-January 1944-
-Switzerland-
Eddie is looking through a pair of binoculars when he sees a hydra trooper in the trees above, aimed at the back of Steve. Eddie quickly calls out the coordinates to Bucky.
Bucky aims and… BLAM!
The sniper falls. Steve clocks it and gives the thumbs up to Bucky and Eddie. Bucky grins and high fives Eddie.
But their celebration is short lived as a Landkruezer comes over a nearby hill. Caught off guard the Howling Commandoes race across the field as the hydra tank chases them.
They're almost to the safety of the nearby trees when Dum Dum Dugan's hat flies off his head, landing in the path of the oncoming tank.
Eddie watches horrified as Dum Dum Dugan runs back for it. Bucky opens fire at the tank desperately. The bullets only ping harmlessly as they hit the mechanized monstrosity.
The other men shout, "Stop!"
"Turn back!"
But Dum Dum Dugan dives, grabbing the bowler and rolling out of the way. He wedges the hat on his head, smug. Then he realizes the tank has turned its cannon at him.
Steve races toward the tank forcing Bucky to stop firing and watch.
Steve leaps on top of the tank and flips atop the turret.
Steve spots a glowing energy housing, marked with a red label. Quicker than the tank's cannon can charge, Steve raised his shield high and brings it down. Wham!
The cannon stops charging.
Steve raises the shield again. And smashes the shield down on the capsule. The energy house crackles then sparks fly.
Steve brings the shield down one last time. The capsules breaks under the shields strength. An ominous smoke begins to rise. Steve takes a running leap off the tank and tackles Dum Dum Dugan into the ground
The tank operators scream as they try to clamber out and away from the tank when it explodes!
Eddie and the other Howling Commandoes rush over to the surviving Hydra soldiers to take them prisoner only for them to start to compulse and wither on the ground.
"What's happening to them?" Eddie asked out loud.
"Oh right." Says Gabe as he wipes the sweat from his forehead, "You weren't with us in Turin." Eddie bends down to look at the hydra soldier who has foam filling his mouth. Eddie looks away disgusted and mortified as the soldier's eyes roll back and stops moving.
"Every time we try to catch these chaps, they consume a cyanide capsule." Explained Monty.
A smile formed on Eddie's face as he looked at his new weapon, "Not anymore they won't."
"If you can ever learn to fire that thing." Teases Morita.
Eddie turned to Steve, "Have you been telling people about basic?" Eddie demanded.
Steve chuckles as he pulls out a map and compass. The men surround Steve as he figures out their position.
"I think we're still a few miles short of the hydra factory." Steve says packing up his supplies.
Steve began to lead the group toward the woods. Gabe patted Eddie on his back.
And sure enough barely an hour into their trek they found the secretive Hydra factory. It was an ugly green steel building. Cement walls surround the factory's perimeter, with a large black cannon that contained tesseract energy, at every quarter mile.
"Well I'll be damn" says Dum Dum Dugan as he pulls out his flask and takes a swig.
"Can I have some?" asks Dernier. Dum Dum Dugan glares at Dernier as if he had insulted his great grandmother.
"Okay." Dernier says looking away.
"What's the plan Cap?" Eddie asks as Steve returns Eddie's binoculars. Steve slowly smiles.
-Hydra Factory-
The guards never thought to see one of their own tanks come tumbling down the hill straight for the wall.
One of the guards scream at the tank to slow down but it barreled over him.
The two energy cannons whirled to life and targeted the tank.
"Now!" yelled Captain America. Dugan lifts a panzerfaust 150 on his shoulder. "Aim for the wall under the cannon." Captain America reminded Dugan.
"Aye cap" Dugan said as he lined up his shot and fired.
Before the energy cannon could fire on the tank, a dark green object hurls through the air, crashing into the cement wall. The explosion shatters a hole below the energy cannon. The energy cannon topples forward and explodes in blue energy like a thousand TNTs at once.
The second energy cannon changes it sights to the treeline.
But its too late as the tank collides with the gate. The grey metal of the tank turns orange then red before exploding metal shards in every direction. Not even the second energy cannon could withstand the force so close and explodes into a firework blue.
"Go! Go!" Shouts Captain America leading the charge down the hill and through the shattered walls. Eddie follows close behind, covering Cap's back by firing his gas gun at any incoming soldiers.
Eddie hops over the burning wreckage of the perimeter. A dark figure collides into him.
A badly burnt hydra soldier straddles Eddie and tries to stab him with a serrated blade.
"Stirb amerikanischer Abschaum" coughs the soldier. Eddie grabs the soldier's knife hand holding it back. Eddie tries to shoot the soldier with his gun. The soldier headbutts Eddie.
The knife closes near his neck. Eddie coughs from the stench of burnt flesh.
The soldier grunts his face too close to Eddie's.
On instinct Eddie headbutts the soldier, forcing the blade into his neck. The Soldier loosens his hold on the knife. Eddie shoves the soldier off and yanks the knife out with a couple of ounces of his own blood.
The hydra soldier tries to get up but Eddie hops onto him. Blood pouring out of his neck like a faucet.
Eddie begins to punch the soldier over and over. Eddie's fist slips on blood once or twice, his or the soldier's he doesn't know for sure.
Pain flares and Eddie's shoulder is jerked back. He looks up to see another soldier taking aim with his rifle.
The other soldier takes aim. But before he could fire, his neck jerks to the left as a red white and blue shield bounces back to Captain America.
"Come on!" yells Jones as he bring Eddie back to his feet. Eddie follows after Jones where the rest of the howling commandos prepared to burst through the hydra factory's main entrance.
Eddie touches his neck surprised to be alive. His hand rubs against his neck and finds no stab wound.
"Alright men." Shouted Cap as he reared back his right foot.
The door crashes open, Captain America rushes inside using his vibranium shield to block incoming bullets. Eddie and Bucky followed next and fired their perspective weapons at the enemy as the rest of the Howling commandos followed after them.
Captain America and the howling commandoes fan out across the factory.
Eddie pushes an unconscious hydra soldier into a pile with the others.
"You think we'll get anything useful out of them?" asks Morita.
"We god damn better." Growls Dum Dum as he feels his way through an unconscious hydra soldier's mouth to pull out their cyanide pill. "Or I am gonna be sorely pissed." Eddie and Morita laughed at Dugan's luck of the draw.
"You know for people really into being scientifically superior they could at least brush their teeth." Gags Jones as he pushes a soldier away from him.
Captain America was on his transponder giving the good news to headquarters, while Bucky and Dernier were setting up bombs throughout the factory.
"Hey Eddie, come here." Calls Monty holding up his first aid kit. Eddie sat on the closest crate. Monty helps him remove his grey jacket.
"were you a medic?" Eddie asks.
Monty looks up with a mischievous glint. "Nope."
"Oh lord, help." Eddie chuckles.
"Well lucky you." Monty said pulling out gauze. "There's an exit wound and no bleeding."
Eddie cocks his head confused. "Is that good?" Monty presses his fingers against Eddie's neck and watches his watch.
"Yeah you're pretty good." Monty says opening his canteen and pours the water onto a small cloth. Monty begins wiping at the entrance wound. Eddie winces making Monty shake his head. "Just be still for a minute you big baby."
"Sir yes sir." Eddie says teasingly but winces again when Monty begins cleaning the exit wound. Monty uses the gauze to wrap up Eddie's arm.
"Alright Monty, call it." Bucky says returning to the group with Dernier in tow.
"He'll live." Monty says as he clips the gauze.
"Thanks Monty." Eddie says as he pulls his jacket back on.
Captain America came back to the group. "Alright team, the SSR will be here in about an hour to pick up our prisoners." Cap turns to Eddie. "What do you say kid, you ready to kick some Hydra butt."
Eddie smiled forgetting the knife attack and being shot.
"Oorah." Eddie said.
"Oorah!" the rest of the Howling Commandos shout.