Hey everyone. Sorry for the delay. Anyway here's the next chapter. It's longer than the last one and I'm really happy with how it turned out Any way please continue to read and review. Thanks again.
A few hours later I wake up exactly as Zola walks into the lab. I wish I had slept through this. I'm honestly terrified of whatever this creep has in store for us.
"Good morning Fraulein, I hope you slept well. We have a long day ahead of us." He says with a smile. Can he get any creepier?
"What the hell did you inject us with?" I say as I glare at him. If looks could kill he'd be so dead.
"Like I said before, it is nothing for you to be concerned with."
"It is if it there's a chance it'll kill me." I say
"If that were to happen then it would be a sacrifice I would be more than willing to make." He says.
"If anything happens to me or Bucky…" I say in German before he interrupts me.
"You are in no position to make threats, Fraulein." He says with a smirk.
I continue in German. "Maybe not right now, But when I get out of here and trust me when I say I will get out of here I am going to make you regret crawling out of that rat infested shithole Schmidt found you in and pay you back everything you did to us tenfold."
"Empty threats of a woman who is out of her own time." He responds.
That makes my eyes go wide, "How did you…"
"I left the recording machine on. I listened to my notes and overheard your conversation with Sargent Barnes or should I say your soul mate?" He gloats. Oh fuck. He's got leverage.
"And?" I say. I can't let it show I'm freaking the hell out internally.
"I want to know how you did it. How you went from 2011 to now?" He says.
"I don't know. You heard what I said One minute I'm there. There's a bright light and now I'm here." I say.
"You don't know? Then we shall find out." He says. I really don't like where he's going with this.
He comes to my side and starts to take my vital. Then he gets a syringe and tourniquet. He takes more blood than last time. He probably wants to run more tests or compare how whatever he plans on doing to me affects me.
When he's done with that he prepares a microscope slide with my blood and places it under the lens for analysis. He takes a look and says, into a recording device "Subject F0001. Sample five. After hours of electro shock therapy blood cells appear normal. No signs of damage normally seen in other subjects. During session subject did not loose consciousness. Subject is highly resistant to treatment. Lasted hours before treatment was stopped. After treatment she was allowed to rest for five hours while subject M056 regained consciousness. Both were given serum SSS56. When injected both presented same symptoms as previous subjects. The only difference was that F0001's symptoms dissipated sooner than M056. She also lost consciousness faster than M056 but that was probably a result of exhaustion from previous treatment."
He got up from the stool and went to check on Bucky. He took a blood sample from him and prepared another slide. "Subject M056's vitals are in the normal range. There is no visible physical change. Blood cells appear normal. Will run some stress tests to see if that triggers any change."
He gets up and walks up to me. He grabs a scalpel and says, "Possible cause of no visible change in blood cells could be regenerative properties of serum. A tissue sample will be taken." He grabs my arm as I struggle and cuts my arm. Almost as soon as he makes the cut, my arm starts to heal immediately. "Amazing. Subject F001 shows signs of accelerated regenerative abilities."
He goes over to Bucky. He grabs another scalpel and makes a small cut on his arm. "Subject M056 does not show the same regenerative abilities." That's when Bucky wakes up. I hear him struggle against his restraints. "What are you doing to us?" Bucky snarls at him.
"Like I told your soul mate before Sargent, It is none of your concern. Just know that you are helping to change the world." Zola tells him.
"Nora, Are you all right?" He asks.
"I'm fine." I say trying to stay calm. That's when Zola comes over and starts to apply the electrodes. Great, more shock therapy.
He then goes over to Bucky and starts applying the electrodes. Zola then brings over the machine that's connected to the electrodes attached to both of us and places it in between us. He gets his recording device and says, "Day two of stress tests. Seeing as subject M056 has yet to show any effects of the serum today's tests shall be performed to see if any can be triggered. As for subject F001 since effects have already been seen today shall serve as a test of endurance. It has already been shown she is highly resistant so we shall increase the voltage she is exposed to, to twice that of the previous day." Oh Fuck. It's a miracle I made it through yesterday. That much electricity is going to kill me.
"Leave here alone!" Bucky yells at Zola.
"I'd be more worried about myself if I were you Sargent." He says.
He powers on the machine and I can hear the buzz of the electricity it's generating.
"Lets get started shall we, as always Ladies first." He flips a switch and I feel the electricity running through my body.
"AHHHHHH!" I scream out, louder than I thought I could.
"Nora!" I hear Bucky yell. "Leave her a… AHHH!" That's when Zola flipped another switch and Bucky started screaming as well. He did that for hours. I'm not sure exactly how long we did that for. Bucky passed out after about an hour or so. I on the other hand still hadn't lost consciousness. I really wish I had. Maybe that would've made him call it a day sooner. It just got to the point where he got tired or maybe even bored and he decided to call it a day.
"You astound me Fraulein. You are more resistant to this treatment than anyone who's undergone it. Most people would have lost consciousness like Sargent Barnes did but you did not. The amount of electricity you were exposed to and for the amount of time would have killed anyone else." He got up and grabbed another syringe and tourniquet. He could not find a vein below my elbow so he decided to use a vein on my wrist. "That is an interesting bracelet." He moves it around so he can see the charm. "Shame the stone fell off." He bends down to take a closer look. "I've seen this writing before. Where did you get this?" He snarls at me.
"It was a gift from a friend. I don't know where she got it from." Well its half right. It was a gift. Wouldn't necessarily call the lady a friend. I could have said I got it in Dublin but this guy's insane enough to tell his superiors to invade Ireland and they actually would. I've read enough theories and seen enough movies and TV shows to know how bad changing the past can alter the future.
"Well then, I don't think you shall need this." He takes off the bracelet and puts it in his pocket. "Get some rest Fraulein, tomorrow we shall have a vivisection to see how your new abilities work." Oh fuck he's going to dissect me and I don't think he cares about using anesthetic. He leaves the lab and closes the door.
Okay If I remember Peggy and Dugan's stories right Bucky was captured in Azzano, Italy along with the majority of the 107th. I'm assuming I've been here for a few days. Can't really tell how much time since I appeared in a hall way or how long I was out for before Zola started this torture he considers science. So Steve should have arrived in Italy by now with the USO. Peggy and Dugan were not exactly specific with the time they just told the stories in chronological order…
"I can hear you thinking all the way over here Doll." Bucky says. "You all right"
"I should be asking you that. You passed out hours ago. The dwarf just left." We started this joke that Zola was Doc one of the dwarves from Snow White. I argued that Doc was a friendly and happy dwarf not a Nazi Butcher. Then he responded well yeah but they wear the same glasses. I had to give him that one.
"Sorry about that." He says.
"Don't apologize. It got him to stop." I say, "Are you okay?"
"I feel sore and my foot fell asleep but other than that I'm good." He stays quiet for a minute before he asks, "Doll I don't know a lot about medical procedures, but I know that when he said something about a vivisection that it wasn't good."
"You heard that?" I stay quiet for a minute. If I tell him what it really is he's going to freak the hell out. The way things are going, I don't think I'll make it to Steve's rescue mission. I might not make it but I know Bucky does and he needs to stay strong and focused to do that. "He wants tissue samples. It's a simple procedure, I hate needles but its not so extreme." I lied. I just lied to my soul mate. What a great way to start a relationship Nora.
"You sure? You sound kind of nervous." He says. He's only known me a few days and he can already read me like a book.
"Yeah, I'm sure. I just really hate needles." I try to reassure him.
I don't think I fooled him until he says, "What's you're favorite flower?" We've been doing this when we're alone. We ask each other random questions helps distract us and helps us get to know each other. Thanks to this I now know that Steve's Dad dies in WWI from mustard gas and his mom died from TB. I know Bucky's parents died in a car accident shortly after his seventeenth birthday. He knows my mom died in childbirth and that I was raised by my Nana. He doesn't know the specifics as to why. I just told him my dad couldn't take care of me and that Nana did instead. He could tell I was uncomfortable talking about it and he dropped the subject immediately.
"I like all flowers but if I had to choose just one I'd have to say Lilies."
"What's your favorite color?"
I think for a second before I say "Cerulean Blue and red. It's a tie between the two." The color blue reminds me of the lake near the ranch and red makes me think of dad's suit.
"Steve's eyes are that color." He says with a small smile. I can't help but smile at that.
"What's yours?"
"It's a tie between blue and green. Blue since it reminds me of the sky and Steve and Green cuz it reminds me of Central Park." He says.
"What's the craziest thing you've ever done?" I ask.
"Once in High School, Steve and I ditched and went to Coney Island instead. We went on all the rides and I made Steve get on the cyclone. He was terrified but he did it anyway. By the time the ride was over he was green and had to run to the closest garbage bin. That wasn't even the worst part so we were at a booth and this red head was playing trying to win a stuffed bear. So I tried to impress her by winning it. Spent forty dollars. Then we were hungry so we got hot dogs. By the time we had to head back to the city we were out of money. Had to hitch a ride on the back of a manure truck. Mrs. Rogers was not happy." I couldn't help but laugh.
"I probably shouldn't have told you that." He says sadly.
"Why do you say that? If you hadn't noticed we've both been laying here for days I'm sure I stink just as much if not more than you." I say trying to lighten the mood.
"I need you to know that any other woman I was with before wasn't serious. Steve is my entire world and now so are you. We just figured that we should practice before we got to meet you." He says shyly trying to gauge my reaction.
"Practice? I don't think talking to a girl is any different than talking to a guy."
"I meant practicing being with…" That's when I understood what he was getting at.
"Oh. You meant… that. Well I wasn't under the impression you were living like a monk Bucky. Steve either. So how was your dating life?" I normally wouldn't ask but considering he's on the topic may as well get any awkwardness out of the way.
"I don't have a girlfriend if that's what you're asking. None of them made it past a couple of dates or a few nights in certain cases. Steve and I are a package deal. There's no me without him. Most girls would just ignore him on our double dates. It didn't feel right without him." There it is. The undying loyalty Peggy told me so much about.
"So if you, me and Steve went out on a date together. The three of us, I mean. What would we call that? I double date is two couples, four people. A regular date is just two people. What would three people be?" I say.
"Is this your way of saying you accept the package?"
"Its my way of saying I wouldn't take it any other way."
"We hit the soul mate Jackpot."
"I really hope we get out of here soon. I don't think I can keep this up." I say. I'm starting to get really tired. The adrenaline is probably starting to wear off.
"Me too Doll. I want to go on our date." He says sleepily. It's been a long day for both of us.
"Lets keep it simple, dinner and a movie or just stay in and cook something."
"Whatever you want Doll." He says.
"I really like it when you call me that."
"I like calling you that doll." He says, slurring the last word as he falls asleep.
"Mmh." I close my eyes drift off.
I don't know how long it's been since I fell asleep but I wake up to someone patting my cheek.
"Nora. Nora, Doll?! Come on you have to wake up its time to go." The voice sounds familiar.
I feel my hair fall on my face and I reach up to move it. That's when I realize I'm not tied to the table anymore.
I open my eyes and groan at how bright everything is. The first thing I see is Bucky.
"What? How did you? This is a dream isn't it?" I say.
"Trust me Doll its not. You gotta get up. We need to get out of here come on." He says as he helps me sit up.
When I turn to get off the table I see a blonde man with amazing blue eyes just staring at us. Specifically me. Bucky notices what I'm looking at. "Steve meet Nora our soul mate. Nora meet Steve our soul mate."
I just look at him. I can't believe this is really happening. No wait what I can't really believe is what I say next. I turned to Bucky and said, "I thought you said he was short?" For a genius I am such an idiot. I just met my other soul mate and that's the first thing I said. Bucky just replies, "I thought he was."
Steve just steps closer to us. When I finally get off the table I realize it's been a while since I've been on my feet. I feel light headed and start to fall but someone wraps their arms around me. I look behind me and see it was Steve. I look up at him and say, "Hi." It came out more as a whisper.
"Hi umm sorry should've asked." He says as he puts me back on my feet and makes sure I don't fall. When he's sure I won't fall he lets go.
"Don't I should be thanking you."
"It no trouble ma'am."
"I'm eighteen not sixty. Just call me Nora."
"Okay Nora." He says and gives me the cutest smile. How the hell could any one reject that adorable smile?
I just look up and return the smile. That's when we hear Bucky clear his throat and say, "Uh I hate to ruin the moment but we should really get out of here." That breaks us out of our trance.
"Right, uh this way." Steve says before leading the way out.
"So um why did Bucky say you were smaller?" I already know all of this but just making assumptions makes for awkward conversations besides I need to learn his side of the story.
Steve just looks over his shoulder at Bucky. "What? Last time I saw you, you were smaller. What happened?"
"I joined the army" he replied. I think you're leaving out a few key details.
"Did it hurt?" Bucky asked.
"A little.
"Is it Permanent?" Bucky says.
"So far." Steve replies. We make it down the corridor and get to the factory.
That's when we see Zola and Schmidt trying to flee the factory that's falling apart. Schmidt spots us and says, "Captain America. How exciting. I am a great fan of your films. So Doctor Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement, but, still. Impressive." Oh trust me he's definitely an improvement. For one he's not insane. I didn't notice when but Bucky had somehow walked in front of me and was trying to keep me behind him.
That's when Steve punched Schmidt, "You've got no idea." Steve tells him.
"Haven't I." Schmidt tries to punch Steve but he managed to block him with what I'm guessing was a prop shield from his USO show. "No matter what lies Erskine told you. You see I was his greatest success." Schmidt reaches for something on his neck and pulls off a mask. Now I see why they called him the Red Skull. Apparently the serum had side effects. His head was bright red and the bones on his skull were more defined.
"Wow." I said.
"You don't have one of those, do you?" Bucky asked Steve.
"You are deluded, Captain." Schmidt starts, "You pretend to be a simple soldier. But in reality you are just afraid to admit, ...that we have left humanity behind. Men like you. They embrace it proudly. No fear."
"Then how come you're running?" Steve rebuffs.
"Come on, let's go." Schmidt tells Zola before turning around and walking away.
As the leave we head towards the exit. We we're on the walkway above the factory. Most ways across were blocked by fire or debris. All except one the only problem was that it didn't look exactly stable.
"Let's go. One at a time." Steve says.
"Go on first Doll" Bucky says removing his arm from around my shoulder. I nod my understanding. The collapsing grate bridge shook a few time but no problems. It was like that one time in gymnastics coach made me try to cart wheel across the balance beam. Lets just say I don't have a lot of balance.
Bucky went next. He made it across. The bridge was less stable this time and he barely made it to the other side before the bridge collapsed. Steve was still on the other side. I looked around trying to find another way around.
"Gotta get a rope or something." Bucky shouted to Steve.
"Just go, get out of here." Steve insisted.
"No," I said
"Not without you." Bucky said.
That's when Steve got the bars that used to be handrails and bent them out of the way. He took a few steps. He got a running start and jumped. I don't know how he did it but somehow he made it across.
"Lets go, this place isn't going to hold much longer." He leads the way out and Bucky and I run after him.
When we finally make it outside, I don't think I've ever been happier to see the sky and feel the sun on my skin. Didn't really have much time to enjoy it though. We met up with the rest of the 107th. Imagine my surprise when I see the younger version of Dugan. Seventy years in the past and he's still wearing the same hat.
They approached and greeted us. Dugan then says, "Barnes you are the only guy I know that can find a girlfriend while being held captive by Nazis." He says looking at how Bucky had an arm around my shoulders. The other guys just laugh at that.
"Soul mate actually." He corrects.
"You're joking?" He looks at the serious expressions on our faces. "You lucky bastard."
Then a man who if I remember correctly was Gabe Jones asks, "How did you end up here?"
"It's kind of a long and complicated story. I tell you guys at another time but right now I think we should get out of here and head back to base." I say.
"She's right" Dugan says. It's going to be a long walk. Maybe I'll find a way to prove that I'm really from the future before they decide I'm insane and send me away.