As the group pulls up to outside an abandoned Military Base where the signal led them, John wakes Natasha as Steve exits the van.
"This is it," Steve says as he looks over the Military Base.
"The file came from these coordinates?" Natasha asks herself just to be sure.
"Yeah...and so did I," Steve also says more to himself as John scouts a safe way in.
After finding an opening in the fence , John signals them over and they eventually just walk around the base trying to pinpoint where the signal came from.
"This camp is where I was trained," Steve reminisces as they walked and John hums.
"You must have a lot of good memories here then," John comments and Steve huffs in amusement.
"Yeah, something like that," Steve shakes his head as he remembers all of the drills that he used to have to partake in.
"Changed much?" Natasha asks him now.
"A little," Steve has brief visions of his former, smaller self running past him as he's getting trained with other soldiers.
"This is a dead end. Zero heat signatures, zero waves, not even radio," Natasha sighs as John stands with her.
The former Ghost hums again, "Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off."
Steve notices a building ahead of them.
"What is it?" Natasha asks as they walk over to the building.
"Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards of the barracks," Steve glances back at the two assassins, "This building is in the wrong place."
The Super Soldier opens the lock with his shield and they enter inside, when they turn on the lights they notice it's a S.H.I.E.L.D. office.
Natasha surveys the office, "...This is S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Or to be more precise," John looks over the room as well, "Maybe where it started."
They enter a room where they find old framed portraits of Howard Stark, Peggy and Col. Chester Phillips.
"There's Stark's father," Natasha points out.
"Howard," Steve answers, but his attention was solely focused on the woman.
"Who's the girl?" Natasha asks as she notices his curious gaze.
Steve doesn't reply and turns away to walk further down the room.
John eventually stops by a massive book shelf, "You know I don't get it..."
"Don't get what?" Steve raises a brow as he also approaches the book shelf.
"If you're already working in a secret office..." John begins just as he pushes the book shelf and slides it open to reveal an elevator behind it, "...Why do you need to hide the elevator?"
"Well, only one way to find out," Natasha shrugs and John raises a brow in somewhat of an agreement as they all go down the elevator which takes them to a room with old looking computers.
"This can't be the data-point, this technology is ancient," Natasha comments as they exit the elevator.
John suddenly notices a small flash drive port in what looks like the main computer.
He lightly grips her arm and she gives him her immediate attention.
Ghost simply gestures his head in the direction of the main computer and she also notices the flashdrive port.
The Black Widow places the flash drive in it which then activates the ancient computers in the room.
Computer: "Initiate system?"
Natasha types using the keyboard, John remaining close to her for good measure as Steve glances around the room.
"Y-E-S, spells yes," Natasha smiles as the old computer starts to cranks up, "Shall we play a game?"
She then turns to Steve, " It's from a movie that John and I--"
"Yeah, I saw it with him and Jack too," Steve immediately answers just as they suddenly
hear an accented voice speak.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Rogers, Steven. Born, 1918. Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna. Born, 1984.... Identity of Third Party, Unknown. Birth of Third Party, Unknown. Alias of Third Party, John Smith."
They see an old camera moving above them as it analyzes them. John places a weary hand on one of his AMTs as the old camera focuses intently on him.
"It's some kind of a recording," Natasha narrows her eyes, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation.
The camera turns to her...
Dr. Arnim Zola: "I am not a recording, Fräulein. (Young Lady)
John immediately narrows his eyes as well as the computer continues...
Dr. Arnim Zola: "I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945, but I am."
The computer screen shows an old photo of Dr. Arnim Zola. The camera then pans back to John...
Dr. Arnim Zola: "It is good to finally have you in my presence as well...Godfather."
Natasha and Steve both turn to John, surprised.
"You know this thing?" Natasha asks him, flabbergasted.
However, John was also as confused and as surprised as them, "No, I don't...Who are you?"
"Arnim Zola," Steve decides to step up now, "He was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years,"
Dr. Arnim Zola: "First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972 I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body, my mind, however, that was worth saving on two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain."
"Well, that's disturbing," John comments as he surveys the room now more carefully.
"How did you get here?" Steve asks Zola.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Invited."
"It was Operation Paperclip," Natasha adds in, "After World War II. S.H.I.E.L.D. recruited German scientists with strategic value."
Dr. Arnim Zola: "They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own."
Steve, not believing this for one second interjects, "HYDRA died with the Red Skull."
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Cut off one head, two more shall take its place."
"Prove it," Cap challenges.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Accessing archive."
The computer screen shows them old footage of Johann Schmidt/Red Skull, of the how the original S.H.I.E.L.D. founders.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew. A beautiful parasite inside S.H.I.E.L.D. For seventy years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed."
The camera then turns to John now...
Dr. Arnim Zola: "But you would know the most about that... wouldn't you, John?"
"So...I was right then," John doesn't bite back at Zola's taunting, "The League wasn't the only ones that infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D."
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Oh...you have no idea how deep the corruption in The League goes, do you?"
John tilts his head in questioning, "Excuse me?"
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Have you never wondered whom was the ones that sent you to Budapest all those years ago, John? Or why were they the targets specifically?"
"No..." John shakes his head, "It was a job given to me by my predecessor--"
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Whom was a part of our cause."
John blinks, confused, "What?"
Zola chuckles...
Dr. Arnim Zola: "It was us, John...it was us all along, We were the ones that funded Budapest with the backing they needed to research their nuclear weapons."
A bunch of pictures, payments and video footage pop up with the people that John had previously assassinated in his previous life, the former assassin then thinks back to a memory from back in 2007...
...
....in his hotel room, Ghost was currently sitting by a table with his laptop open, but not on yet. He had his head buried in several papers and pictures of the different mayors and exec's spread out across Hungary that were currently supporting Budapest and their ideas of waging war on the United Nations.
What seemed to be bothering Ghost about this situation is that Budapest's governement was obviously being provided with the backing to pursue such a bold initiative.
The problem was, he didn't who those private benefactors were, nor was it supposed to be his business...
...
Dr. Arnim Zola: "However, when the government of Budapest thought that they could betray us, The League's previous leader thought of a little plan to bring you into our ranks, but when you said that you wanted to leave...well...we had planned to kill you..."
"No..." John just stares off into the screen.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Oh, yes...and it all would have gone along to plan as well...if only it wasn't for a little someone lurking in the shadows behind closed doors..."
"...Jack..." John states absentmindedly.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Yes...a smart little trickster he was. Even though everyone in The League hated him for his foolish ways... He still had a handful of trusted allies. So, he recruited them and planned an ambush on your former teacher...all in some sort of elaborate scheme to end The League..."
"That's impossible, Jack...he tried to kill me," John glares at the camera.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Did he though?"
John hesitates for a moment and looks down...
...
...Ghost successfully enters his ZONE as Shadow had shot him twice in his shoulder, time seemed to slow as a third shot was fired rather sloppily by Shadow for some reason...
...
John just stands off to the side, stung to silence...
Arnim Zola just cackles now.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "He doesn't look like too much of a villain now...does he? It's too bad he decided to go down as the bad guy...otherwise we could have taken over...together...and change history as we saw it fit to be."
"...That's impossible..."
Natasha's vulnerable voice is heard and John immediately turns his head to see her with her head bowed and jaw clenched.
"That's not true," Natasha tries to put on her usual Widow voice, "S.H.I.E.L.D. would have stopped you."
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Accidents will happen."
The computer screen shows them, HYDRA, had killed Howard and Maria Stark, making it look like a car accident along with the recent death of Fury.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum--"
In anger Steve suddenly smashes the computer screen. Zola's face then appears on another monitor.
Dr. Arnim Zola: "As I was saying--"
"What's on this drive?" John takes initiative as he places a hand on Steve's shoulder to calm his friend down.
Now wasn't the time to be flustered. John needed this information.
And then he was gonna have a serious talk with Jack...
Dr. Arnim Zola: "Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm."
"What kind of algorithm?" Natasha also capitalizes, "What does it do?"
Dr. Arnim Zola: "The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it."
A chill runs up John's spine as suddenly the doors quickly start to close and he immediately swirls around whilst grabbing Steve's shield. He throws the shield in between it but he's too late.
"That can't be good," Steve interjects as he catches back his shield.
John just pants as he looks at the doors. Natasha's voice then beckons him again as she's typing away at the monitor, "Uh...Boys... we've got a bogey. Short range ballistic. 30 seconds tops."
"Who fired it?" Steve asks, pissed.
Natasha pauses for a bit and John places a hand on her shoulder before she eventually just says, "...S.H.I.E.L.D..."
Dr. Arnim Zola: "I am afraid I have been stalling, Captain. Admit it, it's better this way. We're both of us...out of time."
John notices a small opening on the ground and immediately sprints into action.
He throws the metal door aside and just as the place explodes he engulfs Natasha in his arms as rubble begins falling and hitting him on his body.
"Steve!" he calls just as he throws himself and Natasha into the hole, Steve following right after.
Cap protects them with his shield as the rubble continued to fall and the building fell into shambles.
Natasha shuts her eyes tightly as John held her for dear life, the both of them finding comfort in this moment, as horrible as it was.
Their accelerated heartbeats and adrenaline in somewhat of a sync as they waited for the storm of rubble and dust to clear.
Eventually after getting themselves out of the rubble, John, Natasha and Steve are all panting and covered in dust and scratches.
John looking the most beat one of them all as his wounds from fighting The Winter Soldier were still a bit fresh.
"So...what now?" Natasha asks as she supports his weight.
"Now...we move," John says as he goes to pull out his phone painfully, "S.H.I.E.L.D. will most likely send in STRIKE to make sure that we're taken care of."
"Hey," Steve suddenly comes and supports John weight from the other side as he noticed Natasha struggling, "Rest, I've got this one."
"Are you sure?" John asks Steve, "Because I can get us a safe house in less than--"
"Trust me, John," Steve smiles reassuringly at his friend, "Just, try to rest, I'll take care of the rest."
A beat passes and John eventually just releases a breath as he finally releases his weight for his comrades to carry.
...
A while after they all managed to get themselves out from under the building rubble just as STRIKE agents arrive to roam the area for them, Brock Rumlow, whom was leading the tactical team, stops as he notices a footprint in the dust, "Call in the asset."
...
At his home, Pierce goes to his kitchen to get a drink when he sees the Winter Soldier sat behind behind him with his gun on the table when his housekeeper calls out.
"I'm going to go, Mr. Pierce. You need anything before I leave?" the housekeeper asks.
Alexander waves her off, "No. Uh...it's fine, Renata, you can go home."
Renata just nods, grateful, before turning to leave, "Okay, night-night."
Alexander just smiles, "Good night," as Renata leaves he drops it before going over to pour himself a drink, "Want some milk?"
The Winter Soldier doesn't reply.
Pierce pays it no heed as he says, "The timetable has moved. Our window is limited. Three targets, Level Six," he pours himself a glass of milk and goes over to join the Winter Soldier at the table, "They already cost me Zola. I want confirmed death in ten hours. And this time...make sure and take out Agent Ghost...or as you know him, The Godfather," The Winter Soldier just growls at the mention of his name just as Renata interrupts them as she enters the kitchen.
"Sorry, Mr. Pierce, I...I forgot my phone," Renata notices the Winter Soldier.
Alexander just sighs, "Oh, Renata," he picks up the gun from the table and shoots the poor woman in cold blood before saying in an emotionless voice...
"I really wish you would have knocked."
...
(A/N): So a uh...yeah... I'm just gonna...leave this...here...
-trinikirito