Part I: Long & Lost

Is it too late to come on home
Are all those bridges now old stone
Is it too late to come on home
Can the city forgive, I hear its sad song

I need the clouds to cover me
Pull in the dark, surround me
Without your love I'll be
So long and lost, are you missing me

- Florence & The Machine

Hydra Base

Location: Siberia

2006

"Что такое столица Йемена?" (What is the Capital of Yemen?) A man with a thick Russian accent asked.

"Sana'a." A small voice answered with the correct pronunciation. The Project, formerly known as Emma Margaret Rogers, was sitting in a single wooden chair in the middle of a dark room. It was empty except for Emma and the Russian Colonel. Colonel Vasily Karpov was a decorated military man who was admired by many in the Russian Armed Forces but little did they know that he was actually head of the Hydra operation inside Russia. The man was weathered from years of working on the Winter Soldier program but he was finally having more success. The last decade had proved to be difficult with the other subjects involved with the program but he was finally making some progress through the new program Hydra had created.

The Viper Assassin program.

And the blonde just so happened to be the first subject of said program. After the failed experiment of the Winter Soldier project, where many of the subjects had to be put on ice, Hydra was putting a lot of their hopes on the Viper Assassin project. The girl was likely to make it a success too because of her heritage. The others had been weak but maybe the girl would be stronger. It was in her blood, after all.

The room was cold which left Emma a shivering mess in her chair but the older man paid no attention. There were no windows inside the room and the only light came from a singular lamp in a far corner of the room. The floors and walls were made from concrete and looked as if they hadn't been washed in years. Gathering from the large stains of blood left over, they probably hadn't been clean in even longer since the blood had dried into a crusty looking brown color.

A year ago Emma Rogers had been a cute four year old little girl with a rosy tint to her cheeks and her blue eyes gleaming with happiness. Now she was just a mere shell of who she used to be with her sad eyes, pale ghostly looking skin, and her hair looking ratty and filthy. The entire appearance of the now five year old looked dirty and abused. Smudges of dirt smeared her pale looking skin and bruises helped decorate that very same skin. It was no condition for a five year old but Emma had learned a while ago that there was no use crying about it. Hydra had made that very clear and even a small child like herself was able to understand that.

"Каково нынешнее население Йемена?" (What is the current population of Yemen?) Karpov questioned, analyzing the small girl. She had lost what passion and fire she had a few months ago, letting herself succumb to her fate. Emma stared blankly at the Russian man.

"Nineteen thousand six hundred and eighty five thousand…approximately." She answered in English and Karpov glared her at her in anger. He slapped her across the face harshly, causing Emma to whip her head back from the force and she struggled not to whimper at the pain. She knew if she cried the pain would only increase. This was a lesson Hydra had been teaching her since she arrived at the base more than a year ago.

"In Russian, you stupid girl!" He hissed angrily in English and Emma looked him in the eyes, pleading with herself to not allow any tears to brim her eyes.

Emma, with a dejected look on her face, then spoke the answer in Russian without missing a beat. Emma didn't bother apologizing because she also learned a long time ago that apologizing was for the weak. Karpov analyzed Emma's body language and facial expression with close attention, looking for any emotional response but she held his gaze steadily. Satisfied with her overall appearance, he pulled back and continued in his quizzing.

"Что является основной религией в Йемене?" (What is the primary religion in Yemen?")

"Это очень важный день для тебя, дитя." (This a very important day for you, child) Karpov announced.

Emma was brought to a different room in the base than the one she had come to know as "The Cold Room". The only rooms she had previously known were her room, "The Cold Room", and the lab. She was never allowed anywhere else but those three rooms and she often found herself curious about who else was there besides her and Colonel Karpov. The small girl had seen some men in white coats which she had summed up as them being scientists. She had watched enough Dexter's Laboratory in her lifetime to know what a scientist looked like.

This room was much nicer than "The Cold Room" Emma observed as she stood in the center of it. The floors were cleaner than they had been in the "The Cold Room" but she could tell they were just as hard. Some punching bags were placed in one corner of the room while other exercise equipment was seen around the room. For the most part, however, the room was spacious which drew the question as to what it was used for. As Emma looked around the room her attention was drawn to someone who was standing in a dark corner of the room.

It was a man who stood there and he looked like the most imposing looking person she had ever laid her eyes on. He was tall with longish, brown hair that went down to just below his chin and his pale blue eyes stared at her with such coldness that it chilled her right to the bone. The man dressed head to toe in what looked to be some sort of black combat gear. However, what was most jaw dropping about the man was the fact that he had a silver looking arm made out of some sort of metal. It glinted under the dim lighting and her eyes caught sight of the bright red star that stood out against the silver.

"Я хочу, чтобы вы встретились с зимним солдатом. Он будет вашим личным тренером." (I would like you to meet the Winter Soldier. He will be your own personal trainer.) Karpov told her with a firm tone. He recognized the small amount of fear in her eyes as she struggled to contain herself. Normally he would beat the fear right out of her but for this to work she would need to fear the Winter Soldier just a little until she proved herself. This would be the best way to control her.

"Он будет тренировать вас, как бороться и как убивать. У вас будет хороший учитель, так как он лучший, что Hydra имеет." (He will be training you how to fight and how to kill. You will have a good teacher since he's the best that Hydra has.) Karpov continued and Emma struggled to not let them see her fear. Fight? Kill? What did that even entail? Emma was only five years old and barely understood the concept of death and that was only because she watched her parents get murdered right in front of her. Her parents were about to enroll her in school early because she was far beyond most other four year olds but she was even too young for most of the stuff that Hydra wanted out of her. Karpov then focused his attention on one of the observation windows towards the front of the room.

"ОтПравь одного из них." (Send one of them in.) Karpov ordered and it wasn't even a moment later when the door opened and a man was tossed into the room, landing on the floor with a soft thud. This man didn't look as composed and intimidating as the man in the corner but he instead looked frightened, confused, and angry. He was dressed like a soldier with lots of green and neutral colors…Camo. The man's brown eyes looked around the room rapidly as he tried to figure out where he was and why he was there. He quickly got up from the floor and backed up against the wall, his eyes wild as he looked around the room.

"What in the bloody hell is this?! Do you realize who you've kidnapped?!" The man demanded with a thick English accent. Emma recognized his accent as English since her grandmother had a very similar one. She felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she thought about her grandmother. She missed her kind and sweet grandmother who used to tell her bedtime stories about how she met Emma's grandfather. Emma would give anything to be back in the arms of her grandmother right now instead of here in this room with Karpov and the scary looking man in the corner. "I'm a British Commando and when you-" He tried to say but Karpov interrupted him.

"You're about to be a part of a little demonstration for the girl." Karpov told him in English with a sinister grin on his face. The man's eyes flashed towards her and they softened as he analyzed the small, abused looking girl.

"What is that child doing here? What are you doing with her?" He asked, anger and pity clear in his voice.

"That's no concern of yours." Karpov said coldly, the grin falling off his face.

"The hell it is! I took an oath to serve and protect! I'm a British commando and when they find out what you're doing here-"

"Trust me, they know." Karpov said, cutting the man off. The man's eyes widened in shock as he struggled to comprehend that his own government knew what was going on. How could his own country condone the torture of children? No, that man was lying. He shouldn't even believe that Russian. "Don't worry, not everyone in your government is aware of our presence. Think of us as a government inside of a government. Only a select few know of our existence."

"You're insane!" The man yelled at him but Karpov remained unfazed by the hysterical British Commando.

"Maybe but that's not what you're here for. You're not here to classify my psychological condition. You're here to fight." Karpov told him coolly.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Karpov only rolled his eyes at the British commando before turning his attention to the Winter Soldier who watched the situation unfold with detached curiosity. He spoke one word to the Winter Soldier which set off a chain of events and Emma could only watch in horror as her first day in training began.

"Атаки." (Attack.) Karpov said, sending the Winter Soldier into action as he approached the confused British Commando. The man watched with frightened eyes as the tall, imposing figure of the Winter Soldier approached him, determination in his eyes.

The Winter Soldier grabbed the British Commando by the throat and lifted him up from the ground by one hand. The commando struggled for breath as he tried to pry the Winter Soldier's hand from his throat. He did the only thing he could think of and kicked the Winter Soldier in the stomach with all the force he could muster.

The action did little to harm the Winter Soldier but the assassin threw the commando to the ground anyways. As the commando landed on the ground, he gasped for air as he tried to catch his breath. He then quickly got up from the floor before the Winter Soldier could make a grab for him again.

The commando got into a defensive pose this time and waited for the Winter Soldier to approach him. The commando's defensive position didn't seem to cause the Winter Soldier any worry as he stalked towards the shorter man.

When the Winter Soldier finally reached the man, the commando delivered a swift kick to his side which the Winter Soldier gracefully dodged. When the commando tried to deliver a punch, the Winter Soldier easily grabbed his wrist in his hand. With a slight jerk the Winter Soldier managed to completely fracture the man's wrist, causing the commando to scream out in pain.

With the commando distracted by the pain, the Winter Soldier grabbed the man by his neck and threw him across the room with little to no effort at all. Emma winced as the man hit the wall with a loud thud. It didn't look like he was getting up anytime soon as the commando continued to scream in pain. When the man saw the Winter Soldier approaching again, his eyes widened and he began to beg for mercy.

"Please! No, stop! I promise I won't tell anyone about what you're doing! Just don't!" The man pleaded but it was no use. Once the Winter Soldier was given an order there was no point in trying to stop him.

The Winter Soldier placed his booted foot against the man's throat and the commando struggled from underneath it. Emma watched in terror as the Winter Soldier began to apply pressure to the man's throat, causing the man to let out an animalistic cry as he screamed. Emma wanted to place her hands over her eyes and ears so she wouldn't have to witness the ugly scene before her but she knew the Colonel would most likely beat her if she did such a thing.

The man continued to scream until a sickening snap echoed through the room.

The Winter Soldier stepped of the man and turned around to face Karpov. Emma knew that the man was dead even without looking at his body. This wasn't the first time she experienced death.

The first time when she was four and her parents had been murdered by the man with the wolf like smile.

"Очень хорошо, зимний солдат." (Very good, Winter Soldier.) Karpov said with a tone of approval before looking down at Emma. There were silent tears streaming down her face as she stared at the Winter Soldier in horror. Karpov frowned and backhanded Emma across her face, giving her a look of distaste.

"Глупая слабая девчонка! Когда вы будете когда-нибудь учиться?!" (Stupid, weak girl! When will you ever learn?!) Emma struggled not to show any sign of pain as she tried ignore the pain of the abuse. Don't let them see weakness, she told herself. If she showed anymore weakness they would beat her senseless until she was empty again. If she had any dignity at five years old, it was all gone because all that mattered to her now was survival. Emma wasn't sure if it was an instinct she had learned from her time spent in "The Cold Room" or if it had been there all along.

"ПоТяните себя вместе, девочка! Ты видела, что там только что произошло? Это твое будущее. Это не будет долго, прежде чем вы также будете ожидать, чтобы атаковать и убивать так же грациозно и безжалостно, как зимний солдат. Это его работа, чтобы научить вас, как." (Pull yourself together, girl! Did you see what just happened there? That was your future. It won't be long before you'll also be expected to attack and kill just as gracefully and mercilessly as the Winter Soldier. It's his job to teach you how.) Karpov ranted at her and Emma could only watch him in silent observation as he explained her destiny to her.

As she glanced over his shoulder at the Winter Soldier, she knew what threat was hidden amongst Karpov's rant. If she didn't comply with his demands then she would be brutally killed. If she didn't learn how to kill she would end up just like the man lying dead on the floor, ruthlessly murdered by the bare hands of the Winter Soldier. In that moment Emma could only think of survival and if that meant going along with whatever they demanded of her then so be it. Emma might've only been five but her time at Hydra taught her things like logic and common sense. She wasn't stupid.

"Вы готовы к соблюдению?" (Are you ready to comply?) Karpov asked, breaking Emma out of her thoughts. She stared at Karpov with an empty look in her blue eyes before she slowly nodded, causing the older man to grin.

"Да, сэр." (Yes, sir.) Emma replied quietly, obedience in her tone.

"Умница. Теперь давайте вернемся к вашей комнате, чтобы вы могли немного отдохнуть и подготовиться к вашему первому уроку завтра." (Good girl. Now let's return you to your room so you can get some rest and prepare for your first lesson tomorrow.) Karpov told her before patting her gently on the back, causing Emma to stiffen from his unwelcomed touch. He then began to lead her out of the room but not before Emma turned her head to look over her shoulder.

She locked eyes with the Winter Soldier who watched her with the same chilling coldness as before. He looked familiar to Emma but for some reason she couldn't place him. Emma tucked away the thought because why would the Winter Soldier seem familiar to her? Even as Emma tried to ignore that thought she couldn't help but get the feeling that she had seen him before.

For the next six months of Emma's training with the Winter Soldier she was taught defensive and offensive strategies in close quarters combat. He had demonstrated the different moves on the guards at the base who were surely near death at the makeshift hospital inside the base. The guards were dropping like flies, having to be dragged out of the training room by other guards. Emma had feared from day one that she would end up like that British Commando but the Winter Soldier never attempted to kill her. He trained her, at times gently guiding her hands to make the correct formation, but that was as far as he went.

The Winter Soldier rarely talked which was something Emma learned early on, he only guided, but Karpov would narrate whatever lessons the Winter Soldier gave her. In a rare sort of circumstance Karpov narrated the lessons in English which she summed up as him believing that the strategies would stick better in her head that way.

"Remember, child, that a well-trained woman is not nearly as strong as a well-trained man." Karpov narrated in his thick Russian accent as the Winter Soldier demonstrated a new sort of defensive stance. "Women need to find strategies that will help them gain the upper hand against men."

Emma immediately mimicked the Winter Soldier's stance as she also listened to what Karpov had to say. The Winter Soldier then threw his leg out, so fast that she almost missed it, and displayed what would be a quick kick to someone's side. He then threw his fist out with just as much speed as before and Emma pictured him punching the British Commando in the chest. It was a move she had seen before as she began to realize.

The day her parents were murdered.

Emma had seen her mother use the same move against the man with the wolf like smile. However, the thought of her dead mother and father made her sad so she forced the images of that day out of her mind and instead focused on the task at hand.

"Speed…agility…rapid decision making…these are all qualities that the best female fighters have. Qualities that your mother had." Emma whipped her head around to look at the colonel, her blue eyes wide with surprise.

"My mother? What do you know about my mother?" She questioned and Karpov gave her a sharp look, frowning in distaste at her.

"Pay attention, you silly little girl! This is more important than your dead mother." He scolded and Emma quickly returned her attention to the Winter Soldier who was patiently waiting for her. He nodded at her to mimic the move he had shown her from before. Emma quickly got into the correct stance again before delivering a quick kick to the air and then punching the air with the same fast speed.

"Attacking one section of your target's body is a good way to distract them from a more fatal section. You could kick them in the shins and then deliver a forceful hit to their throat which, depending on how much force used, could prove to be fatal." Karpov continued and Emma forced herself not to think of her mother yet again. It had been a year and a half since her parents died but the memories of them were already fading. The small girl was frightened that one day she wouldn't remember them at all.

"Okay, next move, Asset!" Karpov ordered the Winter Soldier and the imposing man got on the floor as he then signaled for Emma to get on the floor as well.

She wasted no time following his demand and he motioned for her to kneel forward and attack. Emma was a little taken back by this since they had yet to spar with each other but she did what he asked of her anyways even if she was a little hesitant at the prospect. She threw her fist forward, intending to hit him in the face, but was taken by surprise as he caught her fist in his hand and pushed her to the ground. The Winter Soldier loomed over her and it was then that she realized how dangerous he was.

He held both of her wrists against the ground as he stared into her eyes. Emma could tell that his grip was looser than it should be and it became evident that he was holding back. She discovered that it would be incredibly easy for him to kill her. Emma laid there motionless against the ground, staring into the pale blue depths of the Winter Soldier's eyes and she was surprised by how much emotion she saw in them.

Fear.

Loneliness.

Confusion.

Anger.

Emma recognized these emotions because she had seen them in herself but never did she expect to find the Winter Soldier showing such emotion. She gazed at him in wonder, watching her own reflection in his eyes.

"Steve?" The Winter Soldier whispered as he stared at her. Emma's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she stared back at him. Did the Winter Soldier really just say something? "S-Steve? Steve? Steve?" It didn't appear as if she was imagining anything because his voice only grew louder.

"Asset, what's going on?!" Karpov called from behind him but the Winter Soldier ignored him as he continued to hysterically chant, his grip growing tighter around Emma's wrists.

"Steve! Steve! Steve!" He kept chanting and Emma struggled to get out from underneath him. The situation was close to becoming quite deadly. Emma could feel the tears silently streaming down her face as she struggled to not make a sound. Making a sound could mean death in this case instead of just another beating and Emma was smart enough to be afraid of him in that moment of time.

"Выведите его от сюда! Он должен быть уничтожен снова!" (Get him out of here! He needs to be wiped again!). Karpov yelled out in the distance but Emma was too caught up in the Winter Soldier's crazed state.

While he still scared her from time to time he was the only person in the facility that she liked and held any respect for. He didn't grin at her like the man with the wolf like smile and he didn't beat her like Karpov. Deep down Emma knew that he was no better than a serial killer but he was never aggressive towards her…at least not until now.

There was an emptiness about the Winter Soldier that always made her think that he wasn't like any person she had ever met before. The emptiness in him was robotic and unnatural so it made Emma think that maybe he really was some sort of robot. Her father used to watch the Terminator movies so it was entirely possible that the Winter Soldier looked human but had all the metal and wiring that the Terminator had.

Wasn't that tragic?

A robot was kinder to her than any human at the base.

It wasn't long before ten guards swooped into the room and attempted to grab the Winter Soldier. The moment one of them laid a hand on him, however, they were thrown across the room like they were a mere rag doll. The guards had their guns pointed at him and Emma never felt so terrified in her whole life. Not even when the man with the wolf like smile murdered her parents. She realized that she wasn't terrified for her own life but she was scared for the Winter Soldier.

He was insane and much older than her but he was the only friend she had in the whole facility. She would truly be alone if they were to kill him. It took all the guards, the ones who were uninjured anyways, to restrain the Winter Soldier as he struggled. They finally managed to pull him off of Emma who would surely have bruises on her wrists come tomorrow morning but she found herself not caring. Emma watched as they dragged him away, his eyes completely glued to her as they forced him out of the room. It was like she was the only thing he could see as they dragged him away and it made her heart beat rapidly in both fear and bewilderment. His mouth kept forming that name.

Steve.

The small girl was only left with one question as she watched him disappear behind the door.

Who was Steve?