Redemption ||Bucky Barnes||

37. Extraction

I get a quiet elevator ride to wherever 'G' is. I take the time to gather my breath and whatever sanity I have left. I'm not armed, I can't rely on a weapon to help me. I'm on my own for now.

The moment the elevator doors open, I jump to the side, out of the way, as bullets spray a wall. Shit. I see holes being made, but not as many as the initial firing. Part of the attention is elsewhere. Someone's fighting back. I've got to be in the right area if there's action.

When the firing is limited to one or two shots into the elevator, I spring out and run for cover. I dive behind someone who's hiding around a corner, taking her chances by shooting. Her hair is blonde and pulled back into a ponytail, her ponytail is ringlets. I scoot against the wall.

She's got to be S.H.I.E.L.D.

She pulls back and turns to me. She looks younger than me, with a soft face but hard brown eyes. But those brown eyes are shocked.

"Agent Finley?" she asks. I nod mutely. "What the...? How the hell did you get here?" She cringes, moves inwards when bullets fly behind her.

"Luck. Why?"

"We sent in an extraction team for you." Her brows come together as she presses one of her ears. "I've got Agent Finley. Let's get out of here." She takes a breath.

"There's something you should know. He's out."

"Who?"

"The Winter Soldier." I swallow. "He attacked me, I managed to evade him. Everyone has to be extremely careful."

"We've handled him before."

"No, you don't understand." My voice cracks. "Order anyone who's here to keep him alive if they confront him."

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

The agent looks at me strangely before pressing her earpiece again. "The Winter Soldier is out. Engage carefully. Keep him alive." She shakes her head irritably at me. "I guess you're with me, Finley."

"I'm sorry, we haven't met."

"Agent Thirteen." She smiles. "At this point, let me do all the work. Stay behind me."

"There's no way out, ladies!" a voice barks. "Come out quietly and we won't kill you."

Loud cries of pain suddenly comes from the hall. Agent 13 jumps out from her cover but doesn't fire. Her shoulders relax. In the distance, I hear more fighting.

"It's clear. Come on." She barrels down the hall, leaving me to try and catch up to her.

The Hydra agents are still on the ground. I take one of their guns on our way down the hall. I make sure it's locked and loaded. Agent 13 isn't going solo anymore.

"You know the way out?" I ask.

"It's the way we initially came in. We planned it out on short notice, but it's pulled off pretty nicely." She nods to the doors ahead. "Through there is the garage. We've got agents in there trying to secure it."

"All this just for an extraction?"

"I can't begin to tell you how many people insisted we do this." She frowns slightly. "I've read up on you, Agent Finley."

"Who hasn't at this point?" I spin around to cover behind us. I take careful steps backwards so I don't fall.

Agent 13 gets the doors open, and our ears are exposed to familiar noises: loud pops,