Rhiley landed in the main base camp of the 107th infantry regiment a couple of hours into the night. She had gotten the order a few hours after her conversation with Steve and needed to leave immediately, unable to say goodbye to anyone. This was her job, after all. In and out, like a ghost.
The forest around them was quiet but watchful, like it had seen too much to sleep.
"Agent Rhiley Stark?" a voice called out.
She turned toward it, catching sight of a tall, older man skimming through a clipboard. "Right here, Commander."
The man looked up, startled slightly to see her so close already. His eyes flicked over her from boots to brow. "Commander Quinn. Colonel Phillips said you'd be arriving today. Good to finally meet you."
"Flew all night," Rhiley said with a shrug and a tired grin. "Wasn't the smoothest flight. Pretty bumpy."
Quinn didn't laugh. Not even a smirk.
"Do you know where my unit is?" she asked, brushing off the silence.
"You'll be with a group of five. Handpicked top recruits, best of the best." He gestured for her to follow as he started walking toward the rows of torn, battered tents. "They've been waiting for you a few days now."
"Sorry to keep them waiting," Rhiley replied dryly. "Things have been complicated."
"It's been chaos since—well..." He hesitated.
"The war?" Rhiley supplied, her tone unimpressed. "This isn't my first dance, Commander. Fast-paced doesn't scare me."
She took in the layout of the camp, eyes flicking toward the tree line. "When do we see real action?"
"When the soldiers are ready, or..." He paused again, chewing on the next words.
"When you need them." Rhiley nodded. "Right."
They stopped in front of one of the larger tents. It looked like the others—mud-caked, frayed seams, barely holding together. Quinn held the flap open and gave her a look.
She stepped through first.
Inside, four soldiers sat cross-legged in a loose circle, playing cards by lantern light. Their laughter filled the space, messy and loud.
"Oye! Joey! You're a damn cheater and you know it!"
"Wanna say that again to my face, asshat?"
"I just did!"
A sharp whistle cut through the noise. The men snapped to their feet at the sight of Quinn, elbowing each other as they scrambled to form a line.
"Men," Quinn said, "Meet your new teammate. Agent Rhiley."
Their eyes locked on her, and just like clockwork, confusion bloomed across every face.
Rhiley stepped forward casually. "I've got it from here," she said, glancing at Quinn.
Quinn took the hint and ducked out.
A beat of silence passed.
"You're a woman," one of them finally said.
Rhiley turned toward the speaker—a broad-shouldered man with blonde hair and a forming black eye. Sleeveless shirt. Confident. Trouble.
"And what gave it away?" she asked, deadpan. "Hair? Face? Boobs?"
The man chuckled. "Austin Clover. Best gunman in my class."
"Sniper?"
"I can hit anything I set my eyes on."
YOU ARE READING
Radioactive | Bucky Barnes
Fanfiction"I want to go back to the time you first told me your name." Rhiley, the twin sister of Howard Stark, finds herself wrapped up with the one and only James Barnes. The next time she sees him is on her new assignment with the 107th Infantry Regiment...
