Til The End Of The Line [1]

Chapter 6: Jack/Quinn's P.O.V.

I ended the conversation and put the radio away. I waited until dark, and snuck into the compound through the roof. It was fairly easy to take down a guard and steal his uniform. I then went to the areas most likely to have information, and took as much as I could fit in my bag. I spent the rest of the week doing this. Going in disguise, taking info, bringing it back to my camp, repeat. After almost two weeks, I realized I needed to get back to the camp. I set up my radio and called my ride. Sorry... I tried to call my ride, but the cold weather frosted the radio's circuits, so it was fried. I gathered up all my stuff I had and started the 30-plus mile trek back. It took longer than I would have hoped, with all the patrols and transports going in and out of the HYDRA base. I didn't sleep the whole way back, not wanting to risk my capture. When I finally did arrive I was swarmed by people.
"Give him some space!" A familiar voice ordered.
I saw Bucky making his way to me with a disapproving look. I then turned to see Phillips behind me.
"Here," I practically threw him my bag, along with the extra files I couldn't fit in it at him,"I don't get paid enough for this. Heck, you don't pay me at all. I think you should reconsider that though, since I just walked the whole 30 miles back..." My voice trailed off, it was only then I realized how tired I was.
"You're late," Bucky interrupted.
"Couldn't call my ride," I replied, my words starting to slur.

Bucky's P.O.V.

Quinn took a few steps forward, then nearly collapsed. Only then did I realize the large dark circles under his eyes.
"When was the last time you slept?" I demanded, pulling his arm around my shoulders to support him.
"I don't know, a week ago," he said groggily,"But I don't need sleep. Sleep is for the weak."
Phillips sighed and said to get him medical attention, so I took Quinn over to a nurse's station. After a brief check-up the nurse told me to leave, and that Quinn just needed rest.
I came in the next day to visit, but the nurse told me that Quinn was refusing any visitors. He wasn't really one for sentiment. The next morning I went to ask how Quinn was doing, but the nurse said he had left earlier with no warning. I searched the whole camp until I found him. He was hanging upside-down from a tree branch, doing crunches.
"What are you dining?" I asked,"Shouldn't you be resting?"
"The invasion is tomorrow," he said, stopping, our eyes becoming level,"Phillips made me rest for nearly two days. Time when I should have been training."
He flipped down from the tree and turned to face me. After hours of pestering him, he eventually agreed to come relax with the rest of us. We were all eating dinner, when some of the men began talking about their family back home.
"What about you Barnes?" One asked me.
"I've got a twin sister named Jackie, but if you call her that she'll probably kill you. We're the eldest of five. Then there's my friend Steve who's practically my brother."
"And you Quinn?" Someone asked.
"I'm Russian," he answered flatly, without emotion.
"No, what about your family?" He corrected.
"I'm Russian," Quinn said again, still with no emotion,"Why on God's green Earth would a Russian be here if they had family back home?"
The man who asked the question seemed confused at first. But soon he understood, and gave a respectful nod.
"What about your talents?" I asked," You told me that in your line of work you needed certain 'talents'."
"I'm a master at hand-to-hand combat, and an excellent marksman. I'm fluent in 5 languages, including English," he mused, happy to change the subject.
We all gawked at him, while he just chuckled softly. We spent the rest of the evening talking about the invasion. Quinn was going in first to take out as many guards as possible. Then we would go in, and Quinn would look for any additional information that he didn't get last time.
"What if something goes wrong?" Someone asked.
Offended, I replied,"That's not going to happen. We-"
"No, it's a good question," Quinn interrupted,"It's always good to prepare for the worst, even if it might not happen. I assume you mean if you get captured. If that's the case, I already have a plan. Unfortunately, I can't tell it to you. It's not that I don't trust you, I just can't risk it."
I think everyone seemed to understand. However, I think they still took some offense. I noticed how late I was and ordered everyone to bed. We'd have a long day ahead of us.