The next morning, the routine felt... off. I couldn't explain it, but something in the air was different. It was subtle, but it gnawed at the back of my mind like a shadow that wouldn't leave. I did everything the same. I got up, strapped my weights on, and headed out for the usual morning jog. My legs burned with the familiar strain, the air crisp against my skin. I kept pushing through, but that feeling never left. Every step felt like a warning, and I couldn't shake it.
I pushed it down, focused on the run, but when I made it to the gym, that feeling didn't go away. I hit the weights harder, trying to lose myself in the motions, but it was like my body knew something was coming. After a grueling hour of lifting, I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water pound against my back. The steam filled the small space, but my thoughts were still clouded. Something was wrong. I could feel it in my bones, deep down where nothing else could reach.
I stepped out of the shower, drying myself off quickly, but the unsettling sensation lingered. My instincts screamed at me, that familiar cold chill crawling down my spine.
Hydra. It had to be Hydra.
I grabbed my clothes, barely bothering to dry off completely, and rushed out of the gym. There was no time to waste. I had to get back to the motel. Whatever was out there, whatever had me on edge, I needed to prepare. I needed my weapons.
My heart pounded in my chest as I sprinted back to the motel, my mind racing. I wasn't just being paranoid—I could feel the danger lurking just beyond the horizon. Something was coming, and I had to be ready for it. My hands were already trembling as I unlocked the door to my room and rushed inside.
I didn't waste time. I tore open the bag with my weapons and started strapping them on—pistols, knives, my combat knife, and everything I had left. I didn't know who was after me, but I sure as hell wasn't going down without a fight.
But just as I was about to grab my vest, I paused. The feeling was still there, pressing against me like a weight. Was it Hydra? Were they closing in on me again? My fingers tightened around the hilt of my knife as I surveyed the room, every muscle in my body tensed, waiting.
Suddenly, I saw it. The sound of distant explosions, the crackle of energy in the air. My eyes narrowed, and I moved toward the window, pulling the curtain aside just enough to see.
There it was.
The Avengers.
They were in the middle of a fight—a massive one. The streets outside were chaos. The ground was shaking as a horde of Chitauri soldiers poured in from above, the sky darkened by their flying ships. It wasn't just a skirmish; it was an all-out war.
The Avengers were holding their ground, but I could see the toll it was taking. Thor was swinging his hammer through the air, blasting Chitauri off the ground with every hit, but his movements were slower than usual. Steve Rogers was there too, Captain America—fighting with everything he had, shield crashing into the alien invaders with that unbreakable resolve of his. Iron Man, of course, was in the thick of it, raining down missiles from his suit. The Hulk was tearing through enemies like they were paper. And then, there was Black Widow and Hawkeye—both doing their part with precision, taking down enemies from all angles. But despite all the power on display, something about it felt... off.
The Chitauri were relentless. They kept coming, wave after wave, and the Avengers seemed to be struggling to keep up. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I knew these heroes. They weren't supposed to lose. But I could see it—the signs. The exhaustion in their faces, the slowing of their steps. They were barely holding their ground. And then, something shifted in the air.
My chest tightened.
Something wasn't right about this fight. I could feel it—an undercurrent of something darker, something hidden. Hydra. The whispers were there, the small tremors of an unseen hand pulling the strings. I wasn't just being paranoid. I had trained myself to sense danger, to feel the subtle shifts that indicated something was off.
I turned back to the room, pacing as I tried to make sense of it all.
"Hydra doesn't stop," I muttered to myself. "They never stop."
I could already feel their influence spreading. The Avengers were dealing with this alien invasion, but the Chitauri weren't the only threat. Hydra's tentacles were everywhere, always working in the background, always pulling the strings. This wasn't just a random alien attack. It had to be part of something bigger, something Hydra had orchestrated in the shadows.
And here I was—caught in the middle.
"Why now?" I said aloud, my voice low but edged with frustration. I wasn't one for monologues, but in moments like this, there was only one way to process it. My mind was on overdrive. "Why did they have to pick now? The Avengers are fighting aliens, Steve's out there—God, they're so damn vulnerable right now. I need them, need him—they're the only thing standing between me and Hydra's reach. They're the only ones who can fight this kind of war."
But Steve... Steve was there too. If Hydra was behind this, they were playing a dangerous game. They knew that pulling him into this would destabilize the whole damn team. And if they thought I was connected to this somehow—if they knew I had a history with Steve... well, then I was already a target.
I didn't want to get involved, not now. The Avengers didn't need me. They had enough on their plate with the Chitauri invasion. But... this was bigger. Hydra wasn't just an enemy that could be brushed aside. They were more insidious. More patient. They played the long game, always waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
I needed to act.
I wasn't a hero like them. I wasn't part of their world. But I'd be damned if I just sat back and let Hydra win. They had too much control over everything. But right now, there was a war to fight, and I needed to figure out where I fit in it.
I grabbed my weapons again, checking everything for the last time, making sure nothing was left to chance. There was no telling what was happening out there, but I wasn't going to sit on the sidelines.
As I moved toward the door, I hesitated for a second, looking back at the chaos unfolding outside. I wasn't sure where this was going to lead, or if I even had a place in it anymore. But one thing was certain: I couldn't let Hydra control the game. Not while I was still breathing.
I stepped out into the night, and I knew the world was changing. The real battle was just beginning.