[WWII AU] a long-awaited mission

[nerves_of_ice]

He'd wondered what was up when Steve had asked him to join the strategy meeting with him and Colonel Phillips that morning, just after breakfast. His best friend had tried to keep it casual, given that the guys were around, but Bucky can still read him as easy as any book.

It had taken less than three minutes for him to realize, and a solid five hours for them to plan the details of the mission. They'd worked through lunch, and by the time he leaves officers' country, Bucky's nearly vibrating with excitement.

Zola. After all this time, they've finally got a lead on the son-of-a-bitch. And it's a good one. First Zola, then Schmidt, and then--

He doesn't let himself think about that yet. He can't. Bucky reminds himself to stay focused as he moves quickly along the hallways, heading for the weapons room.

They'll all be getting the official orders at the afternoon's training session, but he can't sit still. Not now. Might as well check over his gear and make sure everything's as tuned up as it can possibly be.

Comments

[from_the_outside]

"I'll go see Aunt Peggy, I guess."

Although maybe she shouldn't. She's not sure she can slip the mask back on just yet. "I'm supposed to have dinner with her later."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Okay.” Time feels like it’s racing past all of a sudden. He wonders if that’s going to keep happening.

Bucky hugs her again, then makes himself let go and stands. “I’ll see you tonight, angel.”

[from_the_outside]

She stands, too, and leans in to kiss him once more. "See you tonight," she promises.

As impossible as it feels to let him go, she has to.

[nerves_of_ice]

He cradles her face between his hands and kisses her back, then wipes the lipstick off his mouth and smiles at her, trying to reassure.

[from_the_outside]

She smiles back, faint. "Go on, soldier," she murmurs. "I'll see you later."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky braces to attention and salutes her, then winks and leaves her quarters to head down to the squad room.

The second he’s out of her sight, his smile vanishes as he loses himself in his thoughts.

[marvel_npc]

The energy in the squad room is tangible and nearly giddy. Zola, at last. The men are chatting amongst themselves as Steve pores over the map, double-checking their proposed approach.

It could work. It could really work.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky makes himself take a deep breath and relax his shoulders before he walks in. He’s not surprised to see that he’s the last to arrive.

He can’t settle, but no one would expect him to anyway. He nods to Gabe and Dernier as he wanders up to join Steve for a minute before the briefing.

“See anything different?” he murmurs, eyes on the map.

[marvel_npc]

Steve shifts to make room for his best friend without even thinking about it and shakes his head. "This still seems like the best approach," he says, quietly, finger tapping on the mountainside they'd identified earlier.

"Maybe the only approach. It's the only ledge wide enough to set up our equipment and with a clear enough shot across the valley."

[nerves_of_ice]

“We can’t let him slither away again,” he agrees. They’d gone over this for an hour before, so the question was fruitless to start… but he had to ask.

“Not this time.”

[marvel_npc]

"We won't."

His tone is final. Steve glances over his shoulder and allows himself to smile, slight. "We'll get him, Buck. And then he'll pay for everything he's done. We'll get the location of the cube out of him. Once we have that..."

The war will be over. Effectively, if not actually. "Zola's the missing piece. And he's within our reach."

[nerves_of_ice]

“First Zola, then Schmidt.” Don’t worry about the future, Sharon had said, all those weeks ago. I can promise you, Steve has one.

His faint answering flicker of a smile is a little rueful, but real. It means a lot to know that Steve’ll be okay, no matter what. “It’s been a long time coming.”

[marvel_npc]

"Too right, pal."

Bucky's flicker of a smile draws his attention, though. Now that he's looking, his best friend seems a little withdrawn. "You good?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“I’m okay.” Bucky makes himself meet his best friend’s searching glance. “I just … I really want us to get him, Steve.”

[marvel_npc]

Bucky has more reason than any of them to hate Zola, to want him caught, but as Steve studies his best friend, he wonders if maybe he's not asking too much of him. What will happen, if Bucky's forced to suddenly confront the man who'd tortured him, experimented on him?

"I know," he says, quiet. "Buck, you know – Jim could take this one, with me and Gabe."

He knows Bucky won't take the offer, but... well, he feels he has to hold it out, anyway.

[nerves_of_ice]

The wild impulse to say yes grips him. But if he did, would he be sentencing Jim to death in his place?

Bucky shakes his head. “You’re stuck with me, Rogers,” he says, as firm as he can make it.

[marvel_npc]

Steve can't help grinning at that, though he makes a mental note that Bucky still seems preoccupied. "Same as always," he says, and glances around at the other guys.

"Let's get this show on the road, huh?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“You got that right, Cap!” Dugan calls. Leaving the spotlight to Steve, Bucky goes to lean against the nearby wall, arms crossed over his chest as he listens.

[marvel_npc]

"Alright, listen up."

The Howling Commandos cluster around the table, peering at the map, their excitement filling the air in the room. He supposes Bucky's staying off to the side because they've been over this already, but feels a faint pang regardless. If this works, how many more times will they gather like this together?

Steve runs his finger along the serpentine line of the river. "Zola's train will be traveling along this ravine. It's cube tech, moving faster than anything we've got. So the timing for our approach has to be exact."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I’ll say,” Falsworth observes. “Otherwise we’re going to be flattened on the tracks.”

“Just like the dame in the old movies,” Jim tosses back, as everyone laughs.

“Put a lid on it, guys,” Bucky puts in. “Cap, go on, we’re listening.”

[marvel_npc]

Steve waits for the ruckus to die down, slight amusement softening the corners of his own mouth. "Stark will drop us in as close as he can," he continues, "but we'll have to hike it from there. To here."

He taps the mountainside once more. "Stark's team will go in ahead of time, set up a cable. Bucky, Gabe, and I will take that down, across the valley – "

His finger cuts a line across to the tracks. " – and land on the moving train."

[nerves_of_ice]

Dernier lets out a low whistle. "Daring."

"Question." Falsworth waits until they all look at him, but keeps his attention steady on Steve. "How will we know it's the right train? And that Zola's on it."

"We've got a line on their dispatcher," Bucky tells them. "Means we'll have to hump a radio set up to the deployment position, but we can tap the signal."

[marvel_npc]

"Once confirmed, we'll make the approach," Steve agrees. "Falsworth, you'll coordinate the drop."

He allows a small smile. "So it'll be up to you to keep us from getting squashed."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Just the three of you?" Jim wants to know. "Why not all of us?"

"It's probably not going to be a long cargo train," Bucky drawls, trying to keep it light. "And it'll be racing to beat the devil. Not much time for everyone to get on board."

[marvel_npc]

"Our intel suggests the train is moving cargo and munitions, not soldiers," Steve adds. "Zola's intending to sneak by. Once we get aboard, Bucky and I will be able to handle any resistance."