The Stars Will Align

Chapter 14

Mikayla's jet was not set to take off for another half an hour, but Peggy, Steve and Howard were already high in the air. "Agent Carter, I was thinking, if this doesn't take too long, you and I can stop down town for a late night fondue?" Howard asked swiftly as he glided the plane towards the Hydra base. Peggy sighed, before returning her attention to Steve, "Howard is the best civilian pilot I've ever seen, he's mad enough to brave this air space, we are lucky to have him." She said, and Howard glanced at the two. "So are you two...do you...fondue?" he asked, Peggy rolling her eyes once again, handing a transponder to Steve. "Activate this when you're ready, and the signal will lead us straight to you."

Before Steve could respond, the plane began to rattle, explosives being thrown at them from all directions. "Hope it's not this bad on the other side of the river, or Mikayla's in trouble!" Howard chuckled, but Steve hadn't found it as funny.

"Were not all the way in yet!" Peggy yelled as Steve lunged to the door of the plane. He ripped it open, turning to Peggy. "As soon as I'm clear, turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!"  He yelled, pulling his shield tightly to his side. "You must obey orders!" Peggy shouted back, narrowing her eyes. "The hell I can! I'm a Captain!" , and with that, he was free falling.

-

Once he was inside the base, Steve slipped easily past guards, in between barrels and machinery, attempting to silently make his way to the other side, finding a way into where the soldiers were being held captive. He stumbled across a table, covered in small bottles of blue liquid. Steve assumed that it must have been Hydra's new weapon, and upon instinct, He grabbed one, shoving it in his belt before proceeding. It could be useful later on.

As he searched for a way in the area, he came across a fleet of trucks that appeared to be heading in the same direction, and he took his chance to jump in the back of the last one. Unfortunately, he was met with two more Hydra guards. "Hey, fellas." Steve tried, but was already being lunged at.

The super soldier managed to knock the first guards head against the side of the truck, throwing him off the back, bothering to watch him roll behind, The next he kicked down, before slamming his shield over the guard's head, knocking him unconscious.

Steve waited until the truck came to a stop, another guard opening the back of the truck shortly after. He knocked him down with his shield, slipping in through the door he'd been guarding. He was finally in.

   American soldiers were still being piled into the facility as Steve reached the cages. "Hey!" One of the guards yelled, running towards Steve. This was not a good idea, and this fact was proven as Steve had knocked past all three guards within seconds, catching the attention of the captivated soldiers. "Who are you supposed to be?" One of the called. Steve stopped for a second, catching his breath, "I'm, um...Captain America," And with that, he began to set the men free. "I'm looking for Sergeant James Barnes." He announced as soldiers gathered around him. " 'Brought down to the testing facility on the fourth floor about a week back, haven't seen him since." The Ace of the unit, Dugan, informed him. Steve nodded. "Alright, get outa' here as fast as you can, I'll meet you in the clearing with anyone else I find." Steve turned to leave, when Ace's second in command, Jim, called out for him, "Hey. d'ya know what you're doing?"

Steve turned and nodded, "I've knocked out Adolf Hitler over 200 times."

Steve ran to where Dugan had directed him, luckily not running into any more guards. As he turned a corner, he had caught the stare of Arnim Zola, hydra's best scientist, evacuating a room which Bucky had to have been in. He let the man go, as his mind was too concerned in finding his best friend.

Dugan had been right- there, strapped to a table, laid Bucky, mumbling miserably to himself.

"Bucky!" Steve called, running to his aid. Bucky's eyes wandered up to Steve, appearing more than dazed and confused, "oh God, Bucky! It's me, Steve." he repeated, cutting the straps that held the man down. The corners of Bucky's lips turned up, "Steve..."

Steve laughed, pulling Bucky to his feet. "Steve," Bucky repeated. "I thought you were dead." Steve sighed, steadying his friend, his eyes filled with relief. Only then did Bucky come to the realization that he had to look up at Steve in order to speak to him, "I thought you were smaller."

     Mikayla had been leading two other jets down the River, a bit concerned by how oddly calm the flight had been. The other two pilots behind her called in every half hour to assure her that they were still in flight. Mikayla waited for her radio to buzz, as they were reaching the third half-hour mark. "Mikayla!" Howard's voice rang, and she quickly flicked on her mic. "Stark? What the hell-", He cut her off, "You need to turn your fleet around, it's messy down there, and you won't be able to get back out". Before Mikayla could respond, they had entered Hydra territory, and the radio cut out. "Shit," she muttered, attempting to reset it as fast as possible.

Howard had been right- after the attack of Captain America, Hydra must have been expecting rescue jets, and they where ready to take them down. The radio reset as one of the Pilots where attempting to reach her.

"Pilot 23, my left wing has been hit, I'm going to need to land immediately, and-" Static. Mikayla reached out to fiddle with the radio, but stopped short when she heard what sounded like hell on earth.

The plane had glided left, unable to balance without a second wing, and hit the jet on the other side of her, both hurdling down and smashing in a heap of fire and shrapnel. Mikayla hung a left, attempting to get over the open water, but was shortly fired at. Both of her wings had been taken out at once, along with the engine on the back of her jet. The radio screeched back to life as she hurdled towards the edge of the water. "Mayday, Mayday!" She screeched. "Pilot 23, what's the issue?" People were listening, thank god. "Fleet of three down, past the river!" She yelled. "Pilot, are you still in the air?"

No. The jet finally crashed on the shore, half sinking in the icey waters, the other half going up in flames. The other jets, which had been following close behind, circled above, nevertheless, the rescue mission would proceed no matter what. Mikayla was completely stuck. Her left arm was pinned under a bar as the flames nipped at her flesh. Her helmet had smashed at impact, causing slam against the seat, knocking her temporarily unconscious. Her eyes opened slowly a few seconds later, only to be met with hell like pain scourging through her entire body.

This was just supposed a search and rescue- oh how the tables had turned.