BIOHAZARD,
chapter eight: chased by a ghost!

12 hours left.

          AVERY MULLER WATCHED CAREFULLY AS KARPOV CARRIED THE SOLDIER'S BOOK, clinging to his chest, as if he were afraid that it would disappear into the darkness of that base. Oh, that would happen, but it would end up between the fingers of the green-eyed mercenary - not in the deep darkness. Avery with Violet, Jake and Anika, headed for the stairs, following at a slow pace the Russian commander carrying the book. The small team knew where they would go: the Playground - but they walked through a section that wasn't explored, that led them to another elevator where they all entered without problems. Muller swallowed a little saliva, licking his lips subtly, waiting for everything to end as quickly as possible. But, for his own fortune - really, for his own misfortune - the mission was just beginning and the final game was giving a critical point in his card game. The team didn't know what would happen in this mission.

          The elevator reached the main floor of the Playground, revealing the seat in the middle of the room, where the alleged traitor was - tortured to death. The green-eyed mercenary pursed his lips and walked forward to follow the rest. The commander ordered them to stand still in one section and the four soldiers obeyed, remaining silent - sunk in their own thoughts (the real plan). Avery looked at his partner Violet with full attention, trying to tell her something just by looking at her - but it was impossible. The commander's voice brought him back to his mission, ordering the doctors to awaken the soldier. He noted that the commander's eyes were on him, but Avery was quick to look away. Karpov smiled sideways, walked towards the team of soldiers slowly, watching and determining each movement - entering those souls, which had a purpose that night.

          "Tonight you will change the story," The commander-in-chief announced, framing each word with his Russian accent. "You are serving a common purpose, a mission. You help the world to become more secure, leaving something that all people have wanted to reach: freedom. How can there be freedom without control or discipline?"

          If discipline was part of taking away the freedom of an entire planet, Avery didn't understand the principles of HYDRA. The whole system was based on freedom, and many people paid a high cost to obtain it. Did Captain America fight against HYDRA only for this? Avery thought, clearly it wasn't enough.

          "The discipline is something that will help each other, it is our duty to expand it," The commander continued, as if those were words that excited the group. "If we want a better world, we must make sacrifices. Sacrificing our freedom is one of them. You will cause this change."

          Of course not, thought Avery, we will sink you more and more. Muller felt so angry when the commander blurted out those words, squeezing the palms of his hands in an almost unbreakable fist. But that didn't stop the commander from continuing his talk. "Your mission is to neutralize and extract content that is in a suitcase."

          "And who should we neutralize?" Anika asked crossing her arms.

          Karpov smiled sinisterly, handing them a file. "You must neutralize him."

          The group gathered and the two SHIELD agents gasped as they looked at the photo. Avery and Violet looked at each other in disguise before looking at their teammates, who were still trying to process what was really happening. They have to kill Howard Stark, one of the founders of SHIELD.

          "What's in that suitcase?" Violet asked, glancing at Karpov.

          "Something that will help you and will keep you alive in the coming months. It's not that it's important to you at this time, you just have to bring it here."

          The doctors disconnected one of the main valves and the tube that was shown pressurized was deployed upwards, revealing the group that the soldier was in there - cryogenized. Avery could see how his skin glowed, as white as a porcelain doll - at the same time defenseless, his skin, breaking like glass in the abyss, in a million pieces. His eyes were so blue, that Avery again met that broken soul he saw two days ago. There were several cables that connected the soldier to a panel that was on top of him, somehow, keeping him alive. An oxygen mask was subtly removed from his face and in full contact with the air of the Playground, the soldier trembled.

          The team observed the grimace of satisfaction that the commander in chief had on his face, thus implying that with a single pair of words, he would have the Winter Soldier at his mercy. The soldier's legs were weak and he fell to the ground, waking from his ice sleep slowly. Two soldiers helped him to his feet, dragging him towards the chair that awaited him in the middle of the room. Muller looked at the blood stain on the floor, dry after several hours of being unclean. That's where the traitor was brutally tortured and murdered - fearing for his life and begging for mercy, something he never received.

          "You are the first team to go on a mission with the soldier, I hope you don't ruin it." Karpov's voice echoed in the room. "Don't show mercy to the enemy and show no weakness."

          The doctors sat the soldier and restrained all his limbs to prevent him from escaping. One of them lit the machine and the soldier shuddered among the ties that kept his body still. Avery stared at the soldier, who was perplexed by the team. The commander looked at the team and his eyes went to the book.

          "zhelaniye (Longing)," The commander declared in Russian. "rzhavyy (Rusty)," And something started to electrocute Barnes's head, screaming in pain, again in Avery's eyes. "pech' (Furnace)," Violet looked to the side, not wanting to watch that scene again. "rassvet (Daybreak)," The commander passed behind him, surrounding him. "semnadtsat' (Seventeen)," He exclaimed again, continuing with those words that caused a man's lack of control. "dobrokachestvennyy (Benign)," The screams continued, invading the minds of all the people in that room. "devyat' (Nine)," The commander was closing the circle he had created around him. "vozvrashcheniye domoy (Homecoming)," He announced while the metal plates that were on the soldier's head were moving away, finishing his task. "odin (One)" He said and the invisible circle he had created was closing. "gruzovoy vagon (Freight Car)" Commander Karpov finished, standing in front of him, and the soldier looked at him - his cold expression hadn't changed since the day Avery saw him for the first time.

          Karpov had reawakened the monster that Violet Quinn always feared and now, he was the ally in the battle. "Dobroye utro, soldat (Good morning, soldier)" The commander said.

          "Gotov povinovat'sya (Ready to obey)" He said.

          The commander handed him a folder, which he grabbed in his hands. "U menya yest' missiya dlya vas, oni vam pomogut. Sanktsiya i udaleniye (I have a mission for you, they will help you. Sanction and removal.)" He looked at the small team behind him. "Bez svideteley (Without witnesses)."

          The soldier nodded, without questioning or doubting his orders, and got up from his seat thus staring at the team. Avery didn't move from his spot and watched the soldier begin to move away from the place. They followed his step and walked towards the elevator, without the commander telling them anything. As they ascended, they walked to the only entrance that the base had and entered the first elevator that brought them to the surface. Engulfing them in the cold of the mountain, while the sun lacked a few hours to hide.

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7 hours left.

          The Winter Soldier and Avery Muller watched the road in silence, both mounted on separate motorcycles, hiding behind trees, being accompanied by the warm evening breeze - and, in addition, remembering the plan stipulated in the file. The Birkin siblings remained hidden a few kilometers ahead, trying to notice the presence of the car where their targets would be. Violet would be the one to knock down one of the tires to pretend it was a normal accident - although, really, it wasn't.

          During the trip to reach that road, Avery considered many options - with options, he referred to escape methods. And also doubts about the mission. Was this the way to gain the confidence of the commander and steal the book? Muller tried to think of other alternatives, however, it was too late to return and there were very few hours to find the book. The moment was coming and everyone in the team had to act fast.

          Suddenly, a whistle was heard, which was very familiar in the ears of both soldiers - thus indicating that the target was near. They both waited and the sound of an engine was heard near their hiding place. A car passed in front of them, driving at medium speed and moving away from them quickly. The soldier looked at Avery and nodded, lighting the motorcycle and then accelerating. Both entered the silent road, which was disturbed by the roar of motorcycles, thus reaching the car. Avery placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply, thus attracting the attention of the sniper - Violet Quinn - and she unlocked his gun, firing at the passenger's door, while the soldier fired at the driver's seat . A gunshot fired from both soldiers' eardrums, followed by the derailment of the vehicle, crashing into a stone column where there was a gate. Avery stopped, pointing at Violet about her success with the bullet.

          Anika and Jake Birkin approached at full speed, stopping a couple of meters before - while they watched the tragedy that both soldiers put on the ground. Avery got off his motorcycle, watching the trunk behind him. The soldier walked towards her and Avery followed him, discovering that there was a silver briefcase inside - and clearly insured - that contained what they were looking for. The soldier opened it with a thud and there were four containers, which had a serum - the serum that HYDRA needed to use with Avery's team. The soldier looked at him, his blue eyes connecting with Muller's greens. "Derzhite eto, tshchatel'no (Keep this, carefully)."

          Avery nodded quickly, taking the briefcase in his hands and walking to secure it on the motorcycle. It was all, mission accomplished. But apparently, his mission didn't end yet. The mercenary heard a pained groan. Avery Muller turned around, meeting Howard Stark - one of his targets - crawling across the rocky earth, hurt and with little energy. His gray hair, painted red by his blood, glowed in the dim light that was on the road.

          "Help my wife," He whimpered, clearly addressing Avery. However, he did nothing. But the soldier does. "Please, help."

          Avery went into a state of panic to see that the soldier was walking towards him, with clear intentions to kill him. The mercenary should try, at least once. "Soldat, ne ubivay yego, vremya sdelayet eto (Soldier, don't kill him, time will do it)."

          "Net vremeni, Muller (There is no time, Muller)" He replied, hoarse and imposing voice.

          Avery's voice broke. "Eto ne nasha missiya! (This is not our mission!)"

          "KONECHNO, ETO! (OF COURSE IT IS!)" He roared, staring at the mercenary, his eyes full of fury and cold at the same time. He took the old man by the hair, lifting him up. He looked at him for a moment, as if something had shot in his head - but that didn't work. Avery listened to the question in the form of a murmur that Stark made: "Sergeant Barnes?"

          "Howard!" His wife wailed and the soldier hit the husband's head again and again and again. Avery gasped, letting a silent tear run freely down his cheeks, watching the soldier drop the lifeless body on the ground. "Howard!"

          The soldier took the body and dragged it towards the crashed car, placing it in a position to make it look like a real accident. He looked at Avery out of the corner of his eye, before saying, "Kill her, right now." Muller didn't move any muscle, feeling the presence of the Birkin siblings and Violet on both sides. He has murdered men, women, people who have done unforgivable things to society. But this...killing an innocent woman was something that would surely put him in hell and sink him there forever. He was so close to the goal of his mission and had to show loyalty to HYDRA. But this way wasn't what he wanted. Absorbed in his thoughts, the soldier hit the car, scaring Muller. "UBEY YeYe! Ona pokonchila so svoyey zhizn'yu! (KILL HER! She's done with her life!)"

          He must...He must do it. The mercenary walked to the passenger seat, meeting a woman who was also following the same path as Howard Stark - who had ended that night with that terrible tragedy. She was panting, clearly hurt, clearly scared - begging for mercy. Avery shouldn't give her that, even if he wanted to. He raised his right hand, circling the woman's neck and pressed hard, cutting off that woman's air supply. He felt a lump in his throat, knowing that he had made a mistake - an atrocity, something that would be unforgivable in the living world. He felt dirty, he felt ruthless, something he had never felt when he eliminated a person. He felt like a monster. He didn't look at the woman, who was writhing through the air until she finally stopped fighting. Avery moved away, meeting the motionless body of the woman. His glove full of blood.

          It was very clear that Avery Muller would go to hell after this crime.

          Anika and Jake gasped, watching the scene with puzzlement. Both were traitors, traitors to what they acclaimed, traitors to their country, traitors to themselves. They collaborated to carry out this crime and knew that they would pay dearly. They watched the soldier walk to a corner, raising his gun and shooting him into a camera. Anika let out a couple of tears, before speaking, "Howard and Maria Stark are dead...because of us."

          "We had to do this, little sister, there was no choice."

          The redhead turned, glaring at her brother. "We're traitors, damn it. We could have refused to do this fucking mission."

          "We must complete it, that is what matters now."

          "They will kill us as soon as they know who we really are."

          Violet approached. "It's a risk we should take, soldier."

          The brunette turned to look at Avery, who was sitting on the side of the road, wailing in silence for the terrible tragedy he created. However, he looked at Violet, who was already looking at him - telling him that the final stage was coming to an end. And so it was. The end was near and nobody could stay behind.

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not edited