Everything was blurry.
People moved around me.
As my vision cleared, a man stopped in front of me.
"She's awake."
I recognized the man. He was one of the people who took care of me the three years I was at Hydra.
"Where am I?"
"Why, you're home."
"No, no. Where's Bucky?" I asked. The events before I fell unconscious fell into place.
"The Winter Soldier is not here."
He began to walk around me, holding a black book with a red spiral.
"Rose."
"N-no. Stop."
"Wind."
I tugged at the straps that held me down.
"Fire."
I cried out as I felt myself slip away.
"Summer. Leaf."
Screaming, I thrashed on the table where I was held down.
"Flame. Owl. Book."
People gathered around us, curios to see what would happen.
"Two. Blood."
Odessa was gone. All that was left was the Seventh Soldier.
"Release her!" the man yelled at two people.
They untied the straps, and I sat up, rubbing my wrists.
"Soldier?"
"Ready to comply," I said keeping my head down but looking up at him.
He extended his hand for me to take, and I did.
Once I was standing beside him, he led me to a chamber.
In the middle, there was a chair. This was where they took memories.
"Sit."
Doing as I was told, I sat down, waiting for the pain. Metal bands
The slabs of metal that covered about half of my face pressed against my skin, and I screamed. Pain surged through me, and one by one, Odessa's memories faded away. Soon, the name faded too.
When it was done, I was breathing heavily.
"Do you remember anything?" the man asked.
"Hail Hydra," I said looking up.
"Good."
The metal sheets pulled away, and the bands released my arms.
I stood, and he led me down another corridor, to a long room with a table.
Twenty one seats were at the table, nineteen of them filled. The people that were seated, were the Heads of Hydra.
Bowing my head, I looked up to see them looking at me approvingly.
"This is the Seventh Soldier?" A woman asked.
"Yes."
The man led me to the two empty seats, and gestured for me to sit. He took the other, and soon platters of food were carried in by workers.
The man leaned close to me, "Eat, show them you are at their level."
I took a steak and a spoonful of corn, a little less than the Heads. I began eating after they did, trying to show disrespect. The truth was, I was not at their level. They were the ones who gave the orders, I carried them out. I was their loyal servant.
There was little conversation, but after the plates were cleared, it was all business.
"After the fall of the S.H.I.E.L.D section, politicians have been getting too confident."
"We need to show that Hydra will not let it's self die out. We need a show of strength."
"Send the Seventh Soldier. Take down the most arrogant."
"We need to make sure her loyalties lie with us completely before any further action with her is taken. There cannot be another escape like with the Winter Soldier."
They came to the decision that they would continue to wipe my memory every few days, for a year while training me to be able to win any fight.
Pain seared through me as electrical shocks pulsed through wires that were connected to me.
"Again."
It came a third time. I groaned as the pain washed over me.
"Let her go."
Someone let me out of the restraints, and I stood shakily.
"Are you good?"
"Yeah," I breathed.
It was Scott, one of the doctors. He was always nice.
"You happy to go on a mission today? First one in a year," He asked while looking at a tablet that had my vitals displayed.
"Totally."
"Ok well you look good. Director Singh is waiting in the armory for you."
I nodded and navigated through the corridors to where the armory was located.
It was a huge room with enough weapons to supply an army. Singh was with a group of agents.
"They will be accompanying you," He told me as I walked up to them.
Nodding at the agents, I looked back at Singh. "What about gear? Weapons?"
He gestured at a mannequin that held black and red tactical gear. There were two holsters for pistols, several sheathes for knives, a belt that held ammo, grenades, everything I needed. The gear itself was made up of black pants with crimson highlights, black combat boots, bulletproof vest that had half of a right arm with crimson stripes, and a matching muzzle type thing that was similar to that of the Winter Soldier's.
"Its perfect."
"Get suited up and report to the front gates."
"Yes, Sir."
I was ecstatic as I put everything on.
When I was finished, I met the agents and we headed out to the gates. There was an armored vehicle waiting, and I got in the back with two of the agents. The other two sat up front. We were jostled around as we were driving.
I looked around the inside of the vehicle, and saw that there were backup weapons.
"Who is the target?"
"Some politician that is close to the president. He used to be on Hydra's payroll, but after the backfire of S.H.I.E.L.D., he has been getting too confidant. Take him out."
We stopped suddenly, and we jerked forwards. The agent I had been talking to nodded at the other, and they opened the doors.
I pulled out two knives and stepped outside.
Hearing yelling, I ran to see where it was coming from.
A man with a metal arm began to try and attack one of the agents.
Sliding the knives into their sheathes, I pulled out a pistol and began firing at him.
He turned, stunned, but then held his hand up to block the bullets. I shot until I was out of ammo, then tossed the gun away.
Running at him, I swung at his head, and the blow landed. He staggered backwards, and looked up, startled.
"Odessa?" He said, his voice pleading.
"Who's that?" I asked confused.
I heard movement behind me, and raised my arm too late. A blast shot my left arm off, breaking it by my shoulder.
Crying out in pain, I stumbled backwards. Another blast broke my right arm off.
Enraged, I ran to the vehicle, and climbed inside.
One of the agents climbed in the drivers side, and we sped off.
Leaning my head against the wall, I closed my eyes. How could this happen. I failed. They were going to be mad. I would be punished.
When we got back to Hydra, Scott ran towards me, along with Singh.
"I'm sorry, Sir."
"Take her to the operating room. Get the back up prosthetics. Now."
Scott put an arm around me and guided me to the operating room, where a mix of doctors and engineers were already waiting.
Another engineer brought in two metal arms, on that was a full left arm, and the other was the elbow down of a right arm.
They gave me a few shots, one must have been something to numb the pain and the other knock me out because when I woke up, I had two new metal arms.
My left arm had a red spiral like the book that Singh had.
I moved my fingers, and sighed heavily.
"She's awake, Sir."
Singh stepped into my line of sight.
"We have another mission. We need intel on the heros. You are to go back to them, claim you escaped. Every night you need to slip away and report anything you have learned to one of our agents. They are going to call you Odessa. That is not you're true name."
I nodded, taking in the information.
"I am sorry, but we need to make it look like you tried to fight back."
Before I could ask what it meant, he grabbed a knife and began to make small cuts on my face, chest, and shoulders. After that, he slashed my right leg.
Gasping in pain, I clenched my teeth and my hands gripped the table.
Blood dripped down my face, and onto the white clothes I was wearing.
"Go. Find the heros, and help Hydra take them down."
I stood, almost falling over in the process because I was still out of it.
Scott was there to make sure I didn't fall over before I left the compound.
"Good luck," He murmured.
It was a long, agonizing walk to the Avengers place, and I had to keep out of sight of civilians so that they didn't call the cops.
The blood had started to dry, and I was very uncomfortable.
"Spinning, spinning, the hands of time. Soon the hounds of Death shall dine."
I repeated the phrase over and over.
Dragging my leg as I limped along the road, I let the memories from Hydra fill my mind.
I was back in my room with Scott. He watched with interest as I drew him on a sketch pad with a regular pencil he had managed to get me.
"It's amazing how you can draw me without having me to stay in one position while you look at me," he remarked.
"I have no idea how I am able to do it. I think it has something to do with photographic memory or something."
He was sitting next to me on the bed, our shoulders so close they were almost touching.
Scott was my one fried at Hydra. Everyone else I came in contact with was either a fighting opponent, engineer, doctor, a Head or Singh, or an agent.
Sure Scott was a doctor, but he took the time to really get to know me.
"You have training in a half hour. After that there is another round of memory suppression."
I nodded.
"Spinning, spinning, the Hands of Time. Soon the hounds of Death shall dine," I murmured.
"Through the door, step inside. Soon your Fate shall be tied with mine," Scott finished.
Smiling softly, I focused back on my drawing. Everything was finished, I just needed to do shadows and shading.
Scott rested his head on my shoulder and I hummed.
Shaking my head, I snapped back to reality.
I could see the building getting closer and closer. Remember; They will call me Odessa. The Winter Soldier goes by Bucky. Captain America is Steve, Iron Man is Tony Stark, and then there is Thor and Loki.
I had lost quite a bit of blood on my walk, and my leg was throbbing.
Everything was getting blurry, and when I got to the gates, I pushed on the little button that activated the microphone.
"Help... Somebody..." I breathed before falling to the ground.
Shapes gathered around me and strong arms picked me up.
I was in.
The world went dark.