on Barnes' face flickered, making him look like a statue.
Issa had changed into dry clothes and circled Barnes several times, examining him closely. "A truly exceptional soldier. He appears to have undergone some kind of enhancement," Issa said uncertainly.
"I heard he was in the 107th Infantry Regiment, captured by Hydra, then imprisoned at a facility near the Alps for a period. Records show Schmidt was frequently active in that area during that time; he was probably used for experiments then, right?"
A female operative emerged from the shadows of the cabin.
"Bang! Bang!" Barnes, restrained to a chair, trembled violently.
Issa's eyes seemed to darken as he stared intently at Barnes. Beads of sweat formed on Barnes' forehead, and pain flashed across his face, but his movements gradually subsided.
He eventually fell into a trance-like state.
"His willpower is remarkable... I nearly lost control!" Issa wearily wiped the sweat from his brow.
"But with proper conditioning, he'll become a formidable weapon!" Issa turned to look at the female operative behind him.
"How's the progress on deciphering the bio-enhancement technology we acquired from Schmidt's research?"
The female operative nodded. "Nearly complete, and we'll soon be able to begin human trials!"
"Excellent, very good!"
"Schmidt's downfall is inevitable. After returning home, we must secretly build our own power!"
"This time, I will make those who underestimated us pay!"
"Initiate Project Winter Soldier! With the technology from Schmidt's labs, combined with my advanced conditioning techniques, I will create the most effective covert operatives in the world!"
"Let the whole world fear the shadow of the Winter Soldier!" A dangerous glint flashed across Issa's face as he clenched his fists.
"Yes, sir!"
A hint of fanaticism flashed across the female operative's face as she regarded Issa's imposing figure.
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