𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐨|| 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 [𝟏]

Chapter Forty-Three

after a few minutes, Cassie had stopped crying. She had no more tears left, that's why. But the two best friends stayed holding onto each other. "Roger... Zola and his men are captured. We should be at the next train stop in a few minutes." Gabe said clearing his throat,

looking up with bloodshot eyes, Steve nodded his head, "Thank you. Gabe." Steve replied.

Cassie looked up at the man, and by the look on his face, he already knew the news. He knew that Sargent Barnes was dead.

when the train reached the station, Steve and Gabe started walking away to exit the train. But Cassis stood looking at the hole on the side of the train for a few more seconds. "Cass, come on. We need to go." Steve spoke as he gently grabbed the redheads hand and pulled her away,

she didn't say anything. Her face was emotionless. She was numb. She felt nothing. Just comprehending what just happen. What she had done.

"Cassie, what's wrong?" Peggy said as she and Howard walked up to the redhead.

Cassie didn't even look up at the two, she just stared at the ground as a single tear rolled down her left cheek. "Wait where's Barnes?" Howard asked as he looked at Steve and Gabe. The rest of the Howling Commandos were just as confused.

"He's dead," Cassie whispered,

"I beg your pardon?" Peggy question, not hearing the girl. The redhead had bloodshot eye's, puffy cheeks and a tear-stained face,

"Sargent Barnes is dead," Cassie announced loud enough for everyone to hear her,

finally looking up, everyone saw her face and Peggy wrapped her hands around Cassie's shoulder. But Cassie was too tired to even comprehend the hug.

that was exactly nine days ago. A week and two days since Sargent James Buchanan Barnes died, and at this rate, Cassie doesn't even know how she's still alive.

she hasn't talked to anyone unless it was important, she's barely eaten, and she should be dead with the amount she had drunk. She was trying to get drunk to forget about her problems if only for a few hours.

a soft knock came to her room, looking up she saw Howard walk in. Before she could put the cup to her lips, Howard took it from her. "I was drinking that." She bluntly said,

"You've drunk enough. Look, I'm not coming here to tell you that I know how you feel. Because I don't. I haven't lost someone dear to my heart, as much as Barnes was dear to your heart." He stated sitting down opposite her at the small table,

"I haven't lost my parents, I haven't lost a girlfriend that I care about. I have lost a pet dog, but that's irrelevant to this conversation." He said with a slight chuckle,

"That is irrelevant to this conversation," Cassie whispered, with the smallest smile on her face.

"I was a trapeze artist for nearly goddam fucking years." She whispered, "It's what I was trained to do. Catch people at high up spots. Why couldn't I catch him?" She added,

"I understand that you were a trapeze artist, but this was different. This was life or death, this wasn't for entertainment. And don't even dare try blame yourself, cause it wasn't." Howard softly said,

"Why can't I get drunk?" She questioned finally looking up at the man, "I've been trying for the past hour." She added

"You said that Arnim Zola put some blue liquid into your veins?" He questioned and the redhead nodded her head, "My guessing that it was his own variation of the super-soldier serum ."