Chapter Nine: Suit Up
Maria led Rebecca down a narrow hall where they'd stored weapons, kevlar and uniforms. "Most of its standard issue, but there are women's sizes in one of the trunks. We didn't have much time to get organized."
"I'll make due," Rebecca assured her, popping the lid open on several black equipment crates before finding the one storing smaller more tailored uniforms. "David took my damn Beretta, I've had it since-"
"You graduated the Academy." Maria finished her sentence. "We kept an eye on you." She added at Rebecca's questioning look. "You impressed Fury by everything you did to convict your father. Then you showed real promise as a spy. And when Fury did get suspicious about HYDRA, your history gave us hope you hadn't been turned. A HYDRA sleeper agent would have known Batroc was after the Lemurian Star when he left Algiers because you'd have known what was in the Indian Ocean. You didn't. You reported his movements, tried to trace his phone calls, identify people he spoke with, tried to learn who he was working for."
"And failed." Rebecca reminded her while pulling out the Navy jumpsuit with the S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem on it.
"You were supposed to fail," Maria told her. "Because you hadn't been turned. Nick went about it the wrong way, maybe he should have told you, but he's not the type of guy who puts all his cards out on the table. You took a leap of faith and fled with Captain America and Black Widow. I'll say you exceeded all expectations."
"I'm not like them. I'm not an Avenger," Rebecca yanked off Sam's borrowed shirt and her ruined jeans before stepping into the jumpsuit and zipping it up to her collarbone. "I'm not a Super Soldier or a former assassin or even a soldier like Sam, I'm-"
"An Agent who wants to do real good in this world," Maria passed her a weapons belt, inside the two holsters were two Berettas, the same model as her old sidearm and several magazine cartridges as well as a stun baton. "Right now that's what we need. Besides, we know you studied mixed martial arts in your free time, and you've handled yourself in the field. I wouldn't underestimate you."
Rebecca secured the belt at her waist and met Maria's eyes. "Then let's take these bastards down already."
Maria and Rebecca met Sam and Steve outside. Sam was in fatigues, and his flight suit and Steve, to her surprise, was in full Captain America regalia, identical to the suit he'd worn during World War II, his shield secured to the gauntlet on his arm, helmet securely in place. She had to admit she preferred it to the more subdued suit he'd worn for S.H.I.E.L.D. when they'd met in Pierce's office three days ago.
"Fury and Romanoff are getting into position," Maria informed him.
Steve nodded and looked to Rebecca. "You ready?"
She nodded, giving him a small smile. "I've come this far with you, Steve. I'll see this through."
An odd expression crossed his face for a fleeting moment; then he cleared his throat. "All right, we're going to approach the Triskelion on foot. So let's move."
They hiked on foot through the forest around the Potomac River, using it for cover as they ventured into the city. All four focused on their part of the mission. Maria would coordinate Sam and Steve from the control room, where she'd have access to the Triskelion computer systems. Sam and Steve were responsible for inserting the server blades into the helicarriers. Rebecca would head down to the launch pads, trying to stop the launch sequence from being initiated if she could. While also taking out whatever HYDRA agents she could to buy Sam and Steve as much time as possible.
She hoped Nora would be there and that David hadn't convinced her to turn as well. She could use her friend's computer skills if it were even possible to override the system.
When they reached the Triskelion, Rebecca slowed her pace. She would be the first to split off from the group. Maria would override the security protocols from the control room so Rebecca could slip inside. She needed to be closer to the launch pad instead of with the others.
"Looks like this is my stop," She gave them a braver smile than she felt. "Be careful. Nobody dies today. I'm buying dinner when this is all over."
"I'm going to hold you to that, Callahan." Sam gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. "Watch your six, okay?"
"I'll do my best." She reached up and returned the squeeze on his forearm. "Don't go into the garbage chute, Flyboy."
He laughed, recognizing her spin on the Star Wars quote. "May the force be with you then."
"And with you," She turned to Maria, tapping the comlink in her ear. "I'll be listening for instructions if you need me to move position."
"Good luck, Callahan." Maria gave her a nod of approval, then started up towards the control room, Sam falling in behind her.
Rebecca turned to Steve, who gazed back at her with an unreadable expression. "Thank you, Rebecca, for everything. For trusting me, for helping even though you didn't even know me-"
"Hey, only Captain America could convince me to jump ten stories." She joked, pointing up to the very building they'd jumped out of only a few days prior.
He smiled ruefully. "I just, thank you. Please be careful."
"You too." She stopped joking and touched his arm. "I'd do it again, Steve. Jump out of that elevator with you. I believe in what we're doing. I dedicated my whole life to stopping terrorists, starting with the one at home. I'm honored to be taking down the largest, most dangerous organization, with you. I used to believe that was what S.H.I.E.L.D. was, but now I know it's not. But it's you; it's what you're about. I don't need to believe in S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore. I believe in you and what we're doing. So let's go kick some ass."
"Right." He shifted, looking a tad nervous when she stepped back to walk away from him. "Hey Rebecca," He called out before she could walk away.
"Yeah?" She paused, looking back at him from over her shoulder.
"I believe in you, too." He gave her nod in a salute, and she grinned at him, a true grin for the first time since this whole thing had started.
Rebecca remained hidden by the entrance to the launch stations, watching a bevy of agents coming and going. From her position, she could see the security pad outside the door, lit up red to signify it remained locked. When Maria got into the control room, she could unlock the door, allowing to slip inside but until it lit up green Rebecca couldn't get within three feet of that door without being identified by the security measures in the building.
One of her Berettas was already in her hand, a silencer attached to the muzzle. Its weight was familiar, almost comforting in her grip. Most female Agents carried Glocks or SIG Sauers as they were a touch lighter in weight but Rebecca had preferred the Beretta, it's sleekness in design and versatility had suited Rebecca better. Going into this fight, severely outnumbered, she was glad to have not one, but two M9's in her possession.
"Attention all S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents!" Steve's voice suddenly came over the PA system stilling the hive of activity in surprise. "This is Steve Rogers."
Rebecca slipped out of her hiding spot when the keypad lit up green to give her access. "Maria works fast." She muttered, going unnoticed by the two agents in the hall who were looking up in confusion as if they expected Captain America to come right out of the speakers themselves.
Rebecca reaffirmed her grip on her gun and entered the launch station.
"You've heard a lot about me over the last few days. Some of you were even ordered, to hunt me down. But I think it's time to tell the truth." Steve continued to speak, mercifully keeping the majority of Agents distracted. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is not what we thought it was. It's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The S.T.R.I.K.E. and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you."
At this, a frisson of alarm and suspicion filled the launch station as Agents began to look at each other questioningly. Rebecca ducked down behind a computer station and took in her surroundings. She recognized Agents such as Sharon Carter, Cameron Klein, and even Nora. They all looked just as startled by Steve's announcement and Rebecca felt relief that Nora hadn't been a part of HYDRA. That or she was the world's greatest actress.
"They almost have what they want. Absolute control. They shot Nick Fury. And it won't end there. If you launch those helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way. Unless we stop them." The low chatter died down as Steve spoke again. "I know I'm asking a lot. But the price of freedom is high. It always has been. And it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not."
Steve certainly had a way with words, Rebecca mused silently, then winced when she spotted Brock Rumlow and a STRIKE Team contingent enter the launch station, among them, was David. She saw Nora recognize David too, remembering what Steve had said about STRIKE being HYDRA and the blood drained from her friend's face.
Brock strode right up to Cameron Klein, looking unbothered by the looks he was receiving from the Agents around him. "Pre-empt the launch sequence." He ordered. "Send those ships up now."
Rebecca counted off in her head. There were six STRIKE team members in the station, but that didn't include the other sleeper agents who could be disguised in suits. She was outnumbered more than six to one, and if it came down to fight between herself and Rumlow, a former Navy Seal, she'd be outmatched. She'd need to do this carefully.
Cameron trembled in his seat, breaking out in a nervous sweat as Rumlow loomed over him. He looked back and forth between the STRIKE team leader behind him and his computer anxiously.
"Is there a problem?" Brock asked, his patience beginning to ebb. "IS THERE A PROBLEM?" He repeated himself, louder and Cameron flinched.
There was a muffled shriek and Rebecca grit her teeth as David pushed Nora back into her chair by the shoulder since she'd presumably tried to come to Cameron's defense.
"Sorry Sir," Cameron breathed heavily. "I'm not going to launch those ships. Captain's orders!"
Rumlow removed his sidearm, pointing it at the back of Cameron's head. "Move away from your station."
"Like he said," Before Rebecca could intervene, Sharon Carter pulled her firearm pointing it at Rumlow. "Captain's orders."
All around them, Agents removed their sidearms, the lines between S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA now drawn and distinguishable.
Rumlow grit his teeth. "You picked the wrong side, Agent."
"What did you do to Rebecca?" Nora was yelling at David, who had his gun drawn on her. "Did you kill her? She's your friend, how could you-"
"She picked the wrong side." David snapped, sweat trickling down his brow. "Don't make me hurt you, Nora."
"Depends on where you're standing," Sharon told Rumlow grimly.
Rumlow hesitated then slowly lowered his gun, letting it fall to the floor with a loud clatter that echoed in the silent room. But dropping his weapon didn't make Rumlow any less dangerous, he ripped a knife from his belt, slashing it across Sharon's forearm and she yelped in pain, dropping her Glock right into his waiting hands.
This seems to be the signal everyone else had been waiting for as Agents and HYDRA open fired on one another. Rebecca emerged from her hiding place, hitting to HYDRA Agents making a beeline for David and Nora.
"I'm sorry Nora," David was saying.
"I can't believe I thought I loved you!" Nora's eyes were wet with tears, but her expression was livid.
Rebecca leaped over the computer station grabbing David by the back of the neck on the way and slammed him head first into Nora's desk.
"Beck!" Nora exclaimed in shock.
"Bitch!" David roared, but Rebecca hit him with a spin kick to the chest knocking him backward. He was bleeding from a massive laceration in his forehead, and he'd lost his gun in her attack. Rebecca spun again, this time striking out with her arm, using the butt of her weapon to render him unconscious.
"Traitor!" Rebecca glanced up, seeing override flashing across the screen and Rumlow fleeing down the hall. "Shit!"
"Rebecca, what's going on?" Nora ducked as the gun fire continued around them.
"Nora, get out of here," Rebecca told her. "This whole place is about to become a warzone. Get yourself out and Cameron out."
"What about you?" Nora grabbed her arm.
"I have to stop Rumlow." Rebecca shook her off and gave her an apologetic glance. "He'll try to stop Steve, and I need to-please, I can't worry about you too, run!" She ordered her friend before sprinting in the direction Rumlow had gone.
She wasn't sure where Rumlow headed, but she knew he was an immediate threat to Steve and she had to slow him at least down if not stop him altogether.
"They're initiating the launch," Maria announced in her ear and Rebecca swore.
A gun went off, the bullet impending in the wall two inches from Rebecca's head and she turned firing back in the direction it had come from, dropping the HYDRA agent with a shot through the chest.
Several more came around the corner, and Rebecca freed her other gun, firing with both hands. Her right hand wasn't as accurate, but these weren't STRIKE team members and shots to the shoulder and legs took them down. Once they were down, she reholstered her second gun and took off running again.
Outside the Triskelion, gunfire and cannon explosions filled the air as the helicarriers began to take flight. She could hear Sam and Steve conversing through her comlink and was relieved for the affirmation they were alive, then tuned them and set off again.
"Falcon, status?" Maria's voice came through her com again, just as Rebecca grabbed a HYDRA agent from behind where he'd cornered several techs and slammed him into the wall.
Sam's voice with the echo of artillery fire answered. "Engaging!"
"Callahan," Maria's voice was tight. "There's a STRIKE faction trying to block off some S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel from closing down Hangar B. They're mostly techs, but putting up a fight. They lock it down, the Cap and Falcon have fewer airstrikes to avoid."
"Copy that!" Rebecca gestured the techs she'd just rescued to take off and slammed through the door of the nearest stairwell. She thundered down several flights of steel steps; the barraged of warfare getting louder as she neared the hangar.
Taking hold of her stun baton, she holstered her Beretta for the moment, and once she reached ground level, she kicked the door open. STRIKE hadn't been expecting her and she zapped the nearest man before he could fully turn. She dropped and rolled over him to avoid the retaliated shooting and came up swinging with a hit to the forearm, causing the next man to drop his weapon while she hit him with the baton in her other hand.
Invigored by her presence, the other techs came out from behind their cover, shooting down the rest of the STRIKE faction.
"Close those doors!" Rebecca shouted at them, gesturing to the quinjets trying to take flight. "We lock them in here they can't stop the Captain out there!"
Two men ran to the computer stations, trying to override HYDRA's security protocols. Rebecca climbed onto an equipment crate to get a better vantage and began to fire on HYDRA pilots trying to jump into their jets.
"Alpha lock." Steve's voice sounded clear and sure through her com, and Rebecca exhaled a sigh in relief. He'd swapped the server blades on the first of the helicarriers.
"Falcon?" Maria asked. "Where are you now?"
"Had to take a detour," Sam replied, he sounded slightly stressed but in control. "WHOO!" His cry of triumph sounded a moment later. "I'm in!"
There was a grinding sound and shouted cursing as the large steel trap doors came down to close of the hangar.
"Hangar B is on lock down!" Rebecca jumped down from her position, looking at the cluster of Agents around them, "Hold this hangar!" She ordered. "These birds cannot take flight!"
Rebecca headed back for the stairwell. "I'm going to shut down Hangar A."
"Nice work Callahan!" Maria approved.
"Bravo lock!" Sam announced.
"Two down, one to go," Maria replied.
Rebecca went up two flights of stairs leading to the next level just in time for the hangar to erupt with explosions. Men were screaming and climbing on top of one of the birds, was a man with dark hair and a gleaming silver arm.
"Winter Soldier is airborne! I repeat, Winter Soldier is airborne! He took out our air support." Rebecca shouted in warning as the jet lifted off the tarmac. "He's coming for you, Steve, "
"Charlie Carrier is 45 degrees off the port bow," Maria informed them. "Six minutes."
"Hey, Sam!" Steve called through the com link. "Gonna need a ride!"
"Roger!" Sam told him. "Let me know when you're ready!"
"I just did!"
Rebecca turned back to the stairwell and started going back up. "Maria, you got a location on Rumlow?"
"He's headed right for you," Maria told her. "Watch your back, Callahan."
"I need to slow him down." Rebecca gritted her teeth and kept climbing the stairs. "You guys worry about that Charlie Carrier."
Sam's voice suddenly came through, worried. "Cap? Cap? Come in are you okay?"
"I'm here!" Steve's voice answered full of strain. "I'm still on the helicarrier. Where are you?"
"I'm grounded. The suit's down. Sorry Cap." Sam told him in a voice full of disappointment.
"Don't worry I got it. Help Callahan; I think she's going after Rumlow." Captain assured him.
Alarms were blaring, and computerized voices were directing all S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel to designated safety zones.
"Rumlow's headed for the Council." Maria suddenly informed them. "Could use you both."
"I'm on it." "Copy that." Both Rebecca and Sam spoke in unison, and Rebecca pushed the pace, going up faster no longer worried about being discreet.
Rebecca reached the 41st floor just as Rumlow pushed through the door into the conference room housed there. She heard his yell of surprise and followed him in to see Sam and Brock exchanging blows.
Rebecca dodged just as he threw a stun baton at her head.
"This is going to hurt," Brock said, removing his safety vest. "There are no prisoners with HYDRA. Just order. And order only comes through pain. You ready for yours? Hate to mess up that pretty face of yours, Callahan."
"Man shut the hell up." Sam swiped away the blood from his temple. "Beck, I got this."
"Sam-"
But neither man waited, charging the other in a battle of fists and feet. Rebecca had her gun out but couldn't risk a shot. She could accidentally hit Sam with how fast they were moving.
Then a voice, tired and full of pain came over the line. "Charlie lock."
Rebecca's mouth tipped up in a smile. He did it. Steve had breached all the helicarriers, taking them out of HYDRA's control.
"Fire now," Steve instructed.
"But Steve-" Maria protested.
"Do it! DO IT NOW!" Steve's voice brooked no room for arguments.
From the window behind Sam and Rumlow, the helicarriers opened fire on one another beginning to descend from the sky full of fire and smoke. They collided into one another falling into the Potomac River and the Triskelion itself.
"Sam!" She shouted in alarm as the floor beneath her feet began to shake unsteadily. Brock threw Sam away from him, through a desk, unaware of what was happening outside.
"You're out of your depth, Kid," Brock smirked, but Sam was already back on his feet and running.
"Come on!" He grabbed Rebecca by the upper arm and sprinted with her towards the opposite end of the room.
"Son of a bitch!" They heard Brock yell just as the helicarrier collided with the building.
Rebecca's heart was hammering in her chest; she could hear and feel the room collapse behind their feet as they raced straight for the window.
"Please tell me you got that chopper in the air!" Sam yelled.
"Sam where are you?" Romanoff answered them through the com.
"Forty-first floor, Nat, Northwest corner!" Rebecca answered her, stumbling and sliding as a desk slipped into them from behind.
"We're on it!" Natasha told them. "Stay where you are!"
"Not an option!" Sam yanked Rebecca upright and rushed them for the window.
"Oh my God, I hate this!" Rebecca screamed, knowing precisely what he intended. Sam jumped in front of her, using his shoulder to break the glass and for the second time in two days, Rebecca found herself free falling out of the Triskelion.
But instead of the ground rushing up to meet them it a helicopter. Fury had it angled, so they fell right into it. Sam fell a little too hard and knocked on the door on the other side, and only Natasha's quick reflexes kept him inside.
"41st floor!" Sam groaned. "41st!"
Fury who was piloting, twisted around to look at them. "It's not like they put floor numbers on the outside of the building."
Rebecca let out a breathless laugh and slumped against the back of the Chopper. "Where's Steve?"
Natasha spoke into her headset. "Hill! Where's Steve? You got a location on Rogers?"
Behind them, the Triskelion gave a final shudder then caved in on itself going up in a cloud of dust and smoke. The burning helicarriers went down with it. Whoever had not gotten out in time wouldn't have survived.
"Steve?" Rebecca spoke into her comlink, but only static then silence answered her. "STEVE?"
Nothing.
"We'll search for him as soon as we land." Sam's eyes mirrored the same trepidation in hers. "We'll find him, Beck."