Rescuing Hostages
(Steve POV)
For over a year Steve, Sam and Natasha had been all over the world finding any kind of former or current Hydra bases to prove that Ross was Hydra and if they were active to destroy the base. They always returned back to Germany where they had found an old unused cabin to call their homebase, this is also the location where they would communicate with Maria Hill who would give them information. Wanda would come with them every once in a while but she began to meet up with Vision who she had formed a relationship with. He too believed them about Ross and didn't want any part of the accords anymore which put him also on their most wanted list, he wanted to help but since he had a transponder and even though he turned it off Steve didn't want to take the chance for Ross or anyone finding them so he told him to just keep his distance. He also knew that Wanda was still very young and didn't want to put her in more danger then she already was and knew she would be safe with Vision.
Most of the locations they went to were usually already abandoned and ransacked with no evidence of proof and at first Steve never lost hope that they would find something but as time passed his hope was running out but he couldn't be stopped. In fact, he became so obsessed with finding Hydra that he stopped shaving and cutting his hair. He always had darkness in his eyes to the point where he wasn't recognizable anymore, he was looking like a nomad.
They hear something outside the cabin, both Steve and Sam pull out their guns and position themselves right next to the front door before it opens. "Whoa, it's me." Natasha spoke out putting her hands up.
"Nat, good it's you." Steve responds as he and Sam lowered their guns, "did you get it?"
"Yes." She pulls out a folder, "she's still doing fine." She handed it to him but he couldn't open it, he just held on to it. "She's still in school and is doing well. No one has harmed her."
"Good..." He said softly. "Anything else?"
"For now, no."
"The last location was a joke, it hadn't been active for years." Sam frustratingly replies remembering how disappointed they were.
"I know, she was wrong but she's onto something now and I'm going to communicate back with her in a few days." Natasha explains.
"And Hill's still safe right? No one knows about her?" Steve asks, he's always worried that he was putting her in danger.
"Not a clue." Natasha answered with a smirk.
Steve nods his head and goes to his room. He closes the door, sits on the bed and takes a deep breath. Even though Hill had always informed him that Iris was doing fine this was the first time that he saw pictures of her. He takes them out of the folder and begins to look at them longingly, he misses her so much. He longed to see and hold her again, even to just hear her voice. On the bright side she looks so beautiful and did seem like she was doing well, he was happy that she hadn't given up on her studies and was continuing to move forward, even if he wasn't with her. Sam gave a little knock and walks in and sat next to him. "She hates me." He only could say as he continues looking at the pictures.
"Yeah, she probably does." He had to agree.
"But as long as she's safe...that's all that matters." Steve softly replies.
"You'll get back to her Steve...we'll all be able to go back." Sam tried to reassure him as he pats his shoulder.
"Yeah, I hope so." He breathes, "I don't know how much longer I can take Sam..." He quietly confessed. "We'll find it..." Sam encouragingly responds, Steve gives him a sad smile, not quite believing him.
"Hey guys, we got company." Natasha calls out to them.
They walk out to the living room and standing at the doorway was their German informant. His name was Patrick, he and Natasha worked together before she joined Shield and she knew that he could help them also find bases and any unusual activity going on near by. He was working for their version of the CIA. "Patrick, you got something?" Steve asked.
"Yes. A Shield ship that was abandoned here when Shield fell has been hijacked, it was turned into and remodeled as transportation ship for tourists. I think Hydra is behind it." He informs them quickly, knowing they had not much time.
"How do you know?" Natasha asks.
"We got a tip, we're currently trying to figure out what to do. I think you guys can stop them before we can. Whether it's Hydra or not, we could use your help."
"Let's go. I know it's them, we gotta move fast." Steve instructs as he put his helmet on.
They get to the ship and looked to see that they for sure were Hydra, they had captive families that were traveling, their hands ducktapped. "How many men do you see?" Sam whispers in his earpiece. Both he and Natasha were in different areas.
"So far I see four." Steve answers looking through the binoculars, "and so far I am counting 20 passengers."
As they were hiding waiting to make their move a soldier walks by, Steve takes him from behind and puts him in a headlock, knocking him out and hiding his body, the whole assault was only within 3 seconds and completely silent. He grabs his walkie talkie and fiddles with the buttons to get a clear connection. "Harrison did you find anything outside?" A voice came out.
"No, no one is here." Steve whispers, hoping they wouldn't notice the voice change.
"Good, get back in here so we can finish this."
"Uh huh." He mumbled. "You know your positions, get on the ship." He ordered. Steve goes into the water and climbs up the ship from the side, "Sam, Nat, you on?" He whispers very quietly as he is walking on the ship.
"Affirmative." Sam whispered back.
"Yes." Natasha also spoke out.
"Good, be careful, I will get the passengers. Nat I want you to look for strays and Sam I want you to look for any information." He commands.
Steve walks by the Captains quarters and sees a body. He goes inside and the Captain is dead on the floor, he has a radio in his hand. This indicated to Steve that it was the Captain that sent out the tip to them. "They killed the Captain and now the passengers are next. We gotta move fast." He whispers in his mouth piece.
He found where they were keeping the passengers, three men were in there. As the children were crying a little girl glances over and sees Steve sneak in, she was about to make a noise but Steve silences her by putting his finger to his mouth, she nods her head.
"Are we ready to go?" One of them spoke in the walkie talkie.
"Almost got it." Someone answered.
"How much longer?" That same man shouts.
"About 10 minutes."
"What's taking so long?" He asked very impatiently.
"I don't know, whatever the Captain did made the ship nonoperational but we are getting it, now take care of them." Someone replies as the passengers began to panic.
They aimed their guns at them until Steve from behind kicks one so hard that he falls off the side of the ship and another goes to aim his gun but Steve kicks the gun out of his hand and then in the stomach and jaw. The third comes from behind trying to attack him but he already saw him coming, he headbutts then flips him over his shoulder slamming him on his back where he has put his foot on his chest. "What are you doing here?" He shouts at him as he was crushing his chest.
"Taking back what was originally ours." He wheezes through the pain, "Shield took it from us."
"What does Ross have to do with this?"
"...Not telling." He has an evil smile as Steve presses on his chest more, "you'll never know, hail Hydra." He finishes as he bites into his mouth and takes a cyanide pill and kills himself. Steve turns to the second guy that he had knocked out but he had already jumped off the ship, "shit." He mouths to himself.
He turns his attention to the passengers, he put his gun down to show that he wasn't a threat to them. They're all scared but relieved, he went to them one by one and untied their hands. "Is everyone alright?" He asks calmly as a little girl walks right up to him, she was so small. "You saved us." She quietly spoke out with a smile. "Aren't you..." She starts to ask getting excited.
"Absolutely not." He leans down and winks at her, she nods her head like she knows to keep it hush hush about who Steve really is, "everyone stay together, I am not sure if there is anyone else on the ship." As the passengers were led outside of the ship the same little girl was getting scared and keeps holding onto Steve's leg for protection. Steve stops, brushes her little hair to try and sooth her before picking her up, "don't worry, your safe now." He quietly whispers to her as she wraps her little arms around his neck and holds onto him tightly.
They were safely lead outside, Steve gave the little girl back to her mom and dad, at first she wouldn't let go of Steve's neck but after prompting from her parents she let go and holds onto her dad. As all the passengers go to reunite with their individual families they all turn to say thank you to their hero but he had disappeared. He meets up with Sam and Natasha.
"Did you let Patrick know that we got the passengers out?" He asks Natasha.
"Yes, they are on there way, they should be here in 5 minutes."
"Good, we'll stay until they get here." He answers, "did you find anyone else?"
"No." Natasha responded.
"There was someone else there, they were talking to someone." Steve explained very confused.
"I know but the ship was empty, I don't know what happened to him."
"You couldn't find anything?" He asked Sam.
"No." Sam replies disappointingly, Steve just nods his head. They waited until the police came to make sure the passengers stayed safe.
As they get back to the cabin Steve was grateful that those people were saved and that no one was hurt but he was so angry that they didn't get any information and in hindsight another deadend for them. Steve goes down to the basement where he would go when he wanted to be alone, he tapes his hands and put his boxing gloves on. Flashes of Iris keeps going through his head that makes him not be able to stop punching the punching bag, he was breathing heavy and his hands were bleeding. He didn't care, he just kept punching over and over again, his punches became more erratic. He suddenly stops when the punching bag almost went off its hinges, he couldn't break another one, this was his last one. He's out of breath with his eyes closed and his head resting on the punching bag, "I will get back to you Iris. I promise."
I know it's hard to see Steve like this! Will he be able to find the evidence he needs? Will he be able to get back to Iris?
