Eminent Silence

by Tristan Carey

I just turned around in time to see Ward and Skye, still in the hallway outside the door. Ward grabbed Skye's shoulders, yanked her back before the ceiling could crush her. Rock and broken wood came crashing down, blocking the only way in.

  'Skye! Ward!' I ran back, heart pounding in my throat. 'Are you okay?'

  'Fine!' came Skye's response, muffled through the rocks. I grabbed a hunk pulled it away. It wasn't too heavy, but there was just so much, and more kept falling. I heard her cough. 'We're fine! We just — can't get through! Maybe there's another way around?'

  'No time!' Ward replied, and I heard a grunt, followed by a crunch of rocks. 'We can dig our way through!'

  I liked the idea enough not to suggest another one. Sure, I knew other routes they could take, but the detours were too long, and I had no way to know if they were still accessible or not. Getting through this rock, with three people (one with super strength) was the best option given the circumstances.

  But I hadn't accounted for the possibility that we weren't the last ones left in the Crucible.

  I had just tossed aside another hunk of debris when I heard something behind me.

  Approaching footsteps.

  My blood went cold. I recognized them immediately.

  Slowly, I turned around. In front of me, standing in the center of the room, was the Winter Soldier. 'Run!' Pietro cried, before I could finish breaking the electronic lock on his collar. I couldn't do both at the same time. But he shoved me forward, saying, 'Go! Just run!'

  In no state to argue, I obeyed.

  All notions of secrecy gone, the three of us tore down the corridor, knocking aside a lonely scientist who just happened to be in the way. Behind us, I heard voices rise up. The Crucible's security force was mobilizing. The entire compound was on full alert.

  Banging. Not gunshots, but doors. Slamming down, locking into place. Ahead of us, the double doors to the stairwell swung closed. Four guards rushed into place directly in front of them.

  Wanda once again solved the problem. I could see why she was the most feared project of Von Strucker's. Her powers, her strength and her rage, were unmatched.

  The quad of men didn't stand a chance when she raised her hands, contorted her fingers. All four bodies lifted into the air. She swung her arms crossed, then down. The four guards mimicked the motion, smashed into each other, then down into the floor, leaving a small crater beneath.

  We leaped over them. Wanda blasted the doors off their hinges. We scrambled up the steps as bullets danced at our feet.

  The Winter Soldier tilted his chin down. Our eyes met. I couldn't breathe.

  I had known it had been a possibility. That he would be here. But I hadn't fully prepared myself. In fact, it had completely escaped my mind as soon as I had stepped out of the quinjet. I had been so focused on Wanda and Pietro I had completely forgotten the larger threat at hand.

  And now here he stood, while I was less than a hundred yards from freedom.

  He didn't move. Still about fifteen feet away, the Winter Soldier stood between me and the only other door out. Slung across his back was that long sniper rifle. Had he just picked it up here? He wouldn't need it in such close quarters.

  Instinctively, I brought my shield to bear, ready for a fight. My body was sore. My head still flashed with memories. I knew there was no way I could survive another encounter with him. But what choice did I have?

  Fast breaths. Pumping legs. Heart pounding. Vision blurring. The halls filled with thunder.

  Thunder of blood. Thunder of gunshots, of footsteps, of desperate escape.

  My lungs burned. Face warm. Head light. The pain still throbbed, but I forced myself to keep going, even when I stumbled, even when I fell.

  Pietro, behind me, hardly slowed as he bent down, grabbed my arm, and practically dragged me back to my feet.

  We kept going.

  'Mia?' Skye called out behind me. The shock that I wasn't alone almost unbalanced me. Skye and Ward had no idea what danger waited for them on the other side. I wanted to open my mouth, to tell them to stop clearing the door. If they did, then there would be nothing to keep the Winter Soldier from killing them, too.

  I had been lucky before. Escaping the Crucible the first time only worked because the Winter Soldier wasn't there. Now, I knew he'd never let us get out alive.

  Had the Chairman lied? Maybe he just wanted to see how far I got before the Winter Soldier caught me.

  But I couldn't speak. My jaw was clenched shut. A part of me was ready to fight, but the rest was too afraid to move.

  I didn't tear my eyes off of the Winter Soldier for one second. At any moment, he would strike.

  ...But he never did.

  Five infinitely long, tortuous seconds passed. Only my ragged breathing filled the room. The Winter Soldier continued to watch me in complete silence. What was he doing? What was he thinking?

  I couldn't read his expression. A mask covered the lower half of his face again. All I could make out was a tiny flicker in those dead eyes.

  And then, while I stood there frozen like a statue, the Winter Soldier turned on his heel.

  And simply walked out of the room.

  Closer. So close.

  Fifth floor. Two hundred meters. Bare feet slapping against concrete. Crucible agents sent flying in red waves. Pietro cursing as he twisted his neck in the collar.

  Couldn't slow down. No time. No time.

  A bright bolt of pain flashed through my head. Almost knocked me down again. I heard Brandt's voice somewhere behind me. Ordering me to stop. Someone shouting the protocol.

  Extremis soldiers, closing in.

  I was still standing there, unable to blink, jaw gaping several moments later, when the rock behind me crumbled in a sudden burst, and Ward fell through, having just busted in with his shoulder. I spun around, caught off guard. I'd completely forgotten they were here.

  'Hey, man, what's the big deal?' Skye asked, following, sounding supremely annoyed. 'Why didn't you help out?'

  'You didn't see him?' I demanded, completely breathless although I hadn't moved for what felt like an eternity.

  'See who?' Ward frowned, looking around, already reaching for his gun. At least he understood there had been a threat.

  But his question, and Skye's confused face, told me they hadn't. 'Him! The Winter Soldier! He was standing right there!'

  'Whoa, what, seriously?' Skye did a double take, her eyes focusing on the spot I pointed to. 'You mean the same guy you fought on the bridge?'

  'Yes, him! He was here!'

  'Wait, what the hell are you two talking about?' Ward asked, glancing between us with an expression of rising alarm. 'Did you say the Winter Soldier? I thought he was just a SHIELD myth to scare stupid newbies.'

  'He's real,' I urged, and I hated the whine that had entered my voice. Even Skye was starting to look doubtful. Of course I couldn't prove it. It wasn't like the Winter Soldier left any evidence behind. He never did. 'I swear to you, he's here. He was right here. Looking right at me.'

  Ward frowned slightly, squinted at me. 'And he, what, didn't kill you?'

  'N-no,' I said, my heart sinking with each passing second. 'No, he just… walked out.'

  'Uh-huh.' I could see the skepticism in Ward's face.

  'Winter Soldier or not, I think it's high time we get the hell out of here,' Skye said, thankfully changing the subject even though I was left feeling utterly bereft and confused. 'Come on!'

  Great. I was really starting to hate being the single eyewitness to the most terrifying man in existence.

  'I'm telling you, he's real!' I called as I ran up the steps after the SHIELD agents.

  'If you think I'm gonna chase after ghost stories,' Ward replied as followed Skye. 'You better think again!'

  It took me a second to join them. I was still reeling.

  Ward had a point. Why hadn't the Winter Soldier attacked me?

  Savin came out of nowhere.


  For once, I saw him first.

  I shot forward, darted in front of Pietro — intercepted Savin before he could grab him. Lowered my head, raised my arm and hunched my shoulder. Slammed right into Savin.

  He might be bigger. But I was stronger.

  I knocked Savin off his feet. He fell behind us with a startled grunt. My shoulder singed from the contact.

  We turned a corner. The long hallway. The door with the green-flaked paint at the very end.

  Almost there.

  One problem. On either side of the hall were a squad of guards, weapons raised.

  There wasn't time to figure out what the Winter Soldier was doing here. What his orders were.

  The exit on the fifth floor was still open. Fitz was huddled by the door. On the floor next to him was a skinny woman with light brown hair. Her left leg extended out in front of her, a makeshift splint around her ankle.

  'Simmons' ankle is broken, she won't be able to run!' Fitz called as we ran towards them. The destruction of the base had become so loud that he had to shout to be heard.

  'It's fine! We'll take her together!' Ward replied, bending down to help Simmons up. Fitz took her other side. 'Let's go!'

  Wanda didn't even hesitate.

  A flick of her finger, and the men dropped to their knees, clutching their heads in madness.

  Pietro was still struggling with his collar. Not only did it prevent him from using super speed, it was designed to give electric shocks when out of bounds. It was rigged to explode if tampered with. But clearly Pietro had lost all care, all patience now that everything had gone to hell.

  The green door was right in front of us. Thirty meters. Twenty. Ten.

  Then white, white snow.

  We were free.

  But it wasn't over yet.

  If I thought making it back to the quinjet would be the easy part, I was wrong.

  Skye led the way out the door into the mountain beyond. Fitz, Ward, and Simmons between them after her. Me carrying the rear.

  I didn't see them at first. The forest directly surrounding the bunker exit was just as dark and quiet as we left it.

  I noticed that running the first couple dozen feet was surprisingly easy despite the snow. Then I realized it was already packed down — by the dozens of footprints by the escaping agents.

  It occurred to me, a second later, that they would still be here.

  You see, in the destruction of the Crucible, the KGB made their escape. Now, they were outside.

  I dug my heels in as realization struck. 'Wait!' I called to the SHIELD agents ahead of me.

  At the same time, a tree exploded next to Fitz.

  Trees. Black, ghostly columns against a white floor, a gray sky.

  Stretching out into infinity.

  We darted weaved around the trunks, darting to and fro, breaking line of sight, making it impossible for any agent behind us to get a good shot. Bark and wood flew everywhere, shrapnel from missed marks.

  Bullets whistled past my head.

  I saw them emerging from the line of trees, black forms materializing like clones duplicating from shadows.

  I ducked down, raised my shield, and leapt over to Simmons, who'd been dropped by Fitz, who was knocked back by the explosion, and Ward, who was now giving cover fire to keep the enemy at bay.

  'Oh, hello,' Simmons said, breathless but still managing to smile at me. It was at odds with the sudden onslaught of gunfire around us. 'I don't believe we've met. Gemma Simmons, SHIELD scientist, at your service.'

  'Uh, hi,' I looked back at her, unsure what to say. Wincing slightly as a round meant for her hit the shield, I said, 'Mia. Super soldier. Nice to meet you.'

  'We have to keep moving!' Ward called between gunshots. He was only about five feet ahead, stumbling in the thick, uneven snow. He had already gotten Fitz back to his feet (Fitz now bleeding from a cut at his hairline and looking a little woozy), while Skye had taken cover behind a large pine, covering her head and screaming at the same time. 'Skye, get your head in the game!'

  'Okay, okay!' Skye cried, eyes a little wet as she joined Ward, scrambling on her hands and knees for a moment before reaching to her feet.

  'A super soldier, did you say?' Simmons gasped as another tree exploded to the left. It came crashing down in a rush of wood and branches. Over the noise she shouted, 'Oh, how marvelous!'

  'Yeah, its super exciting!' I said through gritted teeth, taking Simmons by the arm and helping her up as we moved forward. 'Every other day I'm running for my life!'

  There was only one goal. Escape.

  The world stretched out before me in every direction. A white, endless expanse, filled with the gnarled, emaciated sentinels of dead wood. Where could we go? Where should we go?

  I glanced over my shoulder. Saw the severe façade, blue-grey stone of the Crucible fortress soaring above the green pines and craggy peaks.

  Anywhere. Anywhere but here.

  The ground exploded everywhere we went. Mines? Grenades? I didn't have the time to absorb it all. The black smoke scattered us further. I could hear Brandt, Savin, the others close on our heels.

  Shouting, screaming.

  A burst of red at the edge of my vision.

  I turned my head just in time to see an Extremis soldier sent into the air by Wanda's hand. She spun in the air, pale dress whipping around her legs, as she raised her hands, contorted her fingers.

  Trees came down. I saw Savin's face, a look of shock, before he was crushed beneath timber.

  Our trail was lost in a sea of scattered footprints from dozens of other agents. We were no longer in neutral territory, but running straight through enemy lines.

  KGB were everywhere. Swarming in from all directions. The world was a blur as I ran, half-carrying Simmons, keeping up my shield to protect her.

  I wasn't even sure if we were heading the right way. But Skye and Fitz seemed to know where they were going.

  Above us, the moon still shone, turning the world a midnight blue. Flashes like lightning scattered all around, turning the world into day for brief, intermittent moments. Everything shifted in strobing lights. One second Ward was right in front of me. Next, he was twenty feet ahead.

  I struggled to keep up with Simmons. The worst thing that could happen right now is if we got lost.

  It was chaos. It was a warzone.

  Ice burned my feet.

  I was running so fast, it felt like I was flying.

  It was the closest to freedom I had ever felt.

  I jumped over a fallen tree. A bullet whistled through the air next to me. In midair, it ripped through my shirt, an inch from my skin, before exiting and burrowing into a tree in front of me.

  I landed on the other side. I kept going.

  A shout to my left. I turned my head, just in time to see Pietro fall.

  Carrying both Simmons and the shield meant I couldn't use the Night-Night pistol.

  That turned into a problem when Simmons tripped again. We both fell. The snow softened our fall, but slowed our rise. As I scrambled to my feet, an explosion behind us distracted me.

  I looked up, just in time to a KGB agent approaching us, silhouetted against the flames. He was shouting something.

  Only too late did I realize what it was.

  'Бунтарь!'

  Buntar.

  The trigger phrase.

  I pivoted on my heel, made a ninety-degree turn.

  Leapt over a KGB agent as he fell into the snow. Skidded to Pietro's side. I thought he might've been shot, but no, he'd only tripped. But he was struggling against his collar.

  'Amelia!' I heard my name called. Eyes wide, I looked up from Pietro, saw Brandt coming straight for me. Her eyes molten lava, her sharktooth smile vicious.

  I could still run. But then she'd have Pietro.

  There was no time. No time to be delicate.

  'Amelia, what are you — no, wait!' Pietro flinched as I wrapped m
y hand around the side of his collar and with one good yank — tore it off.

  Metal bent easily under my grip. Circuitry and wire ripped apart like silly string. I felt a sharp electric jolt, but it was too late. Pietro was already free.

  He paused for only a moment, feeling his now-bare neck, a red mark where the collar used to be. Then he grinned at me.