The last day of 2010.
In the suburbs outside New York City.
Watching the distant fireworks, Natasha chewed her gum and said to Steve,
"There are still twenty minutes until the New Year. Everyone in the city is gathered around the big screen in Times Square.
When the clock hits zero, the whole city erupts.
If we can quietly take out those two Hydra agents in twenty minutes, maybe we can rush back and join the celebration."
Steve instinctively looked toward the glowing city skyline.
In his time, Times Square didn't even have a massive digital screen.
But every New Year's Eve, he and Bucky would attend the celebrations.
The clubs never closed, and young people danced all night.
Of course, Bucky always got more attention from the girls—Steve had been too skinny back then.
"Thinking about the Winter Soldier again?" Natasha teased when she saw his expression.
Before Steve could respond, headlights approached.
"The targets are here."
Steve inhaled slowly, pushed aside his thoughts, and slipped into hiding.
Up ahead—
"Dammit… it's New Year's Eve and we're stuck doing this."
"We're going to smell like a swamp. No girl's going to come near us tonight."
Two men in black stepped out of the car and opened the trunk. One dragged out a body bag while complaining.
"Quit whining. Our boss is Crossbones. If he heard you complain, he'd—ha!"
One began digging while the other muttered,
"I swear, Hydra should just overthrow S.H.I.E.L.D. already. Nick Fury is such an—"
He never finished.
A red dot appeared on his partner's head—
Bang.
"What the—?!"
He turned to run, but a second bullet tore through his heart.
As he collapsed, he saw clearly who had killed his partners—
Black Widow and Captain America.
Steve checked the body in the bag. "I don't know him."
Natasha crouched beside it. "A gang boss from 27th Street. Hydra must've wanted his crew. Looks like Hydra's reaching deeper into the streets than we thought."
"Steve, it seems Hydra—"
A flash. Natasha's eyes widened.
"Rocket!"
Steve grabbed her and shielded them with the vibranium shield as the Chevy exploded.
The blast hurled them several meters.
Steve's ears rang. He tried to stand—
A figure in a black cloak was reaching for the unconscious Natasha.
Steve hurled his shield.
The cloaked figure caught it with one hand… and threw it back.
By the time Steve caught the shield again, the attacker had already lifted Natasha into the air—
and disappeared into the night.
Panting, bruised, Steve called,
"Hill… Natasha and I were attacked. She's been taken—by someone unknown."
Times Square
"Such a nostalgic scene."
Wanda leaned on Linen's arm as the countdown flickered across the giant screen.
She smiled.
"In my universe, Pietro and I were still locked in the Hydra base in Sokovia around this time.
After joining the Avengers, I only lived peacefully for maybe two years."
"After the civil war between Tony and Steve… the Avengers fell apart.
Then the Prophet appeared… Hawkeye killed Hulk… Carol nearly killed Tony."
"After that… the Avengers were finished."
Before she could continue—
DANGER DETECTED. EVADE IMMEDIATELY.
Wanda froze mid-sentence. Her eyes snapped toward a rooftop.
A cold, scarlet glow ignited in her eyes.
"Dear… someone's trying to kill you."
She vanished instantly.
Linen slipped out of the crowd and shot into the sky.
Rooftop
Two sniper rifles were set up.
Two mercenaries dangled helplessly in Wanda's scarlet magic.
"They wanted to kill you," Wanda said, eyes still glowing.
Linen grabbed one mercenary by the hair. His eyes flashed gold.
"Look into my eyes."
Panic, terror, and every dark memory in the man's mind poured out.
Moments later, Linen frowned.
"They're just hired guns. They don't know who sent them."
"Then they're useless."
Wanda's scarlet magic wrapped around both men.
Their screams lasted only seconds before their bodies crumbled into ash.
She turned back toward Linen, her expression softening into something dangerously possessive.
"No one kills the father of my future child," she whispered. "Right, dear?"
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