Zola...
Doctor Arnim Zola was a Swiss scientist who currently was head of the science division at HYDRA. Recruited in 1934 by Johan Schmidt, he was responsible for the design and creation of many of the advanced weaponry currently in HYDRA'S growing arsenal in their quest for global world domination during the war. A brutal man, he was able to create so many devastating weapons mainly because Schmidt had captured "Abraham Erskine", the German scientist who would later go on to work on the advanced super soldier serum that would eventually turn Steve Rogers into the world renowned Captain America. Zola soon became obsessed with recreating Erskine's work and began testing various strengths of the super serum on the many prisoners of war captured by HYDRA that were bought back to the compound on a daily basis.
Some of the prisoners bought to the compound, were forced into backbreaking labour. Forced to create even more dangerous weaponry for the people many of them had signed up to fight against. These soldiers were beaten by the guards on a daily basis, breaking their spirits mentally and physically. So often leaving them broken with former aspects of their former personalities and life wiped out by the daily torture inflicted on them. Those not chosen for work, were taken to the hospital wing of the compound and prepared for Dr Zola's experiments. These men were normally kept in separate isolation wards and seen as nothing more than Guinea pigs in his desperate quest to enhance the super serum and create the ultimate killing machine for HYDRA. This super soldier would be stronger and even more faster than Captain America. This would make them even more deadly and would bring about the dangerous new dawn within the organization.
Those chosen for experimentation were inflicted with painful rigorous testing on a daily basis by Zola and his team. Each prisoner was injected with various kinds of chemicals and serums that his team had mixed together down in his lab. Hoping that one of the men would react positively to the chemicals and leaving his work complete. Zola was determined that he would soon find that perfect combination he needed and with that his work could continue. Thus creating what he called "The winter Soldier program"
Everyday new prisoners were bought to the base and this gave even more "Lab rats" for him to perform his experiments on. For him, as soon as these men were bought in they were property of HYDRA. These men had no identity now. They were nothing to him, just mere pawns and tools he needed to bring about the new dawn to HYDRA and complete the plan for world domination.
Zola's experiments on the various prisoners went on for several years and at present, he had experimented on nearly 100 men in his quest to find his super soldier. These men subjected to immense torture, pain and experiments on daily basis . Experiments that regularly failed but left the doctor more determined than ever to continue with his winter soldier program. Many of his subjects normally ended up dying within hours of first being injected with the serums. Some survived the first bout of testing but were left with devastating brain damage, this rendering them useless for further research within his program. These poor empty souls were normally shot at Zola's request and hurled into the incinerator like a bag of rubbish. These soldiers didn't deserve an end like this. But to Zola and his team they were mere bumps in his path to the winter soldier program becoming a reality. Other test subjects managed to commit suicide before even a single needle was injected into them. Choosing instant death over a long agonising suffering at the hands of HYDRA. This left Zola frequently empty handed and equally frustrated at further delays to his plans. At one point he even began to wonder if the winter soldier program would indeed materialise due to the regular bouts of failures he'd been having with his batch of test subjects
Out of all the prisoners tested on, only one survived that initial first round of serum injections. Quickly the man was bought to a separate isolation room where tests indeed showed that the serum was already attaching itself to his blood cells. Tests also showed that the serum was also merging deep within his DNA. Zola was overjoyed at these results and ordered further injections on the man. The man cried out in excruciating agony as the dangerous mix of toxic chemicals flew through his veins. This dosage was stronger than what the other subjects had received. If the man survived this then Zola knew he had the perfect participant for the up coming program. The man was amongst the first batch experimented on and he'd already outlived the rest of those infected. At last Zola had found the perfect subject for the program. At last he had found the one who was destined to be the new fist of HYDRA. At last he could unleash his new weapon on the world...
Delighted with the success, there was only one small problem. The man that had survived the intense pain of the experiments and whose body had merged with the super soldier serum, was none other than Sgt James Buchanan Barnes of the 107th regiment. The same Sgt Barnes who was best friends with Captain America and the very same Sgt Barnes who had fallen to his apparent death from a speeding train, several days previously. This created a problem for Zola but as he looked through his notes from Bucky's previous experiments and noted how quickly the serum had healed the soldiers injuries during his capture, he knew that there was a chance he'd survived the fall. Even with the incident on the train still etched in his mind, Zola knew in his heart that thanks to how Bucky's body had reacted to testing that he probably was indeed alive. Calling an emergency meeting with his team, he wished to discuss sending a search team for Bucky and bring him back to the compound so the winter soldier program could be a reality at long last. Taking off his glasses, he reached into his briefcase and handed out his file on James Barnes. Notes he'd created showing Bucky's many different reactions and dosages to the serum he'd received. Despite his belief that Bucky was the one they needed for the project, several members of his team believed otherwise and questioned his judgment in sending a search party for a presumed dead man
"Sir, do you in all honesty believe that Barnes is still alive?" questioned one of the scientists, looking at a photo of Bucky strapped to the hospital bed from the file "how do you know for sure that he is alive?... Are you truly willing to jeopardise all the hard work we have put in by going to search for a dead man?...I for one have worked too hard for this project to fail"
"do you dare question my choices here Doctor? " Zola reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny handgun. Slowly he pulled back the trigger and aimed it at the head of the panicking doctor "maybe I should be questioning your loyalty to HYDRA and the cause"
"Dr Zola...its just that..." wide eyed and gripped by fear the Doctor raised his arms "I just wanted to know that Sgt Barnes is indeed the one we need and that he's worth going."
Hearing enough, Zola pulled the trigger and shot the Doctor once in the chest. The huge bang from his blow caused the remainder of the team to dive under the table for safety. Slowly emerging to see their fallen comrade clutch his chest and fall over the table dead. Showing no remorse at what he'd done, Zola sat back at his chair and placed the gun back in his pocket. He reached once again for Bucky's file and glared at the remaining members of his team. Seemingly still not concerned about the crumpled body of the doctor slumped dead opposite him
"so does anyone else doubt my ability to continue with the program?" his eyes fell to the photo of Bucky from the file. The poor tortured exhausted man was strapped to a bed with wires to his arms leading to several IV bags next to him. Attached to his wrist were cords linking him to a computer close by "well?" The team all shook their heads furiously and continued to stare at the fallen comrade. Still stunned that Zola had killed him in cold blood like he had "good, the decision has been made...we will send a search party to find sergeant Barnes immediately and bring him to me" he turned to his nervous assistant who'd been scribbling furiously throughout the scene as it unfolded "send word to the Russians. They are good with tracking people...tell them we will create a vast reward on the safe return of our new asset...those Russians will do anything for money..."
"Sir, how much shall I set the reward at?" the assistant asked before heading to the radio room "100,000?"
"no...is it essential that Sgt Barnes is found at all costs...I firmly believe he survived the fall from the train and we need him alive at all costs" again his gaze dropped down to his notes and he began to smile "make it one million...that way I know he will be ours in one piece and my program can at last begin...the new era of hydra has begun...now go..."
Watching the assistant run, Zola rubbed his hands in glee. Finally with confident that with Sergeant Barnes in his possession, the winter soldier program could finally Begin...
