"They're tracking us." he said looking at Steve.
Steve looked at him in frustration.
"No, this is actually a good thing, technically speaking." he said. "Trust me. They're giving us exactly the advantage we need.
Steve was getting impatient. He wanted to get to them before they were subjectd to anything. He swore to Ella they would protect her. Bucky had just began to make some progress. He would do whatever had to be done to save them and to let Ella know how he felt.
"You're not dead?" asked Ella still in disbelief. Her dead fiance standing right in front of her.
"Obviously not." he said taking a seat next to her on the cell cot. He reached to touch her shoulder but Ella sat up pulliing herself away.
"I'm sorry. I'm having a hard time with this," she said. She groaned as she felt the pain in her side.
"How can you be alive? I've lived with guilt ever since that day. I thought you died. I felt responsible."
"Ella, I did what was best for you and for us" he said.
"The best? What do you mean? For us?" she asked. "You allowed this?"
"Ella, you have always had a natural ability bordering on ESP. I did what was best for you to develop your talent and do good in this world." he said. "You were wasting your talents with counseling."
Ella looked past him to the masked soldier with the silver arm. "You worked with these men? You arranged my kidnapping.? What about your family?"
"Ella, there was no one in the house. Not even me. It was necessary for you to disappear. The explosion bought us time. The probelm is you left the experiment too soon." he said taking her hand.
She stared into his eyes, "Five years I mourned you. Three of those years I was subjected to things at the hands of men who didn't care about anything except the end resuts. My well being was no factor at all and you want to lie and tell me you cared?" she scoffed. "Are you even Tony's Godson?" she said trying to sort this out in her head.
"No, I stole his Godson's identity. Tony had lost touch with the family so taking their identity was fairly easy. It was just an added incentive to bring him into the picture." he said smiling.
"You can't control people."she said.
Sam looked at her and turned to the side using his hands to motion as if presenting Bucky still standing in the shadow. "Remember him?"
Sam turned back to Ella who sat enrgaed now. Her fiance. It was all a lie. "He won't protect you. You're friendship with Mr. Barnes was cute. Ironic, actually. You don't remember how you helped us, do you?" he said. "You're not his friend." he said stroking her hand. "You administered the psychological drugs to help when he needed a reset. You are responsible for him being the monster he is. You helped wipe his memory for years. Once we developed your abilities you were the person to bring him back into comlpiance. When he became unstable you were able to approach him and subdue him. Hydra created him, but you perfected the process with those ten little words that snap him back into Soldier mode."
Ella fell back against the metal bed rail.
"I'll leave you with that." he said as he got up to leave. "Oh, and if you return to us, willingly, I can arrange your stay with me. Ella, I really do love you." he said looking at her. She stared blankly at the wall. "Either way, this is your home now." he exited the cell just leaving her and Bucky.
She noticed her wound seemed to be better. She hoped that maybe she did have the healing abilities. She needed it right now. If she could anger Bucky and he fought her she could mimic his abilities including healing. She didn't want to but had to admit it could be her only chance. She wouldn't leave without him. No matter what Sam said, she would help him.
"Hey." she said. Bucky made no move. She stood to approach him. He just stared her down through the dark shadow. She walked up to him. He seemed like a statue. She took a deep breath and swung with all her might and landed a punch on his jaw. His face flew to the side. He grabbed her and pushed her on the cot. He punched her wound. She let out a scream of pain. As she struggled against him she felt the surge. She fought back knocking him to the floor. She jumped on top of him straddling him and tore off the mask. The face staring back at her wasn't Bucky. Without hesitation she punched him hard to knock him out. She pulled at his arm. It was a metal sleeve. She fell back onto the floor. Her side seared with pain. She searched the man and tied his hands and legs with her sheets. She wondered where they had Bucky. If she faked agreeing to Sam's plan she may be able to find out where he is. She sat on her cot exhausted. Clearly this man was just a regular guy. What Sam didn't realize was that he gave her a piece of the puzzle. She had a plan to help Bucky. She would give back to Bucky what they took from him. She would do whatever it took to see to it.
"Again." said Kreutz to the young man. A young man nervously hit the switch sending a shock through electrodes to Bucky's head. His body siezed up. The familiar pain. He kept his thoughts on Ella. She wanted him to focus on the fragments. He kept focus on that and would not give up. The shock stopped. His body melted into the chair. The sweat pouring from him.
Kreutz appraoched Bucky. "Your friend lies bleeding to death in a cell. To save her you must become her enemy." he said slapping him. "Comply or she dies!"
He signaled the young man who, once again, flipped the switch. This time Bucky gave into the familiar pain. He knew the only way to save her was to let go. So he did.
The guard writhed on the floor shouting for help. Ella just watched him. He wouldn't give her any information where they had Bucky. She knew he had to be here. Kreutz talked as though the plan was to get Bucky to fight her. She still refused to believe she played any part in this. Even though she knew if she did, she did not do it willingly. They had to have programmed her as they did Bucky. Eventually Sam returned with three guards.
"Ella. You weren't supposed to do that." he said.
"Neither were you." she said speaking to his betrayl.
"Kreutz would like to speak to you." he said appraoching her.
"I'm sorry but I have to decline." she said staring at the floor.
He grabbed her. "This is all very cute but if you want to save your ass then follow orders."
Ella stood. "It's not my ass who needs saving." Sam smiled at her. "You know, you can still be my wife. Your little affections for James are cute, but I don't think that will be working out."
Ella ignored him and followed the guards out the door. Sam untied the captive guard and followed. It took all of her strength to walk. She hoped they would take her to Bucky. She had to know how he was even if she feared it.
"Do you want to replace the prothstetic arm?" asked the young man asisting Kreutz.
"No. We can make use of Mr. Stark's technology." he replied.
As the two worked at the computer next to the restrained Bucky, Sam enetered the room with Ella. She saw Bucky in the chair held down by multiple restraints. Her heart sank. He looked exhausted and drained. Sam watched her studying Bucky.
"Kreutz, Ella is ready." said Sam pushing her towards Kreutz.
Kreutz looked at her. He saw her still bleeding wound. "You will handle the final step in bringing James back to us." he said.
"I think you're mistaken." she said defiantly.
"It's who you are. You willingly did this." he said.
"Sam explained his version of how he turned me over to you and I don't care what you say I did. I won't play any part of causing further hurt to him." she said.
"That's sweet." he said grabbing her. "You think you have a choice." he said pointing to the monitor showing Steve and Tony. "You'll have their blood on your hands. And your dreams of being with James will be nil. " he grinned. "You both care deeply for one another. You always have. That has been the problem. You came to us not five years ago, but ten." he said tightening his grip on her arm."You worked with James. You fed him information to ensure he had no surprises with his targets." he smiled wickedly. "Surprised?"
"I'm done with the surprises. Let us go." she demanded.
He dragged her over to Bucky. He made no eye contact with her. "State his full name."
She looked at Kreutz. "No."
Kruetz nodded his head and a shot rang out. This time striking her arm. She screamed in pain.
"You didn't see that coming." he grinned. "State his name!"
She was shaking. "James Buchanan Barnes."
His head snapped to look at her.
She gasped. She looked into his eyes. They stared at one another. He looked her up and down slowly. "Ella?"
She smiled weakly. "Bucky?" as the words left her mouth Kreutz smacked her across the face. Bucky jumped in his seat.
"NO!" he screamed and fought against his restraints. "I'll kill you if you touch her again!"
Kreutz pulled her back and pulled the lever sending shocks through his body. When it stopped Kreutz pulled Ella to face him. "You do as I say and only as I say." Kreutz said pulling her back to Bucky. He was sweating and exhausted. "State his name."
"James Buchanan Barnes." she said as her voice waivered.
His head slowly turned to look at her.
Kreutz handed her a paper. "Read this." Ella looked at the page with ten words. "Read them aloud to him."
Ella looked at it and raised her eyes to look at Bucky. She wanted to be back in his room holding him on his bed. She wanted them to be far away from this. A tear escaped her eye as she looked at him. She saw a tear fall from the corner of his eye. He looked at her as she hesitated.
Kreutz squeezed the fresh wound on her arm. "Read!"
Ella spoke each word slowly. With each word she saw the conflict grow within Bucky. His internal struggle became greater as he fought against himself. As she said the last word. Bucky became calm. His eyes empty.
"Soldier?" asked Kreutz.
"Ready to comply." replied Bucky.
"This girl." said Kreutz pulling Ella to be directly in front of him. "She is your mission. Kill her."