Limitless ³|| B. Barnes

21. Piglet?

When they reach Vormir, they climb out of their seats when Clint lands the ship. The world before them takes their breath away, "Wow." Clint murmurs in awe. "Under different circumstances, this would be totally awesome." Clint says.

When they climb off the ship they begin to trek up the mountain. The higher they climb, the colder and snowier it becomes. When they nearly reach the top, Natasha groans in protest. "I bet the raccoon didn't have to climb a mountain." Natasha grumbles as she climbs up the mountain.

"Technically, he's not a raccoon." Mary retorts, panting slightly from the hike up the tall mountain.

Natasha huffs as they reach the top, "Oh, whatever. He eats garbage." She remarks. But their jokes are cast aside the moment a voice that isn't theirs speaks.

"Welcome." A voice says and it sends a shockwave through Mary. Her hazel eyes well with tears in anger and frustration as she aims her repulers as Clint and Natasha also ready and aim their weapons at where the voice came from. The voice that haunted Mary's nightmares for decades, and still did every now and again. That German accent would never leave her memories because of what he did to her. The suffering he inflicted on her. The never ending life he made her live through. Tears spilled from Mary's eyes as the figure floated down to greet them. "Natasha. Daughter of Ivan. Clint. Son of Edith. And Mary. Daughter of Joseph and Sarah." The one man Mary truly hated speaks. The man who went by Red Skull. Johann Schmidt.

Chills erupt in Mary's body again as Schmidt says her name and her parents. Both Clint and Natasha see the internal fight Mary is having with herself and they step around her, guarding her. "Who are you?" Natasha asks boldly, Mary is paralyzed where she stands.

"Consider me a guide, to you, and to all who seek the Soul Stone." Schmidt tells the three and Mary can only stand there in shock, frustration, horror. All these emotions she only ever felt towards Schmidt were resurfacing and it scared her. It scared Clint and Natasha as well.

"Oh, good. You tell us where it is, then we'll be on our way." Natasha says and then she turns her head to look back at Mary. It was clear Mary knew who this person was and she was absolutely petrified of the man.

"Oh, liebchen. If only it were that easy." Schmidt says and he slowly hovers closer to the three, his face becoming clear. His eyes glance over to Mary and they locked eyes as she looked up at him. The man who took her brother away, who took her husband away. Red Skull was the reason for all of Mary's suffering throughout her life. He created Hydra, and Hydra was the sole purpose of the Howling Commando missions, the same missions that lead to Bucky's train accident. Then Steve landing the Valkyrie plane in the Atlantic, and then Becca being stolen in the dead of night by what only Mary could assume were Hydra agents.

Hydra was responsible for everything.

And Red Skull was the focal point of her anger. He did this to her, he injected her with the serum that stopped her aging. That resulted in her watching her friends die, watching everyone she cared about die of old age or out live them before their time. She could finally get her revenge if she wanted.

But they were on a mission to get the Soul Stone. That had to be priority number one right now, Bucky, Becca and everyone else depended on them getting the stones.

Schmidt led the three to the edge of the cliff on the mountain. Mary shook as she walked beside her family. "That's..." Natasha trails off as she whispers to Mary.

"Yes." Mary replies curtly, not having it in her to respond with more words. Clint and Natasha both looked at each other nervously. Mary's life was caused by this one man. Everything in her life could be led back to Schmidt.