1943

Chapter Four

"Who are you supposed to be?" One of the soldiers asked. Steve and Hailey had successfully gotten into the base and found the captive soldiers. 

"I'm... Captain America." 

"I beg your pardon?" Someone asked. 

"Is that your sidekick?" Someone asked, pointing to Hailey. 

"If anything, he's my sidekick. I'm Agent Barnes." Hailey said as Steve unlocked the cells. The prisoners poured out of the cells. 

"What, are we taking everyone?" Someone else asked. 

"Of course." Steve nodded. 

"Is there anybody else? I'm looking for a Sergeant James Barnes." Hailey asked. 

"There's an isolation ward in the factory but no one's ever come back from it." A man said. Hailey took off running. 

"All right. The tree line is northwest, 80 yards past the gate. Get out fast and give 'em hell. I'll meet you guys in the clearing with anybody else I find." Steve announced, eager to follow Hailey.

"Wait! You know what you're doin'?" 

"Yeah. I've knocked out Adolf Hitler over two hundred times."  Steve said, running off to follow Hailey. 

--

"Steve!" Hailey choked out. Her gun was on the floor and a HYDRA agent was facing Steve, holding Hailey up by her neck. 

"Duck!" Steve yelled. Hailey dipped her head as Steve shot the soldier, who released his grasp on Hailey. She fell on her feet and bent over, trying to breathe. 

"Are you okay?" Steve asked. 

"I'm fine." Hailey breathed. "Let's go." She said. They walked through the corridor until they head something. 

"Sergeant. 32557..." They rushed into the room to see Bucky strapped to a table. 

"Bucky? Bucky! Oh my god..." Hailey exclaimed, unstrapping him. 

"Is that..." Bucky started, looking at Steve. 

"It's me. It's Steve." Steve said. 

"Steve?" 

"Come on." Hailey said, helping him up. 

"Hailey." He said, turning towards her. 

"We thought you were dead." Hailey exclaimed. 

"I thought he was smaller." Bucky said, looking at Steve. 

"Come on." Steve repeated. 

"What happened to you?" 

"I joined the army." Steve laughed. 

"Did it hurt?" 

"A little." 

"Is it permanent?" 

"So far." Steve nodded. They began running through the exploding building, trying to escape. 
"Captain America! How exciting! I'm a great fan of your films. So Dr. Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement, but still impressive." Dr. Arnim Zola said. 

(I haven't really mentioned Zola or Shmidt because this story isn't really about them, it's more about Hailey, Bucky, Steve, Peggy, and Howard. But he's the red skull if ya don't know.)

"You've got no idea." Steve said. Bucky stood behind him, protecting Hailey. 

"Haven't I?" Johann Schmidt went to hit Steve but he protected himself with his shield. As they fought, Dr. Zola ran to pull a lever. Suddenly, the catwalk they were standing on retracted to either side, separating them. "No matter what lies Erskine told you, you see I was his greatest success!" Schmidt peeled off the skin on his face to reveal a red, skinless face with no nose. Hailey gasped.