Chapter 13 - The First Mission

The meeting room was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the holographic display in the center. Tony stood at the head of the table, flanked by the former Black Widows who had chosen to stay. They were no longer the Red Room's weapons; they were something new. They were Aegis Protocol.

"Alright, ladies," Tony started, bringing up a series of classified images. "Time to show the world what we can do."

A projection of a high-tech research facility appeared above the table. The facility, hidden deep in the Siberian wilderness, was surrounded by thick forests and heavily armed guards.

"This," Tony continued, "is a Hydra black site. The CIA has no idea it exists, even SHIELD has no idea they exist, and the only reason we know about this location is because of a little hacking on my part." He said humbly.

A few of the women exchanged looks. They weren't used to working off-book, especially against an enemy they were once conditioned to ignore. Unlike SHIELD, the Red Room had a few interactions with Hydra. Although these interactions were brief and extremely classified, it didn't stop them gather some crumbs of information given their training.

"What's inside?" Yelena Belova asked, arms crossed.

"Dr. Emil Zoric," Tony answered, flicking up an image of an aging scientist with tired eyes and an unkempt beard. "One of the last surviving members of a Soviet-era super-soldier program. Hydra has him locked up, forcing him to complete whatever nightmare project they're working on now. We're going to stop that."

Yelena leaned forward. "You sure he's worth the trouble?"

Tony smirked. "Smart guy. Specialized in biochemical enhancements. The kind of research that makes super-soldiers, or worse, mindless killing machines. And if Hydra's keeping him alive, that means he's still useful to them. I want to know why."

Melina Vostokoff, leaning back in her chair, studied the schematics. "This is a fortress. We'll need a distraction."

"Good thing I brought party favors," Tony said, clicking a button on his tablet. The screen shifted to display a series of drones, sleek, compact, and designed for high-speed precision attacks. "My new 'Disruptors.' They can disable enemy comms, jam sensors, and if needed, give them a little explosive farewell. Some of you should be familiar with the prototypes of this tech because I used them against the Red Room." Tony explained the new features to familiarize them.

The team studied the layout, mentally preparing. Tony could see it, the old habits kicking in, but without the Red Room's leash, they were thinking for themselves.

"We move in three days," Tony announced. "Gear up, study the plans, and get some rest. Once we hit the ground, we move fast and quiet. No loose ends."

As the women filed out, Yelena lingered. "You sure about this? First mission, and we're already picking a fight with Hydra."

Tony sighed. "They were bound to notice us eventually. Might as well introduce ourselves properly."

She smirked. "Then let's make it one hell of a first impression."

Tony nodded.

The mission was set.

Three days later, under the cover of night, a sleek black aircraft hovered over the Siberian black site. Snow-covered trees bent under the force of the craft's silent repulsors as it positioned itself just outside the enemy's radar range.

"Aren't you amazed with my new jet? No one on this planet has this level technology." Tony bragged to lose some tension of his agents chosen for this mission which was unnecessary, these are seasoned agents.

Inside, Tony stood at the helm of the operation. Everyone was suited up in the prototype version of a nano-tech suit built for stealth, prioritizing sound absorbent features more than protection, and according to the skills of the users, flexibility. Tony suggested for more protective features but the agents decided against it if it will affect their stealth. To fix this, Tony planned to add a choice button whether they want one version or the other before activating the suit. But they didn't have enough time. Nanotechnology wasn't anything if not adaptable.

Tony thought of new features like total invisibility that he could add in the future before he was woken up by the signal that they arrived at the assigned position.

"Alright, this is it," Tony spoke through the comms. "Remember, silent takedowns only unless absolutely necessary. Our objective is to extract Dr. Zoric and wipe Hydra's data servers. If we can bring the place down in the process? Bonus points."

Yelena, positioned at the door, secured her mask. "Sounds like fun."

Melina checked her gear. "We have two primary access points. The ventilation shaft along the west wing and the maintenance tunnel beneath the compound. Both lead to the lower levels where Zoric is likely being held."

Tony nodded. "Yelena, you take the vent route. Melina, you and the others move through the tunnel. I'll provide overwatch from above and run interference with the drones. One last time, are you sure you don't need me there?"

"No." They refused.

Tony sighed. "Fine."

The ramp of the aircraft lowered, and Yelena moved first, swiftly grappling down onto the icy roof of the compound. The others followed through the tunnel entrance, moving as silent as shadows. Tony launched a trio of drones, each designed to jam Hydra's surveillance and disrupt their communication network.

Inside, Hydra soldiers patrolled the corridors, unaware of the silent invasion. Yelena moved fast, her years of training making her one with the darkness, their suit providing even more stealth to the point of almost invisible. Yelena dispatched a guard with a swift strike, dragging his unconscious body out of sight before moving forward.

In the lower levels, Melina and the others navigated the narrow corridors while dispatching guards as stealthy as possible. Upon reaching the server room, they patched into the system, beginning the data wipe.

Tony, monitoring the feeds, caught sight of Zoric in a holding cell. "Got him. Northwest corridor, two guards outside the door. Yelena, you're closest."

"On it," Yelena responded, slipping into the corridor. She took out the guards before they could react, unlocking the cell.

Dr. Zoric looked up, disoriented. "Who--?"

"No time," Yelena interrupted. "We're getting you out of here."

An alarm blared. Someone had discovered the intrusion. Tony cursed. "Alright, plan B. Everyone, we're going loud."

Explosions rocked the facility as Tony's drones engaged. Hydra soldiers scrambled as the compound fell into chaos.

"Extraction point now!" Tony called out, launching a repulsor blast at a pursuing group of guards using the drones.

The team converged at the rendezvous, securing Zoric as they boarded the aircraft where Tony was waiting. After firing one last explosive round into the main generator, Tony finally entered the jet.

The aircraft lifted as fire engulfed the Hydra base. Tony smirked. "Ladies and gentlemen, mission accomplished."

As they flew off, Aegis Protocol had officially made its mark.

And the world had no idea what was coming next.