Red, White & Blue | Bucky x Reader

Chapter Twenty-Three

White. The colour of fresh snow. It blankets the mountain we stand on as the freezing wind billows around us. With the zipline ready to go, all we need to do is wait for the train we know is coming. Jones and Morita listen intently to the radio as Falsworth keeps an eye on the tracks down below. I zip my jacket tighter around my body as I stand at the cliff edge with Steve and Bucky, protecting myself from the frigid air.

"You cold?" Bucky asks, pulling me close to share his body heat as we watch the tracks.

"Thanks," I smile at him before turning to Steve. "Hey, Steve, remember when we made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?"

"Yeah, and I threw up?" Steve replies.

Realizing my train of thought, Bucky asks, "This isn't payback, is it?"

"Now why would I do that?" Steve answers with a smirk on his face.

Jones interrupts our banter, "We were right. Dr. Zola's on the train. HYDRA dispatcher gave him permission to open up the throttle. Wherever he's going, they must need him bad."

"Let's get going, because they're moving like the devil," Falsworth states, spotting the train up ahead as it speeds toward us.

Steve, Bucky, Jones, and I ready ourselves for the zipline, each taking hold of one of the metal handles hanging above our heads.

"We only got about a 10-second window," Steve states, adjusting his grip on his handle, "you miss that window, we're bugs on a windshield."

"Mind the gap," Falsworth jokes.

"Better get moving, bugs!" Dugan exclaims.

Waiting for the right moment to jump, fear sinks into my stomach. I push it aside, letting the adrenaline take over. Now is not the time to be afraid of heights.

"Maintenant!" Dernier shouts, and Steve leaps forward, ziplining to the train. Bucky quickly follows.

I move forward and, holding tightly to my handle, I swing myself from the cliff, letting gravity take control as I speed toward the train, wind rushing passed my ears. Jones follows close behind.

We drop onto the top of the train, crouching low to avoid being blown off by the wind, and slowly make our way forward, careful of every step we take. Steve, Bucky and I use the ladder to climb down into the car, while Jones continues along the top to corner Zola from the front.

The train is empty except for the crates stacked along the walls, and we continue moving forward. As Bucky and I enter the next car, the door slides shut beside us, separating us from Steve. I spin around to look through the window, not noticing the HYDRA soldier appearing behind us. Luckily, Bucky does, and he grabs me around the waist as the soldier begins to shoot, pulling me behind the nearby containers.

"We move on the count of three," Bucky orders. "Ready? 1... 2... 3!"

We stand, firing our weapons at the soldier as we cross to the other side of the train and duck behind some more containers. Unfortunately, the HYDRA soldier does the same, ducking behind the shelves in the centre of the train car.

"Shit!" Bucky curses, checking his magazine. "I'm out."

I check mine before replying. "So am I."

The door opens behind us, and we spin around in panic, expecting to see another solder. Instead, we find Steve. He nods to Bucky and tosses him a new gun before running into the car and slamming his shield into a container, launching it across the shelf toward the soldier. The soldier jumps out of the way, right into Bucky's line of sight, and Bucky fires the gun, killing him.

"I had him on the ropes," Bucky states.

"I know you did," Steve replies.

Behind us, I hear the whirring of something powering up and we turn to see another soldier stepping into view, wearing a metal suit and holding a large blaster.

"Get down!" Steve orders, pulling us back as he lifts his shield. Bucky and I duck behind him just as the blast hits, knocking the three of us to the ground.

"Fire again! Kill him! Now!" Zola's voice orders through the speakers.

Recovering first, Bucky lunges for Steve's shield, using it to protect his body as he shoots at the soldier. The bullets bounce of the soldier's metal armor, and he fires again, the blast ricocheting off the shield and ripping a hole through the side of the car, throwing Bucky out of the train.

"Bucky!" I scream, running to the now open side of the train car to see the love of my life dangling from the ripped metal. "Hang on!"

Steve recovers his shield and launches it at the enemy soldier, dispatching him before moving me out of the way.

"Bucky! Hang on!" Steve orders, climbing out of the car to reach him. "Grab my hand!"

Bucky inches his way toward us, but the metal gives way with a painful screech. He falls.

"Bucky!" I cry. "No!"

I fall to my knees, the anger and grief pooling into my chest. Suddenly, it explodes from me in a wave of blue light, ripping through the remainder of the train car and knocking Steve to the floor. As quickly as it came, the light disappears and I wrap my arms around my body, sobbing hysterically. Still shocked from the blast, Steve gets up and after a moment of hesitation, he pulls me into his arms, hugging me as I cry for our friend.