Chapter 5
Chapter Five
“Don’t worry, pal. They’ll warm up to you. Don’t worry.” The USO Manager said to Steve as the rest of the girls and I went back on stage to perform for the soldiers again. I saw his shoulders sag but there was nothing that I could do while I had to preform. When we were finished preforming, I joined Steve in the sheltered area at the back of the stage. I was reading “The Hobbit” by Tolkien because it was one of my favorite stories and one of the few that I had read that was already published. Steve was working diligently on one of his sketches.
“Hello Steve, Kandace.” Peggy said behind us. Steve jerked around in surprise.
“Hi.” He said.
“Hallo.” I echo.
“What are you doing here?” Steve asks as Peggy comes to sit near us.
“Officially, I’m not here at all... that was quite a performance.” She said.
“Yeah. Had to improvise a little bit. The crowds I’m used to are usually more...” Steve said trailing off.
“Enthusiastic children.” I provide, Steve nods in agreement.
“I understand that the two of you are “America’s New Hope.”” Peggy said.
“Bond sales take a 10% bump in every state I visit.” Steve answers automatically.
“Is that Senator Brandt I hear?”
“At least he’s got me doing this. Phillips would have had me stuck in a lab.”
“And these are your only two options? A lab rat or a dancing monkey?” Peggy asks.
“They aren’t the only two. Only the clearest two.” I respond, “I keep telling him, not that he listens” Steve rolls his eyes, it was a common argument, “That he was meant for more than this, you know?”
Steve paused and looked at Peggy and I.
“What?” She asks.
“You know, for the longest time, I dreamed about coming overseas and being on the front lines, serving my country. I finally got everything I wanted and I’m wearing tights.” He said. A car horn blaring interrupted any further talk. We looked over to see a field ambulance pull up in front of the field hospital.
“They look like they’ve been through hell.” I commented.
“These men more than most.” Peggy said. Steve and I look at her curious.
“Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him, and less than 50 returned. Your audience contained what was left of the 107th. The rest were killed or captured.” Peggy explained.
“The 107th?!” Steve and I ask in unison.
“What?” Peggy answered, confused. Steve and I however were already running through the torrential rain and muddy camp to the headquarter tent.
“Come on!” I call to Peggy.
“Colonel Philips.” I say.
“Well, if it isn’t Little Miss Rosie and the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan. What is your plan today?” Colonel Phillips said.
“I need a casualty list from Azzano.” Steve said.
“You don’t get to give me orders, son.” Colonel Phillips replied.
“We need just one name, Sergeant James Barnes from the 107th.” I said.
“You and I are going to have a conversation later that you won’t enjoy.” Colonel Phillips said pointing at Peggy.
“Please tell me if he’s alive, sir. B-A-R...” Steve began.
“I can spell.” Phillips retorts.
“I have signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But the name does sound familiar. I’m sorry.” He tells us.
“What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?” Steve asked.
“Yeah it’s ‘called winning war’.” Phillips responds.
“But if you know where they are, why not at least...” I demand.
“They’re 30 miles behind the lines through some of the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We’d lose more men than we’d save. But I don’t expect you to understand that because your chorus girl.” Phillips said.
“I think I understand just fine.” I snarled.
“Well, then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you got some place to be in 30 minutes.” Phillips said.
“Yes, sir. I do.” Steve replies hand firmly clamped on my shoulder.
“If you have something to say, right now is the perfect time to keep it to yourself.” Phillips told Peggy as Steve and I left the tent.
Steve and I went back to the performance tent gathering up stuff that we could possibly need when trying to rescue the captured soldiers.
“What do you plan to do, walk to Austria?” Peggy asked.
“That’s what it takes.” Steve replied.
“You heard the Colonel. Your friend is most likely dead.” Peggy said.
“You don’t know that.” I snap.
“Even so, he did he’s devising a strategy. If he detects…” Peggy began. I continued to collect items making sure to snatch a helmet for both Steve and I.
“By the time he’s done that, it could be too late.” Steve interrupted her. We stalked out of the tent and over to a Jeep.
“Steve!” Peggy called, running after us.
“You guys keep telling me you thought I was meant for more than this. Did you mean that?” Steve demanded.
“Every word.” Peggy said.
“Then you got let me go.” Steve told her, as we got into the Jeep.
“I can do more than that.” Peggy replied.
“The Hydra camp is in Krausberg, tucked between these two mountain ranges. It’s a factory of some kind.” Peggy said, pointing at a spot on the map in front of us.
“We should be able to drop you guys right on the doorstep.” Howard comments from the pilot seat.
“Just get us as close as you can.” I say.
“You two are going to be in a lot of trouble when you land.” Steve said.
“And you won’t?” Peggy retorts.
“Where we’re going, if anybody yells at me, I can just shoot them.” Steve answers.
“They will undoubtedly shoot back.” Peggy agreed.
“Well, let’s hope it’s good for something.” Steve said, hitting his shield. Peggy was watching Steve a little too closely for my comfort and I glommed onto Steve, giving him a quick kiss. I never thought that I would be a jealous girlfriend but apparently I don’t take kindly to others flirting with my man.
“Stark is the best civilian pilot I’ve ever seen. He’s mad enough to brave this airspace. We’re lucky to have him. This is your transponder. Activate it when you’re ready and the signal lead us straight to you.” Peggy comments, slightly awkward as she understood that she didn’t have a chance with Steve.
“Are you sure this thing works?” Steve asked Howard.
“It’s been tested more than you, pal.” Howard said. Seconds later we began to take heavy fire. Steve and I jump into action. We both had on a different kind of parachutes and were attached at the hip.
“Get back here! We’re taking you all the way in!” Peggy yelled as Steve opened the door and we sat in front of it.
“As soon as we’re clear, you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here.” Steve yelled at Peggy and Howard.
“You can’t give me orders!” Peggy retorts.
“The hell I can’t! I am a captain!” Steve answers and he pushes us out the door.
I had to bite my lips to keep from screaming. Steve was prepared for me being frozen in fear at the heights and he pulled my parachute cord at the same time he pulled his because of my parachute’s design. When we finally land on the forest floor, I am again attached to Steve’s front.
“I don’t ever want to do that again.” I tell him, my voice was shaking with fear. Steve smiled at me, giving me a soft kiss on my helmet in an attempt to calm me down. It took five minutes for me to calm down enough for us to move. After hiding our parachutes, we snuck quietly through the forest towards a road in hopes of it leading to the HYDRA factory. We were lucky enough to have a HYDRA convoy heading down the road shortly after we reached it. We waited for the convoy to pass before we chased the last truck and succeeded in getting aboard. Unfortunately, we weren’t alone.
“Fellas.” Steve greeted before they attacked us and we knocked them unconscious and tossed them out of the truck. Steve and I spent the short ride deciding what we were going to do when we got to the factory.
When the truck finally stopped, a HYDRA agent was knocked out with Steve’s shield. With the agent out of the way, we jumped out of the truck and began to make our way to the main part of the base where the factory was situated. I let Steve take out any agents that were in our way. I on the other hand snatched anything that I could get my hands on all in hopes of providing more information about what HYDRA was doing. We finally got to a room that appeared to be where they kept the prisoners.
Steve knocked out the lone guard, and I grabbed his keys handing them off to Steve before snatching the guard’s gun.
“Who are you supposed to be?” A prisoner asked.
“I’m Rosie the Riveter, he’s Captain America.” I answered.
“I beg your pardon?” Another said. Steve and I got to were they were kept, we made quick work of unlocking the cell doors.
“What, are we taking everybody?” A redhead asked.
“I’m from Fresno, Ace.” An Asian-American said.
“Course, we’re taking everybody. A rescue’s a rescue no matter the country you fight for.” I answered.
“Is there anybody else? We’re looking for a Sergeant James Barnes.” Steve asked.
“There’s an isolation ward in the factory, but no one‘s ever come back from it.” One of the prisoners said.
“That’s where he is. Bucky’s in that ward.” I said.
“Alright. The tree line is Northwest, 80 yards past the gate. Get out fast and give them hell. I’ll meet you guys in the clearing with anybody else I find.” Steve told the men. This was our plan. If Bucky wasn’t with the prisoners, Steve would look for him and anyone else, while I would go with the rest of the prisoners to the clearing we had agreed upon.
“Wait you know what you’re doing?” One asked.
“Yeah. I’ve knocked out Adolf Hitler over 200 times.” Steve said.