To the end of the line - stucky

Food And Old Stories

The terrorists wake up on the cold hard ground after another freezing night in Canada. Even with specialised equipment, the temperatures are getting dangerous, but they can't turn back, even if they desperately want to.
The man wakes before the rest of his team and looks up at the sky just as the sun begins to peek from the horizon to bring another day.

Another day that his leader becomes increasingly impatient, and the man becomes increasingly worried that they won't find the men alive. His life is based solely on finding Captain America and The Winter Soldier and using them to fulfil their objective of proving America's weakness. The leader could probably still make it happen without them, but that plan wouldn't involve the man if he failed to find them. So, he reluctantly sat up, back cracking in the process as he assessed the surroundings. The thick layer of trees they camped out under seemed to be a haven for wildlife. They only got here late last night, so he couldn't see the occasional rabbit sprinting through the bushes before or hear the birds flapping their wings in the trees above.

With a grumble, he stood up and clapped at his small group. "Get up, get up. We need to get moving", his hoarse voice woke them up as they muttered complaints.
"Get everything packed, we leave in five".

He walked through the trees that were sheltering them from the wind until he arrived at the river they'd been following. The men would need water eventually, so following the river was a safe bet and would ensure they didn't get themselves lost, either.
The rapids flowed strongly just ahead, and he hoped that as they got further down, it would settle out into calmer waters once again.
For now, he splashed the icy water against his face and rubbed away the dirt and sweat from the day before, waking him up for a similar day ahead.
His life depended on finding these men, which is why he just had a feeling that they were close.

*

Ranger Renalds was struggling to hold down a giant gazebo that sheltered the signup sheets as the wind beat ferociously, trying to pull the shelter away with it.
His hands were completely numb from holding onto the metal rods, he needed to put his gloves back on, but as soon as he let go, it would blow away down the road.

"Come here, Renalds, let me help you", said Henry as he jogged over, grasping at the shelter.

They let out huffs and grunts, trying to keep it still long enough for one of them to grab the strings and tie it down. It was still waving around madly, but the men slowly let go and were pleased when it didn't fly away.
Renalds took the opportunity to quickly pull on his gloves and try to rub some feeling back into his fingers.

"Thanks, Henry, I thought you were on the computers? What are you doing out here?"

He chuckled as he blew hot air onto his own hands.

"Yea, I am, just coming to collect the search sheets".

The older man picked up the clipboard that had fallen during the commotion and struggled to undo the clip with the papers blowing around.

"I think we're going to have to move this inside", Renalds pondered.

The wind recently was ridiculous, and no one could write on the sheets with it blowing like this. Not to mention the shelter would come loose again any second now, and whoever was here would have to wrestle with it again.

"Few less than yesterday", Henry noted as he looked through them.

Renalds nodded, "yea, the weather is getting worse, People can't be out there for long periods this time of year".

Just as he finished saying that, a small group equipped with more equipment than anyone else walked up to them.

"Ah, Lucy", they smiled. "Of course, you're the one to leave right as others are coming back".