The Family Business (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 41: That's Not Cara

A week after Steve's breakdown, he found himself sitting on the quinjet with Bucky, Natasha, Clint, Bruce, Thor, Sam and Tony, who was piloting. Following close behind them were two quadjets full of shield agents, ready to square off with Hydra forces. They had come across some pretty promising satellite images of a large Hydra facility in Norway, in a mountainous unpopulated area surrounded by forest. Though the outer facility seemed relatively small, the main facility within the mountain, was enormous. Digging a little deeper they had also discovered massive power surges, increased activity to and from the facility and even drone images of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, exactly the man they had been looking for. 

Nat leaned over and elbowed Steve out of his thoughts, "Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah, its just, I have this feeling that she's there, that we're going to find her, that this is it." Steve responded hopeful.

"We all hope this is it Cap. Just don't start celebrating yet, we're about 10 minutes out, we still have to focus on the mission." Nat reminded him, handing him the radio device.

Nodding he stood up and looking around the quinjet, pulled the device up to his mouth so the other two jets could hear him as he spoke. Everyone looked at him except for Clint. Steve found this slightly curious since the two of them had seemed to be getting along better lately. He brushed it off for now, focused of what he knew lay ahead.

"This is Captain Rogers speaking. I know you all are aware of the dangers that lie ahead of us. In just a few short minutes, we will be fighting one of the biggest threats to our freedom and to the worlds freedom, Hydra. But that's not the only reason we are here. They've taken one of our own, one of our agents, one of our heroes. And God only knows what they have put her through. She's saved countless lives, including a few of us that are on this mission. Now its time to save hers and take down as many of them in the process. I'm not asking you to give your life in exchange for hers, all I ask is that you fight at your best. Captain out."

Steve handed the radio back to Nat who gave him an approving look as she hung it back up. The rest of the team also stood with Steve now, suited up and getting weapons ready to go. Tony put the jet on autopilot, turning the chair around and with a few taps to his arc reactor, suited up, ready. Steve put on his helmet, securing the chin strap before removing his shield from his back, strapping it on his arm, ready for anything as long as it meant he could get her back. As the jet descended into the forest below, Steve locked eyes with Clint. He had a sadness in his eyes but not like the sadness he had seen the past month, this sadness, this was new. The soft thud of the jet landing on the forest floor shook the curiosity from Steve's mind. As the rear door opened, they all filed out and immediately began running toward the facility. The element of surprise was not in their favor. Tony and Sam took off aerially to begin drawing away fire from the sentries, while Thor would drop in the smash them with his hammer.

With a deafening roar, they knew Natasha had brought the Hulk onto the playing field as well, beginning to jump from tree to tree with leaping bounds, ripping out sniper's nests. As Bucky and Steve ran through the forest, Bucky shot ground forces with his rifle and Steve threw his shield, knocking riders off motor cycles, off of turrets in vehicles, as well as marching formations of soldiers, before Bucky finished them off. Natasha drove past them in a Hydra vehicle with Clint standing in the mounted turret area, clearing even more soldiers out with his bow and arrows, making way for the SHIELD agents who were joining the battle now on foot, snow mobiles or any means possible to get through the facilities defenses. 

Steve flipped over the handle bars throwing the motorcycle he was riding, over his head at the oncoming vehicle, smashing it and those inside. Bucky rode his motorcycle into a bunker, jumping off bailing at the last minute, causing the bunker to explode. Bucky ran over joining Steve on the path, eyeing approaching soldiers and Hydra vehicle. The could hear the others talking through comms, communicating and working together like a well oiled machine. Thor swooped in landing between Bucky and Steve looking at soldiers marching next to a tank of some sort. Bucky watched their backs, taking out stray soldiers here and there.

"Looks like they're lining up." Thor said twisting his hammer before regripping it.

"Well, they're excited." Steve said raising his shield up bracing it with both hands.

Thor raised his hammer summoning a brief bolt of lightning before striking the hammer down onto Steve's shield. The blast rippled right through the line of men, sending them flying in every direction, striking the tank, destroying it instantly. They watched the Hulk fly over head, landing on another bunker, ripping it apart instantly before taking off again. Thor took off with a grin, headed to help else where. Sam and Tony came over comms saying the turrets were all taken care of and that they were headed into the facility with SHIELD agents. Thor confirmed he would join them and as Bucky and Steve looked at each other nodding, they took off again toward the facility. As they approached the blown open gates, Nat and Clint slid their vehicle to a stop, jumping out to join them. There were singed, crater holes, and bodies from both sides littered the facility yard beyond the gate. Despite the scene before them, they felt hopeful.

"Well that went better than expected-" Clint started but was suddenly cut short.

The other three turned in horror to look at Clint, who was standing in shock looking down at his torso. There were two arrows, one in each side of the upper part of his chest near his shoulders. He dropped to his knees as Natasha dropped into a defensive position looking around, gun raised at the ready. Steve raised his shield and Bucky raised his rifle looking around cautiously. When Clint gasped for a breath, Natasha turned her attention to him, realizing how badly he was injured. Steve moved over to cover them so they weren't exposed and Bucky followed suit.

"Guys, Clint's hit, its pretty bad I need to get him back to the jet." Nat said over comms.

"Get him to the jet and then I think its time to give Banner that lullaby, he can keep an eye on him while we finish this." Tony said.

Nat got Clint to his feet, as he stumbled, even under her support and they made their way to the vehicle they had driven up in. From a different direction, another arrow sank into the vehicle, a red light blinking rapidly. Steve ran and covered them with his shield just as the arrow exploded, causing the vehicle to explode. When Steve looked up, Hulk cam crashing down, scooping Nat and Clint up in his grasp.

"Get them to the jet!" Steve said hurriedly.

Hulk grunted understandingly before launching himself, Clint and Nat in tow, back into the forest. When Steve stood up again, turning to look at Bucky, Bucky was looking down at the ground rifle hanging loosely at his side. When he looked up at Steve, a look of terror was on his face, twisted with sadness. He realized why when he noticed the knife to Bucky's throat, the small glimpse of a striking blue eye just over top of it. The wind blew slightly as the snow gently began to fall around them and the dark brown hair from her pony tail fluttered in it. The air left Steve's lungs as if it had been sucked out of them suddenly. In a moment Bucky elbowed Cara hard in her face with his metal arm, giving him the opportunity to dive-roll sideways over to Steve. When he came out of the roll his gun was up, pointed at Cara who had barely flinched. Grinning at them almost wickedly, she wiped the blood from her nose without breaking her gaze. As she stood up again sheathing her knife, Steve couldn't seem to catch his own breath, tears of relief forming at the edge of his eyes. He blinked them away collecting himself.

"Buck, she's alive. Its Cara she's-" Steve started almost in disbelief.

But Bucky interrupted, rifle still raised, the look on his face had changed to a stern, battle ready one as he didn't take his eyes off of her.

"That's not Cara."