As Kyle stepped out of the shower room, he was greeted by a ge in the weather. The sky had darkened, with thick clouds looming overhead, and a light rain began to fall, pattering against the ground and creating small puddles that marred the training base's pathways.

  The se seemed eerily familiar, remi of a past event in a simir timeline.

  Seeking refuge from the rain, Kyle noticed a proag him through the curtain of falling droplets, holding an umbrel. She appeared hurried, sing the area as if searg for someone.

  As Kyle reized the stunning face of the woman, he couldn't help but excim, "Agent Carter?"

  "Kyle!" Agent Carter spotted him standing uhe eaves of the shower room and hastened her steps, paying no mind to the wet ground. She closed the distan two quick strides.

  "Why aren't you with Steve? What are you doing in front of the men's shower room?" Kyle asked, surprised and someyful. "Do you have a habit of admiring men's perfect physiques?"

  After all, during their time as soldiers iraining base, Agent Carter once barged into the dormitory while Kyle happeo be ing out of the shower.

  However, this time, Agent Carter didn't bother refuting the teasing remark. Instead, she anxiously said, "Kyle, I came here specifically to find you. Please go and talk to Steve! Only you vince him now!"

  "Huh? What are you talking about?" Kyle scratched his head feeling perplexed at the moment.

  "I'll expin on the way. We must hurry; there's no time to waste!" Agent Carter firmly grabbed Kyle's hand and led him into the rain.

  Together, they made their way toward the tent area he military camp.

  "So, you're saying that the 107th Regiment's soldiers were ambushed by the Germans in the front-line bat zone in Austria, and only a few mao escape back here? Among the missing soldiers is Sergeant Bucky Barnes?" Kyle pieced together the information from Agent Carter's brief message, uanding why she was so ed.

  Bucky Barnes.

  He was Steve's best friend before they joihe army, but ter became the Winter Soldier under Hydra's trol. For him, Steve even ended up in a full-blown fight with Iron Man.

  Now, knowing that something had happeo Buearby, Kyle was certain that Steve would risk everything to save him.

  "So, Agent Carter, are you askio stop Steve and make him resider?" Kyle inquired.

  Agent Carter nodded affirmatively and replied, "Exactly! Aside from not knowing if those ambushed soldiers are still alive, we ck the necessary forces here to unch a proper rescue operation. It's too dangerous for him to go alone, crossing into the most perilous war zone in Europe and infiltrating enemy-trolled facilities."

  "I uand." Kyle smiled and didn't say much, causing Agent Carter to furrow her brows slightly, sensing a foreboding oute.

  However, Kyle was the only one who could potentially halt Steve's resolute as.

  As they reached the camp area, specifically the tents designated fanda persohey spotted Steve still dressed in his blue and white striped tight-fitting uniform adorned with the star-spangled symbol. He had donned a raiant jacket and reparing to ge a spare tire on a military jeep.

  It was evident that he inteo embark on the journey alone.

  Whe Carter returned, Steve was about to speak, but his expression suddenly turned unnatural upon seeing Kyle standing behind her. "Kyle, are you here to vince me as well? I know the risks involved, but if I have the ability and don't act then I will feel guilty for the rest of my life."

  "You are quite good at presuming things! I haven't even said a word yet. How do you know I'm here to vince you?" Kyle impatiently shrugged and assisted Steve in hoisting the sed spare tire onto the rear partment of the vehicle.

  Steve was taken aback before he patted Kyle's shoulder in surprise, and the two exged smiles. Between men, words often proved unnecessary as a siion veyed their uanding of each other's thoughts.

  "Kyle, you?" Agent Carter looked at him incredulously, feeling as if he was only adding to the trouble.

  "I'll go with him. It shouldn't be a problem. Two people are much safer than one," Kyle stated fidently.

  Agent Carter g Steve and then at Kyle, her expression filled with bitterness. "Don't you uand? This is not something that one or two people ha all."

  Ihan half a minute, Agent Carter's attempts to stop them pletely failed. sidering their well-being, she had to secretly utilize the resources at her disposal.

  Ten mier, a pne defied the thuorm, bravely s through the dark skies and heavy rairating deep into the occupied war zone in Europe.

  Ihe pne , Steve and Kyle sat on one side, while Agent Carter occupied the other, briefing them ouation. "Hydra's camp is located in Kusburg, led between two mountains, resembling a factory. I'll try to get the pne as close to one of the entrances as possible."

  "Stark is the best pilot I've ever seen, and only he dares to take off in this thuorm," Agent Carter added.

  As she spoke, a gentlemanly man in his thirties, dressed in a sophisticated manner, casually waved his hand from the pilot's seat.

  Howard Stark? The renowned founder of Stark Industries and the father of Iron Man.

  Kyle's eyes lit up; he had long desired to meet this legendary figure in the Marvel World. He greeted, "Is this the Strategic Stific Reserve's Howard? I've seen your stifiventions at exhibitions, and they're all works of genius."

  "Sed Lieutenant Kyle," Howard responded politely. "I've heard about you too— the one who refused the Super Soldier Project, the lone war fanatid the oh the title of an Ameri hero. If there's a ce, I'd love to treat you to some cheese hotpot whe back. Of course, it would be eveer if Agent Carter joins us."

  "Deal." Kyle smiled, seemingly unfazed by the immi danger, as if he believed he would return safely.

  With a few cards up his sleeve, he truly wao have a good versation with Howard.

  "Attention, we're entering enemy-occupied territory!"

  Howard, rarely serious, issued a warning as he skillfully maniputed the trols, maneuvering the aircraft to evade ining guhe pne shook violently, causing interemors and jolts.

  Through the windows, they could clearly see lightning fshing across the sky above, while the darkness of the wilderness below was stantly illuminated by the enemy's muzzle fshes. Natural and man-made attacks severely hihe pne's progress.

  "It's too dangerous. Steve and I will jump from here. You should turn back immediately," Kyle made the decision before opening the pne . The night wind rushed in from the hundred-meter altitude, causing his windbreaker to billow open.

  "We're already quite close to the enemy's factory from here," Steve nodded, standing up and joining Kyle at the doorway.

  "Steve," Agent Carter called out, speaking slowly, "Please make sure you e back alive."

  "Don't worry," Steve reassured her before taking the leap first.

  "With me around, Steve will be fine. We'll have a real feast wheurn," Kyle waved his hand fidently, following Steve's lead and leaping into the darkness below.

  In just a few seds, the two of them vanished swiftly into the night rain.

  "It's not just Steve. Please make sure you e back too, Kyle," Agent Carter murmured softly on the pne, her thoughts unknown.

  (End of this chapter)