𝗀 𝗁 𝗈 𝗌 𝗍 | | 𝗌 𝗍 𝖾 𝗏 𝖾 𝗋 𝗈 𝗀 𝖾 𝗋 𝗌

𝗍 𝗐 𝖾 𝗇 𝗍 𝗒 － 𝗍 𝗁 𝗋 𝖾 𝖾

       

⍟ 𝟣𝟫𝟦𝟧, 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗈𝗇, 𝖾𝗇𝗀𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽 ⍟

MARTA HAD CRAFTED A LARGE armada of explosives in Howard's lab after she left the remains of The Stork Club. It helped take her mind off the fact that her brother and her dearest friend were dead. In the four years since Marta had taken the serum and became a super soldier, she and Thomas had grown impossibly close. It killed her to have to pen the letter to his wife that he was gone.

        And Bucky, her brother, her first friend. He was everything to her, though they fought like dogs at times. Bucky protected Marta growing up and throughout the recent years fighting Hydra. She was in disbelief that the words she wrote to her sister and mother were true. Marta wrote that dreaded letter while in Howard's lab, Peggy sitting with her.

        "Have you finished?" Peggy asked softly, watching Marta lean back from the paper, placing her pen down.

        Marta nodded. "I'm just going to read it once more." She said, flipping to the first page of the long note.

Dear Mom and Rebecca,

         Hi. It's been a long time since I've written, and I'm sorry for that. It's been really hard over here. Mom, I'm sure Becca told you of what happened between me and Steve. I'm sorry I never told you we were together. I wish I was writing to catch up, and say that everything is going to be fine, but I'm not.

        At the end of January, the Howling Commandos, Steve and I's team, and I were on a mission to capture a Nazi doctor from a train. My partner, Thomas, and I were in the air, trying to stop the train. They had these insane weapons, and Thomas took a hit. I pulled him out of his jet, but I couldn't do anything. He died almost immediately.

        Steve and Bucky were in the train. They had each other, and I thought they would be fine. One of the weapons created a hole in the train, and I looked up from Thomas's dead body to see Bucky falling out of the train, and into the ravine below us. I took my jet, and I searched for him, but all I found were his dog tags. I passed out from the cold, and when I woke up, my friend told me they never found his body.

        I didn't want my Colonel to send you guys a condolence letter. I wanted you two to hear it from me. Bucky's dead, and I'm so, so sorry. I tried to save him, but I couldn't, and I'm sorry.

        Things aren't going good here. London was hit hard, and the city is in a blackout. I'm writing you this as my last letter before Steve and I set out against the leader of the Nazi science program, Hydra. I don't know what's going to happen, but I will kill him. I promise you both that I will kill him for what he has done.

        I don't want this to become a goodbye letter, because it's not. Mom, you won't lose me. Not after Dad and Buck. Rebecca, my annoying little sister, the war will be over, and I will take you on a nice little vacation, before I go back to work.

        I love you both. Bucky and I loved you both. Don't worry, you'll hear from me again, very soon.

—All my love forever, your daughter and sister, Marta Barnes

        Marta sighed, folding the letter up and adressing it. Peggy took it, planning to have it sent out later that day. "Are you ready to get started?" Peggy asked, standing alongside Marta.

        The woman nodded. "If I black out, please don't remind me." Marta began to leave Howard's lab with Peggy, her flask in the back pocket of her pants. The two military women walked to the briefing room, joining the Howling Commandos, Howard, numerous other SSR agents and Colonel Phillips inside.

        Marta sat beside Steve. Their chairs were far apart, an icy chill between them. The Commandos eyed Marta, knowing that she was alone without the three most important men in her life with her. Phillips sent her a sympathetic glance, but Marta ignored it. She hated sympathy.

        The Colonel faced a large map as Marta pulled out her flask. She felt Steve's eyes on her. "Johann Schmidt belongs in a bughouse. He thinks he's a god, and he's willing to blow up half the world to prove it, starting with the USA."

        Steve nudged Marta, showing her the files he was going over as Howard made his way forward. "Schmidt's working with powers beyond our capabilities. He gets across the Atlantic, he will wipe out the entire Eastern Seaboard in an hour." There was silence following Howard's statement. The situation was incredibly dire.

        Gabe Jones spoke as Marta sipped quietly from her flask. "How much time we got?" He asked.

        "According to my new best friend, under 24 hours." Phillips spoke.

        Marta's fist clenched at the mention of Zola. "I'm guessing you're not going to let me have a nice chat with him?" She asked the Colonel, an aggravated and grief-striken look on her face.

        "Nice try." Phillips said, and Marta nodded. He felt for Marta, but he knew that she would kill Arnim Zola if she was let near him. They needed Zola, and Marta knew that they did.

        "Where is he now?" Falsworth asked, sifting through the papers in his hands.

        Phillips pointed to a photograph of the last remaining Hydra base. "Hydra's last base is here. In the Alps, 500 feet below the surface." He tossed the photographs onto the table. Morita picked one up.

        "So what are we supposed to do? I mean, it's not like we can just knock on the front door." Jim said to the people in the room.

        Marta and Steve both perked up. "Why not?" Those were the first words Steve had spoken all of the meeting. "That's exactly what we're gonna do. Marta can easily get us to the base." Steve said, and Marta's eyes slightly widened.

        "That's a lot of faith you're putting in me, Steve." Marta said in a warning voice, drinking the rest of her flask.

        "Can't you do it?" Dum Dum asked, confusion lacing his and the other Commando's features. Marta was never one to back down.

        "Oh, I can get us there, I'm just surprised you guys think I can get us there." She said, placing her flask down. Steve and Phillips rolled their eyes at her.

        Howard almost chuckled. "You know, just because you can fly planes doesn't mean you should, Miss Marta." He said as Marta stood up, her heels clicking through the quiet room.

        "Just because you think you can make cars fly, doesn't mean you should, Mr. Stark," Marta called as she began to walk out of the room to prepare her jet. "Let's get a move on, gentlemen. I've got things to do and people to see."

        And the plan was set. Marta's uniform had some upgrades, and she and Steve were purely motivated by anger. Marta knew that win or lose, the war would be over with this mission. Before they left, she pulled Peggy aside.

        "These letters cannot be opened unless I don't come home, Peg." Marta had warned, pushing the folded notes gently into her hand.

        Peggy rolled her eyes, taking the six letters she gave to him. For Winnifred, Rebecca, Howard, Steve, the Commandos, and herself. "You tell me this every time you have a mission. I tell you the same thing every time." She said, growing slightly nervous.

        Marta adjusted her pinned braids. "This mission is very important. It's the last one, hopefully. I can't leave unfinished business." She said, sighing.

        "Well, it's a very good thing that you're a super soldier, and you're indestructible." Peggy teased, enveloping Marta into a warm hug, that she knew Marta needed.

        Peggy and Marta had a special friendship. For starters, neither had another female friend. But it was more than that. Marta really understood Peggy, and Peggy really understood Marta. There was never any judgement, or rudeness. There were just smiles, and laughs, and meaningful talks. They just fit together.

⍟