14. Bucky?
When that blond man said that name to him in the street in Washington it shook him. The man knew him by a name other than Soldat, Soldier, or Asset. Even now as he sat in the HYDRA facility under the bank he went over the man's face in his mind. He knew him and if he could just remember a name to go with the face it would make sense. It had to. Later the older man, Pierce, struck him across the face and tried to sweet talk him, telling him what a gift to humanity he was. He was tired, tired of all of it, of the abuse, the killing, everything. Opening his mouth to take the mouth guard he laid back and prepared for the pain then the blankness that would come after.
"I'm with you to the end of the line," said the bloodied man who was struggling to look at me.
My hand was raised for the death blow but something, a memory of the same bloody face but younger and weaker, was pushing itself into my consciousness, screaming against the mission, the mission to kill this one man. The decision to kill was taken from me by the glass beneath the blond man breaking and I watched as he fell into the water below me. I was hanging there by my metal arm, my other arm broken by the blond man during our battle. A realization that the blond man would drown hit me so I dropped into the water, ignoring the pain from my broken arm as I grasped him by the collar then kicked up to the surface, holding his face above the water until I could drag him to the edge. As I looked at the unconscious man, I still couldn't clearly remember who he was and why he was important, I just knew that he was. Then I turned away and began walking to a nearby roadway, seeing an emergency phone box. Breaking open the door on the box I lifted the receiver and waited for someone to answer.
"There's a man, he needs help, beside the water."
The words came out of my mouth, then I dropped the receiver and walked away, knowing the authorities would be able to trace the phone and find the blond man, only a few hundred yards away.
My choices were limited. With my broken arm I needed medical treatment but that meant returning to the Ideal Federal Savings Bank, with the HYDRA facility below. If the older man, Pierce, and his snarling dog, Rumlow, were there I would be taken again. But I couldn't go to a hospital as then the authorities would be summoned and I would be captured by them, then possibly turned over to HYDRA anyway. Carefully I entered the building and went down the stairs. It was eerily quiet, as if everything had been suddenly abandoned. The sounds of a quiet conversation led me to two men in lab coats who were startled when they saw me. I remembered they were medical staff.
"Set my arm," I ordered them, a wonderful feeling that made me feel powerful.
They treated me, setting my broken arm by pulling the bones straight. It still hurt but it felt better than before and with the sling they tied around my neck and shoulder I knew within hours it would begin to heal. When one approached with a syringe presumably to knock me out, I crushed his hand, forcing him to drop the syringe, then shoved him against the wall, knocking him out. The other man looked terrified.
"I need clothes, civilian clothes."
"Don't kill me," begged the man. "I just obeyed orders."
Turning to him with a stare I said one word. "Clothes."
Nodding his head in fear the man led me to a locker room where I pulled doors open with my metal hand, trying to find something big enough to fit me.
"Help me change." Shaking with fear the man helped me then then I turned to him.
"You'll need money," he said.
Taking his wallet out of his back pocket he offered it to me with a shaking hand. Flipping through it I took some green slips of paper when he nodded. They must be money then I noticed a card with the name of a bank on it and held it up with a questioning look. It wasn't knowledge I had been programmed with.
"You can buy things with it," said the man. "Just hold it up to the purchase terminal and tap it. The purchase will go through. Take it, it's yours. They can trace it so only use it for a short time then get another from someone else. Cash is untraceable so use the money if you can."
This was interesting information, and I raised an eyebrow at this extra bit of knowledge he shared, wondering if it was a trap but the man was terrified. Keeping the card, I gave the wallet back.
"Leave, never come back, never work for them again. If I see you again, I will kill you."
The man ran away, and I was alone. It made sense that the man I knocked out would also have a bank card so I pulled out his wallet, took the money and the card. As I stood up, I felt the presence of the machine, that black, ugly monstrosity. Before anything else I was going to make sure it would never be used against me again so using my metal hand I tore it apart and left it in pieces. It didn't take long, and it gave me a good feeling deep inside, the word satisfaction came unbidden into my thoughts. There was a black ball cap on a hook, and I pulled it off, placing it on my head. With a last look at this place that had only ever given me pain I went up the stairs to the back door of the bank and left it, after making sure no one was watching before I exited. For some time, I walked then saw a banner with the face of the blond man on it. It had a place name on it, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Stopping at a phone booth I looked it up in a telephone book, found the address and went through my memory remembering the layout of Washington, D.C. that was given to me when the mission to kill the blond man was assigned. When I arrived at the museum, I wasn't exactly sure how to get into the building without raising suspicion as there were a lot of guards and a lot of security cameras, but I noticed people were lined up in front, as if waiting to be admitted. No one seemed to pay them any attention so following their example I lined up as well and when I got to the front of the line they asked for my pass.
"I don't have one," I said, wondering if this would be enough to bring those guards over.
The lady at the desk looked at me and smiled. "That's okay, we have some that were just released," she said politely. "You'll be able to enter in about 20 minutes. Here you go sir."
With a nod to her I took the pass and entered a place that said gift shop while I waited, looking at the different things for sale. There were some books that seemed interesting which was strange to think of because I couldn't recall ever reading any books. Quite a few toys were on display but didn't make much sense to me. Checking the time on my pass with the time on the clock I went to the next entrance and presented my pass. They gave me a coloured folded paper with information on the different exhibits and for a time I wandered around glancing at them until I turned a corner and saw an exhibit with the blond man's picture. His name was Steve Rogers but he also went by the title Captain America neither of which set off any memories in my head, but it was definitely him. Then they showed a picture of him when he was younger, smaller, and weaker looking. A memory of me putting my hand on his shoulder came to me suddenly with the words he said to me just before he fell into the water. "I'm with you 'til the end of the line." They were once my words that I said to him after something terrible happened, after... someone, his mother died. A strange feeling crept into my throat that confused me. It was not a good feeling either and I breathed deeply to still the sensation.
A screen caught my attention and I saw old black and white film footage of Captain America and a group of soldiers called the Howling Commandos. It seemed familiar but I didn't remember any details of it. Just as I was about to turn away, they showed Rogers with one of the soldiers in the unit and I was captivated, because it was me, with short hair but it was definitely me, laughing with Rogers. For several minutes I watched the film as it looped back to that sequence, seeing myself laugh. Then I stepped back to get a bigger look at the exhibit and found an information panel about the other man, about me. It said my name was James Buchanan Barnes, but I was known as Bucky Barnes. Bucky, that's why the blond man called me that. The printing on the panel indicated I was born in 1917 and died in 1944 but I knew that wasn't right because I remembered celebrating Christmas that year. Why was the date wrong? Why did I remember that Christmas? I read every single word in that whole exhibit then reluctantly left as there was no more information to be gleaned from staying. As I came out of the building, I stood for a moment deciding what I should do next.
Beside me was a bin with newspapers in it, wondering how I knew what they were. Pulling one out I looked for any news of Steve Rogers, wondering if he had been found. There was an article that said he was recuperating, and I felt relief that he would be okay. His death wouldn't be on my hands. A sickening thought occurred to me; HYDRA, what was left of it, would still want Rogers dead. I read the article again to see if they listed the hospital. It wasn't in there and I searched the bin for another newspaper to see if it was mentioned, finding the information quickly. Someone needed to make sure Steve Rogers would be safe. I was the logical person, but I needed weapons. The nearest source was the bank; I would have to go back there and take what I needed.
It was getting dark, and I didn't want to be there at night, so I quickly headed back to the neighbourhood where the bank was and began a standard surveillance pattern to determine if there were any guards. Surely, they must have resumed their occupation of the building. Surprisingly there weren't any guards outside so I approached the rear door of the bank, staying out of sight from the camera that would be monitoring the entrance. Jumping up I knocked the camera down then forced the door open with my metal hand and listened. There were sounds of muted conversation and I calmed himself to hear what was being said.
"What did Pierce say about our next move?" said the first voice.
"Pierce is dead, Rumlow might as well be dead," said the second. "The Asset is gone, the machine destroyed, and all I know is that I want to be miles away from here when the next one in command shows up to find out why Rogers is still alive."
"Surely they'll sit back and regroup," said the first. "I don't even know who came next after Rumlow."
"There's always someone and they'll be looking for the Asset," said the second. "That's why I'm getting out now. I'm headed to Mexico. I speak Spanish and can find work with a nice safe cartel."
Quietly I stepped closer, removing my sling and dropping it, then looked around the corner quickly to see if I recognized the faces of the men talking. One was a man who took pleasure in stubbing his cigarette out on my chest whenever he felt like it and a feeling of revulsion started inside of me. The other man was newer and hadn't done anything to me, but it never seemed to take long for them to start. The first man looked up and saw me, but I was across the room before he had an opportunity to react and wrapped my metal hand around his throat, while glaring at the other man.
"Sit down, be quiet, and I won't kill you," I said, then looked back at the man whose throat was in my metal hand. "You hurt me, many times. Why should I let you live now?"
"Because I can give you safe house locations," he said, struggling to speak as I clenched my hand. "Many of them, with food, weapons and money in them. That's what you want, right? You don't want them to find you. I don't want them to find me either. Let me live and I'll help you."
For several moments I considered the man's words and even though I didn't particularly trust him the man was right. I needed everything he mentioned to get away but first I needed weapons to make sure Rogers was safe.
"Who is still alive?" I demanded, lessening my hold on him.
"Rumlow, but he's hurt bad," said the first man, speaking easier now. "Rollins is still alive but is in custody. I don't know the names of any others as it was always need to know except for them. Soldier ..." I never wanted to hear that name again and tightened my hand around the man's throat again.
"My name is Barnes," I stated emphatically. "I'm not the Soldier or the Asset. I'm Barnes."
The first man nodded his head with difficulty. "Barnes, you need to get out of here. They'll be looking for you. They'll say the words and make you go after Rogers again."
I glared at him and at the other man, not trusting them. "We don't know them," said the second man. "That was need to know as well, so that we couldn't use you to take over."
"Who knows them?" I was yelling and took a breath, so I was calmer. "Who knows the words?"
"I don't know," said the second man. "Pierce did and Rumlow, for sure, maybe whoever is next after Rumlow but I don't know who that is. He's right though, you need to get out of here. What did you want?"
Opening my hand, I released the first man and he bent over coughing and rubbing his throat with his hand. "Weapons, money, and the locations of those safe houses. There's something I have to do first then I'll go. Help me and I won't kill you. Betray me and I will find you."
The first man stood up, nodding. Together he and the other man took me to the armoury giving me first pick of several weapons, even bringing over and opening a canvas bag for me to place them in. The second man showed me a spotting scope and I nodded to add that to the bag. Then I looked at the first man expectantly.
"Safe houses, right," said the guy and he went to a computer terminal, bringing them up on the screen. "I can print off a hard copy of the locations or send you a file. Do you have a cell phone?"
"Hard copy," I replied, as if they would trust me with a communications device. The printer spit out several sheets of paper in rapid succession. "Money."
The second man went to a panel on the wall and pressed a button. It slid open revealing a safe.
"I don't know the combination," he said. "But I figured you could break it open."
After I put the papers in the bag I stepped towards the safe, clenched my left fist and punched it several times until the door popped open. Reaching inside I pulled out about a dozen bundles of those smaller pieces of green paper, the money.
"That's money," said the first man, "twenties, so a bundle of those is worth $2000. These look new so if you get a chance you need to take them out of the bundle and fold them up to look like they've been used. They'll be accepted better."
I put the bundles into the canvas sack with the weapons. They had helped me without betraying me, so I stepped back and gestured to the safe. So far, they hadn't noticed I only used my left hand for everything.
"Go ahead," I said. "I have what I need."
The other two men emptied the safe. With that much cash I wouldn't need the bank cards I took earlier so I tossed them into the empty safe then looked at the other two men.
"I'm leaving. You wait ten minutes before you leave. If I ever see you again, I will kill you."
The first man lightly touched my arm and I had to fight my instinct to wrap my metal hand around his throat again. "I'm sorry for the things I did to you. Rumlow encouraged it, said it was necessary to keep you in line. He made it seem like you were ... damaged goods anyway."
A sharp breath escaped my mouth as I remembered all the violence that man had inflicted on me then I nodded and left without saying a word, picking up my sling as I went. Quickly I ran up the stairs to the back entrance and looked outside in all directions before leaving. Within a minute I was several blocks away. I fully expected the other two to not wait for the ten minutes as I instructed but I didn't care. My next stop was to find somewhere near the hospital where my new mission was; to protect Steve Rogers.
There were several buildings across the street from the hospital that would allow me to have a good view of the inside rooms on several floors. Although the lower buildings would give me a better view the higher buildings would hide my position better, so I took up a position on the taller building, using the spotter scope to look from window to window. Just as I was about to give up and find a new position I saw the dark man, the one who could fly. He was looking out the window of the lit room then turned back. Shifting position slightly so I had a better view into the room I could see medical personnel around a bed in the room behind the dark man. They dispersed and I took a breath recognizing it was Steve in the bed. His face was bruised, and his eyes were closed but he was obviously alive. For some time, I watched then movement below me drew my attention.
On the lower building's roof, I could see two men setting up a post directly across from the room where Steve was. Just by the weapons alone I knew they were HYDRA and Steve was obviously their target. Shifting my focus to them I saw them get themselves settled then one left, appearing on the street below. I watched him through the spotter scope, preparing myself to jump down to the street to intercept him then saw him go into a shop on the corner, coming out several minutes later carrying a tray with beverages and a paper bag. He returned to the lower building, appearing on the roof, giving the other man a beverage and something from the bag, food. I felt hungry then at the sight of them eating but couldn't leave, knowing they were waiting for night to take their shot.
Gingerly I took my sling off and tested the range of motion of my arm. It still hurt but I could use it if I had to. Opening the bag, I took out a holster that would fit under my jacket and put it on. Picking out several knives and two handguns, I inserted them into the holsters. The civilian clothes weren't all that suitable for fighting but I could manage. Looking over the edge of the building I saw that if I went to another building's roof, I would be able to access the roof the two men were on without them being aware of me. I zipped up the bag and pulled a vent panel off an air conditioning unit stuffing the bag into the space and placing the panel back on. It only took me a few minutes to make it down to the same roof as the other two and I approached them quietly getting close enough to hear them talk.
"What proof does the General need when we take Rogers out?" asked the first one.
"Cell phone image of both him and Wilson dead," replied the second. "He'll text us payment and the location of a safe house for new identities. You really think the Asset has gone rogue?"
"Well, he didn't complete his mission. You know that he doesn't fuck up. Either he got injured or he turned. Either way, if we find him the General wants him back. There's a bonus if we do find him."
Deliberately I made a noise behind them and one of them looked back, seeing me standing there.
"Jesus Christ, the Asset, he's here," he said, the excitement in his voice easy to discern. "What do I do?"
The other man stood up, looking at me with fear then he swallowed. "Mission report," he said, trying to sound as if he was in control. I didn't answer. "Asset, mission report."
"Only to Pierce or Rumlow," I replied, keeping my voice as monotone as possible. "Where are they?"
They looked at each other, unsure of what to do next. "Pierce is dead, Rumlow is hurt," said the second man. "We have orders to bring you in to number three. You must comply."
"Mission not complete," I replied. "The Asset will complete the mission then you will bring the Asset to number three so the mission report can be made. What is his designation?"
"You don't know?" asked the first and I fixed a deadly stare at him as I tried to come up with a reason why I didn't know.
"The Asset knows who number three is, but the Asset doesn't know you," I replied, taking a step closer to them as they stepped back. "You must confirm identity of number three before the Asset will go with you."
They stepped closer together and began talking in a low voice, forgetting I could hear everything they said.
"Why wouldn't he know us?" asked the first. "We've been there while he was being prepared. Something's not right."
"He could be malfunctioning," said the second. "Plus, it's not like we were in his face during preparations. I never wanted to be closer than a football field to him." They both looked back at me. "I'm going to tell him. It's the only way he'll go with us, and the only way we get the bonus. I don't have any of the tranquilizer with me so it's not like we can force him."
"Alright, let's tell him," said the first. He faced me. "Number three is Air Force General Adam Young. He's here in Washington, at the St. Regis Hotel, room 625 waiting for confirmation from us that the target has been eliminated."
"You are correct," I said. "The target escaped, leaving the Asset injured. I tracked him and the secondary target to this location."
"Okay, you want to take the shots?" asked the second man. I approached, taking their sniper rifle from them. Just seconds after he let me take the rifle, he had a sudden realization. "Wait a minute, you referred to yourself as I."
Taking the rifle in both hands I cracked him across the face with it and did the same to the other man. Both were stunned and I kneeled down, disarming both of them. Searching the pockets of their combat pants I located zip ties and tied them both up before either of them knew what was happening. Going through their bags I found more weapons and ammunition, intending to add it to my arsenal. Then I lifted them both into sitting position letting them lean against a vent stack as I kneeled in front of them.
"Tell me everything," I said. "Start with how many HYDRA operatives are still in Washington."
"You fucking traitor," said the second man. I took the gun out of my holster and pressed it against his knee then looked at him. "Fuck! There's the General, us, and another pair for sure. I'm sure the General has already called in lots of others, and they'll be here before dawn."
I pressed the trigger, making him scream but there were no bullets in the magazine, and I grinned, hoping I looked like a madman to them.
"Jesus Christ, what the hell!" he yelled, and I tilted my head in response, hoping that made me seem even more crazy. "Sorry, sorry, I lied. After the General and us there's only the other pair."
He began to cry, whether from fear or relief didn't matter. I turned my attention to the other man, only this time I made a big show of taking the empty magazine out and replacing it with a full one, then pressing the gun to just below his chin.
"Is he telling the truth?" I asked. "If he's not, you die first. Remember, I was taught how to tell someone is lying."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he babbled. "He's telling the truth. Nearly everyone was in the Triskelion and that place went down. Rollins got out, so did we and the other two but Rollins was arrested right away. There's some who haven't checked in, but they were just guns for hire, and we figure they got the hell out of here. There were some scientists at the bank and odds are they took off as well. Please don't kill me."
I pulled the gun away and looked at them as if I was making a decision. "Before I got here did you report your position to the General?"
The first man nodded. "He ordered us to take out the targets and we told him we were set up here."
"Does the General know the activation words?"
I stared at both of them, studying them both intensely. The first man swallowed. "I don't know for sure but it doesn't make sense for him not to know, especially with Pierce dead and Rumlow out of it. Are you going to kill us?"
At first, I didn't answer, wanting them to be afraid enough to reveal more information voluntarily. I stood at the edge of the roof looking over towards the hospital. Behind me I could hear their whispered conversation.
"How are we going to get him to the General without the words and the tranquilizer?" said one of them.
The other man huffed in response. "Are you kidding me? It's game over for us. We'll be lucky he doesn't kill us and dispose of our bodies in the Potomac. At this point I just want to live."
Turning back and walking to them I kneeled down, making sure they both saw my eyes. "Do you have a vehicle?"
"Yeah," said the first man. "It's parked on the street. The keys are in my jacket pocket. It's yours. Just don't kill us."
"Who are the other two men?" I asked. "Can you contact them?"
"Webster and McCardle," said the second man. "McCardle is big, with red hair. Webster is skinnier, with blond hair and blue eyes." He looked nervously at the other man. "I have a phone number to find our rendezvous point."
Searching through the first man's jacket I found his keys and a phone. He gave me the code to unlock it and the phone number of their counterparts.
"I'm going to dial it and you will set the rendezvous time for two hours. Was the meeting place pre-arranged or is anyplace fine?"
"Pre-arranged, in front of the National Geographic Museum," he replied.
Dialling the number I put the phone on speaker, pressing the button that looked like volume. I held it out to the first man and told him to set up the meeting and tell them the General would be there. Nervously, he nodded as the ringing began. On the third ring a man answered and was told that the targets had been taken out, the Asset reacquired and that they would all meet with the General at the rendezvous. When he was finished, I stopped the call and smiled at him, keeping the cell phone.
"Good job. Now, let's get to your car."
I helped both of them up and held them by the arm as I took them off the roof and down the stairs ahead of me, watching them carefully for any sign of them trying to escape. At the car I placed them both in the back seat and drove to a police precinct, dragging them both out. With more of the zip ties I bound their legs, then opened the phone.
"What are your names?" I asked. "Don't lie to me."
"George Parayko and Bobby Ventura," said the first man.
I got back in the car, phoned 911 and quickly said their names, that they were HYDRA and were waiting outside the precinct to be arrested. Then I tossed the phone out the window and drove off, watching in the rear-view mirror as I saw several police officers come out of the building with their guns drawn. Satisfied that those two were taken care of I drove to the St. Regis Hotel, parking in an alley behind it, and walked around it to get the layout of the building, including where the security cameras had a blind spot. There was a pay phone beside the hotel, and I looked up the hotel's phone number, put a quarter in and dialled it. Some things were still the same. A man's voice answered.
"General Young please," I said. "I believe he's in room 625." I was feeling more confident as the words came out. They put me through and the General answered. At first, I didn't say anything then he demanded to know who this was. "Barnes, James Buchanan, Sergeant, Serial number 32557038."
Dropping the receiver, I broke in through the wall beside the fire escape door and ran up the stairs to the sixth floor. Locating room 625 I listened through the door as he phoned the other team, telling them to get to the hotel as soon as possible. When he opened the door to come out, I put my metal arm around his neck.
"You and I are going for a ride," I said. "You don't say a word to me, or I'll snap your neck."
He nodded and I steered him to the fire escape stairs. We walked down together and stepped out through the hole in the wall into the night air, walking quickly to the car. I opened the front passenger door and shoved him in. Sitting in the driver's seat I placed my right hand around his neck.
"You know this hand is strong enough to kill you." He nodded. "Do you have a cell phone?" He gingerly put his hand inside his jacket and brought it out. "Unlock it, disable the password and give it to me. You're going to tell me who else is high up in HYDRA."
"Once you cut off one head two more will take its place," he spouted and I slapped him, making him snarl at me. "You have no right, Asset."
"My name is Barnes, Bucky Barnes," I snapped. "I am not the Asset, the Soldier, the Soldat, It, or any other foul name your organization forced on me. Now, tell me what I want to know."
"No," he said defiantly. "I would rather die than tell an ungrateful ..."
I slapped him again. "Ungrateful," I roared. "Years of being treated as a science experiment, my identity stripped from me, my memories ripped away, starved, abused, forced to kill for the likes of you and I'm ungrateful?"
He smirked at me then began reciting the words and I instinctively squeezed his neck before he got the second word out. With a smile on his face, he kept trying to say them and I squeezed harder, furious that he would try to turn me. As his air supply was cut, he began to struggle but I knew I had no choice but to kill him if only to ensure that he couldn't make me into the Asset again. Suddenly, his struggles ceased, and I let go, then put my head to his chest, confirming that his heart was no longer beating.
"Fuck," I muttered then I screamed. "FUCK!"
Looking at his lifeless body I remembered that he phoned the remaining team and wondered if I should wait for them. Pulling the seatbelt over the General's body to secure it I drove to where I could see their vehicle approach. Within minutes they showed up and I flashed the headlights twice. They did the same then one of them got out of the car with his gun drawn and began approaching me. Putting the car into gear I backed up, did a full 180 degree turn and took off, wanting to get them to an area that was more private. They chased me and I eventually I let them catch me. As they approached the car I stepped out and faced them with my guns drawn. I had a flash of a memory of John Wayne in a movie, facing off against three gunfighters. Couldn't remember the name of the movie but I smiled at the thought. Both men had their guns drawn but their faces showed they were terrified of me.
"The General, where is he?" asked one of them.
"Dead," I said. "You're next." They looked at each other with alarm. "You know I'm fast. I can kill one of you and have my hand around the throat of the other before you get another shot off. Unless you get lucky you won't hit me."
They were talking to each other, and I heard them discuss what they should do next. One of them brought up that they had lots of money from another safe house they broke into. It was enough for them to live a good life in Mexico, maybe work for a cartel.
"That's a good idea," I said loudly.
Both of them whipped their heads around, not realizing I could hear everything they said. "Don't kill us," said the first one. "If we let you go, you'll let us go?"
"Sure," I replied. "In fact, go to Mexico, work for a cartel. It's a lot safer than what I was planning for you. There's just one thing. You leave now, you forget you ever saw me, and you leave Steve Rogers and his friend alone. They're under my protection. If I see you anywhere near them, I'll kill you, slowly. I know many ways to do it."
Both of them lowered their weapons, then retreated to their car and turned it around to leave. As they did, I took a picture of their license plate then phoned 911.
"There are two men in a car, late model Chevy Suburban, Washington D.C. license plate FT 8781," I said. "They are on their way to the Mexican border with several hundred thousand dollars in cash that have been laundered for a drug cartel. They've killed a General. Both men are armed."
I hung up, tossed the phone onto the boulevard, pulled the General's body out and left him behind some dumpsters, then got into my car and drove back to the building across from the hospital. Just as I pulled up, I saw the friend of Steve Rogers come out, so I watched as he got into his car, his new car that obviously replaced the one I destroyed. Following him discreetly I learned where he lived and filed it for a time when I needed to sleep or shower, probably while he was at the hospital. For tonight I could sleep in the car for an hour or two before resuming my surveillance of Steve as he continued his recovery in the hospital room.
So much of Bucky Barnes fanfiction emphasize how broken he was and he definitely was broken into many pieces then remade into HYDRAs perfect weapon. I wondered if in the excitement of his early days of freedom that he retained his abilities as an operative, enough to pretend to still be the Asset, but using those skills to get information, money, clothes, and anything else he needed to get his bearings, protect Steve, and develop a plan to get away. As an operative he had to be observant and able to adapt to changing circumstances, perhaps gaining in confidence as his efforts were successful. Even if HYDRA did everything for him he must have retained enough memories to try things for himself; everyday things like buying clothes, cooking, or doing laundry. It would only be later, once he was finally alone and in hiding that the memories would flood his mind and become overwhelming.