Anamnesis [Lacuna #2] {Completed}

Chapter Seventeen

"Oriflamme (n.) a symbol or standard that inspires confidence, devotion, or courage"

November 1943

Bucky had no idea how Steve managed to make the jump.

            By all accounts, he should have been burnt to a crisp the moment his foot left the other side of the bridge, but Bucky didn't waste time thinking about it. As soon as Steve landed next to him on the other side of the half blown up steel walkway, they ran for the exit.

            The sight they were greeted to outside the blown up facility was both confusing and mind blowing at the same time.

            The boys managed to raise hell and after the flight of Schmit, the base had been thrown into chaos. Every HYDRA soldier was either obliterated or fleeing in every direction.

Bucky picked up the nearest weapon he could get his hands on and pointed it at a large HYDRA tank headed straight in their direction.

Relief flooded Bucky when he saw Dum Dum throw open the top of the tank "HA-HA!" He boomed, laughing his head off like a mad man. "That'll teach 'em!" He climbed his way down from the tank, Gabe following close behind him. On the other side of the yard, Montgomery and Jaquin were making their way over to them as well from another tank they had acquired.

            "Steve! Bucky!" Bucky turned around to see Matt running towards them with a shot gun strapped along his back. "I'm glad I don't have to kill you myself now." He smirked at them.

"Takes more than a little explosion to put us down." Bucky said clapping him on the shoulder.

            "You guys alright?" Steve asked as the other men started to gather around them.

            "I've never been more alive!" A Japanese looking man Bucky had never met before said next to Dugan.

            "This is Jim Morita," Dum Dum said, "Don't worry, he's from Fresno." He added with a teasing smile.

            They rounded up all the men who had been HYDRA prisoners and Bucky felt a little relief when he managed to get his hands on a shotgun.

            "So, how do we get out of here?" Dum Dum asked.

            "And can we keep the toys we found?" Jim Morita asked.

            Steve looked around at all the faces of the prisoners. Some of them were laughing at Jim's joke and others still looked terrified to the core. Bucky was taken aback for a moment. All of these men were looking at his friend to be their leader; their hero.

            Steve lifted his chin just a little higher as he started speaking, "Okay, here's what we're going to do..."

*****

Steve instructed each group of men to do a different task. The men who were injured would be put into HYDRA tanks to ride back to camp. Those who could walk would gather whatever weapons had survived the explosions and store them in trucks. Steve assigned drivers and divided up the men who had at least some medical experience to help those who needed it immediately.

            Bucky couldn't quite believe it. Steve was acting like a leader... a Captain. He didn't know any of these men, yet he risked his life for them.

            Once everything had been gathered and the men were ready for departure, Steve addressed the entire group. "We're about to do a lot of walking," He called out. "I will lead a group out here in front back to camp base. If you get tired or feel like you can't continue on foot, just talk to one of the men driving a tank or truck and you'll be able to rest for a while. Your feet are going to hurt in the morning, but each step will bring you closer to home."