While Bucky was attempting to follow Alex's suggestions, Zemo had taken up temporary residence in the Midwest watching the comings and goings at the lab and taking notes. He was staying in a nearby hotel under the assumed identity of a scientist from Transia and thus far had remained unnoticed. Oeznik, Zemo's loyal butler, had secured the identity for him which also included ensuring the original owner of the identity wouldn't be found. All the necessary credentials needed for accessing the lab, along with a disguise for Zemo had arrived at the hotel the day prior in a large package.
The next morning, Zemo dressed, carefully applied the disguise, and prepared himself to get into the laboratory. To avoid raising any red flags, the appointment had been set up by Oeznik prior to Zemo escaping prison. At the lab entrance, a disguised Zemo presented his fraudulent credentials and calmly proceeded through security protocols. He was initially shown around by an entry level employee who was more than willing to talk about what was taking place throughout the building.
After the quick tour, the pair took an elevator to the basement where Zemo was introduced to Ryan Sciple. Having received a warning from the higher ups, Ryan eyed Zemo cautiously and asked a few questions pertaining to the research that the Transian scientist had been conducting in his eastern European lab. Seeming satisfied with the answers, Ryan went on to discuss the subject of the super serum and his own progress in more detail. He described the current tests they were performing using the blood he had drawn from the captured Flag Smasher. Sciple expressed hope that John Walker would provide a blood sample and enable the team to further improve what Nagel had been working on before his untimely death.
Despite having been the person responsible for Nagel's demise, Zemo remained cool and asked whether they had incorporated any of the notes left from Eskine or Hydra. Sciple replied that the specific process they had pieced together from the available sources was difficult to recreate exactly. So far they had not recreated the Vita Radiation chamber and with gamma rays proving too dangerous to utilize, no other forms of energy were currently considered safe enough to explore that route.
The lead scientist also pointed out that Hydra's track record had not demonstrated much, if any, success. Now curious about how much Sciple actually knew, Zemo asked if they had obtained a blood sample from the original Winter Soldier. Ryan told him no and said that as far as he knew James Barnes had not been asked to participate in the study.
As he looked intently at the computer monitor which displayed Sciple's notes, Zemo asked what the team's short-term goals were. Glancing up to look at the other man, he then inquired about the timeframe and what further testing was going to be conducted. Zemo nodded at the answers he received and requested an introduction to the Flag Smasher.
As they walked down the hallway to the living quarters that had been set up for their 'volunteer,' Zemo expressed his astonishment at the progress of the program. He played on Sciple's ego and congratulated him on the success.
"Perhaps you'll consider allowing me to work with you and your team while I am here. It would be an honor for me and together we could perfect the serum much quicker," Zemo said with a smile.
"How are you doing with the ideas we discussed last time?" Alex asked the next time she met with Bucky. While he didn't seem as withdrawn as in their previous session, when asked if there was anything that had come up in the past few days that he'd like to discuss he shook his head indifferently.
Bucky shrugged. "Fine."
Alex began tapping the pen she was holding against her knee. She was unsure if he meant what he said and things were going okay or if he was avoiding doing the work. Alex decided to approach the subject from the avoidance standpoint. "What would be so bad about forgiving yourself?"
"He's still in there."
"The Winter Soldier?" she asked. While Alex was certain of what Bucky was referring to, she wanted him to vocalize what he was thinking more fully. She closed the notebook that was sitting untouched but open on the arm of her chair in the hopes of making him more comfortable.
"That's why the memories are all so clear. Even though they erased the programming, he's still in there."
"And that's what's holding you back?" Alex asked.
Bucky scoffed and looked at her coldly as he leaned back on the couch. "Really?"
"I know what you did then. I also know who I'm talking to now. You've been a part of him as much as he is a part of you."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" he asked with more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Yes. If you weren't in there, a lot more people would be dead right now including your best friend."
"What's your problem with Steve?"
"I don't have a problem with Steve Rogers. I have a problem with everyone putting Steve Rogers on pedestal. Totally different," Alex explained while looking directly at Bucky. "And don't try to change the subject, we're talking about something else."
"Which is?" he challenged.
"You. You hold back when you're fighting. Of course, it depends on the situation... and maybe your mood," she replied with a brash smile.
"No, I don't"
"You do. I've seen it."
Bucky hunched forward and looked at her through narrowed eyelids. Alex was about to say more when her phone rang. They both looked towards her bag where the sound emanated from. Bucky's eyes widened with surprise as it was the first time her phone had rung during their sessions. His expression and overall mood changed from frustration to concern when he saw Alex's face which had gone slightly pale. Her apprehension was evident as she nervously reached into the tote. Alex quickly apologized and explained she had to take it as it was the emergency ringtone.
Alex took the call and heard Fury in her ear. "Go outside and let me know when you get there."
"What's wrong? I'm with someone right now," she replied rapidly.
"Would that someone happen to be Barnes?"
"Yes."
"Take him outside with you," he commanded.
Alex reached down again and grabbed her keys from the bag while wondering if the call was related to something concerning Bucky or her own safety. She stood up and gestured to Bucky to come with her. Despite his confusion, he followed her out of the room and the building. She let Fury know she was outside and he advised her to walk a block or two. When she asked for an explanation, he told her to keep walking.
"The information I gave you about Barnes, is it safe?" Fury asked when Alex relayed that they were a short distance from the office.
"Yes."
"You're sure?"
"It's at home in a locked cabinet," she replied as Bucky leaned against a building doing his best to appear disinterested in her conversation.
"Who knows you have it?" Fury asked.
"You. Hill. Why?"
"Not Barnes?"
"I haven't spoken to him about it. Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Bucky looked over at Alex as her voice got louder.
"Your files have been compromised," Fury told her.
"What?" she asked now quieter.
"Your S.H.I.E.L.D. files have been accessed."
"Which files?"
"The ones put there for this very reason. Your actual patient notes are safe, although I recommend holding off uploading anything new for a bit."
"That's not too obvious," Alex muttered.
"We'll take care of things on this end," Fury said and then assured her that everything else, including her phone, was untouched.
Alex thanked him after asking twice if there was anything else she should know. She slipped the phone into the pocket of her long cardigan and looked over at Bucky. He was watching her intently; his countenance serious.
"How about you tell me what's going on now?"
"Someone accessed my fake files," she said.
"Fake files?"
Alex explained that the first person she worked with at S.H.I.E.L.D. was Nick Fury after he was shot by the Winter Soldier. Bucky's eyes widened. She related that the general consensus was that her files needed to be confidential at all times. "No one thought it was a good idea that my notes on the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. be easily hackable."
Bucky nodded, "And the real ones?"
"My actual notes go... somewhere else," Alex answered cryptically.
"In a locked cabinet at home?"
"No," Alex said and took a deep breath. "The stuff in the locked cabinet is the info I requested on you. How else would I know that you restrain yourself?"
"Do I get to see these files?"
"It can't happen here. Not now," Alex said as she looked towards the office building they had abruptly evacuated. After thinking, she pulled her phone back out and sent a text to Bucky. "If you want to see them and try to convince me I'm wrong, I'll be around all weekend."