As the tall man wearing a silver metal helmet strode toward them, Ethan narrowed his eyes. His mind clicked through the knowledge he had about this individual.
Avalanche—a former member of the Brotherhood of Mutants, now serving under Baron Zemo.
His real name was as long as an old scroll: Dominikos Ioannis Petrakis. But his powers were far simpler. With a wave of his hand, he could generate shockwaves strong enough to trigger earthquakes.
Still, for all that destructive potential, he wasn't particularly adept in direct combat. After surviving the mutant uprising, Avalanche retained his mutant powers but was soon captured, modified, and later abandoned by Red Skull. This version of him, Ethan recalled, had evaded such a fate due to the early state of this universe. Instead, Avalanche had climbed his way to a position of some authority under Zemo.
Right now, though, he was Zemo's last line of defense—and the strongest combatant at the Weapon X Facility.
---
Avalanche smirked, sizing up Ethan and his companions.
"Avengers," he said mockingly, "I don't know where you came from, but I sure know how you got here."
He crossed his arms, squinting disdainfully at Ethan, Wanda, and Clint. "The defenses here are weak, the leadership is chaotic. If Red Skull put me in charge instead of Zemo, this place would run like clockwork!"
With that, he let out an angry shout and thrust his hands forward. Shockwaves rippled from his palms, surging toward Ethan like an invisible tidal wave, cracking the walls and floor around them as they moved.
---
The Counterattack
The shockwave hit—but instead of tearing them apart, it collided with a glowing red barrier. Wanda stood behind Ethan, her hands raised, her expression serene as her telekinetic energy absorbed the attack.
Avalanche froze, his triumphant smirk faltering. His brow furrowed as he took an uneasy step back.
"This… shouldn't be happening," he muttered.
He hadn't realized the woman before him was the Scarlet Witch, shielded in civilian attire that betrayed nothing of her true power.
Still, he recognized Hawkeye. Avalanche sneered as he tried to rationalize his disadvantage. "Ah, Barton. Picked up a couple of talented misfits to help you finish your revenge? Pathetic."
A crackling voice interrupted from the walkie-talkie at Avalanche's side.
"Sir Avalanche, Baron Zemo has ordered you to fall back immediately. The Captain has been successfully created and will join you shortly!"
Avalanche's expression brightened. "The Captain…" he whispered, his confidence returning. He stepped backward, his voice dripping with scorn as he hurled one last taunt.
"Barton! Forty years ago, you were useless. And now? Even with your little superpowered sidekicks, you'll change nothing!"
---
Hawkeye's Shot
Clint remained silent, his hand steady as he knocked an arrow. With practiced precision, he let it fly.
Avalanche's taunt was cut short as the arrow pierced clean through his open mouth. It emerged from the back of his neck, blood splattering against the wall behind him.
Avalanche stumbled, his hands clawing at the arrow as his legs buckled beneath him.
"Y-you…" he rasped, his voice gurgling with blood. "You killed me. I'll… take you with me…"
Ethan raised his pistol and fired. The bullet shattered Avalanche's wrist mid-motion, reducing it to a mangled mess of bone and sinew.
Avalanche screamed, writhing on the ground as Ethan fired again, this time destroying his other wrist. His powers, reliant on his hands, were rendered useless.
"You're done," Ethan said coldly, watching as Avalanche leaned against the wall, his face pale, blood pooling beneath him.
Behind him, Wanda turned away, grimacing slightly at the sight. Clint, however, stepped forward, placing a foot on Avalanche's chest as he retrieved his arrow.
Avalanche's screams echoed down the corridor until Ethan raised his gun one final time. The last shot silenced him.
---
The Broadcast
The silence was short-lived. A crackling noise came from the factory's speakers, followed by a cold, mocking voice.
"I've been watching you, Clint Barton, ever since we left you to rot in Las Vegas."
Clint's face hardened as the voice continued.
"You're a failure. Everyone you've ever cared about knows it. Even your own daughter hates you. Do you think you can redeem yourself now, after all these years?"
The speaker's laughter echoed cruelly, but it was abruptly cut off as Clint loosed another arrow, shattering the speaker.
He turned to the others, his jaw clenched. "Come out, Zemo! Face me!"
Without waiting for a response, Clint stormed ahead. Ethan sighed, glancing at Wanda, who carefully avoided stepping in the pools of blood.
"Did he just say something about a Captain?" Ethan asked, his tone more curious than concerned.
Wanda nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Let's find out."
They followed after Clint, ready to face whatever Zemo had prepared. The battle wasn't over yet.
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