03 ╸silent running

DOCTOR ARNIM ZOLA packs everything he can, his maps, blueprints, field and scientific notes, but he forgot to take down the map with the German bases pinned onto it; the Allies can use it easily for some information to where they would hide out. Diana had come out as Wonder Woman to Steve when she walked into the plane wearing the iconic armor; Steve was shocked that his childhood hero was always there in the camp with him. She taught him a few basic maneuvers with his shield, teaching him how to throw it and use it to deflect other things, and even threw in her sword in there. She felt pity for him: a man that wanted nothing but to save his country and those innocent people around the world yet he was put into a show.

On the map, the bases were put in different countries ― no more than one in each country; Italy, Greece, Ukraine, France, a country called Ostland (the Baltic states were gathered up by the Germans), and Germany. Diana was out in the field, fighting alongside other soldiers, while Steve went looking for Bucky. He saw Zola running out of his office, carrying two leather-bound bags and his coat, seeing him freeze before beginning to run the opposite direction; Steve began running to him, but soon stops when he gets to the door the doctor ran out of. Yellow light spilled out of the room, giving the supersoldier's face an eerie glow. When he walked in, he was on alert, the yellow light turning white as he went into the brick room, a soft mumbling coming from a table. "Sergeant, three-two-five-five-seven," Steve runs up to the man, seeing Bucky with a bleeding ear, muttering his information.

"Bucky," Steve says, the man's blue eyes opening and seeing his now-tall best friend. Steve mutters an 'oh-my-god' and unlatches the restraints holding him down, "Is that. . ."

"It's me," Steve confirms.

"Steve? Steve."

"C'mon," Steve tugs him up. "I thought you were dead." Bucky's azure eyes do a double-take on him, taking in all of the muscle and height he had grown. "I thought you were smaller." An explosion is heard behind them, Steve's sweaty head turning to see view the map, taking count of all the little triangular paper on it, gunshots heard all around them along with screams of pain. "Come on," Steve pulls Bucky beside him while he walks, "What happened to you?"

"I joined the Army." Ally forces took the tanks HYDRA had, shooting down soldiers as Diana jumped over them, shield and sword in hand, hair flying behind her, whipping along her back. "Did it hurt?" Bucky was good enough to walk by himself.

"A little."

"Is it permanent?"

"So far."

Diana runs beside the tank through the wall they had destroyed, smirking as she felt power laced into her bones; this was where she belonged. Schmidt didn't want his facility to be used, so he had planted bombs inside the place and had the controls inside the room in which he watched the soldiers from, a control ticking down to '00:00', and a landmine explodes. This happens with many others, Steve and Bucky going to a walkway, staring over the side. They duck as another bomb explodes near them, both deciding to go to the walkway above. They make it without a scratch, "Captain America!" Schmidt says, standing on the metal sidewalk. "How exciting!" He hands a briefcase to his doctor. "I am a great fan of your films! So, Doctor Erskine managed it after all." The two walk closer through a bridge-like path. "Not exactly an improvement, but still, impressive."

Bucky watches over his friend, making sure he didn't get hurt. Steve lands a punch on Schmidt's face, the right undereye moving off his face, "You've got no idea."

"Haven't I?" Schmidt goes to punch Steve, but the blonde moves his shield so his fist could connect with the metal, a large indent of a fist showing up on it. The Brooklyn-born man reaches for his pistol but the HYDRA leader is too fast, his fist has already connected with Steve's chin, knocking him back onto the metal grating. When Schmidt moves closer, Steve kicks him in the chest with both feet, making the leader hit the metal some feet away. Zola moves a lever that makes the bridge separate, moving the two men to their respective side. Steve's pistol had fallen over the side. Both men stand up. "No matter what lies Erskine told you, you see, I was his greatest success!" Schmidt yells at him, hand moving to the bottom of his jaw, Steve and Bucky watching in horror as the man lifts a mask off, revealing a bald, red-faced thing underneath. He had no nose, no hair whatsoever, and his bones were very prominent through the skin. "You don't have one of those, do you?" Bucky asks.

"You are deluded, Captain. You pretend to be a simple soldier, but in reality, you are just afraid to admit we have left humanity behind." He throws the mask over the edge, letting it catch on fire before moving away from the broken bridge, grabbing his briefcase from Zola. "Unlike you, I embrace it proudly. Without fear!"

"Then how come you're running?"

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