Chapter 20: Escape

"What happened to you?" Bucky asked Steve as the lot of us staggered down the hallway. He pushed away from Steve to try and walk on his own. He was clumsy but he managed it. Like she didn't want to be outdone, Yori pushed free of me and began walking as well, making special effort to keep upright and stable.

"I joined the Army," Steve replied, looking left and right for any sign of someone.

"Did it hurt?"

"A little."

"Is it permanent?"

"So far."

The men had thankfully moved the fight outside, so the factory floor was clear as we emerged from the isolation ward. We hit the catwalk that ran over top of the factory floor just in time for the workspace below us to be blown sky high.

"This place has a self-destruct," Yori shouted over the noise of the explosions. "I suspect Schmidt has set it off!"

"If we can't go down, we go up," Steve said, and started up the stairs. We all clattered after him, going up another level, and then another.

"There!" I said, spotting an access hatch on the opposite wall. There was a thin bridge crossing the entire width of the factory that we could use to get across. We all headed for it, eager to get out before another round of explosions brought the whole factory down on our heads.

"Captain America!"

We paused at the end of the catwalk across. On the other side of the building, next to an elevator of some sort, stood the tiny scientist we'd seen earlier. Next to him was a tall man in a long leather coat. He passed a container over to the scientist and turned so that we could see the large red HYDRA crest embroidered on his right shoulder.

"How exciting, I am a great fan of your films!" he said mockingly, moving to stand at the other side of the bridge.

"Schmidt," Yori growled, and moved to follow Steve as he stepped out onto the catwalk, Schmidt doing the same.

"Don't," I hissed, grabbing her by the shoulders and holding her back. Bucky was leaning heavily on the railing next to me. I reached out a placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing supportively. He was doing well keeping up with us but I could see the exhaustion written on his face, and his gaze was still a little fuzzy.

"So, Doctor Erskine managed it after all," Schmidt drawled, stopping barely three feet from Steve. "Not exactly an improvement, but still impressive."

Steve swung his fist forwards and cracked it across Schmidt's cheekbone. The man staggered against the rail, clutching the side of his face. He looked up at Steve, glaring as he straightened up.

"You've got no idea," Steve said coolly.

Something was wrong with Schmidt's face. His skin seemed to be sagging around his right eye, like his cheek had slipped farther down than it should have been. Something red and slimy-looking peeped out from around his eye, almost like an exposed muscle.

"Haven't I?" Schmidt grunted, and pulled his own fist back. Steve raised his shield. The fist connected with the metal and let out a sound like a gunshot. I inhaled slightly when I saw the outline of knuckles pressed into the thick metal. It had stood up to rifle butts and bullets, but Schmidt managed to bend it completely out of shape with his fist.

Steve's hand dove for the gun at his hip. A fist swung up under his shield and nailed him in the stomach. Steve staggered and toppled, breath blasted out of him as he crashed back against the metal grating of the catwalk. His gun skittered from his hand, teetered on the edge for a moment, and then dropped into the burning factory below.

Schmidt took a step forwards and Steve moved, drawing his feet up to his stomach and kicking out. Schmidt sailed back with an oof and smacked into the grating as Steve hauled himself upright. The tiny scientist flung himself at a lever and yanked it a little desperately. The two halves of the catwalk began to slide apart, receding back to their own sides.

Schmidt pulled himself to his feet, staring at Steve from across the increasing gap. "No matter what lies Erskine told you, I was his greatest success!" he cried, and reached up. For a moment I thought he was trying to pull something from the high collar of his coat. But then Schmidt's fingers seemed to wrap around his own flesh, tugging it up oddly. The skin flipped over on itself and was tugged up, revealing more of that reddish membrane underneath. With a final tug, Schmidt ripped his face away, revealing the Red Skull beneath.

"Please tell me you don't have one of those," Bucky panted.

"He doesn't but I do," Yori snarled, raising her hand. A whip of greenish light unfurled from the ends of her pointed finger as she drew it backwards and then flung it forwards. The whip of light snapped inches from Schmidt's face.

Schmidt laughed at the startled looks on Steve and Bucky's face.

"You didn't know what kind of monster you saved, did you?" He was genuinely amused by all of this. Then his eyes fixed on me. "What about you, girl? Did you know you were holding on to a monster?"

I narrowed my eyes. I felt Yori seething next to me, rage rolling off of her in waves. It poured through my veins too, and the red washed over my vision. I roared, really roared, the sound echoing over the explosions.

"Yes I did," I snarled at Schmidt's somewhat startled face. "Because I'm a monster too!"

There was a ripping sound as sharp, pointed ribs burst out of my chest at my command, tearing holes in my jumpsuit. I seized the end of one and ripped it free, the advanced healing that came along with this mutation quickly closing the hole it had come from.

"Jesus!" I vaguely heard Bucky yelp and jerk away from me, but it hit me like a punch in the gut. I was already moving though, the detached rib scything through the air. I hurled it and it struck the wall inches from Schmidt's head, sticking there and quivering with force.

"You are deluded captain!" Schmidt yelled, tossing the mask into the flames below. "You pretend to be a simple soldier but in reality you are just afraid to admit that we have left humanity behind! Unlike you and those monsters at your side, I embrace it proudly!" Schmidt stepped off the catwalk, following Dr. Zola as he hustled through a door into the waiting elevator. "Without fear!"

"Then how come you're running?" Steve challenged.

Schmidt pressed a button and the doors slid closed over him. Steve got no response. Another explosion ripped through the factory, rattling the walls around us. Steve looked around and I did too, studiously not looking anywhere near Bucky. I didn't want to see the disgust on his face.

"Up here!" Steve said, dashing to the stairs. We followed him up two more levels and out, stopping by an I-beam bridge that ran all the way across to the other side. A winch dangled from the middle. The I-beams were already moving, the join in the center just above the winch shaking.

"Let's go, one at a time," Steve said, and moved to push Yori out onto the beam. She snarled at him from behind her mask and stepped away.

"I don't need a way across," she sniffed, shucking her coat. "I have my own."

Her wings spread wide, nearly clipping Steve, and she lunged over the edge of the rail, dropping out of sight for a moment. There was a loud rush of air as she shot back up into view and crossed the gap with three big sweeps, landing on the opposite platform.

"Bucky, you go," I urged, pushing him towards the beam. He shook his head, grabbing my arm.

"Nuh uh, Belle, not until you go," he insisted, blue eyes burning into me worriedly. "You shouldn't have even come after me, what were you thinking?"

"Now's not the time, just go, I've got my own way across," I lied, urging him forward. He looked understandably skeptical, but he'd just seen a woman fly and seen me sprout bones out of my chest, so he seemed willing enough to take me at my word, edging over the rail and onto the beams cautiously. He began to pick his way across, arms out wide to try and keep his balance as the beam swayed under him.

The opposite end slipped suddenly, the shaking knocking it loose. The beam tipped just as Bucky reached the middle, dipping down on the other end. Bucky nearly lost his balance but was able to regain it. The shaking started again and there was a great squealing of metal as the other end of the beam began to slip. Bucky ran, taking long strides, and leaped for the opposite catwalk as the beam dropped out from under his feet.

He hit the outside of the rail, hanging on. Yori seized the back of his shirt and ruthlessly dragged him over the edge.

"There's gotta be a rope or something!" Bucky shouted desperately as the beams crashed into the flaming factory below.

"No, just go!" Steve yelled.

"Not without you both!" Bucky retorted immediately, slamming his palms down angrily on the railing. He seemed offended that Steve would even suggest it.

"Y-You in the mask!" Steve called uncertainly. "Can you get us across?"

Yori hesitated, but shook her head. "No, I can't carry that much weight!"

Steve looked at me like he was seriously considering just heaving me over and hoping for the best for himself, but then his eyes slipped past me, darting around for a way across. He seized the railing and groaned with effort. There was a great screeching noise as the inch-thick rail bent backwards. He offered a hand to me.

"I'll hold onto you and jump," he explained.

I shook my head. "We're too heavy together, even you couldn't manage that!"

"We've gotta try!"

I shook my head, "No we don't, damn it!"

I must have been crazy, I had to be crazy for even thinking about it, but I knew I didn't have another choice. No way was Steve going over first, which meant I had to go across, and that left me one option. I had to jump.

I ran back as far as I could. Steve's eyes widened as he realized what I was going to do and I heard Bucky scream from the other side, "Josie, don't!"

I wheeled, dropping onto all fours. Like a big cat I ran forwards, keeping my weight low and pushing with my arms and my legs. My feet hit the edge of the catwalk and I lunged with everything in me, my arms stretched out. I felt the heat below and resisted the urge to look down at the fire below me. I strained my arms, trying to reach even farther. My fingers just grazed the railings and my heart dropped.

This is gonna hurt…

Strong hands grabbed my wrists and held me, dragging me over the edge and pulling me into a fierce embrace. I didn't care enough to be ashamed that I was trembling with aftershocks of fear, my heart going a hundred miles an hour in my chest. That was, without a doubt, the scariest thing I'd ever done.

"You're gonna give me a heart attack Belle, you really are," Bucky whispered in my ear hoarsely. I smiled faintly and snuggled into his chest. I would savor this moment, because later on, when the adrenaline wore off and reality hit him, I was sure Bucky wouldn't want to ever be this close to me again.

"Move it, you big idiot!" Yori screamed, pulling my attention away from Bucky.

I looked up and followed Bucky's gaze. Steve was standing at the edge of the railing, gaping after me uncertainly. I could see the indecision in his eyes. He wasn't sure he could make the jump.

"Do it or you're dead!" Yori roared, her fingers sparkling with annoyed energy.

Steve backed up, hesitated for a moment, and then leaped. We all held our breath, waiting as he hung in the air, coming closer and closer, and then began to drop along with our stomachs. His fingers barely caught the edge of the catwalk. As one, the three of us lunged to grab his arms and haul him up onto the catwalk.

"Well," Steve panted, sagging against the rail weakly. "That was dramatic."

The catwalk rattled ominously below us as yet another explosion went off.

"This way!" Steve yelled, and we sprinted towards the access hatch. Steve threw the door open and we burst into the open air of the night sky. The roof area was small, covered in cigarette butts where HYDRA operatives snuck off for a smoke. But most importantly, there was a ladder leading down over the edge of the building.

The sight of the burning factory was probably wonderful, but we didn't bother to look, the three of us just breaking for the ladder, Steve and Bucky both shoving me towards it first. I didn't argue this time, just started heading down. I'd let go and drop a half-dozen rungs, catch hold, and drop a half-dozen more.

Yori had no such limitations like we did. She just leaped over the edge of the roof and spread her wings, catching the wind and gliding down. I glanced over my shoulder and saw her hit the ground and break for a nearby truck, climbing inside.

I dropped the last couple of feet as the engine revved and grinned as Yori pulled up by the ladder, swinging the door open wide. Behind her mask, I could see her eyes glittering with delight at all the action of the night.

"You called for a ride?" she asked drily. I threw myself into the cab and Bucky followed me in, slamming the door shut as Steve crawled into the bed. Yori floored the gas and we went tearing across the factory grounds. Things were smoking and blowing up, walls had come down, and craters littered the dirt. I grinned at the mayhem that had been unleashed during our escape. The factory was completely destroyed.

A gaping hole in the wall around the complex was our escape route. Yori ruthlessly plowed over a pair of HYDRA agents and drove through it.

"Do we have any specific place to head?" she asked.

"That way," I said, pointing in the direction of the clearing. Yori took one look at the trees and slammed on the break.

"This behemoth isn't getting through there. Time to run!"

We flung the doors open and shot out. Steve came bounding out of the back, leading the charge as we tore through the trees in the direction of the clearing. The noise of the factory coming down faded behind us as we ran. Either we had lost the HYDRA agents or they were more concerned with evacuation than us, because no one seemed to be following us.

We burst into the clearing and stopped in a knot, panting and wheezing. The men who had escaped, some of them lingering around a couple of trucks or, of all things, a tank, looked up at us as we caught our breath.

"Looks like they made it," someone muttered.


I walked on Steve's left, Yori to my left. Bucky was on Steve's other side. Jimmy trailed behind us somewhere in the shifting mass. I'd been pleased but not surprised to see he made it out. We were leading the way back into camp, the rest of the men walking in a mass behind us. Those that were too tired or too hurt to walk had taken positions in the trucks we'd acquired, a couple of them lounging on top of the tank that rumbled along behind us.

We crested a rise in the path and the camp was spread out below us. A few soldiers had heard the noise and had already assembled, watching curiously. Their faces lit up as some of them recognized their lost comrades and a cheer started up, claps and shouts drawing more people out.

The men behind us began to split off, moving toward welcoming knots of friends. Phillips emerged from the crowd with Peggy on his heels. She looked relieved when she saw me, but her eyes quickly shifted to Steve, looking him over for wounds. I couldn't be too hurt by that one.

"Some of these men need medical attention," Steve said, forgoing a greeting as Phillips approached. "I'd like to surrender myself for disciplinary action."

"That's not necessary," Phillips said shortly. He knew he couldn't do anything to Steve, not after he'd pulled so many men out of enemy lines. His eyes flicked to me, and his expression was visibly relieved when he saw I was alright. Then his face went harder than steel. I winced.

"You and Agent Carter will just have to answer to Josie's family once they find out you dragged her into an active war zone. Believe me, they're worse than a court marshal."

"In their defense, I leaped out of the plane on my own," I put in. Phillips gave me a look that clearly said he didn't care if I'd stowed away in Steve's helmet. Then his eyes flicked past me and landed on Yori, widening predictably.

"Did you stop at the circus on your way back?" he demanded. Yori tensed.

"Be very careful, Colonel Phillips," she growled from behind her mask. Phillip blinked.

"I'm sorry, have we met before?" he asked incredulously. "How do you know my name?"

Steve stepped between them before anything could happen. He looked between us hesitantly, then at Phillips.

"I think… I think we have a lot to talk about," he said uncertainly, looking to me. He was leaving it up to me to explain what Yori and I had done in the factory, and I loved him for it. But he and Bucky both deserved an explanation of what they'd seen.

"Yes we do," I sighed. "Phillips, we all need to talk privately."

Phillips looked at me, but he could see by the look on face how serious I was about this. "Define we."

"You, me, Steve, Bucky, Yori. Peggy and Howard too," I admitted. Howard already knew part of it, and Peggy had been a part of the rescue mission. She deserved to know why I'd flung myself out of the plane without a care in the world.

"If we're going to be discussing what I think we're going to be, I think I should be there too."

Jimmy appeared from inside the crowd and moved to my side protectively. He nodded at Yori in greeting.

"Tsukuda."

"Howlett," she replied. They'd never met but they'd heard enough about each other from me to make the connections.

"And just who the hell are you?" Phillips demanded.

"Jimmy Howlett, Canadian Army," Jimmy snapped back. I placed a placating hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, Jimmy's involved as well. He should be there too."

Phillips looked at all of us skeptically, but finally he nodded. "I think that can be arranged."


The medical tent was crowded when I walked in. Aside from the normal wounded the flood of men coming back from the HYDRA base had filled every available bunk, and there were a few men who were capable just standing around waiting to be seen. I nodded to a couple of the men who recognized me from the escape.

Bucky was in a back corner, a curtain drawn around his bed. He was of the most concern to the medical team, seeing as he'd been the one who was found strapped to a table in the lab. Who knew what had been done to him? I certainly didn't, and I hated not knowing things. That was why I planned to take some blood myself for my own analysis.

"Josie," Bucky grinned when I stepped around the curtain with a tray in my hand.

"Roll up your sleeve," I said dispassionately, setting the tray of materials down on the edge of his bed.

Bucky did as I asked, but frowned. "Have you branched out into the medical field as well?" he asked with another slightly smaller grin as he rolled up his shirt. I wrapped the rubber strap around his upper arm and began to prod at the inside of his elbow, looking for a vein.

"I learned a few things from the doctor on the project," I explained, swabbing the vein I'd found with an alcohol swab. "This will pinch."

"What- ow!" Bucky winced as I jabbed the needle into his skin. I had to resist the urge to flinch right along with him and immediately start apologizing. The blood began to flow into the connected vial. When it was full I switched it out with another, keeping my eyes fixed on the blood.

"Belle," Bucky said, his voice softer. "Is something wrong?"

"I need to know what chemicals you were exposed to in the HYDRA base," I said as I pulled the needle out and placed a band-aid over it. I tucked the vials of blood into my pocket and dumped the used needle and piping into the trash. I pulled off the rubber strap with a pop and turned away.

"Phillips wants us to meet in his tent in an hour," I said softly, and I left.