The HYDRA facility was teeming with agents and soldiers scattered left and right; wielding all kinds of high tech weapons and powered artillery.

Steve was front of the group - all of the Commandos glancing over their shoulders and tightening their grips on their rifles as they slowly snuck through the hallways.

“These places always give me the creeps…” Bucky muttered, and Steve let out a little huff.

“You think?” He replied, and slammed his fist onto the larger buttons on a panel beside two metal doors as they hissed and creaked open.

More HYDRA agents, of course, and they stood no chance against the team, Steve’s shield swinging with ease and ricocheting off industrial walls to collide with the unsuspecting enemies.

The Howling Commandos were here to do what they did best; and that was to take down bases like these, ridding the world of HYDRA - one building at a time.

Something in this new sector of the building felt… Off. Everything always felt off with HYDRA, but there felt a sense of dread and numbness here.

“Alright, we’ll split up and cover more ground. Recon back here in ten minutes.” Steve ordered, gesturing for the team to part ways to explore the facility. They nodded and turned to depart, and Bucky obviously remained by Steve’s side as they continued on.

They remained quiet, looking around the area with curiosity and suspicion. Besides the few agents at the doors, there had been no signs of life since - just empty halls and barren rooms.

“You think they evacuated?” Bucky asked, and Steve shook his head, brushing his fingers against a small table. Clean.

“No dust, nothing looks rushed or misplaced here. They must all still be in the building.” He sighed, and his eyes flicked across the room.

It was vast and open, smooth floors and railings across the walls like ones ballerinas would use to steady themselves as they practiced. Steve remembered reading about secret training methods in the ‘Red Room’, ballet recitals repeated until exhaustion hit, then they would get up and keep going anyway.

In the far distance, sat still against the wall and head lowered; a figure clad in tights, a leotard and worn pointe shoes with untied ribbons that cascaded across the ground.

The two men cautiously approached, and Steve was the first to speak up, softly clearing his throat.

“Are you alright?”

As the figure lifted their head, Steve could only look in shock at the sight of you. He could recognise his childhood friend from a mile away, but he only thought it would be in memory. Everyone had presumed you dead with your sudden disappearance, but you were here, alive.

Him and Bucky were relieved to see you, breathing, but… Your eyes looked empty, dead. Like the life force had been drained from you to leave you a vessel. Steve could only assume what the Red Room had done to you.