Anamnesis [Lacuna #2] {Completed}

Chapter Nineteen

"Coalesce (v.) to unite, grow, or come together to form one mass or whole"

December 1943

Bucky looked at all the faces sanding around the table. Captain America's elite squad.

Dougan, Gabe, Montgomery, Moritia, Jaques, and Matt stood next to one another as Colonel Phillips, Steve, and woman named Peggy Carter spoke to each other in hushed tones. A map was set on the table and Steve was pointing to various spots and putting flags down.

The last few days had been a whirlwind of interviews, medical check-ups, research, strategic planning, and figuring out what the hell they were going to do next.

Soon, they would all be given temporary leave from duty for a few days and they would start their operation after Christmas.

Bucky had been able to talk to Rebecca on the phone last night from their current position in London. It had been so good to hear her calming voice.

After each of them had contacted their loved ones, they all had gone out to let off some steam. That's when Steve had requested something of them all.

So Steve had come up to him. Are you ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?

Hell no. Bucky replied taking a sip of his drink, But that little guy from Brooklyn who was too stupid to back down from a fight, I'm following him.

Steve looked at him with a half smile.

But you're keeping the outfit, right? Bucky had asked.

Bucky laughed at the thought. All of them had readily agreed... including Matty. He looked over at the boys across from the table. Each of them looked pretty good considering they had been P.O.W.s for a month, but Matt... he hid it well, but Matty looked the worst. Bucky wondered how truthful he had been about the injuries he had sustained from whatever experimentation Zola had done on him. He had the same haunted expression on his face the last few days. Matt wasn't a fighter, at least, not on the battlefield. Bucky had seen it in his eyes the first day they had met aboard the troopship. But Matt was also selfless and courageous, which meant he would do anything to help his country and friends.

Bucky didn't like it. Matt was by far the youngest of all of them. It's not that Bucky didn't want Matt by his side, but... Bucky could never shake the feeling that Matt was meant for more than this. Bucky's promise to himself that he would get Matty home seemed to become more and more difficult to keep.

"Don't look so glum Barnes," Bucky looked up to see Howard Stark walk over and stand next to him at the table. Bucky had met Howard when he had first come to the 107th camp with Colonel Phillips, but only briefly. Bucky remembered going to the STARK Expo mere months earlier with skinny Steve. He looked over at Steve who was still eyeing the map laid out on the table. He couldn't believe how much had changed since then.

"Steve is giving the Colonel the approximate location of all the remaining HYDRA bases. With any luck, this could mean ending the war." Howard said crossing his arms over his chest. "It's quite the team Steve has pulled together." He said looking around at the men at the table.

Bucky gave him a half grin, "We may not look like much, but I think we can get the job done."

Howard smiled back at him, "I'll try and be as much help as possible. I have a lot of new ideas coming in and out of the SSR and all of them are hopefully going to make your job a little easier."