Hannah tried to fight the restraints that Klaue had put on her. Her hands and legs were tied to the bed, and a large belt was strapped over her torso.
"You're going to open your stitches if you keep fighting," Klaue mention as he sat down in a chair beside her. Hannah's throat was dry and she couldn't speak. Even if she tried to conjure a word, what would it be? Telling him to let her go would be pointless, and she doubted she could scream loud enough for Bucky to hear. She just glared at him hoping that she was getting across all the hate and frustration she was feeling.
Klaue leaned forward and pointed at a nameplate attached to a doctor's coat. "It's all official," he said. The tag read "Doctor Claw" and Hannah groaned when she made out the name. "I'm upset too," he continued. "It's one thing for them to question my medical degrees, but misspelling my name? Makes you feel like the 4 years in medical school weren't worth it."
Hannah just stared at him not saying a word. Klaue laughed his familiar wheezing laugh, and Hannah winced as she smelled his bad breath. "I'm kidding!" he laughed. "Always so serious. I just came to tell you that I'm truly sorry."
"What?" Hannah whispered.
"Earlier I told you that you were worth nothing, and I realized I was wrong," he explained. "You are exactly what we need to get The Winter Soldier in our custody." He stood up and signaled to his men. Immediately they began moving around the operating room. Hannah tried to concentrate on the straps around her wrists, but she couldn't wriggle out of them, and her powers refused to work when she needed them. She didn't know what Klaue meant, but she was positive she didn't want to figure out.
An explosion sounded, making Hannah jump. She squinted against the light that filled the room as her ears recovered. Whatever it was had happened behind her. Turning her head was impossible, and her whole body was shaking with the fear of not being able to move.
"We definitely got his attention," Klaue said with a smile. He turned the bed so Hannah was facing the door. The blockade they had put there quivered as someone tried to push through it. "I'd let you stay and watch him bust through there, but it wouldn't be as fun if he doesn't give us a chance." With that, Klaue started rolling Hannah backward.
"Bucky!" Hannah called hoarsely.
Klaue picked up the call as he continued to roll Hannah out the hole they had blown in the hospital wall. "Yes, Bucky hurry! She's being taken away! After her quick!" He laughed maniacally as he and his men loaded Hannah in the truck they had waiting.
On queue, Bucky somehow smashed through the defenses and began running after them. Klaue shouted at his men to drive, but they didn't take off soon enough. Bucky had reached the van and Klaue shouted in disapproval. "I said it's no fun if you don't give us a head start!" he yelled over the wind that rushed past the vehicle as they picked up speed. Klaue pointed his metal arm at Bucky and the whole thing began to unfold.
"If only I had this the first time we met," Klaue said with a grin. The metal had finished unfolding and a gun replaced where his forearm used to be. It went off with a strange mechanical sound and Bucky was shot off the truck and rolled into the road.
"You'll kill him!" Hannah screamed over the noise.
Klaue laughed In response. "He can take a lot more than that!" Before Hannah could see if Bucky was alright, Klaue closed the back of the truck and grinned at her. "Don't worry. He'll catch up."
"Why are you doing this?" Hannah scathed.
"You shouldn't be angry with me," he said. "You and your boyfriend will be reunited soon."
"He's not going to catch up!" she snapped ignoring his comment. "You shot him and left him vulnerable on the road!"
Klaue wheezed and laughed with his men. "Vulnerable?" he said. "You really don't know who he is, do you?" Before Hannah could answer, a thud sounded from the top of the van.
"You see?" Klaue remarked. He raised his weaponized arm above him, and with another pulsing sound, the roof of the truck was blown clean off. "Woohoo!" he cheered. Because of the blast, the doors of the truck opened and Hannah could see Bucky tumbling down the road along with the roof debris. Cars threatened to run him over, but he quickly moved to shoulder. All he could do was stare at the truck as it picked up speed and left him behind.
Hannah couldn't tell how much time had passed since the chase, but it must've been hours. They had upgraded her hospital bed to a chair, but she still couldn't move. A rope was tied tightly around her wrists and ankles. Klaue had locked her in the ship's brig and had visited her many times to explain his evil plot. They were holding her hostage in hopes of getting "The Winter Soldier". She could almost laugh about it. If Bucky was smart, he would've ditched her the moment he disappeared from the truck's view. It's not like they had been traveling together for a while, and he had the plane tickets. In fact, she assumed he was on a plane already, excited to be back in Bucharest. Klaue was wasting his time.
The door creaked open and Klaue stepped in with the smile he never seemed to lose. "I hope you're comfortable," he lied.
"I'd feel more comfortable if you took these off," Hannah retorted while trying to shuffle her hands out of the rope.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," he apologized. He called one of his men to remove the restraints. He cut the rope, just barely missing her skin. "My men aren't ones for manners."
"You put those on me," she growled as she rubbed her sore wrists.
"I know. I'm trying to be the good cop," he explained. "I don't have any donuts, but dave makes great pizzas if you're interested."
"You're not bribing me with food."
"I'm not bribing you at all!" he laughed. "I've got the upper hand. The Winter Soldier will ride in on his white horse and rescue his damsel in distress."
"I'm glad you're so sure about that," she quipped.
Klaue chuckled. "It's hilarious to me that you have not idea who you're traveling with."
"Then tell me," she spat.
"It's a complicated story," he said as he scratched his neck. If anyone was going to tell her about Bucky, it would be Klaue, and even he was playing the complicated story card.
Hannah shrugged. "I've got all day."
"I suppose you do," he laughed. "But I don't. Your boyfriend will be here any second to rescue you."
"He's not my boyfriend. He's hardly a friend," Hannah grumbled.
Klaue nearly doubled over laughing after she said that. "Hydra created the most elite Russian specialist in that man. He goes in and gets the job done every time. It's really quite impressive and I only wish that I had thought of it first. The point is, he doesn't need you. He doesn't need anyone, so why does he keep you with him?" He waited for Hannah to respond, but she couldn't. Everything he was saying made her head spin. Bucky was a Russian soldier for Hydra?
"It's because he likes you," he whispered.
"I got it, thanks," she snapped.
"What about you?" he asked. Hannah stared blankly at him. "Do you like him?" he clarified.
Hannah was dragged back to reality. "No!" she said shocked. Klaue thinking that Hannah would like a Russian, Hydra agent made her sick. All that time she thought Bucky was SHIELD. As it turns out, he was something much worse.
"You're not a very good liar," Klaue chuckled.
"I don't have to be, because I'm not lying."
"Is it just because I told you about him being Hydra?" he asked. "Because, I don't know if you've noticed, but SHIELD and Hydra are gone."
"It doesn't matter," Hannah scoffed. "Bucky's not coming, and after learning who he is, I wouldn't want him to."
"You'll change your mind when he comes for you." Klaue smiled and left the room without another word.
Hannah had been pacing the brig while thoughts raced through her head. She didn't want to believe that Bucky was Hydra, but she didn't have any facts to dispute it. Klaue could've been lying, but why would he do that? To get under her skin? It was possible, but not very likely. They had already captured her and tied her up in a slimy prison. That was enough. They wanted her to be trusting in Bucky. They wanted her to be counting on him, so why would he tell her he was Hyrda unless it was the truth?
It had been a while since Klaue had left, and she was starting to worry. Keeping track of time was a nightmare so she didn't even try. She wasn't sure if it had been minutes or hours. Bucky wasn't coming, and that was the only thing she was sure of. She had to find her own way out.
She looked around for anything that might help her escape. There was nothing except the chair she had been tied to. The only way out was through the door, but there was no way she could open it from her side. She had to get them to open the door somehow.
Before she could hatch a plot, a commotion started right above her. Things were pounding against the floor and men were shouting.
The door opened and Klaue stormed in holding a gun. "Told you he'd show up!" he said as he grabbed her arm. Bucky was here? Hannah didn't know if she should feel relieved or frustrated, and she didn't have time to decide. Klaue led her out of the brig and to the surface of the boat. Bucky was expertly fighting off Klaue's men as they swarmed around him. He twisted arms and knocked heads until every one of the soldiers was on the ground.
"I've got who you came for!" Klaue announced. Bucky spun around to see Klaue raise the gun to Hannah's head. "This time I won't hit her arm."
"Let her go," Bucky ordered.
"When I said we're taking a trip to the CIA, I meant it," Klaue wheezed. "You and your girlfriend will set me up nicely, and if your lucky, they'll put you in holding cells next to each other." Hannah rolled her eyes at Klaue's remark, but Bucky said nothing about it. Hopefully, he had a plan that wouldn't get her shot this time.
"I'm not going anywhere until you let her go," Bucky insisted. Hannah bit her tongue to keep from saying anything. She didn't need his help and at this point, she certainly didn't want it. She was fine before he showed up. Now she had a gun pointed at her head. Again.
"Fine, I'll drop the gun," Klaue decided.
"I got blasted by your arm enough times to know that you don't need a gun to kill her," Bucky scoffed. "Let her walk over here."
"Well, that's not fair," Klaue laughed. "You are standing in a pile of my men, and I haven't hurt either one of you. I think she should stay with me."
"I think this is getting us nowhere," Hannah grumbled. They both went back and forth, ignoring what Hannah had said. She didn't try to stop them again, because she noticed that Klaue's guard was lowering the more they argued. If he wasn't paying attention she might be able to get the gun out of his hand. She waited until she was sure she could do it without dying.
Bucky looked like he was about to do something drastic so Hannah sprung her plan into action. She ducked behind Klaue's arm and grabbed his wrist. Twisting in the wrong direction made Klaue drop the gun, and Hannah was quick to pick it up. While Klaue was still in shock, Bucky ran up and knocked him to the ground. Hannah aimed the gun and Bucky placed his foot on Klaue's neck.
"You two are quite the power couple," Klaue choked out with what sounded like a laugh. Bucky pressed his foot harder and he let out a cough instead.
"We're leaving, and you're going to leave us alone from now on," Hannah commanded.
"Right, of course," Klaue wheezed. "I was thinking the same thing." Bucky let him go and Hannah backed away with the gun still pointed in his direction. When there was a good distance between them, Hannah and Bucky ran for the ladder on the ship. "Just think about what I said!" Klaue called after them. "He's not who he says he is."
Hannah made eye contact with Bucky, and they both said nothing. Hannah holstered the gun and began making her way down the ladder. Bucky followed, and when they reached the ground they put as much distance between them and that boat as possible.