Chapter Forty-Nine — A Dead End
Boom!
The cabin door exploded into splinters.
Levi was the first to be thrown out by the blast wave. He stumbled forward, nearly face-planting into the snow.
Icy wind mixed with snow pellets slammed into his face. He swayed, tightened his grip on the battered old rifle in his hands, and deliberately relaxed his muscles—making himself shiver even harder.
"Move! Stay on him!"
Falsworth roared. The bearded man planted himself in front of Levi like a wall, blocking most of the wind and snow.
The others poured out of the cabin behind them—no screaming, only heavy breathing and the clatter of gear. The moment they were outside, the veterans automatically formed a defensive ring, muzzles sweeping their surroundings.
Jones, the weakest physically—the radio operator—was protected in the very center.
And Levi?
He was kept at the core of the formation.
The soldiers' thinking was simple:
The Captain said this man is important—so he's more important than our lives.
Levi thought, Not bad. Pretty loyal, while continuing to act like he was half-frozen to death.
The snow was deep—each step swallowed their calves. Moving through terrain like this drained stamina fast.
The squad trudged through the storm, surrounded by nothing but the crunch of snow and labored breathing.
Levi coughed a few times on cue.
Time to get to work.
Invisible sound waves spread outward from him.
Everything within five kilometers formed a three-dimensional map in his mind.
He immediately "heard" the HYDRA forces below the mountain—footsteps, tank treads, engines blending into chaotic noise. Their movements were messy. Command had clearly broken down.
Steve Rogers' voice sounded directly inside his head.
"Levi, we've drawn in a large number of enemies. They're moving toward the cliff."
"Copy," Levi replied weakly. "We're exposed too. With me along, we're slow. Nearest enemies are one kilometer out—three minutes to contact."
Then he added, "At your nine o'clock, there's a squad trying to cut ahead and block the cliff. Take them out."
"Understood. Be careful!"
In Levi's perception, that enemy squad was moving sluggishly through the snow—completely obvious.
Enemy signatures were closing in from all directions.
The encirclement was tightening.
The nearest unit was less than eight hundred meters away.
The men around him were still pushing forward with their heads down, completely unaware that death was approaching.
If I keep acting, we're all dead, Levi thought.
He deliberately twisted his ankle and pitched forward, face-first into the snow.
At the same time, he screamed hoarsely, "Ahead!"
Falsworth didn't hesitate. He dove down as well, roaring with everything he had:
"DOWN!"
The entire squad hit the ground in unison.
The instant they did, several blue energy beams skimmed over their heads.
The beams struck pine trees dozens of meters away. Thick trunks were silently melted through, the cuts smooth and smoking.
Everyone broke out in a cold sweat.
They looked at Levi struggling in the snow, their expressions changing completely.
"Contact! Nine o'clock—inside the treeline! Return fire!" Falsworth shouted, setting up his machine gun and opening fire.
Gunshots tore through the snowy night.
Wood chips and snow exploded everywhere. The return fire was even heavier—blue energy bolts and bullets pinned them down hard.
The situation was bad. The enemy had more men, heavier firepower, and the high ground.
"Grenades!" Falsworth yelled.
Several grenades were thrown into the forest. The explosions briefly suppressed the enemy fire.
Levi leaned against a tree, coughing, while calmly observing.
He counted heads in his mind—fifteen total. One officer. Two energy machine gunners. Twelve infantry.
With this depleted squad, they wouldn't last five minutes.
His gaze settled on the panicking radio operator, Jones. The kid was hiding behind a small rock—directly targeted by two energy machine guns.
Levi raised a finger and pointed remotely at Jones.
He twisted the space around the rock in front of him.
Another energy bolt fired—just before impact, its trajectory bent unnaturally, grazing past the rock.
The HYDRA gunner froze. He knew he'd aimed right.
"Jones! Big tree on the right! Throw a grenade!" Levi rasped.
Half out of his mind with fear, Jones yanked the pin, shut his eyes, and hurled his last grenade.
Rookie, Levi thought—and applied force.
An invisible push corrected the grenade's flight midair.
Boom!
The grenade detonated perfectly in the blind spot behind the machine-gun nest.
The stunned gunner and his weapon were blasted skyward.
A gap opened in the fire net.
"Nice throw, Jones!" Falsworth roared. "Suppress the left! With me—charge!"
The squad immediately shifted fire, pouring bullets into the remaining gun position.
"Move!"
Falsworth grabbed Levi and led the survivors through the opening.
Inside the trees, a HYDRA officer panicked and raised his pistol, aiming at Falsworth's back.
Levi's eyes went cold.
Behind Falsworth, space rippled like disturbed water.
Ping.
The energy bolt deflected, plunging into the snow.
The officer stared in disbelief.
In that instant, a black shadow burst from the trees.
Logan.
Slash!
Three bone claws flashed. The HYDRA officer was cut into four pieces.
Then another figure appeared—shield in hand.
Captain America. Steve Rogers.
With a flick of his wrist, the shield flew out, smashing into two soldiers' heads in succession before snapping back into his hand.
Show-off, Levi thought.
"It's the Captain!"
The squad's morale surged.
Dugan appeared as well, cigar clenched between his teeth, spraying fire from his submachine gun.
Attacked from both sides, their commander dead, the remaining HYDRA troops collapsed and fled.
Logan vanished into the trees. A few screams later, the fight was over.
More than a dozen bodies lay scattered across the snow.
"Check the wounded! Reload!" Steve ordered, stepping forward to support the still-coughing Levi.
"How are you?" Steve asked, staring at Levi's pale face, his expression complicated.
"Not dead yet…" Levi replied weakly, leaning naturally against the Captain's shoulder.
Steve hesitated.
Jones' grenade.
The deflected shot behind Falsworth.
He knew Levi's abilities went far beyond simple perception.
But he didn't ask.
"We need to move," Logan said, frowning. "Too much blood. I smell dogs—lots of them."
As if on cue, dense barking echoed up from the mountain below.
It was getting closer—fast. Truck engines roared. German shouts rang out.
The main HYDRA force had arrived.
"Move!"
Steve didn't hesitate. He hauled Levi up and sprinted toward the cliff.
Five minutes later, they burst out of the forest.
The cliff.
A bottomless abyss stretched before them.
Behind them, countless flashlight beams lit up the trees. Barking and shouting were right on their heels.
Ahead—certain death.
Behind—relentless pursuit.
"My God…" Jones whispered, staring at the abyss as his legs gave out.
Supported by Steve, Levi listened to the squad's despairing murmurs—and smiled faintly.
Dead end? he thought.
Escort mission complete. Preparing for extraction.
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