[WWII AU] a brand new day

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky wakes in the predawn darkness, long before reveille would normally be called. He spends a few minutes reviewing the mission in his head before he rolls from his cot; there's no room to think about anything else. He meets Steve and the rest of the Howling Commandos at five-fifteen. As planned, they're on the move before the hour has passed.

It's a long day, a hard day, but in the end a successful day, for the most part. The hidden facility carved into the hillside is no more when they leave, HYDRA's agents defeated, their stockpiles destroyed. But there's still no sign of Schmidt, nor of Zola, and that remains incredibly frustrating.

Still, there's reason to celebrate today's win, and the squad's more or less exuberant on their return, some fourteen or so hours later. Steve disappears into the command tent to debrief with Colonel Phillips; Bucky'll catch up with him afterward, as usual. He spends a few minutes trading quips with the others before disappearing to weapons storage to see to his own rifle - also as usual. Something about taking care of it helps him feel like he's cleaning the blood off his own hands.

After that, he finds he's too restless to settle yet, and figures it's not the best idea for him to be around others until he sorts himself out. Bucky wanders along the edge of camp in the dark, then veers from the path and off into the field where he'd spent some time watching the stars only a couple of days ago.

It should be peaceful there, more or less.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"Not at all," she assures him.

"But still. Curious." She studies him for a moment. "I assume this means you've found a way to use me?"

[nerves_of_ice]

Steve frowns at her wording, and knowing his best friend Bucky knows exactly why even before Steve says, "I've found a way you might be able to help. With the team."

[from_the_outside]

"Right."

Isn't that what she said? "Then I'm all ears, Cap."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Colonel Phillips has to agree," Steve warns. "But I wanted to hear what you had to say first. Agent Carter - Peggy - says that you claim to be able to infiltrate places."

Bucky stays as relaxed as he can. He's got an inkling where Steve's going with this.

[from_the_outside]

"That's right."

She stands easily, without any outward sign of worry or stress. "Infiltration is in my skill set."

[nerves_of_ice]

"And Dernier said you spoke French? Your cover with the French Resistance, is that - is enough of that real that you could do it again?" Steve asks.

Bucky nods to himself, very slightly. It's this route, then. He's not sure what he thinks of Sharon taking this on, but it'll be a good test.

[from_the_outside]

"Yes," she says, without hesitation. "To both."

She looks between them. "The cover Aunt Peggy and I created is based on one of my own missions... just moved to the right time period with a few details changed. If my cover could handle whatever you have in mind, Captain, I can too."

[nerves_of_ice]

Steve draws a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "It'll be dangerous," he warns. "You shouldn't see any direct combat, and we'll be there if anything goes wrong, especially Bucky here - but I won't lie and say there's not some risk. Are you sure?"

He glances at Bucky, who nods, and stays quiet. It's Steve's call, and he's right.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon's smile flickers, but this time it's an edged, satisfied thing with a flash of white teeth.

"J'en suis sûr, capitaine," she tells him. "I don't mind a little danger. It really breaks up the day, you know?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay, well, we'll be talking it over with the others," Steve says, "but to bring you up to speed, the intel we have is about another HYDRA factory in the country outside Auxerre. But we think it may be being worked by prisoners."

He very carefully doesn't look at Bucky.

"So before we go in... we need to know."

[from_the_outside]

She watches him, steady.

"You want me to confirm your intel so you don't hurt the prisoners?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Yes," Steve says, very simply.

[from_the_outside]

Sharon looks thoughtful for a long moment, considering, then nods.

"Okay," she tells him. "I can do that."

[nerves_of_ice]

"That'll help. A lot." Steve trades a look with Bucky, who nods back at him, then says, "All right. Let's go. We'll need the map, for starters."

[from_the_outside]

She falls into step with them as they head to Command, thinking over possible modes of entry. If all they want is for her to confirm intel, this won't be a long-term mission – a day or two, tops, most likely.

She's still considering options as they head into the main tent where Bucky had brought her that first night. Colonel Phillips is already there, leaning over the table with its map, Aunt Peggy standing nearby. "Oh, good," the Colonel says, dry, as he looks up. "The gang's all here."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Colonel," Steve says, echoed by Bucky. "Agent Carter."

Bucky circles to the end of the table, leaving Steve to stand at the side of it near Peggy, who nods a hello to her niece.

[from_the_outside]

"Captain," Phillips says. He looks tired. Sharon wonders how many hours of sleep he gets a night, and figures it probably isn't many. "Agent Carter the Second. Guessing you're going to be involved in this, somehow."

He looks like the thought is giving him a mild ulcer. "Captain Rogers, care to explain why a guest who isn't a member of our senior staff is sitting in on my classified strategy session?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Because I believe Agent Carter has the skills to assist with the mission," Steve says, steadily. "And I think it'll help our planning to have her here."

Bucky glances at Peggy Carter, whose expression stays professional except for a flicker of something that he thinks might be pleased.

[from_the_outside]

Phillips looks to Aunt Peggy, then shrugs. "Fine," he says, and straightens, gesturing for the three of them to join him at the map.

"Captain, care to start us off?"

[marvel_npc]

"Right." Steve leans over to tap the dot marked in the territory outside Auxerre. "The intelligence we recovered from the last mission, combined with what we had before, tells us that there's a possibility that Schmidt and Zola have relocated their work from the factory outside Azzano to this facility."

He's getting more and more used to this, and it shows in how he speaks and how he holds himself.

"The problem is that there were some things indicating it might also be worked by prisoners. Which we know they've done before, so it wouldn't be a surprise. Before we take it out, we need to find out if there are innocents in the line of fire."

[from_the_outside]

"And that's where out friend Agent Sharon Carter comes in, I guess," Phillips growls, looking at her.

"That's what Captain Rogers requested," Sharon confirms. "Infiltration and intelligence gathering."

"And that's something you do, is it?" Phillips asks her, dry.

She doesn't back down an inch. "Yes. Both."

[marvel_npc]

"The language wouldn't be a problem," Peggy points out. "There's also a resistance cell in the area that could assist."

Steve nods to her, then looks back at Phillips. "The squad would be nearby in case anything goes wrong. We can't risk HYDRA's agents making an escape."

[from_the_outside]

Sharon nods. "When do you need me to infiltrate the facility? And how will we communicate while I'm inside?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“It’ll take us a few days to set up,” Steve murmurs. Phillips seems willing to let him work it through, Bucky thinks, but the colonel’s watching Sharon carefully.

“There’s a regular supply delivery from the nearest town. They go in, and come out a couple of hours later.”

[from_the_outside]

"All right."

She studies the map without seeing it, thinking. The supply is almost certainly handled by men. Her best option will probably be to infiltrate as a secretary or worker of some kind, or get close to an officer. She can't get arrested herself, because she'll need freedom of movement. "I'll work with Aunt Peggy and Dernier on the best method of getting inside the facility. Are we in contact with the Resistance cell nearby?"