═ ∘◦ ☼◦∘ ═
CITLALMINA
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN//FONDUE?
AUSTRIA
HYDRA CAMP
≫──────≪•◦ ☼ ◦•≫──────≪
The air quietly rattled against the metals surface as the engine roared. Darkness layered the world. The sun had retreated behind the mountains and will soon wake from its slumber. But for now, the darkness had took over with only the moons luminosity to provide light.
Elenara sat next to Peggy with Xiuh coiled around her wrist. His golden eyes scanned the map that was held in her hands.
"The HYDRA camp is in Krausberg, tucked between these two mountain ranges. It's a factory of some kind." Steve intently listened, keeping his eyes on where her slender fingers pointed to.
"We should be able to drop you right on the doorstep." Howard called out.
"Just get us as close as possible, please." Elenara had asked Howard to fly them there and he glady obliged. . . as long as she repaid him later for the favor.
"I doubt they leave the skies unsupervised, keep a close eye out." She warned. Howard smiled with pride.
"Don't worry, Dolly. I got it. This ain't my first rodeo." A small smile appeared on her lips; this didn't go unnoticed. Steve eyed her red lips before darting his blue eyes to Peggy.
"You two are gonna be in a lot of trouble when you land."
"And you won't?" Steve tightened and clasped the belts of the parachute around his hips.
"Where I'm going if anybody yells at me, I can just shoot at them." He watched as Elenara swiftly braided her short hair into a crown around her head.
"Or Elle can fry em' up." Peggy nervously smiled and raised a brow.
"They will undoubtedly shoot back." Steve tapped his patriotic shield.
"Well, let's hope it's good for something."
"It's a prop, Steve. Don't trust it too much." Elenara said, securing her braid with a shoe lace. She had failed to find any ribbons, but it will do for the time being.
"Hey, Dolly." Howard's voice caused her to quickly turn to him. "When you get back, let's drop by Lucerne for a nice fondue." Elenara rolled her eyes, practically hearing the smirk in his voice.
"You owe me remember?" Steve kept his eyes on her, waiting for her to answer. He wasn't completely sure what "fondue" meant. Maybe it's a term for the wealthy for something? If it came from Howard, it just had to be so something sexual.
Elenara bit her tongue as she met his blue eyes. In the dark, they seemed grey while hers were nearly black. As strange as it was, she spotted his eyes similar to a child's; innocent. Her red lips were pressed into a thin line and parted for her to speak.
"We'll talk about this later, Howard." The pilot nodded and kept his eyes on the sky in front of him.
"Alrighty." Peggy noticed Steve's jealous eyes on Howard.
"Stark is the best civilian pilot I've seen. He's made enough to brave this airship. We're lucky to have him." She told him as if reminding him why they needed him alive.
A light chuckle emerged from next to her.
"His head is big enough, Peg." Elenara said while shaking her head.
"No, no. She can go on." Howard's chuckle echoed inside the airship. They all laughed, but Steve's face remained stoic.
"So, are you two. . ." He began with a stutter. Elenara's smile faltered and she raised her brow in confusion.
"Do you. . ." Elenara and Peggy shared a look as they waited for the super soldier to finish his sentence. ". . . Fondue?"
"Que?" She asked with absolute confusion. Peggy shook her head and held out the transponder to Elenara.
"Here, this is your transponder. Activate it when you're ready and the signal will lead us straight to you." She nodded and tucked into the pocket of her trousers.
"Are you sure this thing works?" He shouted.
"It's been tested more than you, pal."
"We should be fine then." An oncoming storm of blasts rumbled the airship. Peggy held on Elenara as the ship harshly rocked.
"That's our cue, Elle." The goddess shot up and tightly secured her parachute to her body. She felt a hand grip to her arm.
"Get back here! We're taking you all the way in!" Steve pulled the metal door open and sat on the steel ground.
"As soon as we're clear, you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!"
"You can't give me orders!" Peggy yelled over the loud groans of the airships.
"The hell I can't! I'm a Captain!" He flashed a smile towards Elenara and leapt off without hesitating. Elenara was about to do the same before Peggy held her back.
"Be safe." She embraced her tightly before letting go.
"I'll be back soon."
"You better." The sun goddess couldn't help but laugh and launched herself out into the air. The wind violently roared in her ears as the cold wind bit at her face, her eyes becoming clouded by the oncoming tears.
"Xiuh." He immediately took his form as a staff and jumped into her hands. She pulled on the lever and the parachute exploded out of the backpack. The Mexica Goddess watched with concern at the departing airships as she gently flew down towards the surface. Xiuh let out a comforting hiss near her ears.
"I hope so." She had faith in Howard and knew he will be able to shake them off. Right now, she has to focus on the mission at hand. This was her first mission —not officially. She had trained so long and now she will be finally be able to put her skills to use.
A strained grunt left her mouth as her body was violently pulled back. She looked back to see her chute was stuck on the branches of the tree. Her breaths came out as ragged as she looked down. Her body hung meters off the floor.
"Are you stuck?!" Steve called from below. Elenara shrugged her shoulders.
"Just a tiny bit!" He held out his arms and motioned for her to drop.
"Elle, do you trust me?" She peered down at his faraway figure and nodded
"With my life."
"Then you gotta jump! I'll catch you!" Elenara unlatched her top straps and deeply inhaled as her fingers hovered over the last strap.
"If you don't catch me, I'll make sure to haunt you for life." She quickly unlatched the final strap and covered her mouth to muffle her scream. Steve roughly caught her in his arms and smiled.
"See? I caught you." Her eyesight quickly adapted to the darkness and she could clearly see his bright blue eyes that stared into hers. A smile danced along his pink lips as he lovingly stared into his love's eyes. Her face began to heat up as she awkwardly cleared her throat.
"You can put me down now, Steve." His smile quickly disappeared and a red tint spread from ear to ear.
"Oh— right."
≫──────≪•◦ ☼ ◦•≫──────≪
Elenara sped through the grand array of trees with Steve following suit. The feeling of running through a forest with the breeze lightly hitting her face felt so nostalgic to her. Memories of her past life flooded her mind. She remembered hunting animals alongside her jaguar warriors and sneaking on the enemy tribes.
"Wait." Steve whispered as he hid beside a tree. Shouting was heard in the distance behind the long barbed fence. The pair stared in shock as the bright lights scoured the grounds of any intruders along with soldiers paroling with large rifles. Elenara pushed Steve down along with her as trucks raced down the road.
"Let's hitch a ride?" She asked as she sprinted to the last truck in the line. They hopped inside with a grunt. Two Hydra soldiers dressed in all black stared at them with pure confusion.
"Fellas." Steve greeted breathlessly. The soldiers lunged towards them but were quickly put down by Elenara's gust of fire that pushed them back. They clutched their burned wounds in pain and with a punch Steve sent one of them flying out. His friend quickly followed with a harsh blow with her staff. They waited in silence until the truck came to an abrupt stop then it began to reverse.
"Get behind me." Elenara hid behind Steve as he held up his shield. The cloth was opened by a soldier and he was quickly knocked out as Steve bashed his head, launching him back. They hastily rushed out of the vehicle and ran toward the tanks that were stationed in a line as indistinct chatter in German played over the PA.
"Ay, güey." Elenara shakily whispered to herself at the never ending sight of tanks. The destruction that was before them was capable of destroying cities, yet this was only a small portion of what they had.
"C'mon." Steve gripped Elenara's hand and lead her out the maze of tanks. Using a the vehicle of destruction, they climbed atop of a small building. With her trusted animal companion in hand, she sprinted alongside Steve to the main building of the camp in hope of rescuing their best friend.
.
.
.