Hello again my darlings, it is so good to be back! So as in my last missive to you all, Tony has been a jerk but this what I needed for the story. There is a little violence in this, though nothing that I should think will warrant a warning. But should you dislike any violence of any sort, please ignore the last quarter of this story.

Onwards and upwards we go! As always, nothing is mine, I simply borrow from the Marvel Cinematic Universe for my own perverse reasons.

Chapter Eleven- Mission Active (Tony)

Conversation sounded around him, but Tony paid little to no attention, his brain busy running through the plans and making sure he had thought of everything, that all possibilities had been covered and that no one would be in any danger.

With everyone but himself, Thor, and Clint confined to the observation deck they would all be safe and secure. The glass was reinforced and the gym doubled as a containment room for Bruce when he Hulked out unexpectedly.

Client, he knew, would be up in the rafters and perfectly out of reach. Tony had already arranged for the equipment to be moved away, and what could be removed from the room had been pushed so far away from where they would be that there was no conceivable chance that Barnes would be able to get past Thor and reach it.

As far as Tony was concerned, everything was in place and it was time to get down to business. "Time to get the show on the road," he heard Barnes say.

He nodded, bringing his attention back to Barnes and what they were there to do. "Yep. So, like I said, Thor will go through everything that I said that day, see if the trigger is the words, the second step will be me saying it, to see if the reaction is to me, and finally, I'll use other methods and phrases to get a reaction out of you."

"I understand."

There was a pause before Tony spoke again. "I said some hurtful things, and I will undoubtedly say more to get a response. Whether or not you take them to heart is your choice, I'm not going to pander to any delicate sensibilities." And wasn't that interesting? He found that he wasn't actually looking forward to causing the pain, though he couldn't deny that he wasn't curious about how to trigger him. "However, if it becomes too much, say and we'll take a break. If a reaction comes, try not to fight it, we're prepared for every possibility."

Tony watched Barnes turn his attention to the observation deck, the faces of Steve, Tasha, Bruce, Wanda and Vision were visible, but the only one who made any movement was Tasha, a small salute being made. Since she never did that to him, he could only assume the gesture was for Barnes.

A small frown creased his face, he didn't recall Tasha ever mentioning that she knew him, and in fact had been backing him up since her arrival at the tower just days before. Tony cleared his throat quietly and got Barnes' attention. "Barnes, you ready?"

He gave Barnes a moment and heard him say, "let's do this."

After that Tony stood back and let Thor take his place while he moved to the side and stood at the edge of the gym where he could safely watch and see everything. "FRIDAY are you recording clearly?"

His AI sounded in his ear. "Loud and clear, boss. My sensors are picking up sound, motion, vitals and all other parameters you have set."

He nodded to himself and studied Barnes before the words would start flying, noticed the semi-relaxed posture, but there was a tic in his right hand, the index finger occasionally tapping against his thigh, the only outward sign he was not completely at ease.

There were tension lines on his face, a slight crease in his forehead, a tightening of the skin around his eyes. He could see that Barnes was worried about what they would find with this exercise. But they had gone over everything plenty of times and he was confident that nothing would go wrong.

Tony focused once he saw Thor was done offering whatever words of comfort and that he had begun repeating his and Barnes' words from the night he had been beaten senseless. Tony frowned, it still hurt his pride how easily he'd been thrown around. Damn super soldier serum, he groused mentally.

Once Thor had said everything, Tony waited for a reaction and got nothing. He didn't give up hope straight away, there was a possibility it had been Tony the reaction had been to, not just the words, maybe they had to be combined.

Then something in his brain clicked. The whole point of the constant wiping of Barnes' memories was to remove all links to his past, because there was no way Barnes would attack Steve in his right mind. He loved the man way too much, and there was the point of it. HYDRA needed to remove all ties, and therefore all emotion.

It was entirely possible that the reason Barnes had gone nuts was not down to the words thrown between them, but more the emotions Tony had elicited in the soldier. And because of that, the Asset, the Winter Soldier, had come forward and taken control again when Barnes had struggled to set himself straight.

So maybe, the exercise wouldn't work unless he could work Barnes up enough that he would react and bring out the Asset once more. A shiver of anticipation slithered down his spine at the prospect of getting closer to discovering what the trigger was, and how to eventually remove it.

He approached Barnes and offered a tiny smile, not feeling any of the anger he had been feeling towards the solider since his arrival. "I have a brainwave, I don't think the words are the trigger, I think it's the emotion. It's possible that when you become too emotional, you're…programming tries to take over. The Asset doesn't feel, so your mind shuts down and allows the programming to come in and make sure you feel nothing."

There seemed to be some recognition at his words and Tony felt one step closer to getting this sorted. Tony tapped his chin as he thought, circling around Barnes and connecting dots. Stopping, he waited for some agreement from Barnes, who seemed to be looking up at the deck. Finally, he spoke, "Okay, if you think this will work."

Tony watched Barnes look up at the deck again and mouth something, but he had no idea what it was though he was pretty sure it wasn't English. The only person he knew that spoke any other languages was Wanda and Tasha, and he was pretty sure Sparky Fingers wasn't being addressed. Tony filed it away for later, now was really not the time to lose focus.

He waited a moment before getting his attention back to the work at hand. "Eyes on me, Barnes, we have work to do," Tony snapped.

"Sorry," he murmured.

"Sorry? Sorry isn't good enough, Barnes. I'm busting my balls to help you, putting my life at risk to try and get you better and you can't keep your focus for more than half an hour?" Tony barked, a little annoyed at the meekness Barnes was displaying.

Barnes narrowed his eyes at the tone and growled out something indiscernible in what he assumed was Russian. Tony stalked closer and got in his face, brown eyes boring into blue ones. "What was that, Barnes? Are you protesting my methods? I offer to help you and all you can do is whine about how I do things? If you don't want my help, then leave."

As Tony moved to get closer, he kept shuffling the briefcase containing his suit around with him, making sure it was always within arms' reach if things went south. But he got nothing from Barnes, just the sense that he was trying to keep a lid on things. Not really what Tony wanted, he needed to see what would make Barnes lose control and keeping everything in check wouldn't do that, they wouldn't know if the trigger was emotional.

"Tony, back away, I can't lose it with you so close."

Tony paused and was going to continue, but he saw the fear in Barnes' eyes, and how close he was. If Barnes did lose it Tony couldn't guarantee he would have time to reach down for his suit. He clapped Barnes on the should with a quick laugh. "Okay, let's cool it down, come back in a few minutes."

Barnes' gaze shifted to Tony's hand, clamped on his shoulder and he snatched it away as quickly as he could. Tony stalked away, muttering about his idiocy and there was no way he was feeling sorry for Barnes. Absolutely not. Then why was there so much emotion rolling through Tony that his stomach churned with the prospect of having to up the game and really rile the soldier.

The break in their work gave Tony chance to sort his thoughts out. He saw Barnes go up to the observation deck. Bruce soon came down, along with Wanda and Vision. Steve, he noticed, was already down on the gym floor and walking towards Thor, thoughtful look on his boyish features.

Tasha, however, stayed in the deck and was conversing with Barnes, further confirming Tony's growing suspicions that the soldier knew her from before…probably from before she had ended up with SHIELD and the Avengers.

Vision and Wanda appeared at his side. He had heard how she had defending him when he was recuperating in hospital, but her warmth toward him had not changed in any way, and she gave him a glare. Tony had learned not to take it to heart, he was sure sometimes that she didn't actually mean them and just enjoyed making him wonder.

The voice of his former AI flowed from Vision's mouth and Tony still found it weird as hell. "I do believe that Sergeant Barnes is feeling a little uncomfortable with the new direction this exercise has taken."

Tony looked at the red and silver face, frowning. "I get that, J…I mean Vis, but if we're going to get anywhere I need to know what this trigger is. If I'm wrong about it all, and it was just a fluke thing, then I will gladly admit that and move on. But I don't think it is just a fluke, if I'm right about emotion being the trigger, it wouldn't necessarily just be negative emotion. Anything that could give the Asset chance to regain control is a risk to everyone. What if he's sparring with Wanda and she says the wrong thing and he snaps, going berserk and trying to kill her?"

Vision automatically reached out for her and she smiled, fingers lacing together. "I understand that, Tony, but I know you have history, especially after what happened that December night. Your judgement could be clouded and while we all know you as our friend, Sergeant Barnes has more than once risked his life to save the others when they were in Serbia."

Tony knew little of the events in Serbia, only what Clint had told him, and even then, it hadn't been very much. Vision wasn't wrong, he did have history with Barnes, but he was trying his best to work without that getting in the way of what he was trying to achieve today.

"Vis, please, I'm doing my best to make sure I don't let any of my feelings for Barnes cross over into what I'm doing. I know from your viewpoint I might be acting harsher than needed, but I need to do whatever I can to garner a reaction from him. And unless he tells me to stop, which he did a moment ago, I'm going to keep going. I'm trying to help him."

Vision smiled, bit it was sad. "At what cost?"

Tony didn't get the chance to ask what that meant because he had drifted away and he could see Bruce getting antsy to go back up to Tasha. He could see Steve had already gone back up, so he waved his arm to get Barnes' attention and signalled him to come back down so they could carry on.

Mentally counting to ten, Tony prepared to rip into Barnes, to provoke the reaction needed to prove there was something wrong, and then he could fix it. He told himself it was about the science, and mostly it was, but deep down he just wanted to fix Barnes so he would leave him alone.

The wounded puppy look was actually starting to get to him, and not even Clint had been able to make him cave with that look. He hated that he was starting to feel sorry for Barnes, because that meant that he wouldn't be angry anymore, and that deep hatred was all that had kept him going. Once that was gone, what was left?

Barnes reached him. "So, here we go again. Gonna really put the pressure on, Barnes. You ready?"

"Not in the slightest. Let's go."

Tony couldn't deny that he felt some respect for the soldier, he was putting the man through his paces, and still he was a model guest. So far, Barnes had only actually threatened him once, directly, that was. His lips quirked before he could check it, wiping the almost smile off his face as quickly as it had appeared.

"Do you know what, Barnes? I'm beginning to think you don't want my help, this has all been a game to you, hasn't it? Worm your way into the home of the last Stark and end the line for good. Was that the plan all along? Get Steve to feel sorry for you, run off with you and come back to finish the job?"

Not one muscle in Barnes' face moved, he didn't blink, didn't so much as twitch. If it wasn't for the rise and fall of his chest, Tony would have been certain Barnes was a dead man walking. Creepy.

"You're good for nothing except killing, and even HYDRA have given up coming for you. There's been no activity since the party, FRIDAY has been keeping every search open for any mention of them or you. Guess what? Zilch. They've left you, Barnes. You're nothing to them."

Absolutely nothing. Tony could not deny he wasn't impressed, he damn well was. A smirk crossed his lips brown eyes glittering at the challenge. Time to slam it home, he thought. Time for it to get nasty, he was going to get a rise out of Barnes if it took him all day and night.

"Just a washed-up soldier with a shiny tin arm and a bunch of murders on his hands. How many kills, Barnes? How many women? How many children did you murder?"

As soon as Barnes flinched Tony knew he'd struck a raw nerve. The dark-haired head lowered, eyes hidden from view, a position of submission took hold and Tony felt a cold chill ran down his spine, the hair on his arms and back of his neck on end.

"Come on, Barnes! Killing is what you do! You held your hand over my mother's face until she couldn't breathe and waited until her heart stopped beating! How many innocent children did you smother? How many have you shot in cold blood because you were told to?"

He watched Barnes put his head in hands, the soldier backing away from him. "Please stop," he heard Barnes beg. He waited a beat and when no further pleads to stop came, Tony went for the kill. He stalked after him, face twisted in anger, the suit left behind, forgotten in the face of reaching his goal.

"Do you even see their faces, Barnes? Do you remember every despicable thing you've ever done? Do you hear their screams? Did you listen to the pleads for their lives, for mercy? Did you even cry for any of them?"

"Yes!" He hissed. "I have cried for so long over each death! I can barely sleep for the nightmares- their faces always haunt me when I close my eyes."

Tony's face twisted in anger, his eyes blazing as he kept poking Barnes, kept pushing at him. "Good! You deserve nothing less, you should live with the guilt for the rest of your miserable life! Did it feel good to take each life? To watch the light fade from their eyes as their hearts gave a last beat?"

There was a roar of agony, the scream of someone in so much pain then silence. Tony watched as in a split-second Barnes went from tearful bellow of pain to calm and silent. The grief-stricken face went blank, the words out of his mouth cold and emotionless. "Current mission active- kill Tony Stark and destroy Stark Tower."

It was all the warning he was given before Barnes' left arm shot out, the cool metal sliding around his throat and squeezing harder than anything he had ever experienced. The air supply to his brain was cut-off, blood roared in his ears, his thoughts suddenly jumbled.

He weakly flapped for the briefcase, remembering he had left it behind in his bid to prove himself right. A stupid move that was now going to get him killed. His vision swam, the edges going dark as he struggled to get air in his lungs. He saw Thor trying to wrestle Barnes' arm away, could feel the cartilage in his trachea start to crush.

"Mission active- kill Tony Stark," Barnes said coldly.

The blood vessels in his eyes burst, the petechiae forming, making the whites of his eyes redden. He had seconds left before he fell into unconsciousness. Eventually, Thor was able to loosen Barnes' grip on him and he slumped to the floor, raggedly drawing air into his bruised throat, coughing and spluttering.

"Barnes! Try to come back to yourself!" He heard Thor bellow.

Tony saw the Soldier narrow his eyes and wrench his hand out of Thor's hold and threw a punch at his head, barely missing him and span on the heel of his boot to throw a second punch, this one connecting. "Mission active- kill Tony Stark. Mission parameters- kill all who oppose mission."

Thor went for him again, but Tony could see there was no real heat to the actions other than an attempt to subdue, he knew that Thor would not want to harm him when he was not in control of his own actions. It was like Loki all over again, and that thought made Tony feel sorry for the man.

Barnes spun and threw punches, dropped to a crouch and tried to kick the Thor's legs out from under him, their dance continued for some time before Tony heard the Soldier grunt, an arrow embedded in his skin filled with tranquiliser.

Tony could see Tasha running towards them, his hand outstretched, the darkness taking over his vision. He heard Barnes mutter something about the mission, and he was pretty sure he heard her name. He was helped to his feet and carried from the room. Tony's last conscious thought was that he was going to have some explaining to do to Steve when he came around.

With that last thought, Tony slumped in his friends' hold and gave himself over to unconsciousness, allowing the blissful darkness to steal him away where he could rest his battered body and recover from the injuries he had sustained.