Time. Space. Reality. It's more than a linear path. It's a prism of endless possibility, where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities, creating alternate worlds from the ones you know. I am the Watcher. I am your guide through these vast new realities. Follow me and ponder the question, "What if?"

• • 2015 • •

IN THE DIMLY lit room, the uniformed man was speaking on the phone. The light from the setting sun outside was the only thing illuminating the space he was in. One of his superiors spoke to him on the other end.

"The Hydra Supreme is alerting each base to strengthen their barriers. These attacks have been angering him."

"We've gotten word of it before and are doing just that."

"Then we are up to date. Hail Hydra."

"Hail Hydra."

The man hung up the phone, then turned around to sit back down. Suddenly, he was face-to-face with another who had snuck inside. He wore his red-and-black S.H.I.E.L.D issued stealth suit and headpiece that covered almost his entire face.

Y/N grabbed the officer's head and punched him twice, before slamming it against the wall. The man's body went limp and he let him fall to the floor.

Another man came through the window, followed by a couple of others. Their leader, Isaiah Bradley, crouched down and checked the HYDRA officer's body for anything.

"You hear their conversation?" Isaiah asked Y/N.

"Just reminding the people to watch the perimeter." He replied.

Isaiah stood back up. "Didn't seem to work...since we're here."

The four soldiers were in a site based within Washington D.C in order to eliminate a lead HYDRA official named Volk. He had been in charge of overlooking the Mid-Atlantic North region of the United States.

Isaiah spoke into his radio, communicating with another soldier that stayed outside the base.

"Thermal imaging up and running yet?" He asked.

"Yes, Captain. We spot Volk on the second floor. His office is on the far-east side of it."

"Thank you." He clipped his radio back on and looked at Y/N as he unholstered his pistol. "Let's go."

Volk sat on his desk by his computer. He kept up with his work when the officer suddenly heard a commotion outside his office. He stood back up, eyes glued to the door as he tried to listen in for more noise...but it was quiet again.

He was going to sit back down, but there was a knock at his door. Volk began to call out.

"State your business, soldier!"

A voice came from behind the door. "Officer Gideon has arrived, sir."

"Tell him he can come up."

There was a pause. "He prefers you come down, sir."

Volk was annoyed. He let out a sigh and walked out from behind his desk toward the door.

"The visit better be worth–"

Suddenly, three bullets came through the door and shot Volk down. He fell to the ground and groaned as the door was kicked open. Y/N incapacitated the officer they used as bait and threw him aside. Isaiah gripped his pistol and walked up to the man.

Volk was bleeding profusely from his chest. He coughed as he rolled onto his back, looking up at Bradley. Y/N stood with the two other soldiers behind him.

"Patriots..." Volk said as he spat. "You can take out as many of our sites as you want...it won't accomplish anything."

"As long as I get to kill as many of you as I can." Isaiah shot back, still gripping his gun.

"Is that with this is?" Volk looked at Y/N. "Avenging?" He let out a laugh. "Their deaths benefited the rise of HYDRA. Our new world order. There is nothing you can do to change that!"

He kept staring at Y/N. "This charade is fruitless, Lieutenant. Your partners, your friends, your father...they're all gone! You have nothing! Only us! Sooner or later we will take you back and you will live on as Task–"

BLAM!

Isaiah shot the officer dead before he can finish. Y/N simply looked at the man's body, trying to compose himself after hearing what he said. Isaiah holstered his gun and looked back at his colleagues.

"Target's down. Let's regroup with the squad outside."

The two soldiers nodded and left the room. Isaiah was about to leave too but stopped beside Y/N who was still looking down. He pat him on the shoulder.

"You got us, son." Isaiah said. "You got me."

Y/N nodded and the older super-soldier left the room. The young man sighed, then walked out afterward.

• • •

Y/N L/N always had something. He had a mother that loved him. His adoptive parents raised him right. He had a life ahead of him, but it took a turn after he was put in stasis by HYDRA in Vietnam. He was found decades later by Nick Fury, who made him into a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent and then an Avenger. With that...he had colleagues, friends, and even a sort of family now.

In 2014, HYDRA unearthed itself from the shadows and tried to initiate Project Insight. With Armin Zola's algorithm, their hellicarriers would be able to eliminate anyone who they deemed a threat to HYDRA, which meant millions of people would be killed in seconds.

In your universe, Captain America, Freedom Fighter, Black Widow, and Falcon succeeded in stopping the uprising. HYDRA's secrets were leaked to the public and surviving members were forced back into hiding. Y/N finally got to take down the organization that took him away from his mother and attempted to weaponize him. He did so along with Rogers, with who he now knew was his biological father.

But in this world, the heroes failed to stop HYDRA. Captain Steven Rogers was killed by the Winter Soldier in their fight before he was able to replace the final chip. Thousands upon thousands of people were killed immediately. Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Natasha Romanoff, and Sam Wilson were eliminated right at the Triskelion. Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Clint Barton were also killed.

Y/N was spared. Zola's algorithm excluded him from the purge because of his Taskmaster protocol, believing that he could be of use to them if captured and activated.

After what happened at the Triskelion, HYDRA was able to finally rise. They put fear upon the survivors and used their power across the planet to intact an authoritative rule. Their leader, Hydra Supreme Alexander Pierce, was the head of it all.

Y/N had to lay low for several months, harboring resentment toward HYDRA and even himself. The young man had survivor's guilt, and there were many days where he wished to join those that perished.

One day, he stumbled upon Isaiah Bradley, a super-soldier who served in the Korean War. He lead a resistance called the Patriots that rebelled against HYDRA and its rule, doing so in honor of his late grandson, Elijah, who died during the purge.

Y/N joined his cause and had been with him ever since. They've taken down many of HYDRA's bases across the country and recruited many along the way...

In New York, they liberated a prison camp containing protesters and stumbled upon Matt Murdock, who revealed himself to be a vigilante named Daredevil. He was drawn to their cause since his friend, Foggy Nelson, was killed by an officer.

They received a transmission from an abandoned Stark Industries building in California. It was by Pepper Potts, who was in hiding with many others and decided to aid the resistance.

In Ohio, the Patriots encountered Yelena Belova. She was an ex-Widow who was released from her mind control by Melina Vostokoff, who unfortunately died freeing her and other Widows. The blonde decided to join the cause after finding out HYDRA was the reason for her sister's death.

Their most recent recruit was Prince T'Challa of Wakanda, the Black Panther. The man would often leave his country in secret to assist those in need, since his father preferred to stay hidden from HYDRA, but T'Challa couldn't turn a blind eye to what was happening.

Together, the six members did what they could for the resistance and spread their reach farther. Their main goal was to take the fight to the Hydra Supreme himself and put an end to his reign.

It would seem possible one day, as they were relayed information on his whereabouts. Y/N, Isaiah, and Yelena were preparing to travel with a unit, hoping that they would finally accomplish their goal...

• • •

Y/N SAT ON his cot. He wore his stealth suit but had his headpiece off as he slumped over and looked at the photo in his hand. He still couldn't believe he had it with him this long but was grateful at the same time. It didn't matter how many places they traveled, it would always stay with him.

It was a polaroid of Natasha. Y/N took it during one of their undercover operations in 2012 when they had to pose as a high-class married couple in Shanghai. The photos he took were supposed to be deleted after they completed the mission, but he decided to keep one.

Thank God he did. It was the only thing he felt he had left of the life before.

Somebody came into the tent and startled Y/N. He looked to his right and saw that it was Yelena. He feigned a smile and nodded as he put the photo back in his pack and under the cot.

"Lieutenant." She greeted as she walked in.

"Belova."

Before he could inquire about the upcoming mission, she decided to ask about what he was thinking, having noticed his mood.

"You all right? Actually, I can kinda tell you aren't. Your posture says it all."

Y/N chuckled and looked back down. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Yelena knew of the super-soldier's past relationship with her late sister. She'd seen him look at the photo before, and also showed Y/N the photo strip she had of the two of them when they were young. The two rebels both missed Natasha.

"What we do is for her, Y/N." Yelena said. "And in turn, everybody else."

"I know. It's just..." He paused for a moment and sighed. "I think back and realize how much of an idiot I was."

The blonde put her hands on her waist and listened to the young man as he continued.

"Through all the years I was with her...the times we went on missions and moments we shared between them...I never got to say how I really felt. It was just back and forth banter and fun flirtation. But I regret never telling her that...I loved her. I had fallen in love with her and never had the chance to admit it."

Yelena nodded, taking in Y/N's confession and expression of feelings.

"I never got to see her after we were separated in the Red Room. But what I do know is that when she cares about someone...her love for that person is genuine. So I believe she felt the same way for you." Yelena said, then looked down and fiddled with her hands. "I'd like to think she still remembered me...and loved me too."

Y/N stood up and looked at the blonde. He remembered Natasha telling both him and Clint about Yelena before.

"She did love you. She told me about how you separated...the plane she had to help fly to get out of Ohio. When we asked if she was scared, she said all she could think about is that you were safe. That never changed, Yelena."

The blonde exhaled and looked up, keeping in a sob that she was about to let out. Y/N placed a hand on her shoulder.

He continued. "Natasha loved you and always wanted you safe. Her love was genuine for you too, her sister."

Yelena nodded and smiled at Y/N. The Lieutenant smiled back, and that is when another person came into the tent. It was Isaiah.

"We're moving out. Let's haul ass."

The two rebels listened to the Captain, leaving the tent to join the unit.

• • •

THE PATRIOTS LAUNCHED an attack at a HYDRA base in Baltimore. Enemy officers fired at the incoming rebels, and the resistance shot back as their superiors charged forward.

Isaiah threw a flash grenade that blew up and disoriented the two HYDRA soldiers in front of him. He grabbed the nozzle of their rifle and forced the man to shoot his colleague before disarming him. He grabbed the soldier by the neck and head-butted him hard, knocking him to the ground.

Yelena engaged a group of officers and took one out with her pistols to shoot them. She slid under one man and immediately jabbed her Widow's bite into his neck. She held him in place, using him as a shield and taking out her gun again to shoot the other two.

Y/N's super-soldier speed made him a blur to the HYDRA goons. He sprinted to one of them and immediately hit him across the face with his staff. He followed with a hit to his knee and torso before striking him again in the head, taking him down. Another officer engaged Freedom Fighter, but he dove away from his gunfire and broke apart his staff, throwing the baton in his face. He got back up and wrapped his legs with the other billy-club, pulling him down so he can run up and stomp him in the face.

Two other officers arrived and aimed their rifles at Y/N so they can fire, but the super-soldier swiftly took his pistol out of his holster and shot them both in the head with accuracy.

Sure, he could've handled a lot of them with the gun ala Max Payne, but where was the fun in that?

Y/N exhaled and holstered the gun before running off to regroup with his colleagues.

The unit had entered the base and continued through. Y/N and Isaiah had to look for Pierce and thought they had tracked him down to an area within the building. Yelena stayed back to assist the rest of the rebels in taking on the reinforcements that had arrived.

The super-soldier duo was joined by two other Patriots as they entered what seemed like a large conference room. They looked around for any sign of the Hydra Supreme, but there wasn't. Not surprising, in fact.

A soldier looked through a window into the adjoining room. He saw a silhouette on the other side, but before he can alert the rest...a hail of bullets came through.

Two of the rebels were immediately shot down by whoever was behind the glass. Isaiah, Y/N, and the last soldier dove to take cover behind the desk. The gunfire ceased, and the surviving rebel boldly decided to get up and check the source.

"Martinez!" Isaiah shouted with a whisper.

He aimed his rifle through the broken window, not seeing the shooter. Suddenly, a metal arm grabbed his gun and bent the nozzle. He punched Martinez in the face before bringing his head down to the shards of glass sticking out. It stabbed into his neck, killing him.

The assailant vaulted through the window and stood before the two super soldiers. It was the Winter Soldier.

"Well...if it isn't the ghost of Goyang." Isaiah remarked and glanced at Y/N. "You know I took half that arm back there."

"Yeah, old man. You keep telling me that story." Y/N replied.

The Winter Soldier took out his submachine gun and fired at them, but Isaiah kicked up the desk and blocked the gunfire. Y/N leaped over it and dove at Barnes, tackling him. They rolled on the floor before the two separated and engaged one another.

Freedom Fighter evaded his punches and landed hits at the Soldier's torso. He hit him with an uppercut but Bucky quickly grabbed his neck afterward. He lifted him and slammed him down onto a nearby desk, but Isaiah grabbed Bucky before he can attack Y/N further.

Isaiah was the one on the offensive this time, with the Winter Soldier dodging as much of his attacks. Barnes immediately unsheathed his knife and swiped at Bradley, but the Korean War veteran stepped back to evade the blade. He grabbed the knife and tried to wrestle it out of the HYDRA asset's hands, but Bucky kneed him in the stomach and followed with a stab into Isaiah's shoulder.

"Argh!" Isaiah grunted before kicking Bucky away and gaining separation.

The Winter Soldier recovered and stared directly at Isaiah, who was soon joined by Y/N. The resistance Captain and the Lieutenant faced the HYDRA assassin, ready to fight him together.

Barnes was the first to charge. Isaiah and Y/N tag-teamed as they fought him, evading his attacks as well as making sure Bucky didn't use his firearms.

They were handling the assassin well, but whenever they were close to finally taking him down, the Winter Soldier would gain the upper hand. He would find ways to throw one of them aside and take on the lone soldier before the other can recover.

Y/N knew of Barnes's moves, but the Soldier seemed to have known to change his tactics when facing the young man. Y/N assumed he'd gotten more training since the last time they faced, which wasn't surprising since HYDRA now had all the time in the world to refine their asset.

The Winter Soldier separated them once again and took on Freedom Fighter himself. The assassin took a couple of the Lieutenant's hits before swiftly taking out a knife he had in his holster and stabbing Y/N in the side. It managed to get through his suit and Bucky took his injured state as a chance to push him onto a table.

The sudden movement caused Y/N's already loosened headpiece to fall off. Bucky held his knife over his head, ready to finish Y/N. But upon looking at his face, he stopped. He looked at his eyes...and it reminded him of Steve.

His best friend. The guy who was by his side in the war. The man he ended up killing a year ago.

Bucky dropped his knife and stepped back. Y/N caught his breath and eased back up, noticing the hesitation coming from the assassin. Isaiah also got up, seeing the idle Soldier.

"Barnes?" Y/N called out, but before the man could respond, a monotone voice spoke through the active intercom in the room.

"Желание. Ржавый. Семнадцать...(Longing. Rusted. Seventeen...)"

Bucky immediately grimaced and grabbed his head, grunting as he leaned over. Y/N knew the words were affecting him, and so did Isaiah.

"Shoot the damn speakers!" Isaiah exclaimed as he went over to Barnes, who had fallen to the floor in discomfort. A part of him felt like helping the brainwashed soldier in any way he can, despite knowing the atrocities he's done.

Y/N took out his pistol and looked around the room. Several intercoms were saying the words. He started to shoot them out as they continued.

"Рассвет. Печь. Девять. Доброкачественный. (Daybreak. Furnace. Nine. Benign)."

The young man kept shooting and all that was left were three. Isaiah knelt over Bucky.

"Fight it, Barnes!" He exclaimed.

"Возвращение на родину. Один. (Homecoming. One)."

There were two left. Y/N reloaded and shot the next one, and was prepared to destroy the last...but it let out the final word.

"Грузовой. (Freight car)."

The Winter Soldier stopped writhing in pain. Y/N shot the final intercom and Isaiah looked over his shoulder to see. Suddenly, the HYDRA asset grabbed the knife near him and plunged it into Bradley's stomach.

Y/N looked at them right when Barnes plunged it in a second time. Bucky pushed Isaiah off and stood up, holding the bloody knife. The Captain started to bleed out on the floor, groaning in pain.

The young man was speechless. He gripped his pistol and looked at his friend on the ground. Bucky just stood there, emotionless. He looked at Y/N with his black-painted eyes, in which the man stared back.

There were no words said. The two stood there for a few seconds in silence. Suddenly, Bucky reached for the gun at his side to shoot Y/N. But he wasn't fast enough, as he was shot twice in the torso by Y/N, who drew faster. The assassin fell back through the window into an adjoining room.

Y/N breathed out, taking in the fact that he had shot Barnes. He felt like he had no choice...and part of him also instinctively did so because of what happened Isaiah.

He went up to his bleeding friend. Isaiah was in his final moments, knowing well enough that he wouldn't make it out in time. That was what Y/N feared, but he still tried to tend to his injuries.

"Come on, old man. I'm getting you out of here." He said with a sense of denial at the situation.

"Y/N..." He muttered. "That ain't gonna happen."

"Just get off your ass. I'll help. You know what? I'm carrying you."

Before he can do so, Isaiah grabbed his arm and stopped him. He looked directly at Y/N and didn't say a word. The young man shook his head and looked down, not wanting to accept the fact that he was about to lose yet another friend.

Isaiah decided to say one last thing to Y/N. He held his arm tighter.

"We're close, son. I can feel it." He said. "Fight for our freedom."

Those words entered Freedom Fighter's mind. Y/N inhaled and nodded, in which the rebel Captain gave a weak nod back. His grip softened, and seconds later he ultimately let go. Isaiah Bradley was dead.

Y/N held in his emotions and stood back up, also grabbing Isaiah's pistol from the ground. He went over to the broken window and looked into the room Bucky fell in. He expected to see his body, but the man was gone.

Y/N exhaled through his nose. He put Isaiah's pistol into his other holster and sprinted out of the room.

• • •

THE BASE IN Baltimore was overtaken by the resistance. For the next few weeks, they made it into a permanent site for the Patriots. Isaiah Bradley was also buried there since he had grown up in the city.

With his death, Y/N was now put in charge of the resistance. There was unanimous support toward him, as soldiers knew of the trust their former Captain had in him. From now on, Freedom Fighter would lead them in their mission to take down HYDRA.

One day, a mole within the opposition relayed information on the location of Alexander Pierce's true whereabouts. Y/N made sure to send scouts to the coordinates and make sure it wasn't false like last time, but they came back and confirmed it. With this, the young man knew it was time to eliminate the Hydra Supreme once and for all.

He needed all the help he can get though. Not just a unit of Patriots, but also colleagues of his who operated around the county and abroad. People he and Isaiah had recruited...

Outside of the Baltimore base, Y/N stood with the team he called upon. It was Yelena, Pepper, Matt, and T'Challa. Around them were resistance members who were preparing for the upcoming operation.

"Are you sure this is where he is?" Pepper asked as she looked up from the map on the table.

"I'm 100% certain." Y/N replied.

Yelena agreed. "We had scouts confirm it."

"Who would've known that he was operating in D.C this whole time." Matt remarked, wearing his Daredevil attire but had his mask off.

"The evildoer's domain is where it all started. How meaningful." T'Challa sarcastically said. He also had his Black Panther suit.

"Today...his reign ends. With him dead, it'll be a step closer in destroying HYDRA and freeing the world of its rule." Y/N told them.

"I would like to think it'd be that easy." Matt said.

"It won't be." Yelena replied. "But being a step closer to doing so is better than none at all."

Y/N looked at Pepper. "You got your gear?"

The redhead crossed her arms and nodded. She hadn't used the armor Tony made her in a while, but she knew how to operate it.

"Of course I do." She replied.

A soldier called out to Y/N from a distance. "Sir! The vehicles are running. We're ready to move."

Y/N gave a nod and the man ran off toward his comrades. He looked at the rest of the team and started to put on his headpiece.

"We're gonna avenge those who were lost." Y/N said.

Pepper nodded and immediately said the name that popped into her head. "Tony."

"Foggy." Matt added.

Yelena exhaled. "Natasha."

T'Challa was fortunate enough to not have lost anybody close to him, but he said a name he knew needed to be remembered and meant a lot to Y/N.

"Captain Rogers." He said.

Y/N smiled and then said the name he thought of afterward. "Isaiah."

After a moment of silence, Matt extended his clenched fist between them as if it was a huddle. They wondered what the blind man was doing.

"So...let's go Patriots?"

"I don't know...it makes it sound like we're the football team. I never really liked them." Pepper remarked.

"No." Y/N knew what to call the five of them. He extended his arm as well. "Avengers."

They all agreed and were pleased with carrying on the iconic name. Just like how Coulson's death formed the first team of Avengers, Isaiah's was pivotal in forming theirs.

The rest reciprocated the act and held their fists near one another. They each repeated what Y/N had said.

"Avengers."

• • •

HYDRA SOLDIERS FIRED their weapons at the resistance members. The officers tried guarding the office building they were attempting to storm into, pulling out all the stops including robotic sentries they built using Stark technology after the billionaire had died.

The Patriots provided covering fire and dealt with advancing soldiers as the Avengers charged ahead toward the building.

Daredevil took a HYDRA officer out with his billy club before backflipping away to evade incoming gunfire. He dove toward the shooter and kicked him in the face, taking him down. Another officer advanced toward the vigilante, but Freedom Fighter pulled him down with his own billy club.

He would've shot the downed man, but he understood how Matt felt about killing people in front of him. So Y/N simply stomped him in the face instead and rendered him unconscious.

"We're gonna have to talk about how you kinda copied my style." Matt remarked about Y/N batons.

Y/N chuckled and the two continued forward.

Yelena, the White Widow, shot three officers down with her dual wield pistols before taking cover behind a barrier. Several more gunmen came out and fired at her, easing their way closer and waiting for the blonde to peek out. Fortunately, Black Panther leaped in and slammed his fist on the ground near them, expelling energy that sent them all flying.

He stood back up and looked back at Yelena, who gave a smirk and walked ahead.

"Show off." She jested.

"Come on, Belova, I know you thought it was cool." T'Challa replied.

The sound of a soaring jet was heard above. It wasn't an aircraft though, only Pepper Potts flying in her Rescue armor.

"Less talk, more walk." Pepper told them through the comms as she shot repulsor beams at the goons below.

They were close to going inside, but suddenly a larger sentry arrived. The mech stood over several of the Patriots and shot them down with its guns. The unit began to fall back and take cover.

A/N: Imagine something like the HYDRA Stomper.

"You guys see that?" Yelena asked through the radio.

"Yeah, the thing that looks straight out of The Robot vs The Aztec Mummy." Y/N replied.

"I'm going to pretend I know what that is." T'Challa said.

Matt chimed in. "I don't even know what you're all seeing...but I can sense it's huge."

The first person the mech tried to attack was the flying Pepper. She dodged its gunfire and shot at it with her repulsor blasts, but it dealt minimal damage to its armor.

"We're gonna have to give it all we got!" Y/N told his team. "Avengers!"

They advanced at the robot, evading its long-range attacks with Yelena, Y/N, and Pepper shooting at it. Daredevil and Black Panther kept running toward it, and the blind hero dodged one of its swipes and climbed onto his arm. T'Challa jumped higher and went onto its head before latching onto its back.

The Wakandan saw a closed compartment and assumed it was a power source of some kind.

"I think this is what keeps it running!" He announced.

Daredevil held on to his arm as the mech tried to throw him off.

"Well, your highness, break the damn thing!" He exclaimed.

T'Challa used his claws to rip off the latch but before he can pull out the battery, the robot grabbed Black Panther and threw him off. Daredevil was dealt with next and thrown as well.

"I exposed the power source." T'Challa told his team as he got back up. "It's on his back."

"All right. The four of us will engage it from the front and keep its attention on us." Y/N commanded. "Pepper, you fly up when you get an opening and blow that battery to hell."

"It'd be my pleasure." She reported back.

Freedom Fighter, White Widow, Black Panther, and Daredevil served as a distraction for the mech. They dodged its gunfire, blasts, and melee attacks for a while until it fully lost its attention on Rescue. Pepper soared up and formed a larger cannon from her arm, charging it and shooting the open compartment.

The back of the robot exploded and started to power down. It went onto a knee before falling over, now defeated by the Avengers. Moments later, the head opened and an exhausted HYDRA officer crawled out.

He let out a cough and then looked up, seeing the five Avengers standing over him, mirroring how the first iteration of the team stood over Loki three years ago.

The man didn't say a word and simply passed out from fatigue. The heroes stood there for a couple more seconds until they noticed the rest of their unit now advancing toward the building.

"We're such posers." Yelena remarked.

The heroes and the rebels continued the fight within the office building. The Avengers stayed back to help the soldiers deal with HYDRA officers on the main floor while Y/N advanced to where he assumed Alexander Pierce would be.

Y/N made it to one of the top floors via elevator, which surprisingly worked at the time. It was as if they wanted him to go up like he was being invited. He walked through the empty hallway toward the door at the end, where he opened it and entered the office.

There he was. Alexander Pierce, The Hydra Supreme, sitting at his desk. The windows to the side of him overlooked the streets of D.C., but one thing caught the young man's eyes...Captain America's shield hanging on the wall behind him.

"Lieutenant." Pierce greeted nonchalantly. "I've been expecting you."

Y/N held the pistol at his side, it wasn't just any pistol, but Isaiah's. He walked up toward the desk he was sitting at and just stared at the man.

Pierce pointed at the shield behind him. "I hope this isn't in poor taste. Had to fish it out of the Potomac after what happened at the Triskelion. Thought it'd be a decorative piece."

"You think this is funny?" Y/N asked. "I'm going to kill you."

Pierce simply folded his hands and leaned over his desk, looking directly at the super-soldier.

"But we didn't kill you. Do you understand the potential you have for the grand plan of HYDRA? You were born to be our powerhouse."

"I wasn't born to do shit for you."

"But what else do you have, Y/N? Nothing. Nick is dead. That team he formed...dead. Rogers...dead. Romanoff...dead. Bradley...dead. What are you even trying to fight for now?"

Y/N didn't say a word. Pierce chuckled then continued.

"Is this what Avenging is? You still trying to hold that up? There's nothing to avenge. It's a new world now, L/N, and there's nothing you can do to change that. HYDRA will live on for generations, but unlike the past where it was within the shadows, we will be prominent. And if you kill me...it won't do a damn thing either. A worthy successor will inevitably take my place."

The young man stared at Pierce, emotionless. Pierce gave a taunting smile as he stood up from his seat.

"You know this, Lieutenant. Cut off one head and two more will take its–"

BLAM!

Y/N shot Pierce in the head and the man fell back onto his chair. The super-soldier glared as he held up the pistol.

"I know that mantra...and I don't fucking care." He said, then shot Pierce's body several more times until his clip was empty.

Y/N holstered the weapon and stared at the body for a few seconds, exhaling and closing his eyes. He opened them back up and looked directly at the shield hanging on the wall.

His father's shield.

He went over and took it down, looking at the disc and running his hand over the star. He took a breath in before strapping it onto his arm, then walked out of the office.

The Patriots regroup outside of the building. The HYDRA soldiers were either killed or apprehended and the base was taken over. The four Avengers were outside helping other soldiers until they noticed Y/N walking out of the building holding the shield.

"Y/N." T'Challa was the first to call out. "We were starting to worry."

The man feigned a smile. "Aww, really?"

Pepper looked at the shield Y/N was holding. "Pierce had that?"

"He did. But now he doesn't." He replied, not having to explicitly state that he killed him for them to understand.

"So what now?" Matt asked.

Y/N exhaled. "The fight's not over until true freedom is won. Pierce was the head of it all, but there are more of his loyalists out there who believe they can assume his position. We gotta keep growing, rebelling, and stop them before one of them can."

"Either way, it feels like we're close." Yelena said then looked at Y/N. The man smiled, remembering that Isaiah said the same thing before he died.

"Yes, we are." Y/N replied and looked at each of his colleagues. "And together we'll be able to accomplish it."

He put his fist in the middle just like they did before. Pepper followed suit, then Yelena. Matt sensed them moving and reciprocated the act. T'Challa was the last to do so and smiled.

"Fine words, Captain." The Wakandan said.

"So...first victory for the Avengers, right?" Matt asked them.

Y/N softly chuckled and smirked. He put the shield on his back.

"The first of many."