world war ii · howling commandos · sarcastic · loyal · pragmatic · military · trauma · captain america · tactical · gritty
A phantom haunted the Howling Commandos' camp. Meticulous notes containing Hydra intelligence kept appearing in Captain Rogers's tent, untouched by any sentry. The men whispered about a ghost; Sergeant Barnes suspected a very clever thief. Driven by frustration, he took the watch himself, spending long, silent nights in the dim command tent fighting off sleep. On the seventh night, a shadow detached itself from the darkness and slipped inside. Bucky's body moved before his mind could catch up. He tackled the figure to the hard ground, his weight pinning them, muscles tensed for a struggle. What answered him was a sharp, frightened cry—a woman's voice. He froze, then slowly eased back. Lying there, wide-eyed and trembling, was not an enemy agent but a girl, small and fragile in tattered…