Special Agent 2: The Dark Soldier

Chapter 66

Loki, McGee, and Gibbs, with Sharon Carter, left the Triskelion as the helicarriers continued to crash down. One fell into the river, the other felt half in, half out of the river, and the third was about to slam into SHIELD headquarters. Loki glanced over and saw Hailstohm, Bishop, DiNozzo, Rogers, Hill, and Wilson all heading toward them, weary but determined.

Above them, a helicopter suddenly lifted into the air, and Romanoff's voice crackled in over the earpieces. "Pierce and Carpenter are in custody. Fury, Torres, and I are evacuating the area."

"Copy that," Gibbs replied.

"Wait, Carpenter?" Loki questioned, touching his earpiece. "Wasn't Carpenter –"

"On our side," Gibbs finished grimly. "He betrayed us."

Loki furrowed his brow. "You sound like you saw this coming."

Gibbs just sighed.

"What's left?" McGee asked. "We've ended Insight, toppled HYDRA and/or SHIELD, and took out the helicarriers."

"The enhanced agents," Loki reminded him. "Halo, Flare, Jacklin. And the Winter Soldier." He glanced up, his gaze focusing on two figures heading toward them. One was brunette, the other blonde.

His blonde.

Loki took off, running toward Bishop and Hill, his gaze only for one. He caught her in his arms and held her close, feeling her arms wrap around him.

"We did it," she breathed into his chest. "We did it."

"Almost," Loki replied, drawing back. "We just have to tie up the loose ends."

Hailstohm landed on the ground nearby with a thud, leaving deep boot prints. She released DiNozzo from her grasp, who staggered and fell, retching onto the grass. Wilson flew in and landed beside her, letting Rogers go.

"Kate," Rogers gasped, straightening and whirling to face the approaching Gibbs. "Kate. She went down with the helicarrier. With Buck – with Barnes."

"Where?" Gibbs demanded, tensing.

Rogers turned and gazed down at the Potomac. "The river."

"Gibbs, it's a bad idea," Hill warned. "The debris from the wreck...if she's trapped inside, there's no way she's getting out."

"Look, I'll go look for her," Wilson said, lifting his hands in appeasement as he saw the stubborn look on Gibbs' face. "I'll do a flyover."

"And I," Hailstohm said, turning. Wilson kicked off into the air and Hailstohm slipped into a run, the two heading down toward the river.

****

"It's done," Mars spat, wrinkling her nose in disgust. She, Connor, and Jacklin had rendezvoused a short distance from the Triskelion, surveying the damage. The smoke and destruction was visible from here. SHIELD had fallen, and with it HYDRA's strongest grip on American politics.

"Agreed," Connor muttered.

"There's still a battle," Jacklin argued. "We can get rid of at least a couple more agents, thin the ranks of the Avengers a bit. Make them hurt. We can further cripple NCIS."

Mars shook her head. "Give it up, Jacklin. No use dying for the Triskelion when it's already fallen. We can do more for the cause if we head to the Sokovian outpost." Connor nodded assent.

Jacklin was silent for a moment, as if contemplating, then shook his head. "I'm staying."

"To die like a hero?" Connor derided. "What's the good in that? No, we need to regroup, plan out our next steps to keep HYDRA afloat. You know the drill. We'll do more good retreating now than holding our ground."