Prompts: Desperate Measures/Failed Escape/"I'll be right behind you"

Continuation from a previous chapter. HYDRA has taken Clint and Bucky

Captain America: The First Avenger AU

Clint Barton and Bucky Barnes

I'm sorry.

Clint woke up strapped to a table. The last thing he remembered was huddling in a cave, trying to stay warm, and Bucky saying he would go search for food. Now, he's in what appeared to be some medical room. Speaking of Bucky, where was he? Clint didn't see him in the room.

"Don't worry. We're taking care of Sargent Barnes." Clint turned his head and saw a man carrying a clipboard approach him. "How are you feeling, Sargent Barton?"

"Confused. What the hell is going on?"

"Well, I guess it won't hurt to tell you." 'You won't remember anything soon anyway.' "We found the two of you injured in the forest, so we brought you back here to assist in your healing."

"We?"

"A division of the National Socialist Party of Germany."

"Shit, Nazis."

The man, wearing a lab coat and making notes, grimaced. "We are not Nazis. Those are the common soldiers. We are the scientific division where only our generation's greatest minds work for society's betterment. Welcome to HYDRA."

Clint knew that didn't sound good. "So, once we're healed, then what? Off to one of your camps to starve to death?"

The man shook his head. "Nonsense. We're not going to heal you and then ship you off. You and Sargent Barnes can be of great use to us."

'That definitely doesn't sound good,' Clint thought. 'I need to find Bucky and get us the hell out of here.' "Can I see him?"

"As soon as he is out of surgery, of course."

"Surgery?"

"Unfortunately, he was shot in the arm, and there was too much damage, so we had to amputate. However, we have a replacement ready. We are making some adjustments to it."

"Speaking of adjustments, why do I feel different?" Clint looked down at himself and swore he was taller. He'd been in the hospital enough times to know his feet didn't hang off the end of the bed.

"I'm so glad you asked." The man was practically beaming. "First, where are my manners? Doctor Arnim Zola, at your service." The doctor clasped Clint's shoulder. Clint tensed in response. He didn't want this weirdo anywhere near him. "When we found you, you were unconscious. While you were out, we gave you a series of injections to aid in the progression of your healing. We've discovered it has some other positive side effects. Not only does it increase your healing ability, but it also increases your strength and slows your aging."

"What the hell? I was fine the way I was. Now I'm a freak." Clint clenched his fists, and found by pulling at the straps, and he was quickly able to break free. Clint then reached down and ripped the belts holding down his feet. He jumped off the bed and shoved the doctor out of the way. As Zola fell, he was still smiling, knowing Clint wouldn't get far but allowed him to think otherwise. 'Why not give the young American one last hope before he becomes one of their soldiers?'

Clint, clad only in a pair of sweatpants, shoved through the swinging doors and began looking for his friend. "Bucky! Bucky!" As he passed by various doors, he glanced inside but found empty medical suites. When he got to the last door and looked inside, he saw Bucky on a surgical table with an oxygen mask strapped to his face. Clint burst through the door, ran over to the table, and removed the mask. "Hey, Bucky. Wake up. Come on, man."

Clint continued shaking his friend until Bucky started to blink. "Clint?"

"Yeah, it's me, pal."

"Where are we?"

"Some evil Nazi lair. Guess they found us after we parachuted out of the plane. Can you sit up? Whoa!"

"What?"

"Your arm!"

Bucky looked down and was shocked at what he saw. "Clint? Why do I have a metal arm?"

"Some lunatic doctor told me they had to amputate the other one 'cause you'd been shot. He said there was too much damage to save it." Clint thought he heard footsteps in the hall coming toward the door. "Can you stand? We've got to get the hell out of here."

"I, yeah. I think so." Bucky sat up and almost fell back down. "Give me a minute."

"Don't think we have a minute. Here, put your arm around my shoulder." Clint leaned into Bucky as Bucky put his arm around Clint. Once he was sure Bucky was alert enough to move, Clint walked toward the door. "May want to put that arm to use, knock out some people."

Bucky slowly started moving his arm in a circle, getting used to the feeling of it and the way it reacted when he used it. "Let's go," Bucky said as he grimaced, feeling every movement in his shoulder. As Clint led them out the door, Bucky noticed something. "Did we get taller or something?"

"Or something," Clint growled, noticing Bucky had grown, too, since the last time he saw him. "They're using us as damn science experiments. The crazy doctor was rambling on about some serum that speeds up healing, makes us stronger, and keeps us from growing old."

"Ya know, in another setting, that might be appreciated."

"Here we go," Clint interrupted. "Get that arm ready. I'll be right behind you to make sure you don't fall with the weight of your new toy."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Barton."

"Anytime, Barnes." Clint threw open the door, and Bucky started swinging his arm and kicking at people, knocking down anyone that got close. It didn't take long for Clint and Bucky to take out the HYDRA agents. Once they'd cleared the hallway, they headed toward what looked like an exit. Clint pushed the door open and found it led to a parking lot. The two men hurried to the first vehicle they found and jumped in it. Clint hotwired it, put it in gear, and sped away.

Soon, they noticed a line of vehicles chasing after them. "Any idea where you're going?" Bucky asked, keeping an eye on the cars. He had taken a few guns from some agents and shot toward a vehicle when he thought it was in range.

"Nope." Clint was also shooting while driving. "Just trying to get as far away from these assholes as possible." Suddenly, a bullet struck one of their tires, causing the vehicle to swerve. Clint did everything he could to keep the car on the road, but after a second, a third tire was shot out. "Brace yourself!" Clint grasped the steering wheel as the car flipped several times. When the vehicle stopped rolling, Clint and Bucky looked at each other. "You doing okay?"

Bucky took a few deep breaths. "Yeah. What about you?"

Before Clint could answer, an arm reached through the broken side window and dragged Clint out of the driver's seat. At the same time, someone pulled Bucky from the passenger side. Without saying a word to them, the soldiers took the two Americans to a van, firmly strapped them into the back, then took them back to the base, where Doctor Zola met them.

"Gentlemen, I hope you enjoyed your little escapade. I hope that taught you that there is no escaping HYDRA. We will find you wherever you go." Clint and Bucky both struggled, but the soldiers used reinforced cuffs. "Take them to the room. The chair is ready."

Clint and Bucky looked at each other as the HYDRA soldiers manhandled them. Clint was taken in first. Bucky was placed in a room behind a glass window, and a soldier held his head, forcing him to watch. Clint was strapped into something resembling a dentist's chair and held down by more reinforced cuffs. A mouthguard was forced into his mouth. "Lower the machine," a voice off to the side ordered. Something that looked like a halo with metal plates attached to it was lowered, the plates went around Clint's head, and the halo held them in place. Bucky heard a buzzing and what sounded like loud electrical shocks. The only sound that was louder was the screams coming from Clint. Clint also seized and strained to escape the contraption, but the cuffs and halo were too strong. Bucky had no idea how long it lasted. Once it did, the mouthguard and halo were removed. A man stepped into view. "What is your name?"

"Huh?"

"Your name, soldier. What is it?"

Clint was struggling to catch his breath. "I don't know."

"Who do you see in that window?" The man said, pointing to Bucky.

Clint shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know him." Clint looked up at the man. "Who am I?"

The man replied with an evil grin. "Ronin, the ninja of HYDRA."

"Ronin," Clint said slowly as if trying to burn the name into his memory.

"Yes, Ronin. We have great plans for you. We'll allow you a brief rest, and then your training will begin. Do you understand?"

Clint repeated back to him. "Rest and training."

"Take him away." The soldiers released Clint from the chair. Since he wasn't strong enough to walk, the soldiers dragged him away and tossed him into a room down the hall.

Bucky tensed up as he knew what was going to happen. They were going to take his memories, take away his mom, Becca, Steve, and Clint. He was being turned into a monster. As he was thrown into the chair and the cuffs were fastened around his arms, he repeated their names over and over until suddenly, his mind was blank.

"Welcome to the world, Winter Soldier."