"Beep. Confirmed."
After instructing the elevator AI, Rumlow greeted Steve, "Captain."
Steve turned to face him, "Rumlow."
The elevator doors closed, and it began to descend slowly.
Rumlow broke the silence, "The forensics team found some fibers on the rooftop. They want us to take a look."
"Do you want the tactical team to be on standby?"
Nick Fury had established a tactical team for Steve, with Steve Rogers as the leader. Rumlow, Natasha, and other strike team members made up the squad.
While the three of them were also part of the Avengers, the group had not regrouped since the Battle of New York.
After a moment of thought, Steve replied, "Let's assess the situation first."
Rumlow nodded.
"Understood."
Steve then noticed that two of the strike team members accompanying Rumlow appeared tense, their hands hovering over the guns strapped to their legs.
Frowning slightly, Steve found it odd—this was S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Why were they on edge?
At that moment, the elevator stopped. Four agents carrying briefcases entered, chatting amongst themselves.
"Executive Level."
"Beep. Confirmed."
"Excuse me."
The four agents positioned themselves at the elevator's corners while Steve stood in the middle.
Observing the newcomers, Steve turned his gaze back to Rumlow, who spoke again, "I'm truly sorry about Fury."
"It's a tragedy."
Steve looked Rumlow in the eye, "Thank you."
As the elevator continued descending, Steve again surveyed those around him. He noticed that one of the four new arrivals was sweating—odd for a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in top physical condition.
Moreover, the building was air-conditioned. This was clearly stress-induced perspiration.
The elevator stopped again, this time admitting three large men.
"Archives."
"Beep. Confirmed."
Steve, now fully alert to the abnormal situation, spoke as the doors closed, "Before we start, does anyone want to get off?"
At his words, the tension broke.
The agents sprang into action. One lunged to lock Steve's neck in a chokehold, another tried to grab his waist, and a third wielded a specially designed high-voltage stun baton.
Simultaneously, someone pressed the emergency stop button on the elevator, halting it abruptly. The group began their coordinated assault on Steve Rogers.
The four agents with briefcases quickly dismantled the handles of their cases, revealing high-magnetic restraint cuffs designed to immobilize Steve.
Among the attackers, it wasn't just Rumlow who had been injected with the Super Soldier Serum.
Two operatives injected with the Super Soldier Serum quickly attached the high-magnetic cuffs to Steve's wrists and activated them. They then pressed his arms against the alloy railings of the elevator.
If they could immobilize Captain America's hands, the fight would be over quickly.
To avoid being completely restrained, Steve drove his knee into the knee joint of one of the operatives holding down his arm.
"Bang!"
The blow staggered the operative, and Steve shook off the magnetic cuff on his arm, slamming it into the elevator wall.
Simultaneously, he launched a counterattack against the others. Despite one operative locking his neck and another grabbing his waist, Steve quickly incapacitated several attackers.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Steve landed a sharp elbow strike to the face of the operative holding his waist, caving in their cheek. He followed with an over-the-shoulder throw, slamming the large man clutching his neck to the floor in front of him.
At that moment, Rumlow kicked Steve's left wrist, causing the magnetic cuff to adhere to the alloy wall with great force.
Now, only Rumlow and one other serum-enhanced operative remained standing.
Rumlow, wielding an electrified baton, struck Steve with it.
"Bang!"
Steve groaned as the high-voltage shock coursed through him.
"Ahhh!"
The baton pressed against his back, set to maximum power—enough to stun most serum-enhanced individuals. However, it only momentarily staggered Steve without rendering him unconscious.
Fighting through the pain, Steve delivered a blow to Rumlow.
In the control room, Sitwell watched the surveillance feed and grabbed the microphone, "Dispatch a strike team to the 25th floor."
Meanwhile, another operative attacked Steve with an electric baton. Steve used his free arm to seize the baton, redirecting it toward the other serum-enhanced operative.
In mere seconds, he electrocuted the operative into unconsciousness. After dispatching the remaining attackers, Steve seized the opportunity to free himself, using all his strength to remove the magnetic cuff from the alloy wall.