CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
MAKE SURE HE COMES BACK ALIVE

     "IS THAT MY BROTHER?" THE three women were standing outside, but kept themselves protected from the rain. Celeste and Peggy followed Evelyn's eye sight before also spotting Steve. The three had made it to the man's last show, and the men obviously weren't taking him seriously. "I'll be right back." Evelyn told them to which they nodded before watching as she made her way towards her brother.

     "Are those. . ." Celeste nodded towards the men that were being dragged in. The ones that were left.

     Peggy nodded. "The rest of the one-oh-seventh."

     Her heart stuttered in her chest as she snapped her head over to Peggy who watched fear fall on her face. "What? The one-oh-seventh?" Peggy nodded. Celeste swallowed thickly before grabbing Peggy's wrist as they quickly made their way over to the Rogers twins, getting the last part of their conversation.

      "They look like they've been through hell." Steve noted.

     "That's because they have." Evelyn and Steve both turned their heads to find Celeste and Peggy standing under the shelter, and Celeste had a look on her face that Evelyn didn't like. "Just found out from the Queen over here that your latest audience contained what was left of the one-oh-seventh. The rest were killed or captured."

     "The one-oh-seventh?" The siblings questioned in unison and Celeste nodded her head. She was trying to convince herself that Bucky was there somewhere, he had to be. If he wasn't, then she had failed her mission which was to protect him. Steve and Evelyn exchanged a look before both of them quickly scrambled up and ran through the rain with Celeste and Peggy close on their heels. They entered the ten in which Colonel Phillips was situated and the three women stood back whilst watching as Steve talked to the man.

     "Colonel Phillips." Steve addressed him.

     Phillips looked up at him. "Well, if it isn't the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan. And what is your plan today?"

    "I need the casualty list from Azzano." Steve ordered.

     "You don't get to give me orders, son."

     "I just need one name. Sergeant James Barnes from the hundred and seventh." Steve quickly rushed out.

     "You three and I are gonna have a conversation later that you won't enjoy." Phillips said, pointing towards the three women.

     "Please tell me if he's alive, sir. B-A-R. . ."

     "I can spell." Phillips quickly silenced him. "I have signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But the name does sound familiar. I'm sorry." Celeste's shoulders immediately tensed as she closed her eyes, clenching her jaw. Evelyn looked over at the girl, Celeste meeting her gaze as they exchanged saddened looks with one another before reaching out and grabbing each other's hand, hoping to reassure one another that Bucky wasn't dead, even if the man had stated he had signed the condolence letter.

     "What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?" Steve quickly asked.

     "Yeah! It's called winning the war!" Phillips responded.

     "But if you know where they are, why not at least. . .?"

     "They're thirty miles behind the lines. Through the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We'd lose more men than we'd save. But I don't expect you to understand that, because you're a chorus girl."

     "I think I understand just fine." Steve nodded.

     "Well then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you got some place to be in thirty minutes." Phillips speaks. That's when Steve noticed a map on the wall. He looked at it before looking back at the Colonel.

    "Yes, sir. I do." With that he walked out, and the three watched him go before they all exchanged looks and walked out after him, entering the tent he had went in.

     "What do you plan to do?" Peggy snapped. "Walk to Austria?"

     "If that's what it takes." Steve nodded.

     "You heard the Colonel. Your friend is most likely dead."

     "Wow, Pegs." Evelyn scoffed as Celeste's frown deepened.

     "Sorry." The woman quickly apologized.

     "You don't know that." Steve shook his head in denial.

     "Even so, he's devising a strategy. If he detects―︎"

    "By the time he's done that it could be too late." Steve cut her off, pulling his jacket on over his shoulders before storming out. Evelyn called after him and the three walked out after the man. They watched as he put his stuff into one of the vehicles before Steve turned to look at them. His eyes looking at his sister. "You told me you thought I was more than this."

    "And you are." Evelyn softly replied, moving closer to him. "I want to get Bucky back just as much as you do. But I don't want you to die in the process of saving our other friend from dying."

     "Eve. . ."

     "If you're going, so are we." Celeste was the one to speak up this time, causing Steve to look at her. He could see something that was hiding beneath her eyes, and it had completely slipped his mind that Bucky meant everything to the angel.

     "We can help." Peggy added, nodding her head. "In fact, I might know how to get you a ride." Steve looked between the three before giving in and nodding his head. The three females quickly jumped in the vehicle and Steve was quick to drive off, heading towards the place Peggy told him to go to.

They made it onto the plane that Stark was driving, Celeste and Peggy sitting on one side with Steve and Evelyn sitting on the other. Celeste was looking everywhere around the plane, her nerves gripping tightly onto her. She had to know that Bucky was going to be okay, and she knew that if she went with Steve, there was no doubt that she was going to end up exposing herself to him, and quite frankly she didn't care.

    "The HYDRA camp is in Krausberg, tucked between these two mountain ranges. It's a factory of some kind." Peggy explained.

     "We should be able to drop you right on the doorstep." Howard called, raising his voice over the rough rains and winds.

     "Just get me as close as you can." Steve told the man. "You know, you three are gonna be in a lot of trouble at the lab."

    "And you won't?" Evelyn scoffed, cocked an eyebrow.

     "Where I'm goin', if anybody yells at me I can just shoot 'em." Steve responds.

     "They will undoubtedly shoot back." Peggy retorted.

     "I'm going with you." The sudden sound of Celeste's voice grabbed their attention. Her eyes met those of Steve's, and before he could even object the angel cut him off. "Steve, you won't believe this, but trust me when I say that I will be helpful. I can get us in and out without any casualties. It's part of my. . ."

     "Part of her specialties." Peggy was quick to cover up for the angel and Celeste sent her friend a thankful smile. "Celeste is amazing at what she does, trust her on this one. You'll be glad she came along with you." Steve looked between the two before glancing towards his sister who simply shrugged her shoulders before Steve looked at Celeste and nodded his head to which she nodded back.

     "Agent Carter, if we're not in too much of a hurry, I was hoping we could stop off in Lucerne for a late night fondue." Stark called, turning his head to look at the female.

     There was an awkward silence before Peggy cleared her throat. "Stark is the best civilian pilot I've ever seen. He's mad enough to brave this airspace, we're lucky to have him."

     Steve glanced at his sister, and then between Peggy and Stark before asking, "So are you two. . .? Do you. . .? Fondue?"

     Evelyn cocked an eyebrow of amusement, her mouth opening slightly as she tried not to laugh as she and Celeste exchanged amused glances with one another whilst Peggy ignored the question and handed him a device. "This is your transponder. Activate it when you're ready and the signal will lead us straight to you."

     "Are you sure this thing works?" Steve asked, taking it into his grasp.

     "It's been tested more than you, pal." Howard assured him. Suddenly, their plane was starting to take fire. Steve quickly stood up and walked over to the door. He sat down, moving to the edge of the door and preparing to jump. Evelyn stood up in worry whilst Celeste moved to stand behind him and Peggy walked over to the man.

     "Get back here! We're taking you all the way in."

     "As soon as we're free, you turn this thing around and get the hell outta here!" Steve ordered.

     "You can't give me orders!" Peggy shouts back at him.

     "The hell I can't! I'm a Captain!" With that, Steve jumped out of the plane.

     Celeste looked at the two women before promising, "I'll make sure he comes back alive. I'll make sure they both do." She gave the two a small smile before jumping out of the plane herself, following after Steve and forcing herself to push away the negative scenarios that filled her mind.