It was just past midnight when the private jet touched down at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris France. The plane quickly taxied to a hanger located on one of the smaller runways, where it started to shut down once inside. As the whine of the engines faded a black SUV with tinted windows pulled into the hanger. It came to a step just inside the entrance, a man in a gray suit exited the passenger side and waited for the plane's engine to come to a complete stop, yet the driver remained in his seat with the engine running. A moment later in the silence of the hanger a hatch opened on the plane and a set of stairs descended. As they touched the floor a man with blond hair stepped into the open space. The man at the SUV was taken aback at 6'2, 225 pds the man disembarking from the plane was no slouch, but from all the stories and rumours he had actually been expecting someone even bigger. He stepped forward as the man came of the stairs.
"Monsieur Rogers, it is an honour to meet you sir, I am Capitaine Thiery Maicon of the DCRI."
"Good to meet you Capitaine Maicon, it's been awhile since I was last in France." Replied Steve Rogers, better known to the world as Captain America. "Thank you again for allowing me to take part in this mission." He finished in French.
"You speak French?" A surprised Maicon said.
"It's been awhile since I've used it but during the war it helped to know it."
"Well the people of France remember those who helped them. We are also grateful for the information about a Hydra facility operating in our country, especially after the events in Washington last year. It seemed natural to invite you in as a special consultant." Maicon said as Rogers picked up two bags. One was a travel bag and the other, despite the covering was obviously his famous shield.
Maicon opened the rear of the SUV, where Roger's placed his travel bag, yet he kept the one with his shield and took it into the rear seat of the vehicle with him. As Maicon hopped in the passenger seat, the driver eased his way out of the hanger and headed out of the airport. Once they were on the highway Maicon turned in his seat.
"I thought you had a partner you were working with?"
"I do but unfortunately he suffered a minor injury that will keep him out of the field for a month or two." Rogers replied as his mind was taken back to the incident with Falcon 2 weeks ago. The two of them had been investigating a supposedly deserted Hydra facility in Spain that had not been as abandoned as they initially thought. It turned out a small raiding party of scientists and soldiers had returned just as Rogers and Wilson had come out of the main building. The battle had been a short but extremely vicious one as the Hydra agents had not wish to be captured. Just as the fight was about over a truck had exploded and a piece of debris had struck Sam in the leg resulting in a fracture. After a visit to a local hospital and a made up story about a hiking accident the leg was set and placed in a cast. Steve had gotten in touch with Stark, who had arranged for one of his private planes to fly Sam back to the states, against his protests.
"Do you have the facility under observation?" Rogers asked.
"Oui, as soon as you sent us the information we detached a reconnaissance unit from one of our RAPAS companies to observe and report. The facility is located in Champagne-Ardenne region in a fairly remote area. The unit reports that there seem to be 50 -60 personal operating in the facility, with probably 3 quarters of them there to provide security for the other personal. We have called in a reinforced platoon from the same unit as the recon squad, this gives us 90 personal along with you and my team." Maicon said as he brought up a satellite view of the area on a tablet he was now holding.
"When do you to hit them?" Rogers said as he scanned the image of the facility.
"Tomorrow around 3:00 am by helicopter, the facility is 2 hours from our staging area here in Paris. Our men have had them under observation for the last 5 days and they are routine in their patterns. Between the hours of midnight and 5 am they have the lowest level of security. They seem to feel quite content in their location." Maicon said with some anger, probably at the audacity of Hydra setting up a facility in his country without going to a great deal of trouble to hide it. Almost as if saying the French were of no concern to them.
"Have you advised your men to be ready for things beyond what they might normally see in combat. Hydra often has some unique weapons and personal on hand." Rogers said speaking from experience.
"After the events these past few years in New York and London, my men would be disappointed if something abnormal did not happen. I assure you they will be ready for whatever Hydra throws at them." Maicon spoke with a confidence that Captain America did not share. There was something about this whole thing that did not sit well with him.
"If possible I'd like to be on one of the teams going in?" he requested.
"I am sorry Captain, but that is out of the question. These men are the elite, to throw a stranger into the mix, even one as experienced and skilled as you would be cause for distraction. You and I will be overhead in a chopper to monitor the action. I assure you these men will be able to hand the task at hand." As he finished his cell phone rang. "My apologies Captain if must put the final touches on the last few details."
"Of course," Rogers replied.
Captain America settled back into his seat and continued to scan through the tactical set up for the mission and the satellite imagery. Everything just seemed to be falling into place far too easily compared to the other operations he and Sam had conducted and that just did not seem possible. Looking at the attack plan it seemed that the French had accounted for all the issues that they could control. He had also read up on the unit conducting the raid and by all accounts they were a top-tier one unit with a high success rate in high risk situations.
Maybe I've just gotten too use to working on my own, he said to himself, or being in charge all the time. That thought brought a tight smile to his face. There was nothing he could at this moment, he would just have to be ready if his skills were required for the upcoming mission. He settled back into his seat and allowed himself a moment or two to enjoy the scenery of Paris as it sped by his window. I'll have to come here someday when I'm not fighting and really see this place. The only other time he had seen Paris was when he had come through during the war over 70 years ago.
(2:50 am region of Champagne-Ardenne France)
"Saber 5 to Saber 6 ground assault force is in position Capitaine." A voice set over the com set that Captain America had on under his mask. He recognized the voice as that of Maicon's executive officer who along with two-thirds of the assault force had been dropped off hours ago to make their way to the base on foot. Their helicopters had stayed on site at their drop off points, but had taken to the air 15 minutes ago so that they could be onsite to extract the men after the assault.
"Roger that Saber 5, Saber flight is 8 minutes out, light up the compound in 5 minutes." Maicon replied. The assault plan called for the troops on the ground start the assault. As they did this the stealth choppers carrying the rest of the men would descend into the camp. At exactly 3:00 the ground forces would cease-fire and the choppers would drop in and unload the rest of the men while the Hydra forces were distracted. Before they could recover they would be taken out or subdued by the black clad assaulters. At least that was the plan until the helicopters started to descend.
Captain America watched as everything seemed to go according to plan, but just as the first two choppers touched down a beam of pure energy lashed out from one of the buildings. It cut through the first helicopter like a rupturing its fuel tank. The explosion came so fast that no one on the chopper got out. It carried through and struck the second in the tail rotor destroying it instantly. The troopers and gunners just managed to get off before a second beam struck destroying the vehicle and killing both pilots. Other beams lanced out, another chopper was struck and fell 60 feet to the ground a smoking ruin. The others returned fire and came in with their troops, the ground forces realized what was going on and recommenced their frontal assault. What had initially been a raid was now turning into a rescue mission.
"What the hell are those things?" Came a panicked cry over the radio. Captain America glanced down and his serum enhance vision allowed him to see one of the bunker doors open and three beings emerge. It took Rogers a moment before he realized that the 3 creatures were Chitari warriors, they looked bigger than the ones he had fought in New York but they were definitely Chitari.
"Maicon you need to get me down there." Rogers said looking at the French officer. "I can help."
Without hesitating the man gave the order for his pilot to take the craft in as he readied his own weapon. "Those are my men dying there we're all going." He said as his small entourage geared up.
When the helicopter was still 30 feet from the ground Captain America leapt from it, angling his body so that he was diving head first towards the ground with his shield in front him. With the force of gravity behind him he struck one of the Chitari in the back driving it to the ground. Despite being ready the impact shocked Rogers as it felt as if he had hit a boulder and he tumbled over the body. He recovered in time just to avoid being impaled on a spear thrust from the second one, he deflected a second blow with his shield then stepped inside the warriors guard and caught it with a hook punch to the stomach. While the alien buckled slightly, Rogers grimaced as it felt like he had almost broken his hand. He immediately realized that these were a different type of Chitari warrior, he would have to take this fight to another level if he hoped to survive much less win. These were bigger and faster, so much so that he just managed to evade 2 strikes that likely would have done serious damage if they had landed. He spun out-of-the-way of a third attack and drove his shield into the aliens face. It howled in agony as the vibranium shield shattered bone, releasing his hold on the shield he flipped over the creature and land behind it. A hard kick to the back of its knee brought it down to the ground, where Rogers grabbed its chin and forehead and with a violent twisting motion broke its neck.
As it fell he heard a man scream in pure agony, he turned to see Maicon's executive officer held aloft by the third chitari. Before anything else could happen the alien roared and plunged its hand through the man's chest, the scream lasted a second before the hand exploded out his back. Even as he fell Captain America was picking up his shield and with a cry of outrage hurled it at the creature that was now grinning. It caught the movement out of the corner of its eye and started it to turn, but not before the shield embedded itself in the side of its skull killing instantly. Captain America went to retrieve his shield when suddenly his side exploded and he found himself flying through the air. He came to a stop when he hit the side of one of the bunkers. So great was his impact that he left an imprint in the stone. Only his enhanced physique allowed him to survive the blow and subsequent impact that would have killed an ordinary man. Even so he knew he was badly hurt, at least 3 ribs were broken. He tried to force himself up, but only managed to get to his hands in knees. He looked up and through blurred vision saw a figure in blood-red armour, who was at least the size of Thor approaching him.