What If...? Rumlow Turned Against Hydra: Book One

5

Rumlow managed to stay alert enough as they made their escape to figure out the facility where Steve was being held was in Maryland, not far from Fort Meade. The Winter Soldier was driving, heading toward Washington DC, but otherwise Rumlow did not try to find out exactly where Barnes was trying to get to. The car they'd stolen was an unimpressive small sedan that did not stand out, allowing relative anonymity and Rumlow the chance to brood on his current situation. Events had happened too fast for him to really know where his mind was, if he was still with Hydra, even a little bit or if he was ready to recklessly charge back into the facility where Steve was being kept and rescue him. That option would also result in his death, something he wasn't sure he wanted entirely to avoid. He'd betrayed Steve Rogers, delivered him into the hands of his former colleagues into a fate that would be worse than death. Rumlow thought that his death would at least offer some small measure of justice.

He shook his head, trying to banish the intense self-pity. He was no good to anyone dead, except Hydra. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of rushing into his own execution. He owed it to Steve to rescue him, and he felt he owed it to Barnes to help. It was the least he could do. He glanced over at the silent, expressionless face of the Winter Soldier, trying to read something - anything - there and failed. Rumlow was uneasy, for many reasons, not the least of which was the reputation of the Winter Soldier, along with just how much Hydra had managed to insert themselves everywhere. It wasn't a stretch to think that they would be found, even in the unremarkable vehicle they had.

"Why DC?" Rumlow asked at last as the traffic worsened in the late afternoon rush hour.

"We need some extra help, and we'll find it in DC," Barnes replied.

"They're everywhere in this city in particular, it isn't safe."

"They're in far more places than simply here," Barnes said with some finality. "We won't be leaving the immediate area by that far anyway. If we do, we make it more difficult to get to them, and to Steve."

"You have a plan then," Rumlow commented with a nod. "I thought you did."

"It'll take time to implement."

"Are you sure of me?" Rumlow asked, surprising himself.

There was a pause, then a firm: "yes."

"I betrayed Steve."

"You did. Then you turned on Hydra, then tried to rescue Steve yourself. You faced execution at the hands of your former masters and now you're on the run. I'm sure of you." The eyes turned briefly to Rumlow, the pack ice in them so complete Rumlow couldn't see any hint of Bucky Barnes. "Are you sure?"

Rumlow didn't hesitate. He'd had enough of brooding anyway. "I'm sure."

"The person we will eventually see may not be sure of either of us but will want to help Steve."

"I hope you have an army stashed away somewhere, or we're gonna have a really hard time trying to get anything accomplished."

"Not quite an army. But there are resources." He turned onto a side street heading toward the National Mall. "We need to find an alternative means of getting around. If Hydra doesn't have any idea what car we're driving, it will eventually be reported stolen, and you know just how far into the police department they are."

"Yeah, I know and so do you. The operation to kill Director Fury was your plan, wasn't it?"

The Winter Soldier nodded. "I took extra precautions for such a dangerous target."