Chapter 1
The Howling Commandos looked out on the train tracks, praying that their next mission would go smoothly. Everyone was busy doing their part while Steve and Bucky were standing looking over the ravine. “Remember when I made you ride the cyclone at Coney Island?” Bucky reminisced.
“Yeah, and I threw up?”
“This isn’t payback, is it?”
Steve laughed, shoulders hunched over. It was the purest sound Bucky had heard in months. He would do anything to hear Steve laugh more often. “Now why would I do that?”
Gabe Jones’ voice broke them out of their fantasy of simpler times. “We were right. Dr. Zola’s on the train. HYDRA dispatcher gave him permission to open up the throttle. Wherever he’s going, they must need him bad.”
“Alright, we’ve got about a ten second window. You miss that window, we’re bugs on a windshield.” Steve latched the trolley to the cable, and stepped off the ravine, sliding down and landing on the fast-moving train. Bucky was close behind him, followed by Gabe. The three of them ran the length of the train until they found a door that took them inside. Gabe kept watch outside while Bucky followed Steve into the train. When they entered, they saw shelves upon shelves, no doubt holding weapons of an unimaginable sort.
Steve noticed an open door, which led to another carriage. Steve walked through the door, gun at the ready. Bucky started following him, but not before he checked behind him to see if anyone had sneaked up behind them. He then heard the door close, blocking him from Steve.
Shit. Bucky looked through the door to see Steve’s panicked face. He saw Steve’s eyes widen right before he heard the gunshots. He immediately cocked his gun and started shooting, praying he and Steve would make it out of this. A loud blast made his way to his ears, and he turned back to try and look through the window, but ducked as his enemy kept shooting at him. From the split second of action he saw, he could see Steve fighting a man in metal armor with some sort of sonic cannon.
A shrill voice came over the speakers. “Stop him. Fire again.” Zola.
The voice awakened terrible memories. Memories of the week he spent as a POW, being experimented on by HYDRA and Zola. He hadn't told Steve about the serum they had forced into him. He didn't want Steve to know how he had been corrupted. It was getting harder to hide the super strength he had gained, and he knew the ruse was going to be shattered eventually. But now wasn't the time to think about it. Saving Steve came first.
Bucky swore that if Zola hurt Steve, he would rip him apart limb from limb. Bucky quickly moved to the other side of the cabin, ducking down to avoid getting shot. He kept firing back with his pistol until ran out of bullets, which was when Steve opened the door and threw Bucky his pistol. Steve then ran and pushed a container sitting on a shelf towards the man shooting at them. He jumped out of the way, which put him directly in line with Bucky’s gun. Bucky shot him point-blank, and watched him crumple to the ground.
They met in the middle of the carriage, and Steve looked at Bucky like he hung the moon. “I had him on the ropes,” Bucky said, remembering when Steve would say that after every time Bucky would save him from some back-alley smackdown.
“I know you did.”
Steve heard the sound of a gun charging up behind them. Steve threw Bucky behind him and his shield. “Get down!” The blast knocked both men off their feet, blowing a hole in the side of the train in the process.
Zola’s voice came over the speakers once more. “Fire again! Kill him, now!” Steve stood up, still disoriented from the blast. He looked behind him to see Bucky still on the ground, groaning. He grabbed the shield and his gun, shooting the man in front of him, but to no avail. Regular bullets did nothing to penetrate the man’s armor.
The man blasted Steve again, this time throwing him off the train. He managed to grab on to a piece of metal, and held on for dear life. Bucky’s heart stopped. “Steve!” He grabbed the biggest gun he could see in the boxes and shot the man into the next cabin. He wasn't moving anymore.
Bucky ran to the side of the train, reaching for Steve’s hand. “Hang on! Grab my hand!” He inched along the railing, making his way closer. Steve stretched out his hand as the metal that was supporting his weight failed. Time slowed to a complete stop as Bucky watched his best friend and companion fall into the ravine. His screams and the terrified look on Steve’s face would forever haunt his nightmares, would haunt him every time his eyes were closed.
Bucky’s entire life, his only reason for living, fell and would never come back. He wished the had died along with him, but he knew he had to live. He knew he had to make Zola pay for killing his Steve.
He took Steve’s shield and made his way to the front of the train, where Gabe was holding Zola prisoner. He walked in, tears streaming down his face and murder in his eyes. Gabe heard his footsteps, and turned to him with a smile. “Hey, Sarge. We got him! I can’t believe we-”.
Bucky ignored Gabe, pushing past him and pinning Zola to the wall with his hands around his neck. “Do you know what you’ve done?” Bucky yelled. He squeezed Zola’s neck tighter, shaking from rage. “Huh? I asked you a question! Do you know what you’ve done? You just killed Captain fucking America! But you have a bigger problem than that. See, I don’t give a shit about Captain America. You also killed Steve Rogers. And that is what makes me angry. You killed my best fucking friend, so now I’m gonna keep my promise to myself and rip you limb from limb.”
“Bucky, stop!” Gabe shouted from behind him. He tried futilely to pull Bucky away from the scientist. “We can’t kill him, he’s a prisoner of war.”
“Prisoner of war, my ass. The government can have him, but only after I’ve had my piece.” All of a sudden, he felt a needle prick his neck. He let go of Zola’s neck as he turned to look at Gabe. His vision went blurry and he felt like throwing up. “What did- what did you do?” “
You’re out of control, Sarge. I’m sorry.” Bucky stumbled forwards and Gabe caught him, gently lowering him to the ground.
“Don’t touch m- don’t touch me.” he sobbed. “Let me kill him. Let me kill him. He deser- he deserves to die for killing Stevie. For killing Stevie.” Gabe’s face was the last thing he saw before his vision faded to darkness.