Reticent Monsters (Ultimate Spider-Man - Cartoon)

Chapter 25: Rescue (Part 2)

It was 9:27 P.M in Brooklyn and the only sound that could be heard was the soft patter of boots running across cement, isolated from the honking and screeching-tires in the distance. Steve stopped behind a white shipping truck, back to the wall, and peered skeptically around the corner at the dark building hiding beneath half-moon rays. Behind him, the other two consisting of his group stopped next to him, peering idly over his shoulder at their target as well. Steve's eyes roamed past the warehouse, and over at the innocent houses across and apartment complexes across the street. Hydra sure had a way of picking hideouts. In a warehouse near a neighborhood, chock-full of people and families. Steve was positive they passed a playground on their way up here, and the fact that Hydra was so close to the likes of children left him nauseated. Hydra usually went for the more isolated and dank bases - like storage containers and sewers, so this was definitely a step up. But, he supposed no one would ever expect Hydra so out in the open, so maybe in technical terms, it was a good hiding place. In technical terms.

He and the rest of the team was just lucky Connor's managed to get the authority to clear a small section of the neighborhood they were sitting right next to. Their cover story was something about a gas leak, of which was currently being "fixed" and be easy to clear up so all the people could settle back soon. Hydra's questionable hideouts aside, Steve was worried about the collateral damage of anything. Sure, they could probably pin it on an explosion caused by the gas leak, but those were people's homes. None of them were getting so much of a scratch if he could help it.

Glancing over his shoulder, Steve took in the tight, grim faces of Dagger and Iron Fist. Dagger was using one hand to lightly illuminate the space between them, just dull enough that it wouldn't instantly catch any attention. The two waited patiently, as still as statues with eyes trained on the sky. Turning away, Steve looked back at the street-lights illuminating the front of the building. Any minute now, Tony was supposed to fly in right there, then all hell was going to break loose. Steve took a breath, already feeling the nervous tingle of anxious adrenaline itching on his fingertips. He turned back around again to face his team.

They were a part of the Ground Assault team. The G.A team was split up between himself and Natasha, so he could take the left and she the right side of the building. It was their mission to get inside the facility through the back and catch Hydra from behind and with their pants down. Right about now, Nat and her team - consisting of her, Kid Arachnid, and White Tiger - would be opposite of them on the other side of the warehouse, waiting for the signal too.

Near him, Dagger broke from her stony facade to ask, "Cap, I don't want to question orders right now, but this has just been bothering me. I mean, why don't we have a bigger team for the Ground Assault? If we have more people inside, we'll find Spider-Man faster."

Steve shook his head, "No, we're in a neighborhood, so we need most of the team to be out here in case Hydra starts causing damage. We need to keep as much property clear as we possibly can. This should be an in-and-out mission. We find Spider-Man, then you two will get him back to the drop-point so Cloak can teleport him back to the Triskelion, we can't afford being detected before we find him, and a bigger group makes it harder to go incognito. Does that make sense?"

She nodded, though she looked unsure, "Yeah, I guess," turning back to the building, she became stone once more. He followed in her actions, and they became a trio of sidewalk statues, merging in seamlessly with the concrete. A few minutes went by before a blue light appeared in the sky, growing bigger by the second. When Steve strained his ears, he could pick up the whine of boosters.

"Okay," Steve whispered, shifting his feet as he grabbed his shield from where it was hooked to his back, clutching it tightly in his fingers. "Remember, in and out. As soon as Tony gives the signal, we move. Follow my lead and stay close. Hydra is deceptive and adaptive; they'll be back on their feet before we know it. Number one priority is to find Spider-Man, and then you three will get clear. Understood?"