Gone to War (A Bucky Barnes FanFiction)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

|| January 7th 1945. Allied Frontlines, Stalingrad, Russia. ||

The cold wind whipped around the group as they stood under a tent, looking over a map of the area. Steve held his helmet in his hand, placing it on the table to try and keep the map down, so the wind wouldn't blow it away.

"This is the biggest operation we've done." Steve told the team, "We have to get in and out as quickly and safely as possible."

"There are over one thousand men in there." Bucky told the group, putting his hands on his belt.

"I'd say we hit from the west side." Monty suggested pointing to the map.

Jacques Dernier shook his head, "The troops will see us that way."

Ophelia looked closer to the map, "What if we go from the east." She suggested. "The wind is blowing from the east, if we go with it, they might not see us."

Steve nodded, "The blizzard trapped these men there, Hydra has them pinned. I vote we do Agent Rowland's plan."

"Aye!" Dugan nodded. Every other Howling Commando nodded in agreement and the team voted on going with the wind to save the troops.

"Good idea, Agent." Bucky mocked nudging her with his shoulder.

Both Bucky and Ophelia had agreed to keep their relationship to friends, seeing it more professional especially since they were at war. But it never failed Bucky, to sneak a kiss here or there to his lover. Ophelia feared her relationship with Bucky would make her seem weaker than what she was. Bucky knew this, and agreed with Ophelia on keeping their relationship a secret. Although, they couldn't hide it from their friend Steve Rogers, who always knew the two were going to be together.

"Look alive, Sargent." Ophelia joked grabbing her pistols from the side table. Bucky smirked as he got his sniper and rifle loaded.

The group loaded on the truck, driving through the storm. It wasn't easy and was slow, but they were determined to get to the frontlines and save the men who were trapped. Upon arriving near the frontlines, the sky was white, visibility was zero. They were fighting blind. As the wind blew on the Howling Commandos backs, they saw in the distance, a Hydra troop truck. Steve, with his eyes squinting so the snow wouldn't get in his eyes, turned to his group and pointed to the van. Bucky took out his sniper and tried to shoot the tires so they couldn't drive away. But the snow blocked up his scope, making it impossible to see. Ophelia saw Bucky try and wipe the snow from his scope.

Up on the ridge, Ophelia saw a shine of a sniper scope. It shined through the snow as she spotted the dark figure laying just over a snow ridge. She saw it pointed to Bucky, who was facing straight ahead on the ground, rather than his eyes up on the ridge. Rushing through the snow, Ophelia raced to Bucky.

"Get down!" She yelled to the other Commandos.

Every man around fell to the snow and behind the snow piles that had drifted up from the wind. Ophelia jumped towards Bucky as his head turned towards Ophelia's voice. As she dove on him to move him out of the scope of the Hydra sniper, a shot ran out as a bullet had left the sniper. She stumbled over Bucky as she pushed him away from the sight of the sniper, the two of them ducking behind a snow drift. The two leaned against the snow as another shot could be heard over the whistling wind. Ophelia grabbed Bucky's sniper and pointed it where she saw the Hydra soldier hiding. The scope was filled with snow and was wet and smudged. Opening her eyes fully, she saw the top of the snipers head, closing her eyes she trusted herself, her finger pulling the trigger. Upon the shot leaving the sniper, another shot had been shot the same time. As she opened her eyes, Ophelia saw the sniper was now hanging over the ridge, his gun falling from the high point.