A Good Man
Bucky sits against his head, reading one of the books that he put in a drawer. He's still in the clothes that he wore to do the exercises in, a white t-shirt with green army pants, and dark brown army shoes. He still can't believe that Steve jumped on a grenade, he had a few words for him, that weren't the nicest. Steve just stared at him the whole time, but it looked like he got his point across, by the look in Steve's eyes. Now, Steve's elsewhere, probably getting food at the dining hall. He's jolted out of his reading space when there's a knock on the door. He turns and sees Dr. Erskine there.
"May I?" He asks.
"Yeah," Bucky nods, closing his book and putting it on the top of the drawer. Erskine walks over to the bed opposite Bucky's, as Bucky swings his legs over the edge of his own.
"Can't sleep?"
"I got the jitters, I guess," Bucky chuckles. "I think Steve does too."
Erskine chuckles, "me, too."
"Can I ask you a question?" Bucky now notices the bottle of alcohol in Erskine's hand, unopened.
"Just one?"
"Why me? Why Steve?" As he says this, he remembers when he was told that he would be receiving the super-soldier serum.
"I suppose that is the only question that matters," Erskine says, directing the conversation to the bottle of alcohol. "This is from Augsburg. My city. So many people forget that the first country the Nazis invaded was their own. You know, after the last waar, my people struggled. They felt weak. They felt small. And then Hitler comes along with the marching and the big show and the flags," he says, waving his hand off, to insinuate that Hitler did more as well. He readjusts the glasses on his face, before continuing, "and he hears of me. My work. And he finds me. And he says, 'You.'" As he says this, he points at Bucky. "He says, 'You will make us strong.' Well, I am not interested." He places the bottle of alcohol on the floor between his feet, Bucky following the bottle with his eyes. "So he sends the head of Hydra, his research division. A brilliant scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt. Now, Schmidt is a member of the inner circle. And he is ambitious. He and Hitler share a passion for occult power and Teutonic myth. Hitler uses his fantasies to inspire his followers. But for Schmidt, it is not fantasy. For him, it is real. He has become convinced that there is a great power hidden in the earth, left here by the gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man. So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man."
"Did it make him stronger?" Bucky asks, worried. If Ava is fighting this Hydra, then he feels even more worried for her.
"Yes," Erskine answers with a single nod. "But there were other effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great. Bad becomes worse." At this, James looks down. "This is why you were chosen. Because a strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength. And knows compassion."
"Thanks. I think," Bucky says, with a small smile on his face. Erskine gestures to the cups on Bucky's drawer, as he goes to pick up the bottle from the floor. Bucky grabs the glasses and holds them out for Erskine to pour some of the drink in.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing," Erskine starts as he pours some alcohol in Bucky's glass. "That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man," he points at Bucky's chest when he says this.
"To the good guys," Bucky says as he raises his glass in front of him. Erskine chuckles as he clinks in glass with Steve. Bucky's about to take a drink out of the glass, but Erskine stops him just as the glass touches his lips.
"No, no. Wait, wait. What I am doing? No, you have procedure tomorrow. No fluids," Erskine says as he takes Bucky's glass from him. Bucky frowns, wanting to have a drink tonight.
"Alright. We'll drink it after," Bucky says as he watches Erskine pour his glass into the other.
"No, I don't have procedure tomorrow," Erskine shrugs. "Drink it after? I drink it now," he says, bringing the glass to his lips. Bucky chuckles as he says this. He just hopes nothing bad happens to this man, he's a very good man, probably better than him and Steve combined.
….
Opera music plays from a record player in the large room of Hydra's laboratory, specifically Johann Schmidt's personal room, and his favorite piece of music. Dr. Zola walks in to hear this, heading straight for Schmidt, but stops when he sees the man himself, he's different. He then sees the painter, and the painting. The man has a pain palette on his hand, his most used color, a deep red. When Schmidt sees him, he immediately turns off the lights in the room, so Zola can no longer see his face.
"Is there something in particular you need?" Schmidt says over the opera music.
"I understand you found him," Zola says after a minute of hesitation.
"See for yourself," Schmidt says, gesturing to the table a few feet from Zola. He walks up to the table, seeing pictures of Abraham Erskine on the table. "You disapprove," he says once he sees the look on Zola's face.
"I just don't see why you need concern yourself. I can't imagine he will succeed," Zola says, before he regrets this when Schmidt says nothing. "Again," he adds, looking back down at the paper.
"His serum is the Allies' only defense against this power we now possess. If we take it away from them, then our victory is assured."
"Shall I give the order?" Zola asks, instead of responding.
"It has been given."
"Good," Zola nods once, before making his way out of the room.
"Dr. Zola!" Schmidt calls, making him turn around and stopping his pace out of the room. Schmidt turns the light on, shining light on himself and the painting. "What do you think?"
"A masterpiece." The painter sighs a breath of relief when Zola says this, glad that his work isn't bad and he won't be tortured or worse, because he knows that Schmidt and Hydra is capable of it, and not afraid to do it.