(AN so we're going to move fast so we're going to skip a lot of unnecessary details so we can reach the comics early)
(I have created a Patreon if you want to read the next 10 chapters of this fanfiction then go to patreon.com/7_Night )
Luke walked through the dimly lit tunnel, his footsteps echoing softly. The atmosphere was thick with silence, the kind that made it clear whatever he was walking into wasn't casual. When he finally saw the glow of artificial lighting ahead, he stepped forward and entered a room where five people stood waiting.
His eyes scanned the group. Two of them he didn't recognize, but three of them he did.
Nick Fury, the infamous one-eyed spymaster.
Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America.
And the red-haired woman who had fought alongside him during the Battle of New York.
He had recently learned her name—Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow. To be honest, the revelation didn't mean much to him. As far as he was concerned, she wasn't that important or powerful in the first place.
For a few seconds, silence filled the room. The weight of unspoken words hung in the air, but Luke had no intention of standing around waiting.
"So, what's going on?" he asked, casually breaking the silence. "You called me, said you needed me for a mission, and that it involved my identity."
At that, Captain America immediately turned to Fury, his expression hard.
"Why did you involve the kid?" There was clear disapproval in his voice, a sharp contrast to the calm, calculating expression Fury maintained.
"He's needed," Fury responded simply.
"You could've called the rest of the Avengers if we needed backup," Steve countered, irritation creeping into his tone.
Fury barely reacted. "Thor and Hulk are too loud and destructive for this mission, and Iron Man is one of the most public heroes in the world. There's no way he could move without the media finding out if we called him on such short notice." His tone remained steady, firm. "Besides, Windwalker has some stakes in this as well, so there's no reason why we shouldn't involve him."
Luke, who had been listening carefully, raised an eyebrow at that last part.
"Okay, stop." His tone was more serious now as he straightened up. "Can someone please tell me what's going on? First of all, what is this mission you guys are talking about? And second—what stakes do I have in it?"
His sharp questioning cut through the room, shifting all attention onto him.
For a moment, no one answered.
Fury simply stared at him.
Luke's frown deepened.
Hydra has infiltrated a good portion of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Fury began, his voice as steady and sharp as ever. "They tried to hunt me down and kill me, but they failed the first time. The second time, I faked my own death. But they didn't stop there. They used my supposed death as an excuse to target Captain America, attempting to eliminate him as well.
Luke listened in silence, absorbing every word. He had expected something serious when he got the call, but this? This was on a whole different level.
"We're gathered here to put an end to this," Fury continued, his gaze sweeping across the room. "By tracking them into the light—exposing every single one of their operatives hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D. Once we make their existence public, they'll have nowhere to hide."
Luke nodded slowly, taking it in. "So… a data dump? You're gonna release all of Hydra's secrets to the world?"
"Exactly. We're exposing everyone involved with Hydra. Names, locations, classified projects—everything," Fury confirmed. Then, his one good eye locked onto Luke with an unreadable expression. "And one of those names… is yours."
Luke's entire body tensed. "What?"
"Since you became an unofficial member of the Avengers, you've caught their eye," Fury explained. "They've been watching you. You're young, powerful, and still unknown to the world. That makes you valuable. They wanted to brainwash you, mold you into one of their own."
Luke felt a wave of disgust roll over him. He had been careful. He hadn't made a single move that should have put him in Hydra's crosshairs. And yet…
"They never got the opportunity," Fury continued, as if reading his thoughts. "Because I made sure of it. I had Phil Coulson keep an eye on you. He's one of my most loyal agents, and he made sure they couldn't make a move without exposing themselves."
Luke took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "So you're saying that because they were interested in me, my information is part of what's getting leaked?"
"If the mission succeeds, yes," Fury said bluntly. "Your identity will be out there."
Luke exhaled sharply, leaning back against the wall. That wasn't something he had considered. He had always planned on revealing his identity one day, but on his own terms—not because some fascist remnants from the past were digging around in the shadows.
Still, there wasn't much point in dwelling on it now.
"Okay," Luke finally said. "I get it. Hydra should've been wiped out with the Nazis, but instead, they just went underground. And the decoys were included in Operation Paperclip, right?"
Fury gave a slight nod, impressed.
Luke shrugged. "I may not be a history expert, but I know about that. But I'm guessing there are more details I don't need to know right now. So let's focus on the mission. What exactly do you need from me?"
Fury signaled to one of the two people Luke didn't recognize—a tall Black man who looked like a regular guy. He didn't stand out much, except for the mechanical wings folded on his back.
"This is Sam Wilson. You and him will be handling aerial combat," Fury said. "He'll brief you on the specifics, but in short, that's your role in this mission."
Sam stepped forward with a relaxed smile and extended a hand. "Hey, Windwalker. It's good to finally meet you."
Luke shook his hand firmly, giving him a once-over. "Same. Didn't expect the legendary Windwalker—the only Avenger with a secret identity—to be a kid," Sam added with an amused smirk.
Luke rolled his eyes, smirking back. "Could you really consider me a kid at this point?"
"Fair point," Sam admitted with a chuckle. "But let's talk business. Since we're gonna be working together, I should let you know upfront—I don't have powers. My flying is all thanks to this—" he gestured to the sleek metal wings strapped to his back "—my Falcon wings."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "So you're not just some guy with a jetpack?"
Sam shook his head. "I'm just gonna put this out there now so you don't crack any jokes about it later—my name's the Falcon."
Luke grinned. "Oh, trust me, I'll find other things to joke about."
Sam let out a laugh. "I had a feeling you would."
Luke crossed his arms, glancing at Fury. "Alright, sounds good. Falcon, I hope you can keep up with me out there."
Sam smirked. "You better hope you can keep up with me, kid."
Luke chuckled, shaking his head. This mission was about to get interesting.