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𝓗𝓔𝓨 𝓐𝓓𝓞𝓛𝓕,
𝓕𝓤𝓒𝓚 𝓨𝓞𝓤!
𝒴𝒪𝒰𝑅 𝐹𝑅𝐼𝐸𝒩𝒟,
𝐵𝒰𝒞𝒦 𝒞𝐿𝐸𝒱𝐸𝒩...
— ᴳᵃˡᵉ ᶜˡᵉᵛᵉⁿ <3
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WITH EACH PASSING SECOND, A HOMICIDAL RAGE BREWED WITHIN MAJOR Y/N L/N... Her lips were stiff, posture rigid, as she remained alert in her seat, patiently waiting for the rest of her crew to arrive. Her gaze, deadly and unwavering, remained fixed ahead as she fought to regain her composure. She understood all too well the danger of allowing emotions to cloud her judgment, especially in the midst of her duties. Anger was practically a mind-killer — the little-death that often brought total annihilation. She was determined to face her battles with courage and logic, allowing her grief to pass over and through. She aspired to be invincible.
"Seriously?" She cocked up a brow at the raven, who plopped down on the seat beside hers, ready to co-pilot their fortress — Let's not Heil Hitler... "You said it yourself, Major. Buck always hated that jacket." He shrugged in response, fastening his seatbelt with a nonchalant demeanor. Without hesitation, the girl ignited the engine, guiding the aircraft onto the runway with blazing resolution. Unlike previous take-offs, this departure was shrouded in a palpable silence. Each soldier onboard was consumed by a fierce resolve, fueled by the burning desire to avenge the fallen and transform Hitler's doorstep into the very gateway to Hell.
The most grueling aspect of any mission was undoubtedly the waiting. y/n had experienced this firsthand during her mandatory break, imposed by her shrink. She knew all too well the maddening anticipation that gripped them all. No matter how meticulously planned the commissions were, once the wheels were up, they were at the mercy of fate. Now, as she soared through the air, she faced a new set of challenges. Ensuring safety and securing victory were just the beginning, especially since she was at the lead this time. She had not one, but two bomb groups to guide, including her own. That's 52 forts.
"Flanagan's dropping out of formation." The y/h/c observed, an hour into the sky. "Goddamn it- Another one?" Bucky scoffed, trying to get a look. "Lead pilot to Tail: You see what's wrong with Flan's bird?" She inquired. "Yeah, affirmative... Looks like a bad number four engine." Informed Johnny. "Stephen's sliding in to replace him." He then added a minute later. "Co-pilot to Navigator: Log that as another mechanical, will ya?" The raven commanded, already disheartened by the setback, especially since they were only halfway there. "So does that make three, or four that we're lost? I lost count." y/n sighed. "Four aborts, Major." Replied Bubbles.
"So that leaves us with 13 ships only?!" She scoffed, her frustration evident. "Fuck- there's no way that we're gonna close that gap between us and the 95th before the coast." Bucky rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Well, we're giving her all we can." Shrugged the girl, persistent not to let their shortcomings dampen her resolve. "Co-pilot to Tail: How far back are the 390th?" The man then asked. "Gotta be 5 miles, sir." Answered Johnny. "There's too much space for those Jerries to find us in those gaps." y/n murmured, calculating how much time they had left before encountering enemy flak.
As their journey continued, the routine tasks commenced. Soldiers checked off the checklist, scrupulously setting the guns, removing the bomb pins, and logging every detail. They ensured the oxygen supply was adequate and discussed strategies with focused tenacity, each action contributing to their readiness for the task that lay ahead. But amidst the grind, a palpable uneasiness lingered in the cockpit. A tension hung heavy between the two friends, their recent loss weighing heavily on their minds. Though they carried out their duties with practiced precision, the absence of Buck cast a shadow over their camaraderie.
"I'm sorry your London escapade got snipped." y/n remarked with a hint of sympathy, trying to break the tension. "Eh, don't worry about it. The girl I fucked ended up rejecting me anyway." He shrugged nonchalantly, his tone a mix of resignation and humor. "Guess she wasn't ready for the full Bucky experience." The girl chuckled, nudging him lightly. He shot her a playful glare, but a smirk betrayed his amusement. "Nah, she couldn't handle the raw charm." He retorted, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Their conversation continued, a welcome distraction from the heaviness that prevailed between them.
But as their laughter subsided, a somber note crept into the conversation. "So, anything eventful happen while I was gone?" He then asked. "Some creep died, and 2 more ducks hatched." She deadpanned, unsure if she should mention her steamy night with Gale. "I meant between you and Buck." He clarified with a smirk, catching her off guard. Her throat went dry, choking on her own spit at the unexpected question. "Everyone's been gossiping about it. Just wanted the lowdown straight from the source." He chuckled, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction. She shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of his gaze.
"Looks like the escorts are out of gas... They're heading home." She interjected, steering the conversation away from their personal lives and towards the returning ships. Another disappointment to add to the list. "At least they got us through the channel." Bucky sighed, trying to remain positive for the sake of his lost friend. He refused to believe that Gale would go down without a fight. And though y/n remained tight-lipped about the blonde's disappearance, the ferocity in her y/e/c orbs spoke volumes of her faith and resolution. Deep down, he knew she felt the same, and that she would stop at nothing until she'd discover his body, dead or alive.
"Ball turret alerting the crew: Flak dead ahead." Toby relayed swiftly. "Acknowledged," responded the determined girl, steeling herself for the challenge ahead. "Flak at 1 o'clock low." Toby updated as they pressed on. "Now at 3 o'clock; 6 o'clock!" The gunners shouted. "Lauro's hit; they're going down." Johnny lamented moments later. "Parachutes spotted!" Bubbles reported urgently. "Stymie's taking fire." Bucky observed grimly as another aircraft was hit. "Down to 11..." The girl muttered, sweat beading on her forehead as she tightened her grip on the controls. With little cloud cover in sight, success depended on their skill and resolve alone.
"Three minutes to IP." The blonde announced crisply. "Roger that." Replied the pilot, instantly maneuvering to the right to evade incoming fire. "Shit!" She cursed as the fortress was struck, hearing something shatter. "Are you all okay back there?" She asked, her senses heightened. Silence followed. "Is everyone alright?" Bucky's concerned voice rang out over the intercom. "Clanton... his face..." Bubbles' voice cracked with anguish, delivering the dismal news. The loss hit y/n hard, making her question if Red's recommendation for more practice time was warranted after all.
"Engine one's out!" She snapped, feeling yet another hit. "Damn it... cut the fuel and feather it." The raven advised calmly. "Confirmed, Clanton's gone." A gunner reported after a solemn moment. "Navigator to Pilot: We're over the IP — turn to 057." Lieutenant Payne instructed, maintaining his composure. "Roger that, turning to 057." She replied, easing off the throttle slightly, conserving energy for what lay ahead. Sensing the co-pilot's confusion, she brushed it off, hoping to avoid further distraction. "Flak's easing up, but stay sharp; enemy fighters could be lurking nearby." Bucky cautioned, trusting in her expertise amidst the chaos.
Five tense minutes passed before the enemy appeared, not just in pairs or small groups, but in a formidable aerial armada of possibly over a hundred JU-88s. "Fighters at 12 o'clock! There must be hundreds of them." The pilot exclaimed, a hint of fear creeping into her voice for the first time in the battle. Perhaps it was the overwhelming odds or the weight of her own hidden agenda weighing on her mind. Nonetheless, surviving this encounter would require nothing short of a miracle, but if she could pull through, there would be no challenge she couldn't overcome. "Open fire — give 'em everything we've got!" Commanded Bucky, determination ringing in his voice. "Let's lower the fucking odds!"
"They're headed for the runts... let them." y/n said coolly, enduring a few shots without flinching. "Excuse me?" Egan asked, taken aback by her sudden detachment. "We need to conserve our ammo for the return trip. It's a classic guerrilla tactic." She explained confidently. "In the air?" he raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Only one way to find out." Shrugged the girl. "Pacer Lead to Redmeat Lead: Rosie, we've got a potential guerrilla unfolding here, or at least that's what I suspect the Krauts are attempting... You know what to do. Spread the word." She alerted her friend. "That's the most Nazi-thing I've heard today, and I was reading one of Adolf's speeches earlier." Scoffed the man, incredulous.
"Keep your eyes peeled, and go low on ammo." She advised, deftly dodging an aggressive fighter and causing it to collide with another attempting to flank her ship. "Roger, wilco." Affirmed Rosenthal before signing off. "Pilot to Bombardier: We're nearing the target; are you prepared?" She inquired. "Bombardier to Pilot: Roger, ma'am." Replied Hambone. "Alright, Ham... It's all yours." She confirmed, relinquishing control. "Roger, my aircraft. Opening bomb bay doors." He muttered. "Enemy aircraft at 9 o'clock high!" Johnny cried out. "Engage two and leave the rest for the 390th." Bucky instructed. "Tail gunner: we've lost another one... last of the low element!"
"Shit- Engine three's on fire!" The raven yelled. "Cutting fuel and feathering." He sighed, the girl assisting despite the pounding pressure in her head from the intense mental strain. From calculating distances without a map, to rationing ammo for survival, her mind was a battleground of its own. Returning home seemed a distant challenge she hadn't fully considered, never imagining she'd sustain so much damage, let alone lose engines. Landing in friendly territory was her only hope, but even then, it felt like a perilous gamble, driven by a desperate need to avenge her profound grief.
"We're holding steady, maintaining speed." y/n assured herself more than her crewmen. "Just barely." The co-pilot scoffed. "We can reach the targets." She claimed to herself. "Approximately one minute until bomb release." Hambone informed. "Enemy rockets at 2 o'clock!" Bucky shouted helplessly, recognizing that without y/n's skillful piloting, their fort was merely a vulnerable metal shell in the hostile skies. "FUCK--" Echoed through the plane as they absorbed another punishing blow. "Lead pilot to Nose: What's happening out there? We need to drop those bombs!" She cried out in frustration. "They're making another pass at us! New fighters approaching from the rear!"
"Make those bastards pay. FIRE AWAY!" y/n cried out, her resolve unyielding regardless of the savage probabilities. "Looks like you were right about the gorilla thing you were talking about, Major." Mumbled Bubbles, heading down to the nose to help with the guns. "Damn it... Engine four's gone." Bucky announced. "We're down to one engine." He added softly. With only one engine left, the girl knew their time was limited. Forty minutes to the U-boats, forty to the Dutch... but she didn't have eighty minutes on her. All she had was sixty, give or take. Wilhelmshaven was the farthest she could hope to reach, and even then, she'd be on foot after that.
It would be a grueling 25-hour trek, without rest, but she was adamant. Gale Cleven was her everything, and without him, life felt meaningless. Taking her crew on such a perilous, unofficial, self-imposed task seemed solipsistic, so she needed a plan to ensure their safety too. "Hambone's badly hit!" The Navigator reported, their silent prayers reverberating throughout the aircraft. "Engine two's not looking too happy either, Duck... We'll have to break formation once we hit the target." Egan murmured, burdened by the weight of their impending defeat.
"It's going to be a struggle to keep her steady on the way back... We have to break formation immediately!" Bubbles urgently alerted. "FUCK!" y/n yelled in exasperation, discarding her mask to take a breather. "Release the bombs now, we're at the IP!" The raven ordered. "Activate the bailout bell." He then told the girl. With a heavy heart and a sense of bitter disappointment, she complied, her emotions blending with her duties for the first time. It was her first mission failure, and she felt she had let both Buck and herself down. The Nazis had taken everything from her, leaving behind only a burning desire for revenge.
"Release the bombs, but don't detonate the bomb site just yet..." She ordered, recomposing herself. "What? What do you mean, Major?" The aircrewmen questioned, perplexed. "I can't keep her steady much longer — grab the parachutes and get out!" She yelled, not bothering to explain herself. Without hesitation, the men followed her orders, knowing there was no time to argue. Slowly, one by one, they began to evacuate the aircraft. "There they go!" She announced once everyone had left, turning to her friend. "Let's get out of here!" He agreed, quickly unbuckling his harness. Making their way to the exit, y/n slowed the aircraft to conserve fuel.
Though disheartened, she refused to give up easily. For the first time in her life, she ignored common sense, driven by primal instinct. "Go!" cried Bucky, sensing something amiss from the courageous look on her face, which seemed to have been replaced by a heartless, reptilian one. "No, you go." She insisted, weighing her options internally. "Damn it, Ducky, I outrank you. Jump!" He snapped. "No, it's my ship, so you jump first!" She retorted. "Damnit, John, leave before I kick you out myself!" She threatened. "Oh, to hell with this... I'll see you on the ground, y/n." He sighed, jumping off. With a determined glint in her eyes, she murmured. "See you..."
Striding purposefully back to the cockpit, rather than jumping off, the girl knew she'd have to wait a little longer before joining her comrades, for she had an unexpected rendezvous planned at the U-boats in Bremen...
(2.4k words)
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