Chapter 16: Rescue Mission

LOCKHEED ELECTRA. NIGHT.

A silver Lockheed Electra cuts through the clouds. The "A" HELMET from the USO show sits on a bench. Beside it, Steve buttons fatigues [1] over his Cap shirt.

"The Hydra camp is in Krausberg, tucked between two mountain ranges. It's a factory of some kind." Kindly informed Steve. Agent Carter is sitting across from him, studying a map.

Howard Stark leans back from the controls and added "We should be able to drop you right on the doorstep."

"Just get me as close as you can." Then Steve looks to Agent Carter "You know, you're both going to be in a lot of trouble when you land."

"And you're not?" Agent Carter rebutted.

"Yeah, but where I'm landing, if anybody yells at me, I get to shoot them." Steve replied.

"They're undoubtedly going to shoot back." Agent Carter said.

Steve shows her his shield strapped to his back and said "It's got to be good for something."

"Agent Carter, if we're not in too much of a hurry, I thought we'd stop in Lucerne for a late night fondue." Mr. Stark interrupts and grins.

Steve was a little confused and asked "Why is he saying "fondue" like that? What's fondue?"

Agent Carter interpreted this as Steve getting jealous so she was amused. She wasn't sure about Steve's relationship with Yumhee and she haven't really seen the two or heard any news about their relationship ever since she left America. But she already decided to make the distance between them shorten.

"Stark's the best civilian pilot I've ever seen, and mad enough to brave this airspace. We're lucky to have him." Agent Carter said instead of answering Steve's question.

"Do you, are you two...fondue?" Steve asked cautiously in case the two were hiding their relationship like what him and Yumhee did at first. To him, they actually look good together.

Agent Carter ignored his question again and said "Take this transponder. Activate it when you're ready and the signal will lead us right to you."

Steve looks at the insignia, "STARK INDUSTRIES." Remembering the car show months ago he asked "You sure it works?"

"It's been tested more than you have." Mr. Stark replied.

Then something hit them. The plane lurches to the left. Anti-aircraft guns hammer the plane. Mr. Stark executes evasive maneuvers. Steve straps on his parachute and throws open the jump door.

"Rogers, get back here. We're taking you all the way in!" Agent Carter ordered Steve.

Explosions rock the air. Steve hesitates. Realizing what he's about to do. Yumhee's face that night before he left flashes in his mind. Then there was another explosion. He turns to Agent Carter and said "Once I'm clear, turn this thing around and get out of here!"

"You can't give me orders!" Agent Carter shouted back against the deafening sounds of explosions and anti-aircraft guns.

"The hell I can't! I'm a Captain!" Steve retorts smugly.

The plane was hit again and lurches once more just as Steve jumps. Agent Carter catches a glimpse of Steve's parachute. She swears under her breath, then signals Mr. Stark, who hauls on the throttle.

HYDRA FACTORY - GROUND FLOOR. NIGHT.

Searchlights sweep from watchtowers. A barbed-wire fence rings a compound of buildings. A factory belches smoke.

A Hydra tech loads blue cartridges into a cluster bomb, then gently loads the cluster bomb into a nose cone.

"As you see, production is proceeding faultlessly." Dr. Zola and Schmidt walk the factory floor. Catwalks radiate from a control room overhead. Dr. Zola continued "Even in ordnance of this."

"Good. Increase output by sixty percent. See to it our other facilities do the same." Schmidt ordered.

"But our...workers. I am not sure they have the strength." Dr. Zola raised the issue.

P.O.W.'s [2] labor at gunpoint. A giant crane loads bombs onto a rail car.

"Then use what strength they have left, Doctor. There are always more workers." Schmidt simply replied.

HYDRA FACTORY - MAIN GATE

Steve peers out at the guards patrolling the main gate. He drops as headlights sweep the road. Three covered trucks rumble toward the gate. A gate guard checks the drivers' papers while Steve sneaks into the last truck.

HYDRA FACTORY - COMPOUND

The trucks roll into the compound, gates closing behind them. Guards hurry out to unload the trucks.

At the last truck, one guard peers in, curious. A red, white and blue shield stands amongst the supplies. Then the shield springs out, smashing him in the face. The guard drops. Steve emerges from the darkness.

Hydra guards prod P.O.W.'s across the compound. Steve follows, keeping to the shadows. At the barracks, one guard stands watch as the other leads the prisoners inside.

HYDRA FACTORY - BARRACKS

A warder [3] opens a cage and prods the prisoner in. A prisoner in a hat bring up the rear, slow. The warder hits him with a truncheon [4], knocking off his bowler. The prisoner picks up his hat and puts it back on. The person's name is Dum Dum Dugan. He stares at the Warder and said "You know, Fritz, one of these days, I'm gonna get my own stick." The warder viciously kicks Dugan inside.

Down the row, a hundred more prisoners are trapped in a dozen more cages.

HYDRA FACTORY - COMPOUND

The guard steps out to find his partner sleeping against the wall, helmet over his eyes. He kicks him, but the guard doesn't move. He lifts his partner's helmet to see he's out cold. Steve steps up behind him with a truncheon and hit him.

HYDRA FACTORY - BARRACKS

Four prisoners, Falsworth, Jones, Dernier and Dugan slump on the floor of their cage, exhausted.

The warder on the upper floor makes his rounds. He passes out of sight. Then Steve hits him. The warder drops on top of the cage, unconscious. The prisoners jump up as Steve looks down at them.

"Hi." Steve greets. The prisoners only stare at him, stunned.

Jones raises an eyebrow at Steve's outfit and shield and said "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"

"I'm...Captain America." Steve awkwardly answered.

The prisoners' excitement dies and Denier simply said "Merde. [5]"

After all the awkwardness have passed and Steve has explained everything, he started to open the cages.

Freed prisoners follow Steve as he makes his way down the row, opening more cages with the guard's keys. He releases Falsworth, Jones, Dernier and Dugan.

Dugan spots a Japanese-American soldier named Morita, already free and asked "What, are we taking everybody?"

"I'm from Fresno, Ace." Morita replied indifferently.

Steve searches the throng of prisoners and anxiously asked "Are there any others?"

"They did take a number of the men to isolation ward. I'm afraid we haven't seen them since." Falsworth replied.

Steve considers this as the prisoners gather round. Finally, he hands them a pistol and grenades.

"The tree line's northwest, about 80 yards from the gate. From there, just follow the creek bed. I'll meet you in the clearing with anybody I find inside." Steve turned to leave but Jones stops him.

"Wait. You sure you know what you're doing?" Jones asked, skeptical with Steve's decision.

"Sure. I've knocked out Adolph Hitler over 200 times." Steve jokingly replied and moves out.

Notes:

[1] the brownish green uniform worn especially by soldiers when working or fighting

[2] prisoners of war

[3] prison guard

[4] a short, thick stick carried as a weapon by a police officer; can also be called as baton

[5] a French word for "shit," used as a mild, generally humorous exclamation in English