All Along - Steve Rogers {1}

Chapter 7: Not What I Signed Up For

October 1943

"First Lieutenant Barnes!" Despite only being in a tent, Colonel Phillips' voice still managed to echo around the space. Instantly Nellie jumped to her feet and stood to attention. Her tent was void of all other personnel, she shared the space with the female nurses to ensure rules between men and women bunking separately were followed.

"Yes, Sir?" She answered back as the Colonel moved further into the tent so he could stand before Nellie. The chill of the autumn air followed him into the tent and Nellie shivered.

"At ease." He directed before taking a seat on the spare bunk opposite Nellie's. She let her body visibly relax before she took a seat too and got back to lacing her combat boots. She was to meet Howard in the SSR tent where all their equipment was kept under guard 24/7. Howard had flown in from London late last night and they were due to go over his new inventions for her next mission.

"What can I do for you, Sir?" She asked as she sat up and pulled her over shirt on over her vest top.

"Your next mission." He handed over a file about an inch thick, packed with information. "Congratulations on your success in Russia last week."

"Thank you, Sir." Nellie said gratefully as she placed the file in her lap. Russia had been a fairly small effort, albeit a cold one, men were trapped in a trench in Poland and Nellie was sent in to take the brunt of the small axis forces so the men could escape.

"Keep up the good work." The Colonel stood from his seat as he patted Nellie on the shoulder. Nellie stood too. "Best decision I ever made sending you into the field."

"I will, Colonel." Nellie promised as she watched the Colonel leave, not biting back at his final comment when it had been her idea. It wasn't until she was left alone in the tent did she sit back down and get to work on reading the vital information regarding her next mission. Howard could wait.

For the last three and a half months Nellie had taken part in and led five successful reconnaissance and rescue missions into enemy territory to liberate captured comrades. Her last mission, where one-hundred men had been liberated, earned her the major promotion from Sergeant to First Lieutenant. Her combat skills had improved, she had yet to come across an opponent that bested her in a fight, if that had occurred though, she would most likely be dead.

From her first mission back in August, when everyone had little to no faith in her to now, Nellie had managed to win the trust and respect of the whole allied forces... well the ones that knew of her. The name the Nazi's had given her had stuck, and to be honest it made her feel powerful and dangerous. Most of the men on the bases she stayed on referred to her as The Siren now and it made her feel valued and needed.

She just wished that she could have shared in this experience with Steve. She didn't like keeping secrets but this was for Steve's own protection as well. He was now an icon, a symbol for America, there were films about him, comics even. Nellie wondered if that could have been her if the roles were reversed? For all that Steve knew, Nellie was still in London with Howard working on more modern technology, though the last time she had replied to one of Steve's letters was two weeks ago, he had written to her twice in that time, Howard had forwarded on the letters for her.

With a shake of her head Nellie drew her attention back to the file and instantly her mouth went dry when her eyes zeroed in on the words '107th Infantry Regiment'. Nellie's heart jumped up to her throat as she scanned over the file, reading as quickly as possible to try and find out if her brother was okay or not.

In the time that Nellie had been in Europe she had not come across her brother's regiment once, he was fighting in Italy whereas Nellie stayed around the allied borders of France and Russia. The file detailed that Hydra had separated themselves from the Nazi forces, and during a battle in Azzano, Italy between the allies and the axis forces, Hydra intervened and began to attack both sides.