The tank's cannon roared as it fired, sending a blast of explosive force into the snow-covered mountainside. The shockwave hit us like a punch, sending debris flying through the air, and I could feel the heat from the blast even though I was behind cover. The snow around us turned to icy shards as we scrambled to avoid the incoming fire. Hydra wasn't playing around.
"Move!" I shouted again, my heart pounding in my chest. We had no time to waste. If we didn't act fast, we'd be buried under an avalanche of their firepower.
Steve was already on the move, ducking low and rolling to the side, his shield raised as he deflected another barrage of gunfire. His eyes were locked on the tank, calculating. I could see it in the way he moved—he was already formulating a plan.
I didn't hesitate. I bolted for cover, weaving through the snow, trying to stay out of sight. Hydra's forces were all around us now. There were more soldiers coming out from behind the tank, armed with heavy rifles and charging toward us. I could hear the click of their boots on the ground, their movements synchronized, a well-oiled machine. They had been waiting for us.
The wind howled through the valley, making it harder to see and hear. The snow stung my face as I moved, my every step heavy with the weight of the mission. But I couldn't focus on that now. Hydra was still a threat, and I had one job—to eliminate it.
I sprinted forward, closing the gap between me and the nearest Hydra soldier. As I approached, I dropped into a slide, kicking up snow and ice, and landed right at the soldier's feet. Before he could react, I drove my knife into his chest, the motion quick and clean. He didn't even have time to scream.
I rolled to my feet and took a breath. The soldier's body dropped to the ground, and I immediately turned toward the tank. It was still firing, its cannons sending explosions in every direction, but the more I looked at it, the more I realized it was vulnerable. There was a hatch on the side, and if I could get close enough, I could disable the damn thing.
"Steve!" I shouted, spotting him across the battlefield, his shield bouncing off the metal of an approaching Hydra soldier. "I'm going for the tank!"
He looked over, his expression unreadable beneath his helmet, but there was no time for words. He nodded, his understanding clear. He'd cover me.
I took off, my legs pumping as fast as they could. I could hear the screams of the soldiers around me, the sounds of metal scraping against stone, the constant roar of the tank. But nothing could stop me now. I was moving with a purpose, with a fury that only years of being the Winter Soldier had instilled in me.
I reached the tank's side, sliding behind a pile of rocks just as another shell exploded nearby. My heart thudded in my chest, but I forced myself to focus. Hydra couldn't get away with this. Not this time. Not after everything they'd done.
With a grunt, I grabbed a grenade from my belt and pulled the pin, tossing it into the hatch of the tank. The explosion was deafening, the force of it rattling my bones. I saw the tank's turret jerk to the side as smoke billowed from its seams. For a moment, everything seemed to freeze in time.
Then, with a loud screech, the tank's engine sputtered out, the turret falling limp as the metal beast came to a halt.
"Nice shot," Steve said, appearing next to me. He had a few Hydra soldiers in tow, and his shield was already coated in their blood. He didn't even break a sweat.
"Let's keep moving," I grunted, checking the area around us. Hydra wasn't giving up that easily. They were regrouping, pulling in reinforcements, and I knew that we had to move fast before the situation escalated further.
We sprinted toward the bunker's entrance, our feet crunching in the snow as the sound of distant gunfire echoed around us. Hydra's soldiers were everywhere, but they were disorganized. We had the advantage of surprise.
We reached the entrance, but as we got closer, I could see movement inside. A figure—tall and imposing—was standing in the shadows. The door was locked, and I couldn't risk wasting time trying to break in.
Without a second thought, I pulled out a flashbang and tossed it toward the entrance. The explosion of light and sound blinded anyone in the vicinity. I didn't wait for them to recover. I charged forward, my fist connecting with the nearest Hydra guard's face.
Steve followed right behind me, his shield knocking another soldier aside with brutal precision. We were unstoppable together.
Inside, the hallway was narrow, dimly lit, and filled with the stench of oil and metal. The hum of machines echoed through the walls. We moved quickly, clearing room after room as we pushed deeper into the facility.
Then we found it—the heart of Hydra's operation. A large command center, filled with screens displaying schematics, maps, and encrypted communications. The walls were lined with Hydra's insignia, and I could feel the weight of it pressing on me. This was where it all began. This was where we could end it.
But as we moved to secure the area, a voice echoed from the shadows.
"Welcome, Winter Soldier."
I froze. The voice was all too familiar. My heart skipped a beat as I turned toward the source of the sound. Stepping out from the darkness, a man in a dark cloak emerged. His eyes gleamed with malice, and his face was hidden behind a mask.
"You." The words left my mouth in a low growl. "You're still alive."
The man chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with venom. "Did you really think you could erase me, Bucky Barnes? Hydra doesn't die so easily."
In that moment, everything seemed to fall into place. The mission. The chase. The never-ending game with Hydra. It had all led to this. The final confrontation.
And I was ready.