Frostbite: Blood in the Winter// Third Book of The Frost Bite Series.

A Day Off

The Air and Space Museum was holding a special exhibit dedicated to Captain America. We thought that it would be worth it to go check out. The place was packed, so to keep from drawing attention to ourselves we wore anything that we could to hide our identity without over doing it. 

I had tied up my paper white hair and stuffed it under a baseball cap. Steve put on a baseball cap as well and pulled the brim down enough to cover his eyes.

We walked through the exhibit looking at the photos and artifacts of Captain America and the Howling Commandos. I stared at a picture of Steve before he was given the serum. I had forgotten how scrawny he was. I noticed that Steve was looking away and I turned to see a little boy staring at us. His eyes were full of wonder and I realized that he had recognized us. Steve pressed his finger to his lips and the boy slowly nodded.

Steve and I moved onto a section dedicated to each member of the Commandos and their biographies. A display had mannequins lined up in front of a large painting of the Howling Commandos, each mannequin wore the outfit of the Commando behind them. I looked at my old suit. The one-piece, light blue outfit that wasn't always comfortable. The painting of me made me laugh. I was 19 or 20 during this time and my face clearly showed it, my parents often called me "tot face" because I had the face of a toddler, round eyes and full cheeks. Of course my parents were over exaggerating, but it was fun to joke around with them. The painting looked like it was me now. My face had slimmed down, my lips fuller, but the eyes were the same.

"Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission, taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogues science division." A voice spoke.

Steve nudged my arm and pointed at a large, black and white photo of me. There was my innocent face. I stood in front of it and I guess there was a motion sensed microphone because a man's voice began speaking from the photo.

"Eleanor Flint, also know as Frostbite. The youngest of The Howling Commandos and the only female of the team. Notorious for her ability to produce snow, ice and frost from her hands."

Next to it a video played showing me throwing projectiles. Then the footage showed of me looking at the camera during a mission plan, crossing my eyes, puffing out my cheeks and blowing out a cloud of vapor.

Steve laughed and shook his head. 

"In the 50s Eleanor was put under Cryogenic Freeze to preserve her for future emergencies. She returned in 2001 to aid in the rescue of missing persons after the attacks in New York on September 11."

"Preserved?" I repeated. "That's like saying I'm a food." 

"Eleanor Flint, a preserved fruit." Steve joked. 

"I was Freeze Dried." I laugher louder than I intended to and held my hand up to my mouth.

Steve looked over and walked to a different display. I looked as well, watching him slowly walk up to a memorial for Bucky.

I joined him and gazed at the picture of Bucky as the voice narrated. 

"Best friends since childhood. Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both school yard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of our country."

A video showed Steve and Bucky standing next to each other and laughing. I couldn't help but smile as well at Bucky's handsome grin. It didn't matter that it was 70 years ago, I still missed him. Steve put his arm around my shoulder and lightly squeezed my arm. I patted his hand and smiled up at him.