Battlefield ★ Bucky Barnes

VIII. Pretty Damn Complicated

Connie stood in between Natasha and Steve on the quinjet. Her attention was focused on the computer monitor Agent Rumlow stood in front of as she awaited the mission details.

Her job working as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was quite possibly the best thing to happen to her since being rescued by Agent Coulson, aside from Steve's return, of course. Her job served her as a distraction from the torturous memories of her time with the Soviet Union.

Rather than executing people as she had been forced to do all those years ago, Connie now helped those who were in need of it. Human life was meant to be protected, in her opinion, not taken away, and knowing that she now helped apprehend those who threatened human life made her feel much better about the acts she had committed in the past. It was the reason she welcomed any mission S.H.I.E.L.D. offered her with open arms. Connie would pass up no opportunity to help or defend those in need.

"The target is a mobile satellite launch platform, the Lemurian Star," Rumlow informed the group. "They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, 93 minutes ago."

"Any demands?" Steve inquired.

"A billion and a half."

"Why so steep?"

"Because it's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s," Rumlow answered him.

Steve sighed and tilted his head at the monitor. "So, it's not off-course. It's trespassing."

"I'm sure they have a good reason," Natasha assured him.

Steve glanced over at her. "You know, I'm gettin' a little tired of being Fury's janitor."

"Relax," Connie said with a slight roll of her eyes. "It's not that complicated."

Steve sent his little sister a look before turning his attention back to Rumlow. "How many pirates?"

"25. Top mercs led by this guy—George Batroc." Rumlow tapped away on the monitor and in seconds a photo of Batroc was being displayed on the screen. "Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had 36 kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."

"How about the hostages?" Connie then spoke up, her concentration on the screen in front of her.

Rumlow tapped away on the monitor again, revealing another dozen pictures. "Mostly techs. One officer: Jasper Sitwell. They're in the galley."

"What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship?" Steve muttered to himself as he pulled his gloves tighter onto his hands. "Alright, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc; Con and Nat, you kill the engines and wait for instruction; Rumlow, you sweep aft and find the hostages, get 'em to the life pods, get them out. Let's move."

Connie moved away from the group to gather her weapons from her weapons station. She grabbed two pistols, equipped with silencers, and placed either one of them into their respective holsters on either hip. She then grabbed two of her electroshock batons, her preferred weapons, and placed them into the holsters on her back. After pulling her fingerless gloves onto her hands, she was locked and ready to go.

"Secure channel eight," Steve's voice sounded in Connie's ear.

Connie brought her hand to her face. "Eight secure."

"Secure channel seven?"

"Seven secure," Natasha answered as she approached the two super-soldiers. "So, did you two do anything fun Saturday night?"

"Well," Steve started as he placed his earpiece in his ear. "All the guys from my barber shop quartet are dead, and Connie here doesn't like the idea of fun anymore, so, no, not really."