Ch. 6

Alma hefted her overstuffed backpack onto one shoulder and headed towards the outdoor terrace connected to the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Steve asked as she opened the glass door.

"There are small children that live in the apartments on either side of me. I know firsthand how thin these walls are. They start shooting in here and who knows what could happen? I'm trying to minimize civilian casualties," she explained quickly. "Follow me."

Sam looked to Steve who nodded. He couldn't fault her logic.

Once they were crowded onto the tiny outdoor terrace, she smiled at them. "I chose this apartment for a reason. Easy access to the roof," and with that, she scrambled up onto the iron railing of the terrace and began to climb up to the roof. Since they were already on the top floor, it was only a ten foot climb to reach the roof.

Sam followed her and Steve took up the rear. He could hear the armed men battering down the apartment door in an effort to get in, yelling and cursing in Spanish.

"Now what?" Sam asked once they had all reached the roof.

"Now, we jump," Alma said, pointing to the gravel top roof of the adjacent apartment building. It was one floor shorter than theirs, but there was a wide alley between them.

"That's a good ten, maybe twelve feet at least," Sam observed.

"That's why the superhero goes first. He can catch us. He's got to be useful for something," Alma sniped.

"Fine," Steve ground out through clenched teeth and easily made the jump.

Sam went next, taking a running start and landed without needing Steve's help.

Alma took a deep breath, narrowed her eyes and took a running leap. She could tell mid-leap that she wasn't going to make it, that she was going to fall short of the mark, but Steve ran to the edge, leaned out and plucked her out of the air, saving her.

Bringing her safely to the roof, his strong arms were wrapped tightly around her waist. She hissed in pain.

"Are you alright?" Steve asked softly, concern etched on his face.

"I'll be fine. I cracked a rib a few weeks ago. It's still causing a bit of pain."

"Okay," Steve said, reluctantly letting go of her.

"See," she said, smiling coquettishly up at him, "I knew you'd be good for something."

Just then, the first shot rang out over their heads as the goons had reached the roof of Alma's building.

"Here. Cover me while I pick this lock," Alma said, handing two of the guns in her backpack to Steve and Sam while she began to work on the door on the roof that led to the rest of the apartment building.

"You mean this lock?" Steve said as he ripped the entire door off its hinges.

Alma gave him a genuine smile. "Very useful indeed."

They flew through the door and down the ancient stairwell taking the stairs two at a time. Steve made it to the ground floor level first and covered Sam and Alma when they finally reached the bottom. They started to jog down the main street when they rounded a corner and came face to face with yet another contingent of armed men.

"Mira a la mina. Cuanto tiempo sin verte," the head goon said in a soft menacing tone, giving her a cruel grin. He was built like a linebacker with tattoos wrapped around his neck.

"It hasn't been long enough," Alma spat back with a false smile.

"Oh, so your little friends are Americans . . . how sweet. Well, my dear, we have you outgunned and outmanned. Come quietly now and the boss might just have pity on you. You never know. He might have some use for you," he said lewdly as his men chuckled behind him.

"Oh, you might have us outgunned, but you definitely don't have us outmanned," Alma replied tartly.

Taking her cue, Steve took out the two men next to her in one punch. There was a flurry of shots and fighting as the three of them took on the dozen or so armed men. All of a sudden, Sam shouted, "Watch out," as he pushed Alma roughly to the side.

When she recovered, Sam lay on the concrete pavement, bright blood oozing out of his left shoulder. Alma's face hardened and she gripped her gun, spinning around. She shot the last two of the armed men that were standing, before returning to Sam's side.

"Rogers, you've had basic combat medic training, right?" she asked.

"Yes," Steve said, crouching down next to Sam.

"Okay, apply pressure to the wound to slow down the bleeding while I call for an ambulance," she said.

"And the rest of those guys?" Steve said, waving towards the groaning men on the ground as he took off his hoodie and pressed it against his friend's shoulder.

"I've still got a few friends on the local police force. I'm sure these guys will all have long rap sheets. It'll be like Christmas for the guys on the squad," Alma said as she made the first call for an ambulance.

"Hold on, Sam," Steve said urgently to his friend.

"All that time in the Air Force, I never got shot once. I start hanging around you and look what happens," Sam said shakily.

"You're going to be okay, Sam," Steve said firmly. "Flying again in no time."

"You really shouldn't make promises you can't keep," Sam said softly as his eyes fluttered and closed.

Author's Notes-

1. Thank you once again for the kind reviews. They are really encouraging!

2. Rough Spanish translation -

Look at the girl. Long time, no see.

3. Ch. 25 of "The Captain's Bride" is up!

4. Ch. 33 and 34 of "The Price" are up!