A few hours had passed when Rhiley stirred from an unplanned nap, her head still pounding and her body aching like it was barely holding her together. She sat up in her seat, blinking through the pain, and glanced at her brother, who was focused on the sky ahead.
"We almost there?" she asked.
"Almost," Steve replied, his voice steady.
"What are you doing, Rogers?" Peggy's voice cut through the quiet, drawing Rhiley's attention. She frowned when she saw Steve shrugging into a parachute.
"Don't even think about it, Rhiley," Howard warned, spotting the all-too-familiar glint of mischief in his sister's eyes.
"Too late. Already thought about it." She grabbed a chute and strapped it on.
"I thought you were supposed to be a good influence on my sister, Rogers!" Howard yelled, glaring at the man opening the jump door.
"We're bringing you both back!" Peggy insisted, stepping forward—just as an explosion rocked the aircraft.
"Shit," Rhiley muttered, grabbing the frame for balance, hair whipping in the gust.
"Once we're clear, turn this thing around and get out of here!" Steve shouted, authority radiating off him.
"You can't give me orders!" Peggy snapped.
"The hell I can. I'm a captain!" he said before jumping out of the plane.
Rhiley smirked and looked at Peggy. "One hell of a guy you've got there, P." And then she was gone too, vanishing into the sky.
"She's gonna give me a stroke," Howard muttered, sinking into his seat.
It had been a while since Rhiley jumped out of a plane—usually, she didn't even bother with a parachute. But today, she figured she'd do Howard a favor and try to keep him sane just a little longer.
She landed smoothly and found Steve waiting.
"You good?" he asked.
"Better than ever," she lied, every muscle still throbbing.
"You?"
"No time. Let's find them and get out of here."
They moved quickly, ducking behind crates and keeping low.
"Should we split up?" Rhiley whispered. "Cover more ground faster?"
"What? No. That's a terrible—" Steve turned to her—and she was already gone. "Rhiley?" he whispered, like saying her name more quietly might help.
She was already moving. Angry. Focused. Last time someone got the upper hand, she ended up in the hospital for months. And now James had been captured. That alone was enough to piss her off.
This part came naturally to her—sneaking through shadows, staying low, moving fast. She used to thrive alone. Used to.
Turning a corner, she ran straight into a guard nose-deep in his phone.
"Oops," she said.
He looked up, startled. Dropped his phone. Drew his weapon.
"Nope." She knocked the gun away and punched him square in the nose. He dropped instantly. A moment later, the alarm screamed to life.
Rhiley sighed. "Guess Steve couldn't keep a low profile."
She took off—only to stop dead in her tracks.
"Stark."
The voice hit her like a whip—familiar, chilling. "Dylan," she hissed, spinning around to see him standing at the end of the hall.
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...
