Chapter 44: Fall of the Floating Fortress!
The sky above Eastern Europe was dark, shimmering with an eerie glow as the Floating Red Room hovered silently, its dark silhouette blending into the clouds.
Inside the Floating Red Room's Core Facility!
The innermost chamber of the Floating Red Room exuded cold elegance and control. Stark white walls adorned with internationally renowned paintings. The atmosphere signified luxury, meticulously arranged to reflect Dreykov's desires of power and control.
Dreykov himself was currently lounged on an intricately designed leather chair, his posture relaxed yet exuding a sinister confidence. His lips curled into a smirk as he held a glass of aged whiskey in one hand, the amber liquid swirling lazily.
In his other arm, he cradled a Black Widow, her eyes blank, devoid of any free will as she was still brainwashed, resting against him, pliant and obedient, a testament to how deep his brainwashing went.
"Ah, such peace," Dreykov muttered, taking a sip of the whiskey. His eyes lingered on the widow at his side, a dark satisfaction gleaming within them, "All this power... all this influence... and the world remains blissfully unaware. It's beautiful, isn't it?" His fingers traced her jawline, but she showed no reaction. Her mind was entirely under his control.
~BEEP~BEEP~BEEP~BEEP~
The tranquility of the moment was shattered by the sudden blaring of alarms. Red lights flashed along the walls, casting a crimson glow over the sterile white room.
Dreykov's serene expression hardened instantly, his grip tightening around the glass until it cracked, making the whiskey splash onto the previously pristine floor.
"What the hell is this?" he snapped, shoving the Black Widow aside as he rose to his feet. The Widow landed without complaint, immediately standing and awaiting further orders as if nothing had happened.
The heavy steel door to the room hissed open, and another Black Widow entered, her steps precise, her face as impassive as the others. "Sir, we have intruders," she reported, her voice monotone yet urgent. "They've breached the perimeter and are advancing through multiple sectors."
Dreykov's brow furrowed in disbelief. He stormed toward the control console embedded in the wall, slamming his hand down on a biometric scanner. A series of holographic screens materialized before him, displaying various camera feeds from across the fortress.
"Impossible!" Dreykov growled, his eyes narrowing as he scrolled through the footage. "No one should be able to find this place, let alone infiltrate it!"
His fingers moved furiously over the controls, switching from one sector to another until he found the intruders. His jaw clenched, his face darkening with fury as he saw them.
There, in stark defiance of everything he'd built, was her.
Natasha Romanoff, his greatest failure, his loose thread.
She moved with deadly precision through the corridors, flanked by Yelena Belova and a squad of liberated Black Widows. The sight of them cutting through his guards sent a wave of rage coursing through his veins. The once-brainwashed Widows had turned their weapons against him. His empire was crumbling, and it was all because of them.
"No..." Dreykov's voice dropped into a dangerous whisper, his eyes burning with fury. He jabbed at the console, zooming in on another part of the footage. There, at the heart of the chaos, was the red-haired woman he hadn't yet identified.
She stood in a corridor, her hands glowing with a crimson aura, twisting and bending reality around her. Walls folded inward, mechanical drones malfunctioned, and his most loyal guards fell under her psychic assault.
"Who is she?" Dreykov hissed, his fists trembling as he clenched the edge of the console. His mind raced, recognizing the threat she posed but unable to place her identity. "A mutant?..."
He turned sharply to the Black Widow who had brought the report. "Dispatch every available unit. Take them down. And I want her, the red-haired woman,alive. Bring her to me." His voice was sharp, commanding, leaving no room for argument.
"Yes, General," the Widow responded, bowing slightly before leaving the room with swift, disciplined steps.
Dreykov stared at the screens, his mind boiling with rage and disbelief. Natasha and Yelena should never have been able to unite the others. He had designed this fortress to be impregnable, a perfect prison for his army of Black Widows.
Yet, somehow, they had slipped through the cracks.
He slammed his fist against the console, causing the screens to flicker momentarily. "I should've killed you when I had the chance, Romanoff. This will be your final mistake." His voice dripped with venom as he watched them progress. He turned to the intercom system, activating a direct link to his personal security.
"Release Taskmaster," he ordered coldly. "And make sure none of them leave this place alive."
*********
Natasha led her team through an access hatch at the fortress's lower levels. Silent as shadows, they moved through the dimly lit corridors, taking down guards with swift, precise strikes.
Their objective: the core where Dreykov controlled the brainwashing systems.
Natasha's earpiece crackled, "We've reached the first checkpoint," Yelena reported. "Minimal resistance so far. Moving to the array."
"Copy that," Natasha whispered. She signaled her team to move forward.
As they approached the central chamber, Natasha felt a wave of nostalgia—painful memories of her time in the Red Room flooded back. But she pushed them aside. "Stay focused," she murmured to herself.
The group paused at a sealed door. Natasha activated a small device, hacking into the security panel. After a tense few seconds, the door slid open. They were in.
Meanwhile, Yelena's team encountered heavier resistance. Automated drones patrolled the corridors, their sensors scanning for intruders. Yelena directed her team to disable the drones using EMP grenades.
"Take them down fast," she ordered. "We can't let them sound the alarm."
The team moved with precision, using their EMPs to neutralize the drones while taking out the guards. They reached the communications array, a towering structure filled with relay nodes.
"Plant the charges," Yelena commanded.
The team worked quickly, setting explosives at key points. As they finished, a group of elite Black Widows entered the room, weapons raised.
Yelena raised her voice, "Wanda, we need backup!"
Team Three (Pietro and Support Team)
Pietro zipped through the corridors, disorienting guards with his speed while the support team disabled the power grid. Sparks flew as they planted the EMP device, shutting down the power throughout the entire Floating Fortress.
The backup generators immediately came on, forwarding all power to the thrusters to keep the Fortress floating, but that left the other facilities defenseless.
He sprinted back towards Yelena's location, hearing the call for backup,"On my way!"
During all of this, Wanda was moving throughout the Fortress on her own, removing the brainwashing off of every single Black Widow assailant and allowing them to join her cause.
She effortlessly arrived at the a room filled with Black Widows, and sent a wave of energy that disarmed then, forcing them to clutch their temples as her magic invaded their mind, removing the brainwashing and setting them all free.
"They're free," she announced into her communications tab.
The freed Widows hesitated, then turned their weapons on Dreykov's remaining forces, taking them down.
Soon, the corridors of the Fortress reverberated with the sound of combat as Natasha, Yelena, Wanda, Pietro & the freed Widows regrouped, moving onwards towards Dreykov's safety room.
The group advanced through the halls, taking down remaining guards relatively effortlessly.Along the way, Wanda's magic pulsed, disarming and liberating every Widow they encountered.
Each freed operative joined the cause, turning their weapons against their former captors. The collective resolve of the Widows grew stronger with every moment.
The team finally reached the door to Dreykov's personal command center.
Natasha turned to the group,"We've come this far together. Dreykov's reign ends here. Stay sharp, stay focused. Let's end this."
Yelena smirked. "I've been waiting for this day for years."
Natasha took a deep breath and opened the door. The heavy doors groaned open, revealing Dreykov standing in the center of the room, his posture calm yet exuding menace. But they weren't prepared for what they saw next.
Standing beside Dreykov, her eyes empty, was Taskmaster, Antonia Dreykov,her armor battered but functional. A gun was pressed to her head, held by Dreykov himself.
Taskmaster's body was tense, but she didn't move, her father's brainwashing controlling her every action.
"Welcome, Romanoff," Dreykov sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Did you really think you could waltz into my domain and walk away victorious? You should know better than that."
Natasha froze, her gaze locked on Taskmaster. The memories of Budapest flashed through her mind, the explosion, the guilt, the countless lives Dreykov had destroyed.
Antonia was one of them, a victim of her past mistakes.
"Dreykov, let her go," Natasha said, her voice steady but filled with restrained anger, "She's your daughter. This doesn't have to end like this."
Dreykov laughed coldly. "You think you can appeal to my sentiment? I've built an empire on control, Romanoff. Emotions are weaknesses. And Antonia... she's my finest creation. You won't take her from me."
Yelena gritted her teeth, her grip tightening on her weapon. "You've already lost, Dreykov. Let her go, and maybe we'll let you live."
"Let me live?" Dreykov's eyes flashed with fury. "I'll show you what happens to those who defy me—"
Suddenly, the air in the room grew thick, charged with an unfamiliar energy. A low hum resonated through the walls, and a brilliant flash of light erupted in front of them.
A blood-red portal tore open in the center of the room, radiating a mixture of Divine and Demonic Energy energy. Everyone froze, their eyes widening in shock.
From the portal emerged a majestic spectral eagle, its wings shimmering with holy light. It let out a deafening screech, and Dreykov staggered back, clutching his head in agony. The sound pierced through him, bypassing his defenses and forcing him to his knees. The gun slipped from his grasp.
The eagle soared upward, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly intensity, then settled on a perch of light above the room.
Through the portal stepped Maxim, his presence commanding. His dark cloak billowed behind him as he crossed into the room, his piercing gaze sweeping across the gathered group.
He smirked, his voice calm yet laced with authority. "Did anyone miss me?"