"And there's no room in this Hell, there's no room in the next"
-Early Sunsets over Monroeville, My Chemical Romance
December 2009
Since the Girl had been given to HYDRA, she had been training. She would train with the Winter Soldier almost daily and then stay in her room for the rest of the day. It was less humane than the Red Room, but the Girl didn't mind. She would practice moving things around in her room with her mind, and she wasn't mocked for it. She even had a name! The guards outside her room called her the "Moonlit Patriot". It was better than nothing, but the Girl didn't like it much.
One day, the guards came into the Girl's room and led her out into the hallway. She started walking to the training room, when a guard gripped her elbow and dragged her in a different direction. Her room was in a shabby hallway, but the quality of the cement flooring kept increasing as the guards kept moving. The guards kept changing hallways until they reached a stairwell. They dragged the Girl down the stairs until they reached a hallway filled with doors. The guards went down the hallway and opened a door identical to all the others in the hallway and roughly shoved the Girl into the room.
The room was quite small, illuminated only by the dull screens of various scientists and flickering lights. The Winter Soldier was seated in a chair in the middle of the room, screaming. His screams were horrifying and filled with pain. A machine was clasped against his head. Another guard pulled her aside to watch the Winter Soldier scream. He stopped screaming and started shaking violently. The Girl watched as Wolfgang von Srucker appeared out of the shadows and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her into a chair next to the Winter Soldier and pulled out a book.
"желание. (Longing.)" The Winter Soldier looked up.
"ржавый. (Rusted.)" He opened his eyes.
"печь. (Furnace.)" The Girl nervously looked over.
"рассвет. (Daybreak.)" The Winter Soldier turned his gaze down while Mr. Strucker started speaking even louder.
"семнадцать. (Seventeen.)" Mr. Strucker smirked wolfishly.
"доброкачественный. (Benign.)" The Winter Soldier's shaking got more violent.
"девять. (Nine.)" A scientist passed Mr. Strucker a folder.
"возвращение домой. (Homecoming.)" Mr. Strucker flipped open the folder before settling on a page with a picture of a sweaty man.
"один. (One.)" The Winter Soldier stopped shaking and lifted his head up to face Mr. Strucker
"грузовой вагон. (Freight Car.)" Mr. Strucker closed the book.
"Good morning, Soldier."
"Готовы к соблюдению. (Ready to comply.)" Mr. Strucker held up the folder and showed the picture of the man to the Winter Soldier and the Girl.
"You will both intercept this man while he is being escorted out of Iran. He will be on his way to the south of France and will likely be traveling through Odessa in Ukraine." He turned to the Girl. "You will assassinate this man with the help of the Winter Soldier," said Mr. Strucker to the Girl. She nodded while he turned to the Winter Soldier. "You will protect and assist the Moonlit Patriot in her effort to kill this scientist. He will be guarded by the Black Widow as he is transferred to one of SHIELD's many hidden facilities." The Winter Soldier nodded and roughly stood up, gripping the Girl's wrist. Mr. Strucker closed the folder and handed the file to a nearby scientist.
Mr. Strucker led the duo out of the room and up several flights of stairs to the roof. There was a helipad on top with a preponderance of helicopters resting on top. They were all painted a dark, gunmetal gray. The Winter Soldier hadn't let go of the Girl's wrist, but he hadn't bruised her skin either. Mr. Strucker used a key to unlock one of the larger helicopters. The Winter Soldier pulled the Girl into the passenger seat, before boarding the driver's seat and turning on the engine. Mr. Strucker nodded at the Winter Soldier and left the helipad. Th Girl focused on the ground below them as they rose higher and higher into the air.
.0
After what seemed like an eternity, the Winter Soldier finally landed the helicopter. The thin layer of snow that was once beneath them was replaced with thicker snow. There was a thick wall made of trees surrounding them. They were covered by the cloak of night. The Girl could see bright lights in the distance and a group of mountains behind the city. The Winter Soldier disembarked the helicopter and slid open the back door while the Girl slipped out of the passenger seat. He lifted a motorcycle out of the back of the helicopter and set it down gently on the ground. He reached back into the helicopter and pulled out a black box. He opened it and pulled out a SIG-Sauer P226R and a Intratec TEC-38 pistol. He passed the Intratec to the Girl, keeping the Sauer for himself. He attached the gun to his holster and got on the motorcycle. The Girl strapped her Intratec to her holster and sat behind the Winter Soldier on the motorcycle. He started the engine, and the Girl watched the helicopter blend into its surroundings. The dark vehicle was nearly invisible against the old oak trees. The Winter Soldier sped up and zoomed through the thick, deciduous forest, weaving between the tightly placed trees with the precision of a marksman.
They kept speeding closer to the city's flickering lights, getting close enough to see the buildings emanating the bright illuminations. Suddenly, the Winter Soldier slowed down when they reached an isolated road. The road was bordered by the forest and a cliff. The only thing separating the cliff's edge and the road was an old, rusted, steel fence. The Winter Soldier turned left onto the road. The Girl saw a dimmed light race away from the city and merge onto the desolate road. The Winter Soldier must have noticed, because he sped up in that direction. The lights belonged to a small black car. The Winter Soldier lifted a hand in that direction and signaled for the Girl to shoot. She pulled out her Intratec and lifted it up. With a shaking hand, she shot a flurry of bullets that pierced the tires of the car. Through the rear window, the Girl saw a redhead slam the brakes. The redhead grabbed a pistol and swung her door open as soon as the car came to a complete stop. The redhead was none other than the infamous Black Widow. The Winter Soldier pulled over and got off the motorcycle. Black Widow ran over to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. She reached in and grabbed the scientist's hand and a gun. The Girl slid off the motorcycle.
"Run!" screamed the Black Widow. The scientist scampered away, like a rat trying to run away from a cat. The Black Widow started shooting at the Girl and the Winter Soldier from behind the car. The Winter Soldier grabbed a small disk-shaped grenade from one of the pockets in his suit and threw it at the car. The grenade exploded as soon as it made contact with the car. The Black Widow's eyes widened as she stepped away from the car. She started running towards the scientist, who was slowly running at a snail's pace. She ran directly behind him. The Girl quickly aimed her Intratec at the fleeing pair, trying to get a clear shot at the scientist, when the Winter Soldier stopped her. He pulled out his Sauer and aimed it at the Black Widow. He pulled the trigger, and the bullet rocketed towards the former assassin and the target. The bullet tore a hole through the Black Widow's thin jacket, near her hip, and hit the scientist. He fell to the ground. The Girl watched crimson blood pool around the man as the Black Widow knelt to the ground, desperately trying to stop the blood flow. The Winter Soldier fired another bullet at the man and successfully killed him. The Black Widow glanced back at the pair and ran into the forest.
The Winter Soldier and the Girl walked back to the motorcycle and left the scientist dead on the pavement. The Girl stared up at the Winter Soldier.
"I was supposed to kill him," the Girl whispered. "Why did you do it?"
"I- I don't know," The Winter Soldier quietly responded as he slid onto the motorcycle. The Girl slid on behind him. The Winter Soldier and the Girl didn't talk for the rest of the trip. Not in the forest, the helicopter, or at the HYDRA base. When they arrived at the Helipad, a few guards were waiting. The Winter Soldier smoothly landed the helicopter and the pair got off. The guards escorted them to the dingy room with the scientist. The Winter Soldier sat in the large chair with the machines, while the Girl sat in the smaller chair. Once again, Mr. Strucker stood in front of them.
"Mission report," Mr. Strucker looked at the Girl.
"Target was eliminated successfully. The target was joined by the Black Widow. She fled the scene as soon as the target was confirmed to be dead." The Girl responded in a monotone voice.
"Did you eliminate the target?" Mr. Strucker asked.
'No, sir." The Girl answered.
"Weren't those your orders?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you disobey direct orders?"
"Yes, sir." Mr. Strucker raised a hand to slap the Girl, when the Winter Soldier's metal arm shot out and grabbed Strucker's wrist. Strucker swiveled his gaze over to the Winter Soldier, who had stood up.
"Отпустите меня солдат. (Release me, Soldier.)" Strucker commanded.
The Winter Soldier obeyed and let go, but moved in front of the Girl.
"Soldier, move." Strucker said, voice wavering.
The Winter Soldier shook his head and muttered, "Не бейте ее. (Don't hit her.)"
Strucker glanced nervously at the scientist who was jotting something down in his notebook. The scientist glanced up when Strucker cleared his throat and stared at where the Winter Soldier held Strucker. Strucker regained his composure and stared the Winter Soldier in the eye.
"Release me, soldier." Strucker commanded. The Winter Soldier released his iron grip on Strucker's wrist. The Girl peered around the man in front of her to see a bruise forming on Strucker's wrist. Strucker called for a guard to take the Winter Soldier back to his room, leaving the Girl to stare up at Strucker with wide eyes. She braced herself for a slap or punch but only heard laughter. It was a harsh, sadistic laugh, like nails on a chalkboard.
Strucker and the Girl turned looked sideways to see a scientist laughing maniacally.
"What is wrong, Jones?" Strucker asked, meeting the scientist's eyes.
"It seems as if the Солдат has taken a liking to our young asset. Perhaps, they could be partners on missions. To punish one could be a punishment to both."
"It could help keep the Солдат in line," Strucker mused quietly. He raised his voice. "Brilliant idea, Jones."
"It was my pleasure, sir."
"Asset," Strucker called. The Girl looked up from her seat. "From now on, on your missions, you will be partnered with the Winter Soldier. What happened today was a mistake, and it will not be repeated. Understood?"
"Yes sir," The Girl nodded. Strucker grinned wolfishly and roughly pulled the Girl up.
"Guards! Move her into the Солдат hall. The guards grunted and dragged her out of the dimly lit room. They travelled in silence as they maneuvered the hallways. Eventually, they reached a narrow hallway with three doors on each side. The guard led her down the passageway and into the door on the right and closest to the farthest wall. It was slightly larger than the Girl's old room, with a small wardrobe, an uncomfortable looking chair, a thin mattress supported by a wiry frame, and a small lamp. The guards locked the door as soon as she walked in. The wardrobe seemed to be made of rotting wood and had an unpleasant smell. The Girl pulled on one of the handles, ripping it off, and peeked into the drawer to find a set of thin unisex clothing and thin shoes. They were dyed an unflattering shade of brown and had stains on them. She did her best to replace the handle, before giving up and setting it on the top of the furniture. She then observed the bed. She lifted up the mattress and found a tear in the underside of the material. She gently set it back onto the metal frame, not wanting it to break. The frame let out a screeching noise when the Girl replaced the mattress. She decided to sit on the chair. It was made of wood and seemed sturdy enough for the Girl to sit on. She cautiously set her weight on it, and sighed in relief when the chair held her weight. She tilted her head towards the ceiling and closed her eyes. The chair wasn't very comfortable, but she trusted it more than the bed. She quickly fell asleep.
A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading this chapter. I took a short break for school, but I'm back in the new decade! I'm still working on developing the bond between Bucky and our nameless protagonist. I have this story mostly planned out, but I just need to write everything out! By the way, our protagonist won't remain nameless forever. Once we reach the end of the Winter Soldier storyline, she will have a name. Peter will appear between then and Age of Ultron hopefully!
