"I had him on the ropes."

"I know you did."

Bucky was more out of breath than he cared to admit. That had been way too close: HYDRA's goons were getting tougher, and they were getting faster. This one had nearly taken him out and there were bound to be more. Apparently Zola had been expecting trouble…

A distinctive electronic whine sounded behind him. Son of a-

"Get down!"

Steve shoved him back, throwing up the shield in front of them just in time to block one hell of an energy blast. The side of the car exploded with blue light, sending both of them sprawling. Bucky recovered first.

Steve was still stunned, slowly coming around where he'd been thrown against the far wall. There was an impressive dent in the metal that Bucky guessed had come from the Captain's chipped blue helmet. Steve was in trouble.

The shield lay by Bucky's feet where it had fallen, several yards out of the Captain's reach, and the weapon was warming up for another shot. There was no way Steve would be able to dodge in time.

They only had a few seconds - time to make them count.

Bucky dove for the cover of the shield, coming up shooting. Bullets that should've dropped the enemy several times over pinged off like thrown pebbles: this goon's armor was bullet-proof. He'd gotten their attention though.

The weapon leveled at him and fired.

He bounced hard against the wall, as the force blasted him backward and out the gaping hole in the side of the car. He managed to catch hold of a metal railing, but it was thin, and the explosion had weakened the bolts. It creaked dangerously beneath his hand as the wind whipped into his face, almost like it was trying to push him off.

"Bucky!"

Steve's head emerged, and in a moment he was crawling out onto the twisted metal wreckage after him. Steve inched carefully along another railing, this one apparently more stable; trying to get close enough to pull him in. The railing in Bucky's hand creaked again, rattled loosely and started to shift.

"Grab my hand!"

Bucky strained as he felt the railing begin to give way, trying to reach the gloved hand just inches from his fingertips. He was nearly there when the bar suddenly detached, twisting loose with a metallic whine. Steve grabbed for him, but for once, he wasn't fast enough. Bucky slipped away and plummeted like a rock, screaming as he fell.

It was one hell of a way to go.