Arkham's Child

Captain America

The Hydra base was far too quiet for Steven Rogers' liking. Captain America was not known for being jittery but this silence was making him nervous.

"Guys, I don't like this. It's too quiet," he said into his comms unit.

"I could play some music if you like. What do you listen to, Cap? Sinatra?" Said Tony Stark aka Iron Man, as ready as ever with his sarcasm. Sighing in defeat, Steve explained,

"What I mean, Stark, is that there are no guards, no patrols and no watchers in the tower. Am I the only person that sees that as strange?"

"I'm with the Captain. Something isn't right," replied Natasha Romanoff aka The Black Widow. Steve gave her his thanks and gave a quick look in her direction. He couldn't see her due to the trees but Steve had no doubt that she was there, covering the left; just as he knew that Clint Barton aka Hawkeye was covering the right, with Iron Man and Thor in the skies and Bruce Banner aka The Incredible Hulk waiting a few feet behind.

Steve turned his attention back to the Hydra base that reminded him of the bunkers they had during the war. All grey stone, steel doors and very few windows surrounded by a dense forest. It was a large building surrounded by wire fencing.

Over the comms unit, Tony was making his point as to why they should go ahead,

"Look, Jarvis has run heat scans all over that building and unless someone has found a way to fool my technology, which is impossible, then there aren't too many Hydra agents in there. So let's get this over with so we can have dinner."

"I agree with the Man of Iron," stated Thor, God of Thunder.

"Cheers Goldilocks," said Tony cheerfully. Clint also spoke up, no doubt to silence Thor's retort to Tony's nickname,

"I also agree with Stark. C'mon Cap, when has his tech ever let us down?"

"Hawkeye's right. I trust Starks technology," piped up Natasha after a few minutes of thought.

"Four to one, sorry, Cap," said Tony, who didn't sound the slightest bit sorry.

"Alright but be careful, okay," Steve said, sighing in defeat. It wasn't that he didn't trust Stark, he did; it was technology he didn't trust. Steve knew he was old fashioned but he really couldn't help it. He was born and raised in a time when technology was still relatively new. Waking up in an age where high tech gadgets were a part of everyday life was difficult. He was a man out of time. He would trust a soldier's instinct over technology every time but the others didn't always agree.

So trying to put his fears aside, Steve slowly edged forward along with Clint and Natasha. They all made it to the gate safely and Thor and Tony landed so that Iron Man could unlock the gate by using his laser to open the padlock. They lead the way through and together they headed towards the entrance making sure to be as quiet as possible as they crossed the forest floor. Steve was pleased that they were being careful, just as he asked.

With Stark's Iron Man suit making short work of the steel door (Steve winced when it hit the floor with a loud bang), they made their way inside and began their journey along the corridors, checking the rooms as they passed and finding them empty. The uncomfortable feeling Steve had in his gut that told him something wasn't right, got worse the deeper into the base they went.

The corridor came to end and filled out into a large hall filled with desks that were covered in papers. As they filed into the hall and began checking the papers to see if any were worth taking, the Avengers suddenly found themselves plunged into darkness.

"What the...?" said Thor.

"Still got that bad feeling, Cap?" asked Natasha, as Clint and Tony swore simultaneously.