Chapter Four: The Redemption
It was almost a normal day for Anna Peters. She was woken up by a random guard, it was never the same one they didn't want her to form any relations. Some would come early and violate her, when she would fight them, a vain attempt at saving herself they would pull out the Remote. They would tease her with it fingering the button sending small jolts of electricity coursing through her brain. Eventually she gave up the fight and lay still while they had their fun, it was only physical she would tell herself. Her mind was her home, it was her weapon and her sanctuary, they could take her body but they would never take her mind.
She had taught herself to hide within her mind. Her powers would wrap her in a protective blanket keeping away the pain and torture. It protected her. However well her powers worked to disassociate her with her trauma they would never erase that first day. It would never take away the memory of her mother passing or her father's betrayal. Or of Willcox and the others violating her in ways she never dreamed possible. Her powers were growing, she was learning. But she would never be able to forget.
All those agents came at different times but they all made sure they were punctual when they escorted her to the White Room where she would be left to wait for Dr. Collins. The elderly man was so devoid of emotion that it was almost easy for Anna to endure his torture. He would force her into the shower and check on her never ending wounds, then he would test her microchip that kept her in line. Shocking her in different intervals seeing how she would react. He would test her physically pushing her to see what her powers could protect her from. To see how much pain her body could handle before her mind broke. But her mind was strong, it was the only strength she possessed.
There were some days when she was close to breaking. On those days Dr. Shultz was right there to pick at the pieces of her mind. He kept saying that stress and trauma enhance one's natural gifts. She kept calling him a crock. He would force her in interrogations. Sometimes with innocents that were in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was getting better at hiding herself in her victim's minds, and hiding her emotions.
After the blood sweat and hidden tears she would then meet with Lehrer to continue her education. Hydra would not stand for incompetence. She learned of the world around her, a world she might not see ever again. History, languages, science, math, and literature. This was the only time she felt calm. Lehrer was, cruel, and never sympathized but she was her only source of knowledge, the only thing that was healthy for her.
At the end of her day she was led back to her cell by random armed guards, they would taunt her, beat her, occasionally rape her. She felt disconnected she figured it was what Hydra wanted, her to step away from her feelings. But she held onto one feeling, anger. Every day they would ask if she was ready to comply each time she chose to spite them. Even though she was relatively dead inside she still had enough of herself to tell them to fuck off. Every day seemed to be the same forcing her to lose track of reality, and time all together. However there was something about this night that was different, this night many months after the death of her mother, something changed.
She lay on her cot immobile as her sweatpants were ripped off of her. She closed her eyes waiting for the inevitable, breathing deeply trying to find a calmness within her mind ready for the pain, but it never happened. The door opened stalling her would be rapist, the two occupants of the room looked to the lit doorway.
"What is the meaning of this?" Anna blinked away the pain at the sudden light and focused in on her father's silhouette.
"Agent Peters, I was ordered-"
"Get the fuck out of here." The unnamed Hydra agent scrambled out of her cell as fast as he could. Anna pulled her pants back on and stared at her father. "How long has this been happening Anna?" He asked sternly. His fists clenched tightly at his sides.
"Since you told them to break me. I think you used the phrase 'whatever means necessary.' she answered with a hint of venom in her otherwise monotonous tone. Her father stared at her, eyes flickering in concentration. Anna arched a single brow. With a huff Charles left her cell sliding the lock in place leaving her to her nightmares.
"Wake up." It was earlier than normal when she was roused from her fitful slumber. She didn't want to open her eyes to see her attacker so she lay still awaiting the inevitable. "Anna Grace Peters get out of bed this instant." Her eyes snapped open to see her father's grumpy face.
"Why are you here?" He didn't answer he merely rolled his eyes before pulling her up to her feet.
"Shoes." he ordered. Confused she slipped her black and white tennis shoes on and wrapped herself in the black sweats that made up her prison uniform. She was barely ready before he pulled her out of her cell and down the hallway. With his brisk pace it wasn't long before they reached their destination.
"Clear the room." Her father barked forcefully leaving no room to argue. Everyone filled out with the exception of the two of them and the Winter Soldier who sat trapped in his personal torture chair. Charles left his daughter's side only for a moment to shut and lock the door. He then pulled a chair up and sat her down in front of the soldier.
He stooped down staring at the Asset looking him over. "Soldier, do you remember this girl?" the Asset remained frozen in place only moving his eyes to briefly glance at his handler before turning his empty eyes back on Anna.
"No." The soldier answered.
"You will." Her father stood and looked between the impassive face of the Asset and the mildly confused one of his daughter's. "Anna i need you to push memories of yourself into his mind."
"The fuck for?" She asked leaning away. Her father rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Just fucking do it Anna. For the love of God just do what you're fucking told For once in your life."
"Shit, so fucking hostile." She droned.
"Anna! I don't have the patience to deal with you. Just fucking do it." he yelled getting angrier by the second.
"Fine." She spat looking back to the Winter Soldier. She quickly found his emptiness, the darkness and she clung to it wishing she could have that level of emptiness, but knowing she was condemned to feel forever. Slowly she thought of her own memories, she tried to find something happy something warm, but it was hard. It was hard to see through these last few months of hell. It was hard to look past her mother's murder. So she didn't. She chose her trauma. She remembered that first night back at The Vault, strapped down to that cold metal table, beaten and raped. How once they removed her bonds they made her watch her own reflection in the mirror knowing full well the group of animalistic males on the other side were watching in rapt entertainment. She tried desperately to push the images and the pain from that night out of her mind. She could hear the Asset pull at his restraints. She could hear her father whispering in his ear. She pushed her memories into the assets mind hoping that he would take them away, that the emptiness inside him would swallow them up and they would be lost. But she knew they would stay with her forever. They are a part of her. As she pushed them deeper she could feel his anger and discomfort. He could feel everything she had felt, he could see it all, the phantom of all her pain coursing through his body. Anna softened when she felt his anger on her behalf. She started to pull away when she heard her father's whispers through The Asset's head,
"Her safety is your mission. You will remember her. You will protect her." Her father's orders shocked her forcing her out of the soldier's mind all together. She stared stunned as her father whispered his mantra over and over again as the Winter Soldier stared her down. His eyes brimming with a hollow fire looking deep within her. After a few moments the older man stood up and looked to his only child.
"Why are you doing this?" Anna asked legitimately confused over her father's actions.
"I have done terrible things in my life, but nothing compares to what I have done to you. I plan to fix that."
For the next year and a half Anna was present with her father while the Winter Soldier was out of cryo. All of his time not spent on missions was centered around Anna Peters as her father attempted to rewrite his internal programming. Her father would have her push images of herself upon him. Images of her being hurt, of her pain, at the same time she would look through his mind finding more and more of who he was. Silently James Barnes and Anna Peters learned all they could learn about each other, a mental and emotional bond forming between the two. While her father stood repeating his secret orders to the Winter Soldier, Anna was learning about James Barnes. Two separate entities shoved inside one body. The human and the machine, Sergeant and Assassin. Anna knew that she could never erase the Winter Soldier from James' mind, just like she couldn't erase her own trauma, but she could push the assassin back and give James a fighting chance.
Progress was made with her father and the Winter Soldier but her torment didn't end. They would only wait until her father left for the day before they started to strip away what was left of her willpower and humanity. They would taunt her with the remote that controlled her mind chip, sometimes fingering the button so they could watch her writhe in agony as electricity shot through her forcing her muscles to contract against her will. She wanted to fight it but she would scream every time.
One of these times she lay naked on the cold tile of the White Room thrashing violently, her screams echoing off the walls like they had so many times before. The shocks stopped she could hear the laughter of the three agents standing above her Willcox, fingering the button zapping her a few more times. The laughter was cut short as the door slammed open. Before any of them could move Agent Donnelly dropped to the ground eyes staring wide and neck broken in half. Willcox and Forrest began shouting and drawing their weapons. But they were no match for the Winter Soldier. Their bullets ricocheted off the metal arm of the assassin as he stalked forward the only weapons on him were his own hands. Swiftly he disarmed them crushing their weapons in his hand like they were made of glass moving faster than Anna thought possible. Forrest's shoulder was ripped out of socket and his knee kicked back like a broken flamingo. Willcox received a punch from the soldier's left arm, the following cracks signifying the broken bones. Forrest desperately reached for his radio, but his hand and the communicator were crushed under the boot of the brunette. Willcox stood and attempted to attack her saviour from behind with his combat knife, but he was no match for the Fist of Hydra. Spinning swiftly the Winter Soldier grabbed Willcox's arm snapping it in two then twisting him around disarming him and stabbing him in the thigh.
"Ne volnuysya, ya ne udaril nichego vazhnogo." Anna had learned enough Russian to understand him. It was what Willcox had told her when he stabbed her almost two years ago. The young blonde ran her fingers over the scar on her thigh before looking up at the soldier, his fiery eyes were on her. He looked at the small nude woman who still sat on the cold bloody tile and something burned inside of him. He gazed at her for an uncomfortably long time before walking to Agent Willcox and ripping off the man's clothes until he lay as naked as the girl before him, his pain filled cries falling on deaf ears. Slowly the Winter Soldier handed her Willcox's blood stained clothes making eye contact that neither unsettled her or calmed her.
"Odevat'sya." Get dressed he said . She knew that, she had been told that enough. Slowly she pulled the shirt out of the pile and slipped it over her head. The Winter Soldier seemed satisfied and walked over to his two remaining victims.
"Gori v adu." he spoke before slitting their throats. The two agents looked to Anna as they lay bleeding on the floor, and she felt herself smirk. Shaking her head she stood to pull on the far too large cargo pants, and looked away not wanting to find joy at death but no other emotion would come forward. She was glad they were dead. Three less bodies to violate her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to her right. James, at least she thought it was James, was staring back at her, for just a moment concern lighting up his steely blue gaze. Soon the training took over and he pulled her out of the room and down the hallway. He took her to her cell and shut the door, sealing them both inside. He took the small metal chair and sat down facing the door his hand still on Willcox's combat knife. He glanced over at her seeing her stand staring at him in shock, in clothes that swallowed her whole .
"Spat'." He commanded pointing to her cot. Slowly she crawled in and pulled the thin blanket over her. She watched his profile, but did not sleep as he commanded. She watched him tense as Agents began running back and forth through the halls. A red light began flashing. It took them a while before they opened her cell door. Rumlow rushed in gun trained on the assassin who sat two feet from her bed. The assassin that had protected her. Slowly her cell was filled with armed men. The Asset rose from his seated position. Anna stood as well taking a step toward the assassin her hand skimming lightly over the back of his black fatigues. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, humanity leaking into the cerulean depths. An agent who she did not know the name of but who knew her intimately grabbed her wrist pulling her away from the Soldier. There was a cry of pain and a loud crack right before the hilt of the combat knife stuck out of the agent's chest, his hand slipping from her wrist. It was quickly replaced by a much more gentle metallic grip.
"Restrain him." Rumlow shouted. "Get him back in the chair." The winter Soldier made eye contact with the blonde once more before being led out of the room, his hand slipping soundlessly from hers. Rumlow looked between the pair before turning to the remaining men in the room. "You get this cleaned up, and you call Agent Peters, Director Pierce will want a word." Rumlow said before grabbing Anna and pulling her out the door. Anna was lead down the hallway into what appeared to be a conference room. Before the door shut behind her she could hear the chair start and the muffled screams of her saviour. She was pushed into a chair where she would wait. The room was empty save for herself Rumlow and the furniture, until she noticed the Remote within arms reach of Rumlow sitting deceptively innocent on the table. The two sat in silence waiting, Rumlow letting his fingers brush up against the Remote every now and then in silent warning. An unholy scream echoed throughout the base chilling Anna to the very core. Wide eyed the blonde looked to Rumlow. Worry filled her, knowing that James was in the chair. Rumlow smirked at her.
"He might protect you now, but once this is over, he'll kill you in a second just like the rest of us." Anna stared at the agent in disbelief. She reached out with her mind, finding James in a matter of seconds, she knew him so well, physical distance could no longer separate them. It was like a lightning storm was ravaging his mind. Anna searched trying to find the center of his focus, and when she did she almost cried. Through the pain the image he tried to remember was her face. It wasn't his own memory but one she had given him. One where she was happy, and safe and unaware. Before she had been ruined and damaged beyond repair. Using all her strength she pushed her mind out encompassing his own. The lightning disappeared from his own damaged mind, but it came upon her own with a bruising force. A shocked scream pushed past her lips from the sheer intensity of the pain coursing through her mind. Tears leaked out of her eyes knowing James had been subjected to this for over 70 years.
'Anna.' His voice resonated through her mind as she concentrated. He had never said her name before. He sounded scared and wounded. He knew she was there and he tried to push her out. He tried to save her from the pain, wanted to save her from the pain. She fought until it was too much succumbing to the darkness.
Anna's eyes flew open the metallic taste of blood on her lips and stinging sensation on her cheek. Agent Rumlow stood from where he was crouched above her pulling her up from the floor and tossing her in a chair. She looked up to see Her father, his face passive showing no emotion, and Alexander Pierce.
"Well now that we're all paying attention, I think we can begin." Pierce said before narrowing his focus to Charles Peters. "I know what you did, Charles. I want you to know I understand, we ask a lot of you. Kill your wife, torture your daughter, watch her get raped. I get it, it's a lot. It's understandable that it makes you a little uncomfortable, but it was necessary. She needed to be detached from her emotions, for her to truly be useful to the cause. So I can forgive your unease. The problem though is that you have used your position to attempt to reprogram Hydra's number one Asset. You had him kill Agents, good agents, in order to protect her. I can't have that Charles. I can not forgive that." He paused as if waiting for the man to speak. When it became apparent that the other man was not going to speak. Pierce shook his head and spoke to Rumlow "Make it clean, he's been good to us, for the most part." He turned to Anna and stared her down. "Make sure you watch. It'll help you." Anna turned quickly to see Rumlow standing behind her father pistol in one hand and the Remote in the other.
"I'm sorry to do this Sir." Rumlow stated, no emotion in his voice.
"You're a good soldier Brock." Her father responded with the same tone.
"Thank you sir." Rumlow said switching off the safety.
Charles then turned his eyes to his daughter. "Anna, I hope you can forgive me one day." And then the trigger was pulled and her father's body slumped the same expressionless face forever plastered in her mind.
"It's such a shame really five dead in less than a day, all here. I think it's a new record." Pierce said standing and adjusting his suit. "Make sure this is cleaned up." Anna didn't think she would feel lost at her father's passing, but at Pierce's nonchalance Anna saw red, and she lunged. She tackled the older man to the ground and hit him in the face three times before Rumlow struck her. Her body dropping, dead weight trapping Pierce to the floor.