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*****
The five newly awakened Winter Soldiers stepped forward, standing together in a way that subtly marginalized Bucky.
Though technically they were all Winter Soldiers—and Bucky was the original—the serum he had been injected with differed from the formula used on the other five. Despite his cybernetic arm, Bucky's raw power was slightly inferior to theirs, earning him their blatant contempt.
However, despite their arrogance, the five weren't entirely reckless. They had read the intelligence reports and knew Fini was no ordinary opponent. They immediately coordinated, launching a synchronized assault.
Their serum had been derived from Howard Stark's research. In many ways, they were similar to Emil Blonsky, though one had been a military experiment while they were HYDRA's creations. While their serum carried heavy side effects, it granted them immense strength. Excluding external factors, their power, speed, and durability far surpassed those of Captain America.
But even so, it wasn't enough to act tough in front of Fini.
Watching the five charge at him with sadistic grins, Fini remained calm. He maintained his "Breathing Technique," his blood saturating with oxygen as every physical function shifted into high gear.
"Number one!"
Fini focused on the burly man leading the charge, who had already raised a fist to strike. Fini's eyes narrowed. He clenched his right fist, drew back, and unleashed a punch.
With his superior physical stats, Fini's fist connected first. A heavy thud echoed as the man was sent hurtling backward even faster than he had come, crashing into the very direction he had charged from.
The other four skidded to a halt. They dodged their flying comrade and fanned out, surrounding Fini. They didn't dare rush in again immediately. Catching a glimpse of their companion literally embedded in the reinforced wall, their expressions grew grim.
"They call you the Knight of Divine Punishment. They say you're a messenger of God," the lone woman among the four spoke, her eyes locked onto Fini. "Who are you, really?"
Fini didn't care to answer. Seeing they wouldn't move, he took the initiative. "Number two," he whispered.
He lunged. In a blur of motion, he appeared beside the woman. Showing zero chivalry, he drove a fist straight toward her face.
Bang!
To be chosen for HYDRA's experiments as a woman required more than just connections or a pretty face—it required raw combat ability. She reacted quickly, crossing her arms to block the blow. However, Fini's strength was overwhelming, and the force sent her skidding backward across the floor.
The other three saw their opening. They attacked from the left, right, and center, diving at Fini's back. Simultaneously, Bucky, who had stayed out of the melee, produced a laser pistol from somewhere and began firing distracting shots.
Relying on the absolute defense of "Incursio," Fini ignored Bucky for the moment. He looked down at the two men grabbing his arms and the third who had him in a chokehold, seemingly trying to tear him apart.
"Number three, number four!"
Fini grunted, his arms surging with explosive power as he pulled inward. The two Winter Soldiers hanging off his arms were jerked together by the sheer force, colliding with a sickening crack and collapsing to the ground. In the same motion, he flicked a palm toward the female Winter Soldier who was trying to rejoin the fray, sending an "Explosion Magic" blast that blew her away once more.
Finally, he reached up, pried the arms of the last man from his neck, and executed a perfect over-the-shoulder throw. As the soldier hit the floor, Fini brought his boot down, pinning the man's head into the concrete.
"Number five!"
In less than a minute—before the HYDRA reinforcements could even reach the room—the five elite Winter Soldiers had been utterly defeated.
Nearby, Bucky watched with a stony expression. Alexander Pierce's orders were absolute: kill Fini at any cost. To these brainwashed weapons, retreat was never an option, even in the face of death.
"One, two, three, four, five!"
Fini began the cleanup. He had nothing to discuss with these killers. Five consecutive blasts of "Explosion Magic" followed, leaving behind nothing but scorched earth. Not even a corpse remained.
The lab was now empty save for Fini and Bucky. Outside, a swarm of panicked HYDRA agents had gathered, but knowing Fini's reputation, they hesitated to storm the room.
Meanwhile, in a command center deep beneath the base...
"How did he find this place? How does he know where we are?!"
Baron Strucker screamed at his subordinates. He couldn't fathom how Fini had appeared out of thin air. "It must be Pierce! That fool!"
Strucker paced the room anxiously, his eyes glued to the monitors showing Fini. His face twisted through several shades of fear before he finally hardened his resolve. "Attack! Order them to attack!"
Only after watching the agents on screen rush in to open fire did he lean in and whisper to his closest aide, "Delay him as long as possible. Wipe all the data, then launch the missiles. Level the entire upper facility at the Knight's coordinates!"
The aide froze. "But sir... we still have hundreds of men up there!"
"HYDRA will remember their great sacrifice," Strucker hissed, narrowing his eyes. He leaned closer to the man's ear. "If we don't stop the Knight of Divine Punishment here, the next ones to die will be you and me."
Self-preservation won out. Without further hesitation, the aide began deleting files and locking in the missile coordinates.
As his subordinate worked, Strucker didn't stick around for the results. He gathered a small security detail and headed for a secret escape tunnel. He wasn't sure if missiles could kill Fini—especially given the rumors of his teleportation—but he intended to be far away before the dust settled. He felt a fresh wave of loathing for Alexander Pierce.
Fini was unaware that missiles were currently being targeted at his head. He frowned as more HYDRA agents flooded the lab, firing wildly.
"Explosion!"
While he had spared the agents at Whitehall's base, it didn't mean he would grant every HYDRA cell the same mercy. A few focused blasts of magic later, the sound of gunfire significantly thinned out.
Just as Fini cleared the room, Bucky charged again. Even with his teammates vaporized, he remained steadfast in his programming. He would die trying to complete the mission.
Fini didn't want to kill him, but after batting him away several times only to have him immediately lunge back, he was losing his patience. As Bucky lunged once more, Fini timed it perfectly. He opened a portal directly behind the man and delivered a powerful kick, launching Bucky through the golden ring and into a remote mountain range miles away. He snapped the portal shut instantly.
Before Fini could breathe a sigh of relief, he heard frantic voices echoing through the base's comms.
"Missiles! Someone launched the missiles!"
"Evacuate! Get out now!"
Fini's expression shifted. Missiles came in different sizes. He could shrug off the small tracking missiles on Tony's suits, but he had no desire to test if "Incursio" could survive an ICBM or a high-yield bunker-buster.
He prepared to open a portal to flee, but a sudden thought gave him pause. A look of hesitation crossed his face, but he quickly made his choice. He opened a portal to the cell where he had found the Maximoff siblings.
Appearing in the hallway, he shattered the reinforced glass. Amidst their shock and confusion, he grabbed both Wanda and Pietro, hauled them through the portal, and vanished from the base.
A second later, the missiles struck. The entire facility vanished into a pillar of fire.
In the distance, the people of Sokovia watched the explosion on the mountain. Fearing the start of another war, they scrambled for cover, cursing the name of Stark for the destruction falling from the sky.
(End of Chapter)