Code Name Alpine

Prologue

The two soldiers in full black tactical gear, both with automatic rifles pointed ready to fire, slowly made their way through the ruined building. Their tight, black combat boots barely crunching on the fallen concrete and rubble.

Explosives had wreaked havoc on the walls and ceilings of the building, dust hung heavily in the air, making visibility very poor.

Parts of walls blown out, ceilings crumbling still, light fittings dangling by a wire or two, deep gouges and holes in the floors. Rubble, concrete, wood and glass littered everywhere.

Each soldier took turns to scope the next area then, silently signalling to the other that the way was clear as they played a game of 'I go, you go'.

He could see them from where he waited, crouched in the darkness of a half fallen ceiling. His long, scraggy, dark hair framing his muzzled face.
Steel blue eyes, ringed with black tactical paint, glaring as they passed by his shadowy spot.
They think they are so clever, so stealthy.
He narrowed his eyes at the pair as they passed him.

He was about to show them how far their stealth and cleverness got them.

He had nearly completed his mission, targets killed and information acquired, these two, although of no consequence really, were in his way, and must be neutralised in order for him to consider the mission completed.

'All targets to be eliminated, no survivors'

These two had just stumbled into the wrong place at the wrong time, a few minutes later and he would never have known about them.

The two black clad soldiers had disappeared into the next room, which seamed to have escaped most of the explosive damage, with still complete walls, just the light fittings dangling by their wires flickering intermittently, and a few missing ceiling tiles, although the windows where blown and glass glittered across the dusty floor.

The room contained what was left of an extensive filing cabinet system, and two bodies.

The first soldier, who was slightly shorter than the other, checked for pulses while the second soldier kept watch.

A quick glance back to the first soldier informed the second, that the civilians were both dead.

In that instance two things happened to the second soldier.

The first was the sound of his partner screaming his nickname,
"MAVERICK!!"
And the impact of his partner hitting him full pelt to knock him out of the way.

The second was the extreme heat and impact of the explosion that was released close to his side.

Too close.

It blasted him and his partner straight through the closest wall, with a sickening sound.

Unfortunately the last thing Maverick saw or heard was his partner sob his nickname one more time before it all went black.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

After the explosion he stalked slowly into the room and surveyed the damage. A large hole had been ripped through one of the walls, when the explosive had detonated.

Seeing the two soldiers bodies on the other side of the wall, he coursed through the gap, the first soldier lay face up a large chunk of his torso missing, the second lay, just behind the first, face down, whole but not moving, reaching out to the first body, he moved to the bodies to ensure they were both dead.

The first was obviously dead or dying. The second he toed over with his black, dust covered combat boot. Seemingly not breathing and either dead or dying, by the way the limp body rolled like a rag doll.

His mission was complete. He stood for a moment, flickering ceiling lights glinting from the silver metal of his left arm. He removed a small device from his tactical belt and pressed the button signalling to his handler it was done and the asset was ready to be collected.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Bucky Barnes launched awake panting heavily, bare chested and drenched in sweat, silver dog tags sticking to him.

His heart beat thundering, even for his super soldier system, steel blue eyes wild and panicked looking around the room he was in.

Slowly things came into focus, pale white walls tinted blue from the large television, which was along side one wall, atop a black television stand, playing infomercials on silent.

A dark, two seater couch with silver metal frame pushed up against the wall facing the television, and a cool, dark hardwood floor, which he was currently sat on, his blanket puddled around his lower body.

Gingerly he swallowed and pushed his right hand through his damp hair, resting back on his left, as he knocked his head back and stared at the ceiling, still breathing hard, chest rising and falling rapidly, trying to control his heart and brain from racing.