War Guilt [#Wattys2015]

Chapter Eleven

US Army Camp, 107th Battalion, Germany, 1943

Maria

So we trained and prepared ourselves for the whole week that we were allowed. No one slacked off, especially not with Barnes on their tails constantly, and no one protested. We knew we would be challenged and we would truly have to try our best.

I sat at a table with Barnes, going through all the information that I had collected while I was on my mission. We had looked over Sergeant Roberts' idea of a 'plan' and decided that it was..well...crap, so we made our own. Together we made escape plans, mission plans and various other plans so that we would have the advantage.

"I can't believe how much information you were able to steal!" He exclaimed.

"I live up to my nick name, yes?" I replied.

"Indeed you do Mr Spy Guy," he said back with a laugh. "Actually, I have an idea for you. Since you have the abilities, how about you gain access to the head controls room and shut down all camera and so on? It'll give us a better chance."

I thought for a second. I knew I could do it but if I got caught I would jeopardise the whole mission.

"Yeah, sure. What if I get caught?" I asked.

"You won't," he replied. "I trust you."

Oh god.

At that moment I felt like such a traitor. He trusted me and I was lying to his face. I was lying to everyone! Oh how much I wanted to tell him who I really was. I was so afraid that when he finds out, he'll hate me forever. I shook my head clear and focused on the job at hand. I could worry about that another time.

**********

Barnes

There was something about Jackson that was just so different. The way he acted around me and the others, the things he said sometimes and his general presence was strange. But I didn't feel like I couldn't trust him, I did trust him.

**********

A Few Days Later

Maria

It was the night before our planned attack on the Hydra base that I discovered something about myself. Other than the fact that my hair had started to grow out and it was gaining a red tinge, I had the biggest crush on Barnes...unbelievable! I didn't join the army to get a crush on someone! I joined to get my revenge!

"What the hell is wrong with you!" I quietly yelled to my reflection.

I was in the showering complex, standing in front of the dirty mirror. I'd often go there and talk to myself when I couldn't talk to anyone else, strangely as it sounds. Sometimes I thought I was crazy but then I would find other soldiers doing the same thing.

"You need to keep your mind clear or you're going to get killed! Stupid! Stupid!" I growled hitting my palm against my forehead.

I soon gave up trying to hit the feeling out of me and went back to my bunker to sleep. I would need it because I was guaranteed almost no sleep while we were attacking. No matter how hard I tried to sleep, Barnes kept running around in my head. I had never had this sort of feeling towards anyone before, it was completely foreign to me. So I wasn't sure weather or not I liked it.

Sleep woman! Sleep!

Day Of Invasion

We got up at the crack of dawn and were transported out on military trucks. The truck I was on was at the front, leading the way. I looked back at the numerous other vehicles that transported the rest of the 107th. In my mind I thought about how many of these men would make it back alive. Then I wondered about if I would make it back. There was no way in knowing how many men we were going to lose, and it scared me.

"You alright?" Barnes asked me.

We were seated together at the back of the truck, going through our plans and making last minute decisions and changes.

"I'm fine," I replied shortly.

He glanced at me wearily and I tried not to look him in the eyes. I had to keep my mind clear of any feeling because I didn't want to be responsible for any mistakes.

"What ever happens out there today, I'm glad I met you," he said putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Me too," I replied with a small grin.

We stopped a few miles from the base and unloaded ourselves. When everyone was out of the trucks, we took to the trees. The weather was in our favour as a huge fog kept us hidden and out of sight. Barnes and I took the lead, flashing our torches when it was safe to advance.

"How far now?" Barnes asked me.

"Just through this group of trees and the fence is on the other side," I whispered back.

He nodded and scanned the area for guards, gun at the ready. When the area was deemed clear he nodded to me. I nodded back and turned to face the back, quickly flashing my torch twice. I lifted my hand and flicked my fingers forwards, motioning that it's safe to advance. As we went through the last group of trees I held up my hand in halt, waiting for a bit before turning my torch on and flicking it side to side, motioning for the first line to move forward and bring the chain link fence down for the rest of us.

We moved quickly and quietly and entered the base unseen. I got straight to work with heading to the head controls room to shut down all the cameras and alarms. I went through the vents and shot the guards while I was hidden. When no one came I got out of the vent and began to kill the cameras and alarms. As I was doing my job, I noticed a picture on the desk. I couldn't see it clearly so I grabbed it and held it up in the light. It was a picture of me running off the Ryan, Carlisle, John and Michael.

Shit.

I folded it and put it in my pocket so no one else would see it. When I was done I got back in the vent and joined the others. Easily, I found Barnes and headed straight for him.

"All good?" He asked.

"Yep, cameras and alarms are down," I replied.

"Good. Alright, on my count; three, two, one, attack!" He yelled.

We all came out of hiding and ran towards the main area of the base, yelling and screaming. Barnes and I led at the front while the rest of the 107th followed. I shot like mad trying to take out as many Hydra agents as I could. Men were falling all around me, both Hydra and American.

Most of us kept running and shooting while others went off to bring down other areas of the base. Our plan was working, we were gaining control. I grinned at Barnes as the Hydra agents began to diminish.

"It's working!" I yelled.

Suddenly, things took a turn for the worst. Hydra agents began to shoot our soldiers with technology that I had never seen before, taking them down like ants. The blue ray vaporised them on the spot. It weakened us dramatically and I gaped in shock.

What the hell?

When there were only two thirds of us left, the blue ray encircled us, keeping us trapped. There was no where to run; no where to hide. A man stood before us, another smaller man stood next to him. I recognised them as Johann Schmidt and Arnhem Zola.

"Pathetic little Americans. Is this you way of taking down a base? I do say that it's rather amusing to watch you fail." He spoke with a thick German accent. "Lock them up! Lock all of them up! They'll come in handy eventually." He turned around without saying anymore.

Hydra guards began to push us towards the prison room. I couldn't quite comprehend that we'd been caught and were being imprisoned. That was not supposed to happen.

They separated us into groups of about four or five and shoved us into circular cells. At the top of the cells were barred bridged that the guards could walk upon. I was moved into a cell along with Barnes. I heard some bickering and turned my attention to a man in a red hat.

"Hey!" He growled and a Hydra guard ushered him into a cell with a baton. "One of these days I'm gonna have a stick of my own."

I turned back around and slid to the floor in shame. I buried my face into my hands, I couldn't help but feel like this was all my fault. Barnes sat down next to me, I could tell he was feeling the same way.

Lord help us...