Even if she could survive the cold, the chemicals in her body set off a chain reaction. She was sleepy. It was an instinctive hibernation reaction she supposed. The alarm was still sounding and Lucy did not want to risk Hydra finding her so close to their front door. Setting here for a bit looked like a good idea. It was well hidden and away from the raging storm. Looking down at her hand she found that she was still holding the gun Zola had given her. It was a sleek little thing. Barely the size of her palm, easy to conceal, and very powerful if the blue energy pulsing inside it was anything to go by. Tucking it into a pocket of her dress, she yawned. It looked like she would just have to wait here. Leaning against the wall she closed her eyes and listened to the howling winds right outside the mouth of the small alcove.

-permafrost-

Find Zola. Find Zola was what the message from the S.S.R. had read and that was what Steve was trying his damnedest to do. He and his team had completed a few more missions since then. Every time they successfully took down another Hydra base, Steve scoured the area; but Schmidt and his scientist were nowhere to be found. Now the list of targets was witling down almost to none and Steve was losing hope.

That was until late last night; Jim Morita had intercepted a message from Hydra. There was some commotion happening at their next target. So the team picked up their gear and moved out. That was now the 107th found themselves precariously perched on the top of a mountain, staring a long ways down at some train tracks. The base apparently knew they were coming so it had been entirely evacuated. The last of the Hydra soldiers, including Zola were supposedly on this train.

Bucky was looking at the swinging rope above their head in disbelief. Sure they had accomplished some pretty amazing feats, if he did say so himself, but this one had to take the cake. Tilting his head so Steve could hear him, "Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?"

"Yeah," Steve gave a small grin, "And I threw up?" it was a nice day, there was hardly any fog or wind to speak of. Hopefully that would make this operation easier.

"This isn't payback, is it?" Bucky joked, shifting to relieve his nerves.

Steve smirked at his friend, "Now why would I do that?"

Back behind the reminiscing friends, Jim was fiddling with a radio contraption. Holding a speaker to his ear he listened in to the German's transmissions. Next to him Gabe was translating.

"We were right." Gabe called to the rest of the team causing Steve and Bucky to turn around, "Doctor Zola is on the train. Hydra dispatcher gave him permission to open up the throttle. Wherever he's going, they must need him bad."

Bucky and Steve turned to look at each other and nodded.

Steve spun around strapping on his helmet.

"Let's get going, cause they're moving like the devil." Monty notified the others as he watched for the train through a pair of binoculars.

It was coming around the bend almost in position for boarding. The inky black chain stood out like a sore thumb against the natural beauty of the snow capped mountains. Slithering like a powerful snake it quickly make its way into view.

"We only got about a 10 second window." Steve yelled over the clanking of the metal zip line attachment, "You miss that window, we're bugs on a windshield."

Monty mused, "Mind the gap."

"Better get moving, bugs!" shouted Dum Dum, already excited for another adventure.

Then they were off. First Steve then followed by Bucky and Gabe. Speeding down the line caused the smattering of snowflakes floating in the hair to hit their faces at a high velocity, stinging as they made contact. The swiftly moving train rumbled under their feet as they landed on the slick surface. Moving along the vehicle, the trio hunched over and walked as quickly as they could to the ladder on the side of one of the cars. Pulling open one of the sliding doors Steve gained entrance; Bucky came in after and shut the door behind him.

They found themselves in what looked like a storage car. Various boxes and cases were stacked along the shelves located along the center of the car. Steve and Bucky cautiously walked along the length of the room, it seemed to be deserted. Peering into the next car Steve continued forward. Swish. From behind him the door slid shut separated the two best friends.

What happened next took place in the blink of an eye. Everything was silent as Steve slammed his hand against the door protesting the split. When suddenly from behind him came a fully equipped Hydra soldier with a large cannon gun for each arm. His whole body was covered in the glowing blue energy that made their weapons so powerful. Quickly ducking behind a row of crates, Steve tried to escape the bombardment of detrimental energy.

From the front of the train Zola communicated to the soldier, "Stop him. Fire again." For even though he respected the brilliance of Lucy, that did not mean he agreed with the rest of Allied forces.

On the other side of the door, Bucky was fighting his own battle. He had his own Hydra soldiers trying to kill him. They took turns firing and ducking for cover in the limited space of the train car.

After firing a few rounds himself, Steve waited for the Hydra gunner to wear out the firearms. As he was revving up the cannons, Steve took a running jump and grabbed a sliding contraption hanging on the ceiling. He used this to propel himself into the Hydra soldier. Effectively propelling himself into the masked man, Steve used his shield to knock him to the ground. Then using the discarded gun from the passed out soldier, Steve blasted the locked door that lead to the adjacent car that was carrying Bucky.

Bucky had just used up his last magazine. His gun was useless now he had no more weapons. Then from the tiny window he saw Steve come into view.

Steve pushed a button to open the door and motioned to Bucky, tossing him his fully loaded pistol. Then running inside he shoved a case off of one of the shelves, causing the Hydra gunner to run to the side, allowing Bucky to shot at him.

"I had him on the ropes." Bucky wheezed out.

Steve nodded, "I know ya did."

What neither of them saw as the menacing form approaching from behind them, getting ready to shoot. Noticing last second Steve pushed Bucky behind him and raised his shield, "Get down!" he shouted. The explosion ricocheted off of the vibranium and blasted a hole in the side of the train.

Watching the whole ordeal Zola commanded again, "Fire again! Kill him! Now!"

Both Steve and Bucky were knocked off of their feet. Steve lost his shield in the aftermath and was forced over to the side, leaving it on the ground. Bucky in turn, stood up and grabbed the shield to defend himself, shooting at the oncoming attacker. But the blasts of energy were too strong. One well-aimed shot collided with him causing Bucky to almost fall out of the train, again dropping the shield on the ground. Steve recovering from his fall picked up and threw the shield at the gunner, shoving him back into the other train car.

"Bucky!" Steve yelled watching his friend dangle perilously out the side of the train. He moved down the ripped metal surface. Steve's stomach felt like it had traveled up to his throat, closing off all of his air. His heart was beating wildly in his chest harshly pumping adrenaline through his veins. "Hang on!"

Bucky's grip on the thin metal pole was slipping. Its screws had come out from the side of the metal and its purchase on the wall was unstable, quickly losing its foundation. Bucky's weight was too much for the rod as it groaned in protest.

"No." objected Steve, trying to move closer as quickly as he could. "Grab my hand!"

Reaching out for his friend, Bucky stretched his arm as far as he could. Their hands were so close to touching when the metal broke free from the wall falling down into the valley between mountains. With it went Bucky Barnes, screaming in fear as he dropped to an almost certain death.