Together
Despite the dim lighting in the hallway, you can sense Bucky's discomfort and you elbow him in the side. "Spit it out, come on! What is bothering you?"
He looks at you trying to downplay what you are saying and Steve frowns without saying anything. "Err...nothing, there is no problem with anything that is happening"
"Dear cousin, I haven't slept in days, my shoulder hurts like crazy, I'm armed and to be honest, quite pissed off, so please spare us one of your 'everything's fine' little numbers" You stop and cross your arms over your rifle. "It's a lot, I know, so speak up"
Bucky runs his hand over his face trying to convince himself that the last few days weren't just a nightmare and that his two friends are no longer the people he last saw before he went to the front. He looks down at the floor, shakes his head, and slowly looks up at Steve. "Did it hurt?"
Steve half smiles and continues pacing. "A little." Bucky and you follow him at a steady pace. After a few seconds, your cousin looks at you "So... you work undercover? And this whole thing about giving Steve the serum was your idea?"
"Hmmm...Well, yes and no. Yes, I work undercover and yes, I was the one who asked the Dr. to consider Steve for the project. But the Dr had the last word" You try to keep your eyes forward and not look at him, you know that he is not happy with the situation and that, despite not being able to do anything, he is not going to stay without saying anything. So, you mentally prepare yourself for the string of curses that your cousin is about to unleash.
Steve, knowing what's coming, tries to downplay it all. "We're both fine, you don't have to be angry" You close your eyes and prick the bridge of your nose, you know that comment made him even worse.
"Angry? Why would I be angry? Maybe because my little cousin is jumping out of planes and taking bullets while running through the woods, BEHIND ENEMY LINES! Or maybe because my friend here agreed to be injected with God knows what and now it looks like the DAMN EIFFEL TOWER! And the cherry on top I HADN’T THE FOGGIEST IDEA ABOUT ALL OF THIS"
On cue, a bomb explodes nearby and the three of you begin to run. "Buck, please be reasonable. We both made conscious decisions, it was our choice" Steve keeps trying to be the voice of reason, but Bucky is having none of that. He points an accusing finger at you "You promised me you wouldn't be in danger" The detonations continue, it's not a coordinated attack, it's a deliberate attempt to destroy the facility without leaving any traces. "James, STOP! NOW! Can we save this conversation for another time? When no one is actively trying to KILL US, maybe?"
The only possible exit seems to be turning towards an open room with stairs and walkways to the outside of the building. Steve motions for you to climb a ladder behind him to the walkways near the roof of the structure, the smoke is thick near the ground making it difficult to breathe and see clearly.
When you reach the catwalk at the bottom of the stairs your vision clears, and you see two people standing on the other side. You know one of them very well, you've studied and tried to capture over the past few months, the other is a tall, athletic guy in a Nazi uniform, but something seems off. The insignias are not the same, instead of the swastika, the symbol of Hydra adorns his arm as well as the lapel of his long jacket. It is evident that you are facing Johann Schmidt himself.
He has a mixture of amusement and contempt on his face, by the time his eyes land on Steve, the amusement fades and only contempt remains. You take a step forward while pointing your gun at them "Dr. Armin Zola and I assume Herr Schmidt turn yourself in and you will be tried in a fair trial"
Schmidt doesn't take his eyes off Steve. "And if we refuse?" A smile appears on your face, and you aim higher right at his head "Oh, please do it" He scoffs "I see that the good doctor managed to complete the serum, I'm not really…impressed"
The shot resounds in the wide room and Schmidt's cap flies off his head without scratching him. "Next one is on your forehead." Finally, his eyes land on you for a few seconds only to return to Steve "Feisty Fraulein. So, this little woman speaks for you?" Steve puts a hand on your shoulder and stands in front of you protectively, Bucky grabs your arm to pull you back further, you look at him, look at his hand on your arm, and return a murderous look to him, he gently releases you and whispers "Don't look at me like that, I'm trying to protect you" You smirk "I don't need protection, I just have to aim and shoot"
"Victoria, please stay behind with Bucky" Steve approaches Schmidt on the catwalk and they meet halfway. "She doesn't speak for me, but you do have to turn yourself in" Schmidt laughs "I really admire that sense of self-righteousness, it's so American…and stupid" Schmidt pulls out a gun, but Steve deflects it with his shield while with his free arm, he connects a direct jab on Schmidt’s jaw.
He barely moves, looks at Steve scornfully, and prepares a blow, at the last second your friend manages to cover himself with the shield, but the force throws him through the catwalk and lands near where you and Bucky are standing. "I guess the doctor hasn't told you much about me, boy. I, was his masterpiece" Schmidt reaches for his neck and pulls a mask off revealing a face of red skin so tight to the bone that practically looks like a skull. "Don't kid yourself boy, we are more than you or your government can handle'' He walks back with Zola and they get into an elevator before the door closes he nods "Until we meet again Captain, Fraulein" When you react and shoot, it's already too late, the bullets only make slight dents in the thick metal.
"We have to get out of here, we have to keep going up" Bucky pulls your arm for you to follow him. The stairs seem endless until a breath of fresh air lets you know that you are near an exit. A few steps further a door leads outside, but it's a flimsy walkway several feet up with nowhere else to go. Turning back is not an option, the flames rage closer, and the destruction continues apace.
Your friends look at you sadly "No, don't look at me like that. This is not the end of the line, not if I can help it" You go back into the building desperate, there must be something that can help you. Tears fill your eyes, either from the smoke or from the frustration growing inside you, making it harder and harder to breathe. You are groping the floor in search of something that can save them, until your fingers find a chain.
Almost blind and out of breath you try to get back to the exit, you hear the screams of your friends calling you and you try to guide yourself with the voices. After each coughing fit your throat feels scratchy and it's harder to move until everything fades to black.
When the fresh air re-enters your lungs it hurts as if little needles were inserted into your chest. You cough trying to get the smoke out of your body and to understand where you are. Your back is resting against a wall, but your fingers are touching dirt and grass, somehow you’re out of the flaming building. Bucky and Steve are squatting near you, still alarmed, but relieved that you've finally reacted.
"I guess that was stupid, wasn't it?" You look at them apologetically, Steve hugs you "Never do something like that again, ever" You are grateful that the soot covers the violent red of your face at this moment and you shrug "I'll try to stay away from stupidity for a while" Bucky shakes his head without believing a word you say and stands up.
"Well, deadly situation one, handled. I think it's time to try to solve deadly situation two." Bucky has his hands in the air and signals out where two Hydra men are pointing their weapons at your group. Steve is still crouching in front of you and partially blocking the men’s view of you. “I’ll get them, protect Bucky” you whisper to Steve while reaching for the gun at your side. He gives you a concerned look but nods anyway.
“NOW!” Steve lunches at Bucky pinning him on the ground and at the same time, you put a bullet in each man's head. “Twenty seconds, it took only twenty seconds and you jump back into stupid land” Bucky scolds you getting up and shaking the dirt from the uniform while giving you a deadly look. You sigh in relief, but not for long.
A rustle of branches puts you three on alert “We're friends” says a raspy voice “We were checking that everybody got out” this time the voice is familiar, and you turn to look. He approaches, crouches next to you, and puts a gentle hand on your shoulder "I'm sorry Monty, I left, I kept running and left you behind" You're drowning in remorse “It’s OK Victoria, you did what you have to. You survive” You turn your head and look him in the eyes “Could you ever forgive me?” he shakes his head “No, Victoria, there's nothing to forgive. Come on, darling, time to go” he helps you up and you throw your arms around him in a desperate embrace “I’m so glad you’re alive Monty. I thought I’ve lost all of you”.