Longing...

Maize wasn't given much instruction or information on her new mission, or what she was doing with another secret agency besides 'do what you are told'. After each command, the woman would simply nod then proceed; this time was no different. Almost immediately she was blind folded, hands cuffed behind her back, and transported to where she assumed was HYDRA's facility. The ride in itself was quiet. With her eyes closed, Maize envisioned herself on a boat rocking back and forth as she watched a beautiful sunrise. Skies painted beautiful pastels of orange and pinks meeting a dark blue horizon. She fantasized the ocean breeze stroking her tanned skin as she listened to the water splashing.

This was her safe place.

Rusted…

HYDRA, from her understanding, was a secret Nazi organization hell bent on world domination. They believed humanity couldn't be trusted with its own freedom. While Global-1 made sure they never achieved control, they still worked closely with them in an attempt to keep a close eye. That was a small part of her mission; Maize was to work as a sort of double agent where she'd report to Global-1 with information on HYDRA. And it seemed coming across that knowledge would be easy as, she learned while trapped in the back of a truck, HYDRA agents liked to talk openly about their plans.

They talked about a soldier and how he was unstoppable. Maize wondered if she was going to be meeting said soldier during her mission. She then wondered who she would be working for specifically - the leader, or someone close to them?

Once they reached their destination, Maize felt the truck come to a stop. She began counting how long it took the men to extract her from the vehicle; 62 seconds. They kept the blindfold over her eyes and her hands cuffed while they guided her through what she assumed was grass into their facility. It was colder than she was used to and she wondered if they did that on purpose.

Lowered voices and murmurs were heard near her, but the blindfold stayed on for a while more. The men stopped her and she heard a number sequence; 4-5-7-6. Maize was alive long enough to recognize the sound of each number.

They entered the next room and that was when she was finally able to see.

Seventeen…

When the blindfold was finally taken off, Maize had to adjust to the lack of light. Directed to be seated, the woman did as she was told, her gaze focusing on the still man in front of her. It was a horrific view; he was seated in the middle of some kind of contraption with monitors and computer screens surrounding it. The man was still, his gaze forward and emotionless as if there was no one home in his head.

Daybreak … Furnace …

Finally she noticed a voice was coming over an intercom. They spoke Russian; a rambling of different words not meaning anything or having to do with each other. Lucky for her she was able to understand the voice over the intercom and the voices coming from a small group of what appeared to be scientists in lab coats. They all looked the same; scientists. Maize recognized the glasses, beady eyes, scrunched faces and slight hunchback. They whispered amongst themselves - something about seeing if she could really keep the Soldier contained.

Brows furrowed, Maize looked back to the man seated a few meters in front of her. That's when she saw it; he had a metal arm. "It can't be," she whispered.

Rumors of a metal armed assassin had spread like wildfire through Global-1 after one of their own was taken out by him. Some spoke about how he was a ghost and unstoppable once he had a target. Others didn't believe he existed while a handful of others would brag about how they could stop him if need be. Maize was amongst those who did believe he existed and was grateful she never came face to face with him even though she knew she could take him.

His blue hues stared back at her … but didn't see her. It was as if he saw right through her as his brow twitched after each word spoken through the intercom.

Nine … Benign …

Suddenly a white lab coat blocked her view, a fat mousy looking man smiling down at her. "When he goes to attack, you will use your power to hold him back. We ask you don't kill him. Understood?"

She didn't answer him but instead stared in horror. He wanted her to fight?

"I said, do you understand your instructions?" he insisted, voice much louder. Maize recognized his accent - it wasn't German but Swiss. Giving him a nod, he victoriously smiled. "Excellent." He sulked off, joining the rest of the scientists but keeping his gaze upon her.

Homecoming … One…

Why did they want the two to fight? Maize couldn't come up with a logical explanation as to why she was tasked to use her ability to hurt someone else. Killing was never something Global-1 forced her to do. Would they allow HYDRA to make her kill?

Maize once again looked to the seated man. Greasy strands of hair almost covered icy blue hues. He was dressed in what appeared to be black tactical gear; Maize guessed he was the Soldier the scientists were talking about.

Freight Car …

Suddenly the Soldier straightened his back as if he was at attention. "Готовы соответствовать." While her Russian was a little rusty, Maize believed his words were 'ready to comply'. His face was hardened, blank, until an officer instructed him to attack the woman.

He was on his feet in a flash, heels hitting the hard ground toward Maize. Still she sat, barely lifting a finger as she focused her ability on his arm - the only reason she had the strength to defeat the Winter Soldier.

Confusion riddled, the Soldier stomped his feet faster on the ground to try to get to his mission but it was seamless as she raised him in the air rendering him completely pointless. And with the flick of her fingers, he was flown across the room, shattering a control panel. The group of scientists erupted in applause.

"We'll keep her."

Maize woke, her eyes snapping open seeing the discolored motel ceiling.

After her meeting with Steve, Maize knew she had to stay under the radar until Captain America and his team took down HYDRA, masquerading as SHIELD. She had found a semi-empty motel, stealing a room key and holding up until she watched live news coverage on the helicarriers falling into the Potomac River. A voice called her sadistic for smiling at such a catastrophe - but Maize knew it meant her freedom; her chance at a normal life … as normal as she could get it.

But there was one thing she still had to do.

Getting herself up from the bed, she locked herself in the bathroom where she began getting ready for the day. She wasn't sure if she would be able to take down a whole empire on her own , but it was worth a shot. It was all worth it to get her life back, or rather, get a life in general.

Being abducted and held against her will at the age of eleven for seventy years put a lot into perspective for Maize. She didn't have a life; she wasn't living, she was surviving. And a life like that wasn't a life worth living for which was the motivation to her plan. For years she had seen children like herself come in and out of the Global-1 doors; many of them never making it off the silver slab. Maize was a witness to a lot of the failed experiments - something which haunts her everyday.

"They'll be free soon," she told her reflection. Golden hues stared back at her noticing the tired bags. This was no time for rest; it was time to go after the head of the snake.

Grabbing her coat, Maize slipped it on before tucking her hair into a black hat and the woman was on the road. She walked, knowing she would blend in with the crowd better if she did while scouting the building she needed to infiltrate. He was there - she knew he was. Maize also knew she only had a sliver of time from the moment she walked through the doors to get to him.

The him is Dr. Harold Schreidner. From the moment Maize first laid on a silver slab to be experimented on, it was a young Dr. Schreidner who was conducting the experiments. It was him who initially brought the idea of Global-1 to the board of scientists running it. And in the modern day, it was only Dr. Harold Schreidner still alive out of those scientists. He was still conducting multiple experiments, ones which would change the human world if successful. It was the same experiments he was conducting for many years now; trying to use the blood of enhanced humans to give normal humans inhuman powers.

His experiments have cost hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. And Maize intended on stopping him.

Staring up at the building, Maize shielded her eyes from the burning sun. She had to be strategic. She had to be stealthy, basically unrecognizable. After looking back down to the crowd around her, Maize realized that was something she had to work on as she stared back at familiar blue hues.

That previous day Maize wondered what would happen to the Winter Soldier. Would he finally remember who he was? Would he be best pals again with Steve or would he be lost? Her question was answered as she watched his expression; he was completely lost.

Turning on her heel, Maize pulled the brim of her hat down, hiding her face a little better as she quickened her pace. She glanced at each parked car, every store window to watch the Soldier gain on her. Thoughts raced through her mind. Will he kill me? No, Maize, he can't. You can just stop him. What the hell does he want? A reunion? Passing a few more blocks, Maize realized the Soldier wasn't following her anymore.

Her shoulders relaxed as she rounded a corner, slamming right into the chest of the man she was avoiding.

"Who are you?" he questioned, forcefully moving her into the alley. The Soldier was also wearing a hat to try and hide his identity, but Maize could recognize those icy blue eyes anywhere.

"Your worst nightmare if you don't let me go," Maize threatened through gritted teeth. She fought with him, trying to get his hands off her shoulders but he was physically much stronger than her.

"Please," he pleaded, his voice cracking. This made Maize halt all attempts in escaping as she stared back. It was absolutely heartbreaking to watch him hold back tears, but of what? For a moment, Maize could've sworn she saw a flash of fear mixed with desperation. "I can't remember anything. But something tells me I know you."

Maize's hardened expression softened. She was being selfish; of course he would need help after many years of having his brain scrambled by that damned machine and many more years in cryo. James Buchanan Barnes was just a sliver of who the Soldier was. HYDRA took that identity away from him and now the man needed something to cling to for the sake of his sanity.

Maize wondered if he was a foreshadow of what's to come.

"You do," she told him, taking his hands off of her. "But I'm not the person to help you." Maize moved to leave, tightening her jacket around her. Her steps stopped, her mind freezing her movements as a lightbulb went off in her head. Infiltrating the building was going to take time, work and a stealth she hadn't learned over the years - stealth the Soldier had mastered perfectly. Looking up to the building still in view, Maize couldn't help but smile. "However, I do have a proposition," she spoke, turning to face him. "If you agree to help me with something, I'll help you remember who you are," she offered.

"What do I have to do?" he questioned. Maize smiled.