Chapter 9: The Captain's Strange Request

All three of us ran through the halls at marathon speed. Peggy led the way to the briefing room that was abuzz with activity. Colonel Phillips was yelling at people as messages and orders were carried out. When Peggy, Howard, and I entered, he clapped his hands and pointed at the table before him. There was a map that currently had a circle drawn around a place on the borders of Germany and Austria.

"Rogers and his team are here, at a Hydra factory." Phillips explained. "They were gathering intel when we got intel that he and his men were captured. Another squadron is getting more information." He tapped the table and looked to a soldier who brought a small piece of paper to him.

"What are we going to do?" I looked to Howard and Peggy who both looked as flummoxed as I was.

"What information do we have right now?" Peggy turned to Colonel Phillips.

I stood behind Peggy, trying to be patient and not pester the Colonel. I worried that if he thought I was too prying, he would send me away and I would be a mess of worry. Howard slipped off with a group of his team, probably to help with the messages of code coming in at rapid speed. I fidgeted where I stood for a long time, waiting as Phillips and Peggy muttered together about an action plan and what to do.

Another messenger came and gave Phillips a slip of paper, and he almost staggered backwards. He stared at the paper for a long time before glancing at me and giving the paper to Peggy.

"A message?" Peggy read the slip and then blinked rapidly.

"What is it?" I muttered, perplexed at their continued glances in my direction.

"Rogers managed to get a message out to our recon team," Phillips began, looking to Peggy before continuing. "He says the best option may be to send you in for the rescue."

"Maddie is not a soldier," Peggy said tightly, and I fought the urge to laugh like a crazy maniac.

Was Steve in his right mind when he had sent that message? Or perhaps, had Schmidt sent it out in hopes of luring me back out to Europe? It all seemed preposterous and reeked of sabotage in a way.

"I agree Carter," Phillips mused, and I got a feeling that he was considering the strange request. I gaped at him as he went on. "It could be walking right into Hydra's hands, but she could be the only one we can send."

Peggy through up her hands in frustration, and I felt the same. Flashbacks of my almost abduction came back to me, and based on my reactions there, I did not feel up to a solo mission. I couldn't imagine anyone in management wanting to send me out in that scenario.

"I think she could do it!" I swivel my head to look at Howard, who had rejoined us in the briefing room.

"What? No, I can't!" I hold up my hands defensively.

"Yes, you can." Howard said reassuringly. He held up a small pile of picture and fanned through them.

"The factory Rogers and his command are at is heavily surrounded by fencing, but intel states that there is a small hole on the south side. Maddie, you can probably get under it and open up the gate for our men to get in there and do a rescue." He placed the pictures on the briefing table, showing a far off shot or a fence with a hole near the bottom, with a factory in the background.

"That would be great, but Maddie won't use a gun, we can't send her in unarmed." Phillips commented bitterly.

"She won't need to be heavily armed. We're working on getting an aerial shot of the factory to try and build up some schematics. We could easily direct Maddie into the factory and where to open the gate to let our forces in. Then she can get out and regroup without joining the fight." I stared at Howard, amazed at the effort he was putting in to get me assigned to the task.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt a little thrilled by the idea of being put on assignment. I couldn't help the feeling of anxiety though when I thought about possibly getting closer to Schmidt and being in his hands. What if I failed, and I ended up whisked away for the crazed man to do more experiments on? Then I thought of the training I had been doing for the past couple of weeks. If it had done anything other than help me be bored, it was that Schmidt had been right in a way. I did have some sort of enhanced ability that gave me more agility, strength, and the best aim I've ever had. No one else could see the blue stringy mist I saw when I aimed.

Maybe I can do this!

Colonel Phillips heaved a loud sigh, pulling me back to the conversation at hand. I could practically see his mind wrestling with the idea Howard had proposed. Finally, he looked at me and asked directly, "What do you say?"

I fumbled with what I specifically wanted to say. The rational part of me was telling me, "No! Danger!" repeatedly, but then I thought back to the message that Steve had left for me weeks earlier. The message had said that Steve and the others would be thinking of me, and his request to send me proved that in some way. This didn't mean that Steve and his men had deliberately gotten themselves captured, but he had meant what he said. They were thinking of me, and if they thought that I could help them, then why shouldn't I?

"I'm a little uneasy about getting close to Hydra," I admitted freely. "But if Cap thinks that I can do this, then I can. Howard's right too, I don't need to fight in any way." I stood a little taller after saying this, feeling a little braver than before.

The small smiles that accompanied my reply made me blossom with pride. I could also tell that Peggy and Howard proud of my acceptance of the mission. The two of them had worked so hard to help me this far. They only reason I knew I could do this was because of their determination and help in training me. They probably never expected me to be sent out into the field, but it was all well and good. I was prepared thanks to them.

"It might work. Schmidt won't expect us to send her in for a rescue. And it's not guaranteed that he is there." Phillips mused out loud. "Alright then. Let's get mobilized and get this girl prepared and headed out!"

Everything went into warp speed after that. Peggy and Howard immediately took me to get fitted for a uniform; one that wasn't baggy on me and cause me to trip or get snagged every few feet. They also helped me pick out the necessary tools I would need to complete my mission, including weaponry. Howard was none-to-pleased when I put my foot down on not having guns. I had taken a liking to knives and daggers, and still disliked guns due to personal experience.

I was given three sets of throwing knives, each equipped with some sort of tracker so I could easily find them if needed. It was an experimental device Howard had created and I was enthusiastic to try it out in the field for him. I also picked a set of longer daggers to tuck into various pockets of my uniform, mostly because I didn't know when I would need them.

As we waited for my uniform to be tailored to my short size, Peggy briefed me on basic spy and soldier techniques. I ran through some exercises with her, to make sure I was well prepared for what was coming. It was better to have some muscle memory than to go at it blind, I supposed. After that, it was off to Germany with all the gear and our hastily made plan.

Once we were in Germany, Colonel Phillips got the ground schematics and blueprints for the factory. We went over them and reviewed the plan several times. At various points Peggy would stop and quiz me to make sure I remembered it all.

"We'll get up to a mile and a half near the factory. I'll head out by myself from there and head towards the south end of the facility. I will go through the hole in the fence, make my way across the grounds, and crawl into a vent hatch in the building.

"I pry open the hatch, infiltrate the factory, and follow the vent. I turned left once, then right, crawl up, and turn left once more. That should get me to the controls room where I can open the gate. Once it's open, I slip out and rendezvous with Colonel Phillips while Agent Carter leads the rescue team in." I ran through the events of the plan on my fingers, pointing them out and nodding along.

"This might work." Colonel Phillips admitted, and I smiled. It felt nice that the Colonel believed in me for once. I knew that I could not let him down.

We were sitting in base camp at a little village in Germany. When we knew that I had the plan memorized and could run myself through it forwards and backwards, we were ready. I suited up in my black uniform: an all-black number with boots and gloves to match. On the left wrist of the sleeve a blue M had been stitched into it, and Peggy admitted that she had added it herself. I loved it for several reasons. One, that Peggy had done it for me, two, that it was a reminder of the nickname Dugan had given me (Blue), and three, it was my favorite color.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" This was the first time that Peggy seemed to show any doubt about our mission.

I thought about it for a moment as I secured one of the belts full of throwing knives across my chest. No, I wasn't sure about this, but I had something that kept me going, and kept me positive.

"Steve believes that I can do this. If he didn't, I don't think he would have requested me." I explained. "And I want to prove myself too."

Peggy furrowed her brow. "You don't have to prove anything to us, Maddie." She told me.

"Yes, I do. I have to prove that I am more than what that stupid Red Skull thinks that I am." For the first time since coming to this strange reality, I was acknowledging a fact that had been bothering me.

Schmidt saw me as one thing to him: a powerful weapon his could somehow use; an object of destruction. It reminded me of how I felt in my reality, that I wasn't really a person there, either. I was a robot going through motions as my mentality attacked me over my weaknesses. Being here was showing me that I could be more. That I was more and realizing that I was going to shove it in Schmidt's face. I also couldn't deny that there was a little piece of me being driven by Steve's optimism and faith in me.

"I want to be useful, for myself." I finished and looked at Peggy, who nodded in understanding.

She smiled and kind of chuckled to herself. I knew what she was thinking: I had come out of nowhere, a scared young woman who seemed to know strange things. I had irked a crazy madman, shown that I wasn't an average girl, and was starting to see things in a new light. Peggy looked at me confidently as she reached into the box my uniform had been sent in and pulled out a wrapped item. She handed it to me, and I took it hesitantly.

"I hope you don't mind, but I thought that this would round out your arsenal." She winked at me.

I opened it gingerly, unwrapping a long dagger in a brown sheath. I took it out and blinked at the shiny metal of the glad and held the black leather-bound hilt in my left hand. At the bottom of the hilt was a carved circle with blue painted swirls. It was a magnificent dagger, and it felt like it belonged in my hand.

"This is beautiful," I whispered as I maneuvered it in small swishes in front of me.

"We believe in you Maddie, but please," Peggy reached out and put a hand on my shoulder and looked seriously into my eyes. "Be careful."

I hugged Peggy. I was so grateful for her help and friendship at this moment. "I'm naming this Carter." I told her when we separated. "Every good blade needs a name." I grinned as I sheathed the blade and tucked it into my left boot.

"Well, I'm flattered." A slight blush appeared on her cheeks as she gave me one more look over to make sure I was ready. "I do believe it's time to head out."

I agreed and followed her out of the tent we were in and outside.

XXXX

I saw the hole in the fence as clear as day, despite having to find it through rain that fell in misty sheets around me. I was well hidden behind a bush twelve feet away from the fence itself. My brown hair was pulled up and out of my face and in a tight bun, thanks to Peggy. My heart was pounding heavily once more, but this time it was not in an anxious sort of way. It was more from adrenaline and knowing that I was about to start something extremely chaotic.

From where I was, I could see a yard full of Hydra tanks, with a few soldiers and workers walking between them. I counted each second between the patrols; one hundred and twenty-three seconds. I held my breath and watched the latest armed soldier walk by. As soon as he was out of sight, I began to move.

I dashed the twelve feet between the bush and fence, wriggled through the hole without touching the fence too much. I had discovered that sections of it were electrified, though it wasn't too consistent. Once I was through, I crouched next to the nearest tank, and waited. I peeked around the large-wheeled tread and spotted the next guard. I counted again, waited, and then dashed.

The plan was to sneak around and hopefully not get spotted. If I was spotted by anyone, I would have to take care of them and keep to the plan as best I could. I did not want to end up captured and taken back to Red Skull. I reminded myself that out of all the Marvel super villains, Red Skull was one that I was genuinely afraid of. I remembered a nightmare I had with him in it that resulted in a rather sleepless night after the movie came out.

I darted between the tanks and other vehicles, getting closer to my next target: the vent hatch. I reached the closest tank to the building. I now had a clear view of all patrols that came my way, and no longer had to count and wait. My heart now seemed like a jackhammer going off in my chest, and my head began to pound a little from the rush of blood.

The rain began to come down harder now; large drops made small splashes in the dirt and plinked off the tank by me. This was perfect, if it rained harder, then the patrols would happen less. Or so I told myself they would, so I decided to take the chance and advance.

I hurried across the yard and right up to the building. A little way to the right I could see the targeted vent hatch, and no one else was in sight. I edged along the wall until I came to the jutted-out hatch and pulled out one of my smaller knives. I began to work on wriggling the bolts around the hatch out and onto the ground. One by one, I managed to scrape them out. When the last one dropped to the mud beneath me, I pulled the lid of the hatch out and gently leaned it on the ground.

"Hey!" My heart stopped as a voice called through the rain. I had been so focused on getting the hatch opened that I had stopped making visual sweeps of the yard. The rain was going to lessen the patrols, but not stop them completely.

I snapped my head up to my left and saw the Hydra soldier brandishing his gun and pointing it at me. He snapped at me in German, giving me some kind of order. Without thinking, I narrowed my vision on him until the blue stringed mist began to swirl and tighten. I threw the knife I had used to open the hatch and dove inside, not waiting to see where the blade had landed.

I scrambled into the vent passage and crawled through it hurriedly. I made the first left turn in my memorized path and stopped to catch my breath. As I gulped down air as quietly as I could, I tried to regain my composure.

I just threw a knife at a man, and I have no idea where it hit him! The thought crashed through my mind like a giant weight. Had I killed him? Did it only injure him? Was he going to scramble up the shaft after me? I held my breath to see if I could hear someone crashing up after me but found silence. I can't worry about this right now, I told myself. I have to keep going with the plan and get Cap and the others out here. I tried to push the incident from my mind but couldn't help the guilt from nagging at me.

I made a right and climbed up the shaft, passing vents that looked into rooms and hallways of the factory. Along with the way, I talked myself down from the guilt, telling myself that had I not thrown the knife, the soldier would have taken me into the factory as a prisoner, or gotten help from other Hydra soldiers. It worked to help me focus more on my movements and make my way onward. I stopped and peeked through a grate that opened into a hallway. There was no sudden movement of assembling soldiers, and this only encouraged the little pep talk I had given myself.

I went on and made my final turns before reaching the appropriate destination: the factory Control Room. I peeked through the slats of the vent into the control room. There were multiple screens flickering with black and white shots of outside. I knew the fence wouldn't be a problem for the rescue team to get through, but the door into the factory would, which is where I came in.

There was one man in the control room looking at the screens. I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for the next task at hand. I took a throwing knife from one of my belts, maneuvered myself so that my feet faced the grate, and kicked.

The grate clattered to the ground and in a flash, I pushed myself out and onto the floor. The guard spun around just in time for my fist to connect with his head. I put as much force as I could into the punch and sent him to the ground. I whooped a little in victory. I successfully punched someone unconscious!

Focus Maddie! The thought ran through my mind, setting me back on course for the mission. I glanced over the controls of the room, staring at the unfamiliar German labeling all the various buttons. There was only two German words I knew now and cared for. I quickly found them and smiled coyly. I pressed the button, looked to one of the screens, and waited for the pandemonium to begin.