COBRA | B. BARNES

XX. THE ENEMY BASE

Her suit hugged her body closely, blending in with the shadows of the room as the sun had yet to rise, serving as the perfect camouflage for their attack. She set her hair in a tight bun so as to keep it out of her face and then, one by one, she started sliding her weapons into the seaths of her uniform. She put her two guns in each section of the belt around her waist, slid her poisoned knives in her boots before straightening up once more as she heard footsteps coming closer. They were heavy yet quiet and she raised her head as the door opened behind her and she spied the figure of her companion through the mirror.

Bucky was dressed in the armour Fury's agents wore, and Aiyla could see the outline of his weapons as he stood beside the open door, light coming in the room through the living room where she could hear Sam moving around. She didn't look away from him but a small smile formed on her lips as she realised his hair was set in a bun much like her own. There was a grave expression on his face as he looked down at her, and Aiyla slowly turned around, her eyebrows furrowing as she took a step closer.

"What is it?"

He let out a small sigh as he brushed his arm against hers. "Are you sure you can fight?"

"I told you before, Bucky, I've healed almost completely," she assured him softly, "I've no problem fighting. I can go with you. I can help you."

"Don't push yourself too much."

She sent him a look. "Bucky-"

She was cut off as he placed his lips on hers, kissing her slowly, deeply, and she couldn't help but close her eyes as she kissed him back, relishing in the taste of his lips against hers, enjoying the second time they had the chance to be so intimate with each other. He pulled back soon after and she was breathless as he pressed his forehead against hers before straightening up once more, serious as he usually was.

"I need you to be careful, Aiyla," he murmured as he took a step back. "Ask for help if you need to."

"I'll be alright," she assured him with a small smile. "You take care too."

It was then they heard footsteps coming their way and Bucky took a step back as Sam came in the room, unaware of what had just happened between his two companions. He too was dressed in his gear, the machine with the wings strapped on his back as he looked between them with his lips pursed, holding a huge gun he had insisted to take with him.

"Ready to go?"

Aiyla nodded at once and Bucky nodded a while later. Sam didn't seem convinced as he kept talking.

"It won't be the hardest mission we've ever been to. There will be plenty of agents so we'll have back-up. We can do this."

"We know we can, Sam," Aiyla smiled as she walked past him. "Don't worry about it."

Bucky and Sam followed her to the living room just as the alarm started blurring. She turned the television on, watching the footage of the cameras as she noticed a black jeep driving through the forest and she briefly noticed Maria Hill driving before she turned to her companions. "It's time to go."

They wordlessly left the house and headed out of the house. A few minutes later, Maria Hill reached them and pulled over just in front of them. She rolled the window down as they got close and sent them a smile.

"We've got three hours until we reach their base."

"Couldn't have we gotten a jet?" Sam asked in a humouring manner as he opened the front door and sat on the passenger's seat as Aiyla and Bucky sat in the backseat. Hill didn't pay any mind to his quip.

"We'll reach the facility an hour after dawn."

"We'd reach quicker if Aiyla drove." Sam looked back at Aiyla with a wide smile as she smiled, exchanging a look with Bucky who shrugged in response.