My dearest, most esteemed readers. I present to you quietly, Kapitel Dreizehn. Or, in other, non-German words, Chapter thirteen. My dears, now has come the time in which this little tale will take a pivotal turn….
The time has come for our Wilhelmina to evade the iron grip of the Red Skull, whose true appearance she is oblivious to, at present.
I know, I know. *SUSPENSE*
Do excuse me, whilst I allow myself a maniacal chuckle. My apologies; I do love a good cliff-hanger. Anywho, I promised bigger and better things last chapter – I do hope the film-scene and the several intense dialogue scenes and the ending brawl, followed by some screaming and a smartical line from our little Arnim delivered enough action, at least for the time-being.
To all of those who have been waiting for the arrival of the American forces, rejoice now. You shall have your moment soon. Very soon. Somewhere within the chapter AFTER the next one, because I make no promises, but MAYBE in the next, depending on my mood and how the plotline of the next chapter pans out. Thank you as always to my devoted readers/reviewers, in particular MusicWolf7, Kukapetal, and Blackbird71. Your support and feedback are precious to me.
Now, for the real drama to begin. Enjoy. And review.
Yours Very Sincerely,
Jasper Q. Blood
Translations from German Dialogues:
Sie, herein dort, wachen dummes Madchen auf! - You, in there, wake up foolish girl!
Aufwachen – Wake up
1942
HYDRA Base – The Alps
The first movement of Beethoven's Fifth sounded majestically from the phonograph, complementing the blizzard warring outside the huge windows of his private quarters. Stretched out like a cat along one of the black leather chaise-lounges, he half-heartedly eyed the wall of monitors, giving him a perfect display of every area of the base. A push of button on the small control panel before him, and the screens flickered to show him one, concentrated image.
A lonely girl, sitting cross-legged on the metal floor of a containment cell, blue sparks crackling from her fingertips.
Johann took a drag from his long cigarette-holder, releasing curling tendrils of smoke into the air. The girl had been amusing herself by creating small crackles of static for the last several hours, but the minute anyone approached her, all traces of electricity vanished and she sank back into her corner, hands folded and eyes closed. 24 hours. 24 hours she had spent simply sitting there, utterly wasting precious seconds of his time that he would never get back. Soldier upon soldier upon scientist upon scientist he had sent to interrogate her – first simply trying to converse with her, then to interrogate her, then even to threaten her with force – all to simply stop being a child and to resign herself that she would never leave – never escape the fate which she had now destined herself for.
The fact was that he needed her. A god-like entity in the form of a seemingly innocent human being, a child no less. To possess such awesome power – to be able to inflict it on thousands. The world would crumble at his fingertips and not a shot would have been fired.
He had spent countless days since she had arrived there studying every earthly being who had ever possessed the tesseract's infinite power. Every single one of them had been capable of bringing about an apocalyptic-level of destruction with barely a flick of the hand. The chaos caused by the Norse gods – it was unimaginable. Why would he bother wasting countless lives in a typical military battle that no doubt would be met by imbecilic nations with their puny armies, all too eager to run into war – when he could wipe out an entire continent in a matter of hours with one single girl?
The world would be at its knees – everyone would know who they were dealing with, the strength of the power they were up against – no one would dare rebel. It was perfect – he'd quite literally be able to waltz into every society and take it by storm, hardly lifting a finger to do so.
He only wished it had been him who had picked up that object as if it were plastic.
He ran a crimson, long-fingered hand across the smooth surface of his skull, his teeth grating against each other.
"Herr Schmidt,"
He glanced up to see the little scientist standing over him. He sighed heavily. "Any progress, Doctor?"
Zola bit his lips and shook his head, resignedly. "None, sir. The girl is adamant. To put it in her exact words, she would rather die than support our cause."
Schmidt arched the brow-bone of a hooded azure eye. "That's a bit dramatic don't you think, doctor?"
Zola shrugged.
He sighed irritably. "Forgive me; my understanding of the sixteen-year-old female's psychology is still so primitive."
"Your understanding of it is better than mine, sir, I can assure you."
Johann laid back on the chaise, stretching his arms and folding them behind his head.
"Then we will simply have to create a bit of drama, won't we Doctor Zola? To perhaps sweeten the deal, as it were."
Zola looked quizzical. "What deal, sir?"
Johann grinned devilishly, the blue glow of the monitors before him giving his bright, white teeth a chilling gleam. "The deal we are going to make with her, Doctor. Or perhaps it is too wicked. Though manipulation seems the only way to prod her to make up her mind."
"What do you intend to do, then?"
"I intend to die, Dr. Zola."
The scientist blinked. "P – Pardon sir?"
Johann chuckled. "Forgive me, doctor – I mean, Johann Schmidt is going to die. The Red Skull has chosen to kill him off, as his usefulness has run its course. You see now why I chose to keep my – alter-ego, as it were – under wraps for the time being?"
He placed a cigarette in his holder, the orange light of his lighter flickering in the darkness. He blew a cloud of smoke into the air.
"Send one of the higher-ranking officers – have him tell her – oh, what shall he say – ah, yes."
He smiled. "Have him tell her that – the Red Skull grows impatient; he is not pleased with the limited progress Johann Schmidt has made with her – her refusal to comply to his demands has halted all advances in the productivity of the Tesseract. Her role in our plans is absolutely pivotal – a human wielding such infinite power would easily deter any rebellion from our lesser counterparts that we wish to eliminate, thus allowing us to significantly decrease the number of soldiers that will be lost in the final movement of our revolution."
He steepled his fingers. "Have him tell her that she will be given two choices; if she agrees to support HYDRA's cause, her life and her uncle's will be spared, and in the end when we have completed what we have set out to do, she will be rewarded rather richly. On the other hand, if she chooses to remain adamant and deny us the support that we request, her dear uncle will be executed by firing squad at dawn. He will die, and what's more, his death will be rather useless anyway, for she'll still end up supporting us. Once the man is done away with, she will be contained here and forced to help HYDRA's cause. Either way she chooses, she will side with us in the end."
He glanced up at Zola. "Your opinion, doctor?"
Zola looked dumbfounded. "I – I – you mean, you would – well, I – I suppose it is rather brilliant. Albeit… a bit uh… drastic, don't you think?"
"Not at all. In fact, I find it completely necessary. It is absolutely vital that we initiate this revolution as soon as possible – the sooner we can find how to stimulate her abilities, the better off we will be. My main concern at present is annihilating the Americans – and Hitler's – forces. The Americans are the only obstacle, what with their beloved 'star-spangled man' as they've dubbed him, that stand in our way – it would seem that they are intent to cause us as much annoyance as they possibly can. The Nazis will no doubt welcome their invasion – surely Hitler has caught wind of our intents and hopes to crush them. But we shall not let them. If being successful in our mission, Zola, means tugging at an utterly juvenile little girl's heartstrings, then so be it. I haven't the patience to tolerate her insolence."
"But how do you know she will choose to spare your life?" Zola interrupted.
Johann looked up at him, a cold glassiness gleaming in his eyes. "Because I am the only thing she has, Zola. I understand that I've said that before, but her loyalty to me runs deep. She rejected our mission because she believes that we will be committing genocide. That is not entirely untrue, but once we have harnessed her powers – the damage she could do only once would be enough to shut down any trace of resistance. I think her tune will change when she realizes that we may not have to murder a single soul to get we want."
He stood up, striding towards the windows. He stared out into the raging snowstorm, the moon glinting off the glass. "But any progress is impossible as long as she remains so childishly stubborn. She will not make the choice on her own; therefore we must force her to. She will bend to our will. I have raised her since the day of her mother's death – I am the only soul on this earth that has offered her a trace of true affection, true interest. If she so chose to destroy me, the guilt of having done so would destroy her. She will comply."
Zola was silent. Johann turned to face him, his face merely a silhouette in the shadows of the moon.
The scientist sighed. "If that is what you think is appropriate, sir. When shall we do it?"
"Immediately."
XXX
She stared down into her lap, absently fiddling with the hem of her dress. She felt strangely distant – unable to express any emotion. The mixture of rage and fear no longer bubbled up within her; she felt empty. Fatigue or hunger gnawed at her insides but her muscles remained motionless, her mouth voiceless. She remembered screaming as her captors had dragged her farther and farther away from the grinning monster that had overcome the man her Uncle was. It felt as if it had happened years ago. They had thrown her into a concrete room and locked her in, the only scrap of light leaking in from a barred window. She had sobbed until no more tears could flow and the harsh reality of it all had made itself abundantly clear.
It was madness – no one could possibly ever achieve what these people set out to do. They intended to wipe out entire populations in search of only the finest human specimens to create some flawless world from scratch.
The insanity of it sickened her – but the fact that her uncle, the man who had devoted every ounce of his energy to improving her quality of life, the man who had taken her under his wing and had given her the utmost affection – to know that he whole-heartedly agreed with every evil HYDRA intended to commit…
It felt as if an icy, deadly grip had taken hold of her heart and wrenched it from her chest.
She closed her eyes, focusing on the imaginary glow of the tesseract that she feared would forever be imprinted on the backs of her eyelids. She could feel the tingling of its power coursing ever so faintly through her veins and into her fingertips and small blue crackles began to dance along her skin. She urged the power to come, stronger and hotter beneath her flesh. Large sparks flared up from her fingers and smoke curled up into the air. She squeezed her eyes shut, directing all of her energy into keeping the flame alive.
Every time she had undergone testing in her uncle's laboratory, she would reach this point – where the flames felt as if they would leap off her hands like fireworks – but they would swiftly falter and die, winking from existence.
But this time, it felt different – hotter, more concentrated. She eased open her eyes to watch as the flamers grew brighter and bigger, blooming into huge flowers of fire. Beads of sweat trickled down her temples but she willed it to keep growing, stronger and more powerful.
The flames writhed, dissolving into serpentine-like shapes, gnashing and swirling in the air. Light voices tingled in the back of her head, chanting in a unified sing-songish language. They grew louder and louder, the flames brighter and brighter, until the fire exploded from her palms like miniature fireworks, and one singular voice broke through the din in her mind.
"Bearer of the Tesseract," the voice was rich and multi-layered, echoing in her mind with perfect clarity. "Chosen one, rise up, defeat these foolish mortals who dare abuse the power of Odin. The Gods of Asgard only grant their magic to the worthy – prove yourself to us and feel the might of the Jewel of His Majesty's treasure room – the divine fire only survives in those who honor what is good and righteous. Rise up, rise up, rise up – "
A loud banging sounded somewhere in the back of her mind and the voices vanished – like a whisper on the wind and they were gone.
"Sie, herein dort, wachen dummes Mädchen auf!"
The flames vanished instantly, as a blond-haired officer poked his head through the doorway. He gave her a saccharine smile.
"Good evening, my lady." He proffered his cap in a comical manner, the sarcasm dripping from his words. "Might I have a word?"
In reply, she made sure to perfectly articulate each syllable of a string of words that would have garnered applause from her uncle.
The officer clucked his tongue. "Where did you learn to speak like that, little girl?"
"Your boss."
He chuckled, kneeling down before her. "Well then, I think you'll find what I have to say quite interesting."
She raised a brow. "Really? I find that most doubtful. I have no interest to hear what any of you have to say. You're only the sixth or seventh to come here and beg for my assistance, which seems almost futile at this point, since I've succeeding in accomplishing absolutely nothing. I am as useful to you as you are to Hitler. So why should I bother listening to you when that in itself will accomplish nothing?"
Again, he chuckled. "You are too modest, schatz. I would hardly classify the little fireworks display you put on a few moments ago as 'nothing'."
She stared at him blankly.
"Ah, I see. Don't want your little secret getting spread around. Don't worry – it's quite safe with me." He smiled. "So, your uncle taught you how to swear like that. Very impressive."
"I do my best." She answered through gritted teeth. "What do you want?"
"Well, let's put it this way – I think you'll be more than interested in what I have to say, because if you don't, your uncle won't be around very much longer."
Her eyes darted up. "What do you mean?"
"Well you see, Herr Skull grows impatient with your uncle's little charade; he promised him that he would have a human weapon, yet he is unable to deliver that promise because you, madam, are refusing to support us. Now, imagine Herr Skull's displeasure when your uncle reports to him that his promised weapon has not come through? You must understand that the Red Skull is not a forgiving man. Your uncle will be punished for his inadequate service – severely. Now would you want that?"
She blinked once, her mouth suddenly dry. "You're lying."
"Ah, but I am not, Miss. I simply have orders to tell you what I am telling you now – and after all, would it not be an insult to lie about a dead man?"
Mina remained silent, her fingers trembling in her lap. The officer smiled at her sweetly.
"Although he may not be forgiving, Herr Skull believes in fair play. We will not force you to do anything – the choice is yours. Help us, and your dear uncle will be spared. Refuse to help us, and Herr Schmidt will be executed by firing squad at dawn – an execution you will be present for; we wouldn't want you to miss his final hours, after all. But, I highly suggest you choose the latter – it would be useless for you to refuse as, either way, you will support us. Whether or not you choose for your uncle to die is of no consequence to Herr Skull. Herr Schmidt is merely a scientist – he can be easily replaced. You, on the other hand, are not quite so dispensable."
He cleared his throat. "So, those are you options. Help us, Herr Schmidt lives, and you will remain on the base in relative comfort; if you are successful in aiding us in our mission, you can live out your life in a place of high status and luxury in the new world. Don't help us, Herr Schmidt dies, and you will be locked away in a containment cell for the rest of your days, or until we have no more use for you. Easy enough, or shall I simplify the matter further?"
She stared at him for a moment, unable to speak.
"So you plan to kill him, just to spite me?"
"Only if you choose it, madam."
She shook her head. "No… no, you won't kill him. You can't kill him – I've seen the power he has over you, over everyone; you've watched him destroy cities, people. You fear him."
"I do not fear him, madam; I respect him. But in answer to your question, I respect the Red Skull more. Herr Schmidt might be my superior, but Herr Skull is his. Whatever amount of power your uncle has garnered in his service to HYDRA can quickly be eliminated along with his life. If you do not believe me, you can learn the hard way. Just say no, and you'll be present tomorrow morning to watch your uncle die. I doubt you'll be so confident then when he's looking into your eyes, wondering why his loyal niece has now thrown him to the wolves. You wouldn't dare do it – you might hate us, madam, but the guilt of murdering your only remaining relative will have a far more profound effect on you."
She glared at him with as much hatred as she could muster. "Because you know so much about me." She spat.
The officer turned away, this time without a smirk or chuckle to accompany him. "You will be given till dawn to make your decision. Choose wisely, Miss. You'll only be given one chance."
The door slammed shut with a loud clanging, and she was left alone in the dark silence of the cell, only a faint trace of light leaking in from the barred window, accompanied by the eerie howling of the alpine wind. She felt tears sting her eyes.
They couldn't kill him. They simply couldn't. But why then would the officer lie to her if he had no reason to? He had no personal connection to Johann, or to her. He was simply a soldier. He followed orders; he didn't manipulate a girl he didn't even know.
So if they were telling the truth – if they would kill him…
She was torn, her heart raging within her chest. To save her uncle meant to destroy the world. And she would be the one to destroy it. They meant to use her as a weapon, a killing-machine, and God only knew how many people they meant to destroy. But to kill her uncle meant forced servitude, in which the world would still crumble beneath her unwilling fingertips.
Either way, it was hopeless. She was one mere child among a sea of zealous madmen destined to make Gods out of themselves, too brainwashed by this 'Red Skull' to realize that they too were only men, mortals.
There was absolutely nothing she could do to stop them, and she was a fool if she thought there was. It was truly and utterly hopeless.
The words of the strange voice rang in the back of her mind. Rise up; defeat these foolish mortals who dare abuse the power of Odin.
Did they mean her, was she the chosen one, was she meant to defeat HYDRA? Was that what the tesseract wanted of her, was that why it had graced her with these freakish abilities that night in the laboratory? And if it did, why had it taken them away from her, why had it all but ceased to exist within her veins, each spark winking away the minute she attempted to utilize its power?
Rise up, rise up, rise up, and prove your worth to the Gods of Asgard.
She stared down into her hands, the tips of her fingers glowing faintly with blue light.
Rise up, rise up, rise up, rise up, rise up.
The light disappeared, and she was left in cold darkness as night fell upon the Alps. Only the waning rays of the dawn would give her sight again.
"Someday," she whispered, half to herself and half to whoever listened just beyond the door. "Someday, 'Herr Skull', I will find you and I will kill you. For uncle, and for the world. Even if I am just a little girl."
XXX
"Aufwachen," the voice of a soldier echoed from behind the metal door. The peachy rays of the barely risen sun flooded into the cell, stinging her eyes, which were dry and sleepless, staring into the depths of the concrete walls. The door swung open with a low creaking and two guards filed in, standing on each side of the door. The officer who had spoken to her the night before followed them in, with a pair of shackles.
"Have you made your decision, meine Fraulein?" he inquired, smiling lazily.
"I hope my uncle shoots you." She answered, clearly. She was rewarded with a sour scowl from the officer, and she bit back a smirk.
"So you have chosen to help us, then?"
"Only if you vow that my uncle's life will be spared."
"I cannot vow anything on the Red Skull's accord, although the execution will be called off for today. Your uncle will be released from confinement."
"You imprisoned him too?"
"I didn't, but those in higher places than I did. But I can assure you, he is in one piece. We will take you back to his private quarters. Surely, he will wish to thank you for your cooperative behavior."
"My uncle does not thank me," she answered drily. "I am too juvenile to be worthy of his thanks."
"Then perhaps he shall praise you for your intelligent decision."
"He does not praise stupidity or desperateness, the qualities with which this decision has been made."
The officer glared at her levelly as he hauled to her feet. "Surely he will not praise a foul mood, either."
She considered replying with, 'The only thing he'll be praising are my fists when he takes a look at what he's done to my ribcage,' but thought better of it and kept silent.
Her body ached inwardly, as if the very thought of the last evening's brawl made her bruises throb. Her wrists were cuffed and she was brought into the corridor, intense light flooding in from the transparent glass wall opposite her, giving her a view straight down into the heart of the mountains, the snow glistening in the morning sun. She felt her fingers trembling and she clenched her hands, anxiety trickling into her veins.
She supposed she had nothing to fear, but she couldn't help but be uneasy. Had her uncle known that he would perhaps be killed if she did not help them, and if so, was that why he had behaved in such a hostile manner toward her?
Of course, he had had every right to be furious with her – she had never, ever spoken so boldly to him. She'd talked back plenty of times, but he usually batted it aside, preferring to take vengeance on her by bogging her down with seemingly endless household tasks. But never, ever had he physically taken out the brunt of his rage on her. Aside from the occasional slap to the face or a harsh lecture, he'd never damaged her in the way that he had that night.
It was so unlike him, and it frightened her to the core.
Of course, everything that she had learned frightened her, sickened her. She felt so twisted and contorted – had they been lying or telling the truth – would they really have killed him? Did any of it mean anything or was it all lies?
She felt a knot growing in the pit of her stomach – what if everything her uncle had ever told her was a lie? It was highly probable, considering that everything she had believed for so long seemed to be unraveling by the day, the ugly truth revealing itself.
Every aspect of the life she had taken for granted for so long was crumbling, falling apart before her eyes, peeling away layer after layer.
It seemed as if only yesterday she had been a cocky, but no less naïve young girl, content to pass the days in utter ignorance of everything going on in the world around her. She was more concerned with fulfilling Johann's never-ending list of chores – perfect, perfect, perfect. Sit up straight, don't slouch, smile more often, scowl less, remember to practice your piano, finish your algorithms, recite this passage in Latin, your face would be much so lovelier if you didn't let your mouth ruin it, practice, practice, practice!
"Madam, what are you mumbling?"
Her eyes darted up suddenly. "Excuse me?"
The officer looked at her quizzically. "You were mumbling something about practicing, my dear."
She bit her lip, holding back a scowl as the officer smirked at her, amused.
"Forgive me, my lady." He answered, chuckling. "It is rather evident; the high standards your uncle holds you to."
"Flattered." She answered curtly, imitating the officer's superior tone. "That was the goal, obviously."
"To be recognized for your perfection, of course. You were destined to be a leader of HYDRA."
At this, she could not conceal her surprise. "Leader?" she whispered.
"Well, of course. Why else would we find so much value in you? Of course, your unique but no less invaluable abilities are what interest us most profusely at this time. But it was always the intent of Herr Skull to incorporate you into HYDRA's executive staff. After all, the Red Skull – and your uncle, for that matter – will not live forever. HYDRA needs new, young blood to be the heir apparent to our cause. Herr Skull intends for you to be the next in line after your uncle in leading the organization."
Even before he had begun speaking, her jaw had practically dropped to the ground, her tongue limp and voiceless. A leader? She was being forced to do this – against her will, the threats of death and torture poised before her – and they expected her to agree to take on leadership? Of all this impossible madness?
She narrowed her eyes to slits. "The Red Skull wants me to lead HYDRA? A man – no, creature – that doesn't even know me?"
The officer chuckled, smiling mysteriously. "He knows you better than you think, my dear. Your uncle has provided him with detailed accounts of your progress since the day you arrived on his doorstep. Being childless, obviously, The Red Skull knew he would need an heir to take on the organization after his death. To have his own niece be selected for the position – there is not a higher honor for your uncle."
Again, he smiled. "I am certain you will be pleased to now know that there was a reason you were cycled through – "
"Sixteen piano teachers, twelve mathematics tutors, nine Norwegian teachers, seven Greek, six Latin, five sword-play instructors, and myself, for marksmanship; yes, thank you for providing her with every snippet of knowledge that at this time, Lieutenant, I was not in any hurry to reveal to her." A voice cut in coldly, out of the shadows almost.
Looking up, she came to the realization that they had arrived at her Uncle's laboratory once again, Johann's figure merely a silhouette in the shadows of the huge windows.
She watched as the officer's face paled, his eyes widening in his skull.
"I – I –" his voice was quiet it sounded as if it were emerging from the deepest hollows of his skull, half its real size. "I am sorry, Herr Schmidt. I – I did not know that – that you were waiting to speak of this matter with her."
His hands trembled at his sides, his lips quivering like a boy about to cry. Johann turned and strode toward them, slowly, gracefully emerging from the depths of the rear of the laboratory.
He came to stand before them, mere inches from the officer. His eyes were an icy blue, his lips pursed in a thin, angry line.
"Be grateful that you have carried out your duties in a manner that pleases me, Lieutenant." He glanced down at Mina, her wrists still cuffed. "Remove the cuffs and return to your former station. I'll have no more need of you for today."
"Ye – yes sir, of course sir." The officer barked at the guards to release her, and within moments her wrists were freed and the soldiers had dutifully disappeared.
She was left standing nearly toe to toe with her uncle. She didn't know whether to weep or scream.
Fortunately, Johann relieved her from the task of making that decision. He looked her up down, from her sunken cheeks and her swollen lip to her limp arms and bruised legs.
He sighed, heavily. "Come." He said flatly. "Let Dr. Zola have a look at you."
XXX
She sat rigidly on the edge of the bed in the main room of her uncle's private quarters, shuddering violently as Dr. Zola bandaged her midsection tightly.
"Report, Dr. Zola." Johann curtly snapped as he strode into the room, a glass of schnapps in hand. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days.
"Two fractured ribs, sir. Possibly a hairline fracture in the collarbone, but a bit of patching up should keep it stationary. Although, it is hard to say how much damage has been done. She would have needed immediate medical attention at the time of the breaks."
Johann glared at the scientist, who instinctively folded in on himself. Mina felt somewhat sympathetic for the poor man – he was right after all. He simply couldn't stand up to her uncle's overpowering nature.
Staring at his feet, Zola continued. "Although, given the ah…. Accelerated nature of her healing abilities, she should be in mint condition within a few weeks."
Johann nodded slightly, his eyes focused down into the glass of Schnapps he was pouring himself. "If you are quite finished, Doctor, you may continue with your work in the laboratories."
Zola obliged immediately. "As you wish, sir," and he slipped quietly out.
The silence that followed the little scientist's departure was far too long for Mina's comfort, weighing down heavily on her shoulders. She wanted to speak, but the torrent of emotions throbbing within her was impossible to put into words.
She looked up at Johann, who returned her empty gaze with a look that almost made her heart ache with remorse. A sort of strangled agony had seeped into the azure irises of his eyes, void of their usual cold confidence. He looked as if he could weep.
"Uncle," she murmured, but he lifted a hand slightly, dismissing her. She closed her mouth obediently and waited for him to speak.
"I – I apologize for my – my behavior, last evening." His voice seemed to catch as he spoke, causing him to stammer. It was so terribly odd – Johann always had an answer for everything, he was never unsure of himself. Yet, he now seemed like a small child confessing his wrongs to the headmaster.
"It was absolutely uncalled for. And, you have every right to not grant me your forgiveness." He paused, striding towards the bed and sitting down beside her. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, before gingerly putting his arms around her. "I am sorry, Mina." He said so quietly that even next to him, she had to strain to hear. "I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted you to understand things for what they were."
He waited a few moments before looking at her expectantly, his eyes almost pleading for a response. But what could she say? No fury, no sadness, nothing welled up within her. Her heart was empty, her mouth voiceless.
"Why do you work for someone who can kill you?" she said softly. At this, he seemed genuinely surprised – and rendered momentarily speechless. It was quite a while before he answered, and when he did, his voice was still so very faint.
"Hitler could easily dispose of me, couldn't he?" he mused, half to himself. "If I so much as blinked at the wrong time, I would be hung."
"And you think that that was right?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Are you speaking treasonously of our government, my dear?"
"What is HYDRA doing then, if not treason?"
His mouth seemed to quirk upwards in a slight smirk. "Guilty, I suppose."
He got up and strode towards the windows, hands neatly tucked behind his back. "I suppose I am confident in my superior's ability to think before he executes. He is not an impulsive individual, and therefore does not make brash decisions without first thoroughly examining their potential repercussions."
He paused to glance at her, as if to ensure that he was holding her attention. "Therefore, I relied heavily upon your ability to make the correct decision when offered a choice. Obviously, you chose wisely as both of us are still here."
"So you knew that I had no choice." She answered quietly. "Either way, it was hopeless. I would end up enslaved no matter what path I chose."
"Ah," his voice was soft and melodic, yet faintly amused. "And here I thought that you chose to spare my life because of your affection for me."
She looked up at him, her eyes cold. "Do you think this is funny?" she said softly, forcing her voice to be void of tone. "Is this all a big joke to you?"
She stood up. "You knew full well that I had no choice but to comply – you knew that I wouldn't support you on my own so you forced my hand. Is that not correct?"
"Wilhelmina,"
"Is it not?"
She watched as his body went rigid, but he closed his eyes slowly, allowing his muscles to relax. He reached out, cupping her face in his gloved hand.
"Wilhelmina," his voice was soft and delicate, as if it pained him to speak. "Do not make me the villain. I have no desire to manipulate your feelings – nothing disturbs me greater than to see you unhappy. What I have done and I will undoubtedly do in the future is not because I take joy in your misery. I am choosing what is right for you, as you, at this point in time, do not possess the knowledge to understand what is best and what is right. I have such a terribly narrow window of time, Mina. I was granted only so much freedom with allowing you to stay here and take part in my work. Herr Skull needed immediate reassurance that you would not hinder our advancement – he needed immediate confirmation that you would be supportive in our cause. When you demonstrated that that support would not be easily garnered, he suggested that we persuade you. I am not proud of my behavior towards you last night or in these last several hours. But, it was necessary."
He lifted her chin, looking into her eyes. "My main concern is your wellbeing, Wilhelmina. I understand that this has all happened very rapidly – and that HYDRA's intentions may seem mindboggling to you. But I ask that you trust me, at least until I can show you what we intend to do."
"I know what you intend to do." She answered coldly. "You want to take over the world."
"We want to change the world, Mina. We want to steer it in a new direction, we want to revolutionize it and better it. If dictatorship is the only way to achieve that, then so be it. What do you think the Reich is?"
"I know what the Reich is and I'll ask again: do you honestly think that what Hitler is doing is right? If that's your only excuse, then no, I'm not going to trust you. Why should I trust you if all you can seem to do is lie to me about everything? I used to trust you, Uncle. I used to believe in everything you told me. I used to think that you were better than the Nazis. Now I see who you really are. You're working for a mad man and you are mad to think that it's right!"
At this, he appeared to be rather taken aback. His azure eyes seemed to pale in color, and he dropped his hands to his sides, letting them hang limp.
"You are being a child." He said simply, quietly – but her blood boiled anyway.
"How am I being a child?" she snapped. "How else would you have me react? What, did you expect that I would just silently accept what you're doing because you think that you've brainwashed me into believing that everything you say is the truth? I'm reacting to this as anyone else would – its madness. You force me to undergo experiments day in and day out, you lie to me thoughtlessly, you manipulate my every decision – all to please your lunatic master!"
She paused for a moment, expecting him to lash out, but he did nothing. His gaze had turned to the alpine view, and he stared at it intently, as if willing her to disappear.
"Uncle,"
He glanced at her before returning to his cold stare.
"This man would have killed you without a thought, Uncle. If you were dispensable to Hitler, surely you are dispensable to this man. You've never let anyone else tell you what to do – you've never let them rule over you. Why is this man any different? Why do you let him push you around?"
Minutes passed as they stood in silence; Mina looking expectantly up at him, Johann with his gaze drawn to the window, his gloved hands clasped rigidly behind his back.
"Because I am one person," he answered finally. "And he has an army. I do not. I am just a scientist."
The almost mournful sorrow was evident in his voice.
"Does that mean that you cannot make a difference?"
"I have and will continue to make broad differences, Wilhelmina." He answered flatly. "HYDRA's very creation has stemmed from the lifelong lust that Herr Skull and I share. I have seen more tragedy and wreckage in this world, in my own life, than I would ever wish for you to endure, Wilhelmina. That is why I ask for your trust. I realize that I sound tireless but, I need you to do this for me, my dear. Not because I fear for my life, not because I desire to make me you miserable."
Once again he turned to her, pulling her into his arms and forcing her to look at him.
"This is an immensely complex subject, Mina – but you must be patient. Soon, everything will fall into place and you will see that it is just. Your concern is that people will die – but what if we can prevent that? I have faith that we will harness your abilities and use them to our advantage. You do not realize just how powerful you will be, Wilhelmina. The last individual to have ever physically brandished the tesseract was Thor – "
"Thor doesn't exist, Uncle."
He immediately quieted, but instead of resuming with an impatient lecture, he merely smirked.
"That is where you would be wrong, darling." He turned towards the windows. "If Thor did not exist, how then, would the tesseract be in our grasp?"
He chuckled softly. "I can assure you, no empty-headed human created that."
He strode back towards the leather sofas, Mina wearily following him.
"Now, Wilhelmina – think of it this way. When we have harnessed your abilities, you will potentially possess the power of the gods. With that kind of strength at your fingertips – people will not rebel against you; they will revere you. Ancient mythology serves as proof – whether or not any of these deities exist,"
He gestured lightly at the painting of Thor that hung on the metal hearth. "The mortals will revert back to their historic roots and bow down to you as they did thousands of years ago, like the Greeks and Romans and Norse – even the Egyptians. If we can successfully persuade them not to wage a war of any sort – there would be no need for any fatalities."
"But times have changed, Uncle," she persisted. "Just like you said – thousands of years have gone by since the days of mythology. There will always be that group that will rebel. Look at what's happening with the Reich, for God's sake! Hitler's managed to brainwash Germany, but the rest of the world isn't taking his tactics so lightly. Perhaps in your mind, what you intend to do is completely acceptable – but in everyone else's? Anyone in their right mind would see this as beyond madness! You're applying ancient gibberish to reality! I don't care who invented the Tesseract – you're trying to make a thousand-year-old fairytale come true! It can't work!"
Johann's spine went rigid as she spoke, and subconsciously, her tone wavered. The silence that followed riveted into her like a drill.
She shrank back as he turned slowly to face her, his gaze slowly moving to meet hers. He nodded slightly.
"So," He answered quietly.
"So what?"
"So this is where you stand." Again, he strode past her, pacing before the windows. "You see my vision as lunacy." He folded his hands behind his back. "You believe that there is no way to better this world, and that we should all just give up and suffice with the plethora of problems civilization continues to suffer. There is no hope, so why bother trying?"
"I did not say that." She answered firmly. "There's nothing wrong with changing the way the world is, Uncle – it's quite due for a change. But the way you plan to do it is almost redundant. You want to fight a war by starting a new one. There's never going to be a peaceful revolution…"
"Exactly." He replied curtly. "Therefore, you are incorrect. As I have told you before, Wilhelmina – people die in wars. People rebel, those rebellions must be dealt with. It has and always will be that way, no matter how advanced – or rather, no matter how lacking in advancement – we become. It is not my interest to gallivant about killing people for no reason. I wish to make the world one of superior beings – I cannot do that without them physically existing, now can I?"
"Well…" she sighed. "How do you plan to do that? Make them superior, I mean. Are you going to scientifically change them?"
"Not change them – at least physically. Sadly, HYDRA has not come that far in its scientific advancement. We will not alter them in anyway, but rather, we will teach them. Yes, 'teaching' may imply control, but every civilization requires control. For example, take the Reich. Germany was a crumbling shell before Hitler came along and raised us from our stupor. Myself and Herr Skull intend for HYDRA to act in the same manner, although we intend to be markedly more successful. Hitler is wasting his time ridding society of a race that does not need to be extinguished. We do not intend to kill off whole races – we intend to perfect that which has been marred by the imperfections of man's psychology – and, that includes every human being on this earth, not simply a single religious sect."
Mina pondered his words for a moment, thoughtful. A part of her found his words to be logical, but the other, more dominant part, was still leery.
"So you plan to… govern the people?"
"Yes."
"The whole world?"
"It can be done. Little by little, of course. It is a progressive process, just as Hitler has approached it. Although it is almost guaranteed that we will surpass him. Nothing can be gained from mass propaganda and incessant killing. We will engineer new social codes of conduct, new methods of teaching. We will nurture the scientific and philosophic nature that resides somewhere in every being. We will advance this world through technology and modern science. Medicine, transportation, architecture, literature – the relics of our great ancestors will be preserved and added upon. We will erase the old ways of man, the greed that has ravaged this world. We will begin again, and build an empire like no other – one worthy of the gods."
He stole a glance at her, catching her eyes. He smiled at her and this time it contained a genuine gentleness, not the cold and controlling cruelty it had held the night before. "Is that truly something so terrible to ask for, my sweet?"
She lowered her head quickly, not wanting to give into his compelling gaze. It sounded so harmless… but it couldn't be, could it? Surely there would be blood spilt, there was no other way. Hitler spoke in the same idyllic way that Johann now did, and his Aryan utopia had turned out to be one with so much chilling torture and agony….
Johann had showed her the concentration camps where Jews' screams could be heard for miles, the smoke of the chimneys, the ugly barbed-wire. Peaceful horse rides through the Bavarian countryside peeling away to reveal the hollow shell of Dachau, looming on the horizon. Johann had had no desire to allow her to be sucked into Hitler's false illusions of peaceful separation. He had nurtured her hunger for knowledge by revealing to her the ugly truths that lay buried beneath layers of sugar-coated propaganda. Although in Hitler's employment, she knew full well that he looked upon the man with contempt and made no effort to conceal it.
But Johann's words were easy to believe – everything was so thought out, so precise. He had constructed a beautiful alternate universe in his mind, and beckoned her to be a part of it.
But, he had also confirmed her fears that she would be used as a killing machine – a symbol of fear and destruction to deter any struggles against HYDRA. Images of that night in the laboratory – the fire shooting from her outstretched palms, flinging soldiers through the air like plastic dolls. If Johann and Zola managed to somehow grapple her uncontained abilities – she shuddered at the thought of what they would have her do to thousands of innocent...
"How can you be so sure that the tesseract will work?" she murmured softly. "On me? I haven't been able to produce anything but sparks. What makes you so sure that I will progress any more than I have?"
At this, he offered her a chilling grin that made her spine prickle.
"My resources tell me that you have been toying with your newfound gifts, my dear. The officer who visited you last night reported a small fireworks show. He was not lying, was he?"
His gaze riveted into her, but she would not meet his eyes. She did not know how to respond, for the weight of the voice in her head's words still rang faintly in her ears.
Rise up; Defeat these foolish mortals who dare abuse the power of Odin.
A sinking feeling welled in the pit of her gut. Foolish mortals like the madmen of HYDRA, those who thought they could waltz into the world and claim it for their own, using the powers of Odin, the tesseract, to plunder in the riches of the earth. No matter how lovely and ideal Johann's vision sounded, she knew deep down that it could not be achieved. No single man, no matter how hideously deformed, no matter how brilliant he claimed himself to be – the Red Skull, or whatever his real name was – he wanted to take over the world. That was the one particular her uncle had carefully danced around, brushing over, dismissing. Change the world, make it a world of superior beings, teach them, govern them.
The unstated words were obvious in his blissful tales of peace and intellect and advancement. It didn't matter what HYDRA wanted to do with it – they wanted the world for themselves. And that in itself was blatant madness. That in itself spelt destruction and corruption and bloodshed.
Surely, that was not how Odin had intended for his jewel to be used. And certainly, he had not intended for it to be wielded by selfish mortal men.
Her eyes flickered upward to find Johann mere inches away from her, his deep blue irises riveting into her own. She jumped back slightly at his sudden proximity to her, but he reached out with a gloved hand, cupping her face in his, forcing her forward.
"What did it say to you, Wilhelmina?"
Her mouth went dry. "W – what?"
"The tesseract, Mina, it spoke to you. Your lips were moving – I could see it in your eyes, the blankness that they had when you were consumed by its essence. It has influenced you – what did it tell you?"
"I – I – I don't…" she stumbled for words. He couldn't know what it said – he would be furious, he'd lash out again and do even worse damage. Her fractured ribs ached inwardly, as if begging her to keep silent. To know that the artifact he had searched for his entire career had no desire to be used for his purposes – it would drive him over the edge, she knew it would. "I don't know."
He stared at her for a long time, his eyes cold and endless, an icy abyss more chilling than the Alps that loomed outside the windows.
"You are lying, Wilhelmina." He gripped her face tighter. "Tell me what it said to you."
The fear must have been written across her face, as after a moment, he loosened his grip. He stared at her for another long moment before pulling her into his arms. Stroking her tangled curls, he pressed a kiss on her forehead.
"I will not hurt you again, my princess." He murmured softly. "Never again. You are safe here, I promise. But you must tell me, anything that you can remember that it told you, the tesseract. This information could be pivotal in our progress, and I do not want to put you in any more danger by having nothing to report to Herr Skull. Although he is not an impulsive man, he grows impatient, and his wrath will be directed upon that which hinders our advancement. And I will not be able to protect you."
She looked at him, measuring the sincerity in his eyes. With a deep inhalation, she blurted out the reverie the tesseract's essence had delivered her the night before – at least part of it.
"It told me that – that I was the – the chosen one. That I should prove my – my worth to the gods of Asgard."
Johann gazed at her levelly. "That is all that it told you?"
She swallowed. "Yes." She answered firmly. "That was all."
She expected him to be angry, to see through her lie. He always did – Johann could see through her like glass. He always knew when she was hiding something.
But he only broke into a small smile, quietly confident as he released her from his arms and stood up.
"Thank you, my darling." He stroked her cheek, looking down at her. "Now you understand why I am so confident in your abilities."
"How so?" she answered softly. Again, he smiled that chilling grin.
"The tesseract itself has professed your talents. You are the chosen one, selected by the gods. Of course, now, we must set you to work. You must prove yourself worthy. And how else should you do that, than to give the gods a grand performance?"
He winked at her, smiling still, and crossed the room, slipping into the laboratory and leaving her alone. No doubt, he was setting in motion already the preparations for her to meet again with the glowing object she had come to hate in these past weeks.
The secret was out – the tesseract spoke to her, fed the flames that tingled in her fingertips. She was connected to the gods of Asgard, to the everlasting might of ancient myth. And with that unbreakable power was surely to come unending destruction and eternal bloodshed.
The reign of HYDRA was beginning. The new world that this Red Skull and her uncle had long dreamt of creating would soon become a reality. The end of the world as she knew it would soon be upon them. Chaos.
Unleashed from her unwilling fingertips.
Overcome by the sudden finality of it all, she sank to her knees, the weight of harsh reality crushing her shoulders.
But she had lied to Johann. The tesseract would not go willingly into battle for the cause of an organization made up of power-hungry mortal men, no matter how superior they thought themselves. It had proved that much with its final words to her.
Rise up. Rise up. Rise up and prove your worth. Defeat these foolish mortals who dare abuse the power of Odin. Rise up. Rise up. Rise up. Rise up. Rise up.
Rise up.
"But how?" the words died in a whisper on her tongue.
How, when she had just willingly surrendered herself to the iron grip of a mad man? To the iron grip of a man she'd never even seen? Whose influence was so powerful that it had allowed her uncle to surrender himself to a possible death, all because of his devotion to this man?
She looked up slowly, her gaze meeting the icy blue one of the ugly portrait that loomed before her.
Rise up. Rise up. Rise up. Rise up.
His blood-red skin gleamed in the waning light of the afternoon sun.
Rise up. Rise up. Rise up. Rise up.
"Rise up." She whispered. "But how?"
