January 12th, 2014

The leader of the religious order within HYDRA had gotten off lucky. While he had lost billions to the assault from SHIELD, he had been careful to make sure enough of his finances were not connected to HYDRA or SHIELD that he was still able to hide away with his daughter in a castle with his people.

But he was still in danger. All smartphones owned by HYDRA personnel had been tossed away when they realized how pervasive SHIELD's blackout on their technology had been. Every one of Malick's men was on edge. The battle of the Triskelion was over by now and they were all worried that at some point they would look into the horizon and see an Insight Helicarrier in the distance, superheroes rushing towards them.

How ironic, that HYDRA's greatest weapons would now be a part of their greatest nightmares.

So Gideon sat in his study, staring at the fireplace and contemplating his issues. How was he going to deal with this? How to survive against this new threat? Even with his current resources, he had no real power anymore, no member of HYDRA did. Should he just give up? Ask for leniency for his daughter possibly?

Gideon balked at this idea. After everything he had sacrificed for HYDRA, everything it had given him, all in the name of bringing their founder home... How could he sacrifice all of that?

But what choice did he hav-

“Sir!” Gideon's contemplation was cut off when an aide ran into the room. “We have communications!”

Gideon stared at him. “Who is it?”

“von Strucker!” The aide said. “He says he can bring everyone together!”

Gideon felt hope for the first time in hours.

------

“Samuel Sterns?” Gideon asked through the microphone in the radio set up in an upper room in the castle.

“That is correct,” Stucker answered. “He has modified our radios to bypass the AI currently interfering with our forces. But we must move fast, Gideon. I need the Phase Harmonic Teleporter.”

Gideon frowned. “That is only meant for communications with the Confederacy, you know that von Strucker. If we use it for more than that-”

“What is the point of limiting it's usage if we all die?” Strucker interrupted. “With it, we can move our forces with impunity. We can bring our people in and save them.”

Gideon looked around at the people in the room. He thought about that for a moment. Finally, he nodded. “Okay, Strucker. The teleporter is at your alma mater, under General Fisher's orders before he was arrested. Steger, Hale, and her daughter will be there.”

“We're on our way there then,” Strucker said firmly. “Whitehall sent a message to Hale through Sterns' connection, hopefully, something to calm her, and we'll go grab it. I have people I can test it with as well.”

------

General Hale

General Hale fired her gun once more, her daughter throwing her chakram into a man's throat. She scowled as two more of her own men died at her hands. “Good work.”

“Thanks,” Ruby was wearing her uniform, a form-fitting black costume made for ease of movement. The 14-year-old girl had hair dyed white and eyes the same color as her mothers. She looked at her mother as they ran through the halls of the HYDRA Preparatory Academy. “Are you sure about this mom? Betraying HYDRA?”

Hale, an older woman with dark blonde hair wearing a military uniform, looked at her daughter as the teenager pulled one of her chakrams out of a man's body. “Whitehall promised you would one day be the leader of HYDRA. Our greatest soldier. And now he wants to tear you apart and shove cybernetics and random DNA samples into you, with no regard for if you'll survive or not.”

Ruby bit her lip, staring at her mother. Hale continued despite the pain her words were causing her daughter.

“We can't trust HYDRA, not anymore. But someone has promised to protect you, to train you. You may not become the leader of HYDRA, but you'll become something just as great eventually,” Hale breathed deeply. “Come sweetheart. We need to get out.”

“Hale!” The pair spun into cover on opposite sides of a hallway as bullets flew over their head. The Air Force general peeked out to see the headmaster of the school, a brown-haired man wearing glasses, surrounded by soldiers firing at her and her daughter. “You must surrender, please! We can protect Ruby, we can stop SHIELD!”

“When Whitehall has proven he doesn't give a damn about her!?” Hale yelled back, anger filling her. “No, Steger! HYDRA made its bed, now it's going to die in it!”

“Damn,” Ruby said, shocked by her mother's vehemence.

“Language, sweetheart,” Hale said simply. “Now, we should have our help in twenty seconds, you have the USB?”

“Yes, mom,” Ruby rolled her eyes, utterly relaxed despite the bullets flying at her.

“Hale!” Steger yelled. “Please, just tell us you surrender, and I will protect you! We can make a deal with Whitehall!”

“Sorry Steger,” Hale yelled back. The next words were said with a quiet determination as she looked upon her daughter. “But I've made my deal.”

A wall blew up down the hall behind Steger and his men. Soldiers rushed through the hole, shooting as fast as they could.

“What-” Steger was shot in the chest by an ICER, and fell to the floor in a moment. The same happened to his men, bullets and ICER's finishing them off quickly.

Hale and Ruby poked their heads out, Hale coming out of cover when she saw the SHIELD symbol on their uniforms. Ruby followed hesitantly.

“Ma'am,” one of the soldiers said as she walked up. “Fury sent us. We're to escort you to a Quinjet immediately.”

“There's no time to grab the Phase Harmonic Teleporter?” Hale asked, worried.

“The what?” the soldier said, shaking his head. “Ma'am, there are more HYDRA forces on their way. If we stay any longer, we risk you and your daughter.”

Hale froze, thinking. After a moment, she nodded. “Understood. Let's go,” she gave Steger a look. “Let's bring him at least. He may be useful.”

“Good idea.”

------

Wolfgang Von Strucker

Strucker arrived at the HYDRA Preparatory Academy only a couple of hours after Hale had escaped with her daughter. Disappointing, but at least SHIELD had only sent a small team that could be chased off. Still, that meant that his current plan had to be moved up.

In the meantime, he used the brief moment to rest. The academy had fuel, food, soldiers, and aircraft, enough to help his fleet continue the fight. SHIELD would come but not before they could continue their plans.

“I've refined the process,” Sterns said to List as the gamma-irradiated scientist watched Loki's scepter move past them towards a research lab. “But I'm not sure about these mercenaries you wish me to use the process on. Haven't they already been enhanced?”

“Yes, though they have not deigned to tell us how,” List admitted. “But some of our experimentation has indicated that already enhanced individuals may take to enhancements with more ease than others. Chan Ho Yin, an individual found by one of our subdivisions, was able to gain tremendous strength from the Centipede Serum. Don't forget Blonsky, whose use of the soldier serum only made gamma irradiation that much more effective on him, for all his monstrous appearance. There is still value in creating enhanced of our own, but these four are perfect for testing our theory.”

“And they will let us test that on them?” Sterns asked, walking along with List.

“As long as we pay them,” List admitted. “Start with Davida, she's being sent out right now.”

“What?” Sterns turned to glare at List. “You want me to simply empower someone and send them to battle a second later!? What sort of foolishness-”

“The SHIELD Academy of Science and Technology,” both men turned to see Strucker striding towards them. “We must send our forces there, now. I want Davida to go with my men.”

“It's too reckless,” Sterns snarled. “Simply empowering her and sending her off, without testing, without-”

“Sadly, we can't take any chances,” Strucker narrowed his eyes at Stern. “Dr. Sterns, we need resources, more engineers, and scientists to aid us, all of which are at that Academy. The risk is worth it and giving her every advantage we can beforehand mitigates those risks. Now empower her.”

Sterns glared at him as Strucker gave him a level look. Finally, thegamma-enhancedd scientist turned and strode off.

“...He's going to be a problem,” List said softly.

“Yes, he will,” Strucker admitted. “But his intellect is too vast to be discarded... Keep an eye on him. If the device we implanted works, we can stave off any betrayals, but I will not have him turn against us.”

------

January 13th, 2014

“Strucker, buddy!” a man said over the radio connection. “How you doing?”

“Surviving,” Strucker said simply, looking around the radio room Garrett had loaned him.

Sterns had, in a way, saved their lives. The man was not just brilliant. he was innovative. Some thought those were the same things, but there was a reason there were dozens of genius level intellects, and only one Tony Stark. He'd even managed to enhance Davida in mere moments, deducing her new powers and helping her learn how to use them. He was useful. For now. He was also unbearably smug when the assault on the SHIELD Academy turned up nothing.

Despite this, Strucker was still firm in the belief the assault had been a good choice. While the enemy had managed to counter the teleporter so that anyone sent to the academy was simply 'bounced' back with polka dot skin and swapped genitals (Stucker had no idea what to think of that) he still had to make the attempt.

After leaving the HYDRA academy with all the resources they could gather, Strucker guided his men to their new base of operations. Sterns had managed to help them get to Gideon Malick's home, a small castle in North America, without being found out, a place with enough land to hold all their forces. The man had even managed to create a device to hide them from satellites and radar, allowing HYDRA to gather without fear.

The radio was another invention of Sterns. He had not explained how or why it worked, his way of keeping himself invaluable. But the point was that the radio allowed Strucker to contact HYDRA forces across the world without risk of being intercepted or tracked.

The results of that had been depressing. The Treehouse had been destroyed by one of HYDRA's own Enhanced. The Sandbox had been taken by HYDRA, only to be lost later on, though thankfully their scientists were on their way with an Enhanced teenager that had been brainwashed. But everything else had been taken control of by SHIELD and the Avengers.

But thankfully, the Phase Harmonic Teleportation Device, which was being called the Fishhook by the grunts, had let them start grabbing and saving resources. And Stern's work around for the communications was still working, though he'd had to rework it a couple of times.

“Garrett,” Strucker said, focusing. “I am not calling to simply discuss the weather.”

“How the hell are you calling me, anyways?” John Garrett asked. “We've been having problems with that.”

“I will explain when you get here,” Strucker responded.

“You want us to meet, huh?”

“We need to gather our resources,” Strucker said.

“Well, I'll do it, I'm always willing to make friends! But I'm making a stop somewhere first. The Fridge has some sweet toys I want to grab.”

Strucker rubbed his chin. “Will you bringing any of those with you?”

“Only if you share however it is you're talking with me,” Garrett switched gears, becoming very serious. “If this raid is going to work, I need comms.”

“You have them,” Strucker said. “We need counters to the Avengers and SHIELD, especially to this... Dial, that has appeared. Where are you? I'll send soldiers to join you.”

“That'd be great!” Garrett said instantly.

------

Late at night, on a beach in an undisclosed location, the Fridge stood tall. One hundred stories, with only one door on the rooftop and no other way into the building, it was among the most imposing structures in the world.

Two guards watched the main door from inside a pair of thick glass doors, staring out at the dark night sky. As they watched however, something fell onto the ground from out of nowhere, smashing into the roof with a crack of broken concrete.

“What the-” One of the men stepped forward, staring at the object that had landed on top of a building that stood over 1000 feet tall. “Is that... a woman?”

“Where did she come from!?” the other guard said concerned, looking up at the empty night sky.

Suddenly, the woman rose to her feet. As the pair stared, she flipped her blonde hair behind her head and strode towards the door. She had long hair, a face that was beautiful, but also strong, and an extremely fit form. She was wearing a green leather jacket zipped to the top, leather black jeans, and impractical high heels. She smirked as she came to the door, and both men stepped back pointing their guns at her. She leaned against the glass, still smirking. “Hey boys. Mine letting a girl in?” she said, her Southern accent seductive and lilting.

“Who the hell are-”

“What the fuck does that matter?” the first soldier's partner said. “This is a restricted location, no one should even be here! Miss, get down on the ground, now.”

“Wel,l that is just plain mean, sugah,” the woman said, pouting playfully. “I guess I'll have to let myself in.”

She reared back and punched the bulletproof glass, shattering it with ease.

“Shit, Enhanced!” one of the men yelled, shooting his assault rifle at her, his partner joining in. For about a minute, they poured bullets into the woman. She let them for a moment, looking down as the bullets tore into her clothes, bouncing off her skin to land on the floor. “Run, warn everyone!”

The other soldier headed to the elevator behind them, running for it. He slammed on the button and looked back as the woman smacked his friend, sending flying into the wall. The elevator doors began to close as she rushed towards it, closing just before she reached. The elevator began to drop towards the lower floors.

The soldier in the elevator breathed out a sigh, his heart beating like a drum, reaching for his comms. “Control, we have an-”

Then some perfect manicured fingers pierced through the doors, followed by an arm. The elevator halted, stopped by the superhuman arm. As the motor whined and the steel around the arm crumbled, the soldier screamed into his comms.

“Enhanced attacking the Fridge! Mayday, mayday!”

Then the blonde woman ripped her way into the elevator.

Moments later, a Quinjet landed on the roof, soldiers Chitauri armor teleporting into existence at the same time.

------

“Helen, was it?” John Garrett said as he strode through the halls of the Fridge, smiling at the blonde woman next to him. “Gotta say, I like your style. How strong are you exactly?”

“Never really tested my limits, sugah,” Helen said simply, clearly focused on other things. “You really think Davida is in here?”

“It would make sense, SHIELD tends to keep it's favorite prisoners here,” Garrett said, striding confidently. He looked behind him. “Go ahead and start killing anyone in our way with those golden boys, will you?”

The tall, imposing black man behind Garrett nodded, striding forward to join the Chitauri armored soldiers in wiping out the opposition in the Fridge.

“What is that guy?” Helen asked as the tall man fired rockets from his arm.

“My very best friend,” Garrett said flippantly. “Come on. Strucker said we only have twenty minutes before SHIELD finds out about us.”

“What are we looking for, exactly?” Helen asked.

Before Garrett could answer, a man came from a hallway on their left and shot at them. Helen leaped in front of the bullets and let them bounce off her chest, kicking the SHIELD soldier's leg hard enough to shatter it. She grabbed him by the front of his armor, fingers tearing through kevlar and steel to give her a firm grip and tossed him upwards, the man smashing into the ceiling with bone crushing force. He fell to the floor, unconscious.

“Damn,” Garrett said, impressed. “Nice work. But you forgot one thing,” Garrett shot the soldier in the head. “Can't leave witnesses. Had to kill those two you left upstairs as well.”

Ignoring the shocked look on Helen's face, Garrett continued. “Gonna be a good day!”

------

While Garrett and his men emptied the Fridge, more work was being done elsewhere. In the castle grounds of Malick's home, in a courtyard illuminated by spotlights, HYDRA was preparing for it's next recruitment. Strucker watched as his scientists and engineers worked around Blonsky's massive tank. They removed the pipes on the tank and worked on the software of the cryogenics on it, stepping on the cobblestone floor as the stars shone down on them. Men in Chitauri armor floated over the courtyard, their purple glow flitting about, and more soldiers with conventional weaponry surrounded the area. Two sonic cannons rested to the east and west of the tank, as well as vehicles with heavy assault weaponry around them.

“It'll be nice to speak to Emil again,” Sterns said, walking up to join Strucker. Strucker looked at Sterns, noting the orange jacket he had found somewhere. It clashed with his green skin. But then, a man with a head as enlarged as Sterns was wouldn't worry as much about appearance. “I was always curious to see how his change affected his mind.”

“We can only hope he listens to reason,” Strucker looked at Wanda and Pietro. “Stay ready. We may need you.”

Pietro nodded quickly. Wanda was far more hesitant, and Strucker looked at them for a moment. Ever since they'd gone to the base in Alaska, he'd worried about the two. The two hadn't killed any soldiers themselves, but once adrenaline had faded from everyone systems, they seemed wracked with anxiety over those who had died. He'd have to be careful about them. But for now...

A massive noise filled the air. Everyone looked at the tank, where a dent had been smashed from the inside on the door.

“What are you doing!?” Strucker yelled. “We aren't awakening him yet!”

“It's not us!” A scientist cried out. “He's just- Ah!” the scientist screeched when another dent was struck in the door.

“Pietro, get them out of there!” Strucker cried out. The door flew out of the tank, and the massive being within leaped out. He reached for a scientist.

And a blue blur sped throughout the area for thirty feet around the tank. The beings fist closed on nothing, and the scientists and engineers were safely away as Pietro screeched to halt next to his sister.

“Wanda!” Sterns yelled, preempting Strucker. “Be ready!”

The being looked around as guns ranging from armor piercing to laser blasting pointed at him, two sonic cannons joining in. He snorted, seemingly amused. When he spoke, it was in a voice like gravel rolling down a hill. “So, this is the best you could bring to kill me? You'll need a thousand more.”

“Why would we try to kill you!?” Sterns yelled out, stepping forward.

Blonsky spun to look at Sterns. He narrowed his eyes at him. “You... you're that scientist. The one who-”

“The one who helped you become this... magnificence,” Sterns voice sounded almost euphoric. “Look at the power you have now.”

“Yeah, thanks. Though it looks like I'm not the only one whose gone through some changes.” Emil noted, rising to his full height. “What do you want?”

“For you to help us,” Sterns said simply.

“Hahaha!” Emil stepped forward, ignoring the guns pointed at him as he strode forward. “Why should I? Why don't I simply kill you all?”

“The Hulk!” Sterns frowned when Strucker spoke from the back. When Emil looked at Strucker, the monocled man stepped forward. “We will help you find him, and kill him.”

Sterns spun to glare at Strucker, but sighed and turned back to Blonsky. “Yes, we will help you... kill Bruce Banner,” he added the last reluctantly. “Join us. And we will make sure no one ever cages you again.”

“Hmm... No, I think not,” Blonksy leaped forward, smiling gleefully.

A blue blur pulled Sterns and Strucker back. Undeterred, Blonsky jumped towards them with a sick grin on his face.

“WANDA!” Sterns and Strucker yelled in unison.

A red energy smashed into Emil in midair, pushing him back with a surprised look on his horrific face. He flew into his old tank, destroying it. Emil rose up hurriedly, staring as Wanda stepped forward, her hands glowing with power.

“We know how to find the man you wish to kill,” Strucker said, walking next to her. “The Hulk has a team now, individuals as exceptional as you are that you have no chance of defeating alone, not when their numbers will let them outmatch even your exceptional power. We can provide a team for you as well. People to fight alongside, leave you to battle the Hulk to your content.”

Emil listened, calming.

“I promise you, Emil Blonsky,” Stern said, walking up to join Strucker and Wanda as they stood across from the monster before them. “You will never find a better way to prove your power than with our resources. We can make you a legend.”

“...Well. Now that is an offer,” Emil smiled, his horrific features twisting. “First thing. I'm hungry. And I want her to make me a sandwich.”

Wanda blinked when he pointed at her. Her eyes narrowed, and she gathered more energy before her fingers as an answer.

“Ha! Fiesty... I suppose I'll agree,” He rose out of the tank and cracked his neck to the side. “But when I kill the Hulk... all bets are off.”

------

January 14th, 2014

The next morning, Strucker was there with his soldiers to greet John Garrett when he and his men landed on the grounds outside Gideon Malick's castle. Men in Chitauri armor landed on the ground at the same time as four Quinjets, joining their brethren. The closest Quinjet to Strucker opened its back door to expel Garrett.

The former SHIELD agent stepped out with a salesman's smile and outstretched arms. “Strucker, look at you! Healthy as ever. Well except the bags under your eyes.”

Strucker smiled tightly. “Indeed. How was the raid?”

“Went off like a charm,” Garrett said, his smile widening further. “Got a whole lot of new toys, even a few recruits. Even managed to get my girl Flowers out of prison on the way.” Garrett nodded to a woman in the background who was wearing a red silk dress. She sat in a Quinjet, hands in her lap as she watched the proceedings. “She can help create more of the Centipede serum for us.”

Men in brown uniforms with black vests filed out of the Quinjets, carrying weapons and equipment with casual ease no human strength could match. Their eyes glowed subtly red as they walked, a consequence of the Centipede serum in their veins, and Garrett watched as other soldiers in black uniforms joined them.

“Excellent,” Strucker said, watching the soldiers line up behind Garrett, a tall black man Strucker knew as Deathlok taking a spot at his right side. Helen walked out of the Quinjet and moved to stand with Strucker.

“Thing is though,” Garrett's smile became more dangerous. “I'm not sure if I should give them to you.”

The Chitauri armored soldiers tensed, facing the Centipede enhanced men and women across from them. Strucker and Garrett's armies faced each other. Helen's eyes started to get slightly redder. Deathlok's right arm opened to reveal a weapon within.

“...Perhaps you need an incentive?” Strucker raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

A massive green figure flew from the castle and landed behind Strucker like a missile.

“Holy shit!” Garrett yelled, stepping back as the Abomination stood up with a smirk.

A blue blur suddenly appeared next to Helen. Finally, two figures flew down from the sky. Wanda flew on jets of her power, coming to a stop behind Pietro. Sterns simply floated on a disk hovering on jets of purple energy, his arms crossed while he looked at the battlefield.

“Satisfied, Garrett?” Strucker asked.

Things were tense for a moment longer. Then Garrett smiled, the cyborg next to him relaxing. “Oh yeah. I am absolutely satisfied.”