Gerda ran through the woods as fast as she could, ignoring the blisters and open wounds on her feet. She had lost the guards who had been sent out to look for her, but she knew that her father would not rest until she was returned; and she had no intention of ever going back. Her brothers and sister might have been happy to serve HYDRA, but she never would be. She, at least, had a sense of humanity.
It was nearly pitch black outside, and the disorientation from running for so long made it difficult to know where she was going. By the time she realized that she had run into the middle of a street, a pair of speeding headlights were coming towards her and she froze in place; thankfully, the car stopped only inches away from her. A young man climbed out of the car and stormed towards her.
"What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to get someone killed?"
Before Gerda could even think of an answer, she felt a wave of dizziness before blacking out completely.
When she came to, Gerda was in the hospital and hooked up to an IV with bandages on her feet and the scrapes that she had gotten from twigs and branches. A nurse was at the foot of her bed and making notes. Gerda shifted in her bed, which caught the nurse's attention and her gently pushing her back against the pillows.
"You shouldn't be moving too much. You're not very well right now." The nurse said.
"What happened?"
"According to the man who brought you in, you had fainted. Your cuts and scrapes have been bandaged, and we decided to start you on IV to get fluids in you. So, what were you doing in the middle of a street at night?"
"I didn't realize I was on the road until I saw the car."
"And what about all these scrapes and the sores on your feet?"
Gerda shrugged, not wanting to answer the question. The nurse smiled and began to replace the IV bag.
"That's an interesting accent you have. Is it German?"
"Yes." Gerda practically mumbled.
As Gerda became more aware of her surroundings, she finally realized that she was wearing a hospital gown. Her shirt, pants, and, most importantly, the gun she carried in her pants was nowhere to be found.
"Where are my clothes?" Gerda asked.
"Oh, they were a mess, so I had someone wash them for you. By the way, is there a reason that you had a gun with you? Not that it's any of my business, a woman has to protect herself nowadays. You just never know who you can trust."
Gerda shifted again. Not because of her injuries, but because she was beginning to feel uneasy about her nurse.
"I really have to go. Could you get my clothes for me?"
As Gerda tried to get up again, the nurse pushed her back down again, this time with a bit more force.
"Now Gerda, there is nothing to worry about. You'll be out of here in no time."
"How did you know my name?"
The nurse took a step back and seemed to be thinking for a moment, before smiling and shrugging. "Oh, you just seemed like a "Gerda" to me. Now, I'm going to call the doctor and have him look at you."
The nurse left the cubicle, but Gerda could not relax. The nurse had known her name, had seemed to know her accent was German, and had taken her clothes. Something was not right, and Gerda knew she had to get out of the hospital quickly. As she slowly began to climb out of bed, the nurse returned.
"Where do you think you're going?" The nurse asked.
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"You must stay in bed, we can slip something under you so that you can go." The nurse said, her voice sounding almost robotic.
"I really would like to go to the bathroom, please."
Although she still seemed reluctant, the nurse helped Gerda out of bed and began to escort her to the bathroom. When they were halfway down the hall, the nurse took a strong grip on Gerda's arm and leaned close to her ear.
"You're really far from home, Miss Strucker."
"How did you know?"
"HYDRA sent out a report. Find Gerda Strucker and return her to the lab immediately. They said I would know you by the symbol on the back of your neck."
The "symbol" that the nurse was referring to was a tattoo she had been given at birth. A tattoo of HYDRA's emblem.
"I guess that you're not going to let me go without a fight?" Gerda asked.
"Not if I can help it."
Gerda sighed. "Have it your way then."
Gerda suddenly freed her arm and ran her elbow straight into the nurse's face, bloodying her lip and her nose in the process. Still, the nurse didn't give up and wrenched Gerda's arm behind her back. This might have worked on an ordinary, run-of-the-mill criminal; but Gerda knew better, having been trained by some of HYDRA's best agents.
Using her free arm, Gerda lifted the nurse onto her back and flipped her to the floor. Having just enough time to yank the IV out of her arm, Gerda bolted down the hallway and outside to the hospital parking lot.
She knew that it was coming, but she hadn't expected it to happen so soon. Now, every agent and ally of HYDRA was out looking for her. Gerda Strucker, as far as HYDRA was concerned, was a fugitive.