In My Head • Bucky Barnes

Chapter 20

When we landed Stark began barking orders at the Shield agents whilst the others geared up. Steve and I stayed on the plane until everyone had cleared out, much to my annoyance as I am the only one that knows this damn place. Why they are having me be the last to enter is beyond me.

"You remember that time we had to ride back from Rockaway Beach in the back of that freezer truck?" Steve's voice penetrated my thoughts

"Was that the time we used our train money to buy hot dogs?" The scent of the sea filled my senses and suddenly I was a sixteen year old kid again.

"You blew three bucks trying to win that stuffed bear for a redhead." I remember. We had met that morning and I couldn't take my eyes off her. I remember Steve being so incredibly jealous that she was receiving all of my attention, purposely making me blow my money at the arcade.

"What was her name again?"

"Dolores. You called her Doll." I've always liked that nickname.

"She's gotta be a hundred years old right now." Steve laughed, clapping me on the shoulder. My humour was short lived, confusion replacing my laughter. "Why do you bring it up?"

"I find it helps eliminate stress." Steve mumbled staring out at the facility.

"You just wanted to test my memory, didn't you."

"I can neither confirm nor deny that claim."

A bluish light shines from within a fourth floor control room. Explosions ensue the break in accompanied by the terrified yells of hydra agents.

"That's our signal Buck." I can't take my eyes off the base. Knowing she is in there being tortured for my wrong doings makes me feel sick.

Steve grabbed my hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "Let's go get Belle."

---

Turns out Hydra is a lot more prepared than I first thought. There are agents everywhere, outnumbering us ten to one. Even with our super strength we are easily overpowered. We split off from the others heading to the south east side of the facility where Stark managed to track Belle's heat signature.

Unable to run through the base itself we took to the roof hoping for easier access. Little did we know that it was heavily guarded, much more so than inside the compound. Looks like today is the day for stupid mistakes.

"Don't let stark see me like this." I joked as I decked a guy around the face. The bionics in my arm whirred in exhaustion, not used to this much strenuous activity after close to a month out of the field

"You know I think he is past caring at this point." Steve shouted back. His shield cut through the air inches away from my face, taking out three of the guards that were on me.

"Show off." Sensing a guard running up behind me I turned to land a kick in his gut only to be blasted into the air by some sort of high tech gun. I was sent skidding across the roof and under the railings, leaving me dangling above a rocky casmn to which I could see no end.

Jagged rock dug into my palm drawing blood remarkably quickly. Just as I was about to let go I felt a hand tug me through the metal bars, dropping me a little way from the edge. They collapsed next to me panting heavily. I lifted my head enough to see bodies littering the rooftop, along with a smashed photon gun.

"Thank you." Pushing the flashbacks to the back of my mind, I sit up and gaze at him.

"Like I would let that happen again, Buck."

A second explosion shook the ground and smoke billowed from the vents in the floor. Barely having time to get my breath back I take off towards the stair well, practically jumping down the middle to cut time. I pass floor after floor of cells with screaming victims locked away. It takes everything in me not to stop and help them, after all I was in their position not that long ago. But belle comes first, she always comes first, and right now she is my top priority. Once she is safe I will go back through and help them.