Chapter 88
Chapter : Shadows Unbound
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Bucky Barnes’ POV
The last two weeks in Russia had been intense. Posing as the Winter Soldier again was like walking back into a nightmare, but it was the only way to find the Red Room's hidden location. My memories were clearer now, thanks to Alex's healer, but the weight of my past still lingered.
The men from Black’s security company—“Men in Black”—were efficient, blending in perfectly among the Russian operatives. They knew when to fade into the background and when to strike. Finally, after weeks of searching and staging encounters, we’d found it: the hidden Red Room program headquarters.
The place was fortified with all the traps and defenses you’d expect. Natasha was with us, of course—someone I trusted, despite the ghost of Hydra’s influence still clinging to us both. When we stormed the building, we fought through countless agents, rooms filled with mind control serums, and finally found the control center.
And then, he appeared. Taskmaster.
The fight was brutal. Taskmaster was like a reflection—cold, methodical, mimicking my every move, reading my thoughts before I even knew what I was doing. I could see Natasha on the edge of the fight, freeing the other Black Widows from the Red Room’s control drug, guiding them to escape. My fists flew, the punches connected, but Taskmaster countered every hit.
A flash of movement caught my eye. Natasha, with a gun in hand, approached from behind him. In a single, calculated motion, she fired six rounds into his skull. Taskmaster went down without a word. I caught my breath, half-relieved, half-haunted by the way she ended it.
Drakov was next. I found him scrambling for escape in the chaos. The bullet was clean, the revenge a quiet satisfaction that resonated deep within.
When the Red Room was finally in ruins, the Men in Black gathered everything we could about Hydra’s work here. Then, with a flick of wands and some Muggle explosives, we burned it all down.
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Bucky and Natasha’s POV
As the fires consumed the remains of the Red Room, Natasha and I walked in silence. Everything we’d been through—the manipulation, the violence—it felt like it was burning away with that place. And for once, we were free.
She looked at me, her expression unreadable. “Bucky… do you think this ever ends?”
“It has to,” I replied, my voice softer than I intended. “At least we got a chance. We’re out. Free.”
She smiled a little, reaching out to take my hand, and before I knew it, she leaned in. Our lips met, a quiet understanding passing between us. For the first time in years, I felt at peace.
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Alex Black’s POV
The report came through just as I was working on my latest broom prototype. It was ambitious, probably overly so—designing a broom capable of reaching higher atmospheres with stability and control. But my mind was set on the next frontier, something beyond what wizards had ever attempted.
The mission had been a success. Bucky and the Men in Black had liberated the Red Room, and now, the Black Widow agents they’d saved were on their way to Black’s Island, a secluded place in the Caribbean that would be their temporary home. With the Red Room’s influence eradicated, these former agents would have a choice—the first real choice many of them had ever had.
When I arrived on Black’s Island, I saw them: a group of women, still weary, some bearing scars of both body and mind. But there was something else, too. A spark of life. And Natasha was among them, her gaze sharp and resilient.
“You’re safe here,” I said, addressing the group. “No one can find you. This island is untraceable to anyone without permission.”
They watched me, uncertain but listening. I could see Natasha’s curiosity in her expression—she had questions, and I was prepared to answer.
“So, what do you all want to do with your futures?” I asked, watching their faces as the realization of choice settled in.
One of the Black Widows looked up, her voice soft but resolute. “I want a new life. Away from everything… but I also want to make sure nothing like this happens again.”
The others nodded, a few exchanging glances. Natasha stepped forward. “Some of us may want to help with your mission, Alex. We know Hydra’s reach, and we know how they operate.”
I smiled at that. “If any of you want to help us, you’re welcome to. But I won’t force it. You’re free to choose any path you want.”
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Natasha Romanoff’s POV
The quiet of Black’s Island was disorienting at first. After years under the Red Room’s control, this open horizon and endless ocean felt surreal. Free from Drakov’s control, I felt the shackles fall away, bit by bit. The past was heavy, and the road forward was uncertain. But at least it was mine now.
I watched Bucky from across the island, his familiar presence a comfort in this new world. A part of me was tempted to join Alex’s mission—to make sure Hydra paid for everything. Yet, a small part of me longed for peace, for a life away from battles and betrayals.
For now, Black’s Island would be enough. It was a place to heal, a place to find myself again. And that was more than I could have hoped for.