Captain's Hart

Chapter 20 Winter Soldier

* A/N Several switches in P.O.V. this chapter!

The five were in the car, Sam driving them down the highway quickly as they headed for the Triskelion. The inside of the car was silent, Sitwell sitting between the two master assassins in the back while Steve sat in the passenger seat beside Sam.

Sitwell finally bit out as they drove down an elevated part of the highway: "HYDRA doesn't like leaks."

"So why don't you try sticking a cork in it." Sam retorted, glaring at the man menacingly through the rearview mirror.

Nat slid forward to say to Steve: "Insight's launching in sixteen hours, we're cutting it a little bit close here."

"I know." Steve replied shortly. He didn't look back as he told them: "We'll use him," he nodded at Sitwell, "to bypass the DNA scans and access the Helicarriers directly."

Nat nodded and slid back into her seat while Sitwell whipped around to stare at Steve.

"What?!" He demanded. "Are you crazy? That is a terrible, terrible idea."

There was a thud above them and they all glanced up when suddenly a metal arm smashed the rear windshield and grabbed Sitwell, pulling him out and throwing him. He screamed once before he was cut off as he was run over by a truck while Nat and Arianna turned to stare in horror. The arm detracted but they heard the distinct sound of a gun being pulled from its holster right above their heads. Arianna threw open a door as Nat shot forward to shove Steve aside, covering him as their attacker fired through the roof.

Arianna leaned out the open door, pulling her own gun and she fired at the masked man clinging to their roof just as Sam pulled the brakes. The car skid to an abrupt stop, throwing off their attacker while Arianna was flung forward into the back of Sam's seat.

She looked up dazedly to see the man she assumed was the Winter Soldier tumble over and use his metal hand to skid to a stop, landing upright in a crouched position. They watched as the Winter Soldier stood up and stared right at them. Nat pulled a gun right as Arianna heard tires screeching behind them.

She turned and yelled: "Watch-!"

It was too late and the jeep hit their car from behind, causing them all to jerk forwards and Nat dropped her gun. The jeep kept driving, pushing their car forwards and towards the Winter Soldier as Arianna lifted her arm and fired at the assassin.

He dodged her bullets and jumped, landing on their car roof once more with a loud thud and smashing more windows as he held onto the side of the roofs. Sam slammed on the brakes, trying to stop their car and as Nat searched for her gun on the car floor Arianna fired up through the roof.

The Winter Soldier avoided her bullets as he smashed his metal hand through the windshield, grabbed the wheel and ripped it right out. "Shit!" Sam yelled as Nat found her gun and both women fired at the roof. The Winter Soldier jumped off, and Arianna whipped around to see him land upright on the hood of the jeep behind them.

She raised her arm to fire at it, but the jeep rammed into their car again, sending them skidding against the highway barriers. Arianna was knocked aside as the car started to lose control. Steve grabbed Sam and Nat, who was still on his lap, shifting his shield onto the door as he yelled to them: "Hang on!"

Steve then yelled: "Ria!"

"Just go!" She yelled. Steve used his shield to smash the door off its hinges and the three fell out, landing safely on Steve's shield as Arianna whacked her own door off its hinges and jumped out on that. She got out just in time as the car went flying through the air before it went tumbling around.