[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]

"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?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“We are,” Steve confirms. “That’s the source of some of our intel.”

Bucky listens quietly, keeping a weather eye on all their expressions.

[from_the_outside]

She nods at Steve. "Then I'd like to set up a meet with them. If they've been watching the facility, they'll be able to tell us about any routines or openings I can use to infiltrate."

[nerves_of_ice]

She’s confident, certain, and speaks with the assurance of experience, Bucky thinks.

Phillips shakes his head at that request. “I haven’t agreed to this yet,” he points out. “What reason would you give them for the meet?”

[from_the_outside]

She turns to study Phillips, unfazed. "Exactly what I just said," she tells him. "Do they know you're planning to move on the facility?"

[nerves_of_ice]

Phillips scowls at her. “I don’t like asking twice. Why do you need to meet them and have them break their own cover instead of using the established message chain?”

“They do,” Peggy says, calmly. “But not when. They’re the ones who’ve been trying to talk us into it. I think you can see why that warrants caution.”

[from_the_outside]

"With all due respect, Colonel, that's a different question," Sharon points out. "But the answer is: because if I'm going to be working with them, it would be beneficial for us to have a face to face. To successfully infiltrate with the lowest amount of risk, I need as much information as possible."

She shakes her head. "But we can use the established message chain if that would be too risky. Without knowing what that looks like or how you manage it or how long it takes to get intel, I can't determine the best course of action."

[nerves_of_ice]

Phillips studies her for a moment, then gives Peggy a long look. She looks back at him, steady and level. The colonel blows out a breath. “Okay. She’s in. Her way. And yours,” he tells Steve. “We’ll set up the meet. How are you planning to take the squad in?”

Steve looks at Bucky, who steps forward and examines the map with him, then taps a ridge. “From here, Cap. I can guard if you come in low or go over the top and down.”

[from_the_outside]

Steve studies the map and nods. "Over the top," he says. "We have the element of surprise; we don't want to lose it. And we can't risk retaliation to the prisoners, if that's really what's going on inside the facility."

He taps the map. "Dernier can set up a decoy explosion here, on the other side of the facility, with a small group. The main team will come down from here – "

He draws a line down from the ridge with a finger. "We'll split a section off to cut off their exit route."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky nods, looking at the map and seeing it in his mind. “Split it like that and some’ll come out here. I can clean house.”

[from_the_outside]

"And we'll mop out the rest." Steve looks at Sharon, his glance firm. "And I want you out of there before the shooting starts, Agent Carter. Once you've confirmed our intel and provided any new information, your role in this op is complete."

Her lips purse, but she nods. It seems reasonably likely she's not going to be able to push back on this much, but – "Just in case," she tells him, "you should do a skills assessment. If things go wrong, I want you to know what I'm capable of."

[nerves_of_ice]

"We'll do that," Steve says. "But I meant what I said."

Bucky manages to stifle his smile. It's not too hard, given the subject.

[from_the_outside]

She nods; that's probably as good as she's going to get.

"Good," Phillips says. "Next steps: set up a meet for Agent Carter and get the team ready to mobilize. We've got some time to get this right, so let's not screw it up by rushing in."

[nerves_of_ice]

Peggy looks at Sharon. "Agent Carter, I'll coordinate with you on the meet. It'll take a few days. Three, maybe four at most."

She shifts her glance to Steve. "Captain Rogers, we'll be ready when you are."

[from_the_outside]

Steve nods. "I have no doubt of that, Agent Carter," he says, politely, and looks at Sharon. "Agent, I'll run you through your capabilities tomorrow at ten hundred hours, after you've finished with Mr. Stark for the day."

"Copy that, Captain," Sharon tells him. "I'll be ready."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Well, that's good all around then," Phillips notes. His tone's very dry. "Now if we can just catch that red-faced son-of-a-bitch, I'll be a happy man."

The colonel shoots a sharp look at Bucky. "Any of the work with Stark reminding you of anything useful, Sergeant? Anything else to add to our maps and charts and plans, any damn thing at all?"

"I wish it was," Bucky says, low and heartfelt. "Nobody wants Zola more than me, sir."

[from_the_outside]

“Too bad,” Phillips says, but Sharon doesn’t think he was all that optimistic to begin with. He glanced at Aunt Peggy.

“Anything I’m missing, Agent Carter?”