Hi!
Here's the new chapter, hope you like it.
First part is a flashback in a nightmare.
Enjoy
"Now is time to tell us everything you know!"
He slammed his fist into the table, and she jumped in fright. He was so impressive when he went angry like that. She looked at him. She had been trained for months already. The scenario was always the same. She was given an information and the interrogator had to retrieve it. But this time, it was different because it was him.
"I know nothing!"
She did her best not to look scared. Showing weakness was not good in an interrogation. They had told her that many many times already. When she failed, she was punished, and they told her what was to do, and it was the same again.
"Wrong answer."
She shivered at his tone. He circled the room, like a predator would do with its prey. She was starting to lose her nerves.
"I know who you are. Adele Banks."
"You know nothing."
She bit back, and he smacked her harshly. Tears sprung at her eyes.
"Where is the Hydra base?"
He asked. She set her jaw and didn't say anything. She could do it. They hadn't spend all this time on her for her to be a failure, not in front of him. Never in front of him. She was supposed not to know him, but she wanted to say his name. Maybe she could, to get back at him for earlier. Turning the conversation on another topic worked most of the time.
"I know who you are, Grant Ward."
He looked intently at her, not seeming surprised, but she had learned to read him quite well. He was surprised. She knew it. She almost smiled. Almost. That made him smirk.
"Oh, you think you got me… You think that knowing my name makes the change… You think I'm done."
He moved again, faster than the last time, he was behind her and in front, next to her, whispering in her ear, or watching her from the wall. She tried to keep up, but she couldn't, he moved too fast, and she couldn't protect herself. And she was losing feet again.
"Now. Talk."
"I have nothing to say."
He sighed, shaking his head and sitting back in front of her. She looked at him, waited. There was a metallic sound when a knife hit the table.
"Listen up, little girl. I've done things in interrogations, to men and women alike. Don't make me damage you."
She swallowed. She knew he wouldn't do that to her. But the darkness in his eyes was way too scary for her own taste.
"You know what? I can ruin you. Just like that. I'll use your greatest weaknesses against you, and you know I know them all."
She started to feel bad again. His threat, and his assured air, and the way he just looked at her with his cruel dark eyes… The knife, turning in his hand. She was going to break. She wasn't good enough.
"Now. Tell me your secrets, little girl."
"No."
Her voice was lower than the last time. She was watching the table, in clear submission, even if she hadn't said anything. That was how he knew it was almost done. She was about to break. Just a few words…
"You don't want to answer? Very well. You'll be… Damaged. But even if I hadn't meant to draw blood… Who could ever love you? You're so stupid. So weak. So pathetic. You're useless!"
She looked hurt. He smirked, he had her. She was done. She was so eager to please Hydra by being with him. Now every little comment on the fact that he didn't care about her had enormous effects. That was perfect when he had to break her down, like that. She was unable to say anything else, petrified. She shook slightly, looked up, with tears at her eyes.
"It's over!"
She shouted, painfully. He waited. Two soldiers went into the room and undid her cuffs. She stroke her wrists unconsciously when she was freed. Without a look behind her, she stood up and walked away, eyes down and her whole body curved forward, submissively. Before the door closed again, he heard the voice of her father.
"You're absolutely useless, aren't you, Heidi?"
"Wake up! Adele! Aufwachen!"
His hands shook her awake. She curled her body away from him, still in the haze of her nightmare. She was shaking and half-crying. He looked at her with expecting eyes. he wanted to have the reason why she was whining his name and hers in such a pathetic way in the middle of the night.
"Sie ok mit Englisch? You ok with English?"
She nodded. Ward sighed. It was going to be hell with her on-board. Even worse if she couldn't keep her damn mouth shut. She sat on the bed. He get away from her immediate vicinity and leaned against the other wall. She was looking like hell. Dark circles under her eyes, platinum hair messy and damp, drops of sweat on her skin, lips bit down to blood...
"What is happening?"
"I... You... Nightmare."
He raised an eyebrow. Why was he even here to talk to this girl? he should have left once she was awake. But he had decided he had to be gentle for once. He sighed.
"Tell me."
"Interrogation. You... You interrogated me. And..."
"And?"
"I'm afraid... I was not ready... I am not ready. I will disappoint you, and my father, and everybody. And I know what happens when I disappoint. I don't want it to happen again, Grant. I... I don't want you to be disappointed of me."
He didn't want to be mean to her. But he hated her. He couldn't stand her and what she represented. She had been broken up and patched up in a way that was unnatural. She was a mere robot, a puppet in the hands of her father. She was bad. He shouldn't hate her. It was not her fault. But he did.
"You're here now."
"Yes. I'm here. I'm with you. Grant..."
She was so messed-up. He didn't like her, he couldn't. She was Hydra. And he had a pretty girl in his room, sleeping and waiting for him to come back.
"You're not safe, Adele."
"Yes, I am. You are going to keep me safe, right?"
"I'm undercover. I can't. If you talk, I won't be able to help you in any way."
"Please..."
She moaned slightly, eyes tearing up and he sighed.
"Listen... I have somebody ok?"
"What?"
Footsteps resounded in the stairs. He looked up, not bothering to care about the girl. She looked at him, crying this time. What was happening? He had someone? What did that mean? He was supposed to be with her and her only! It was their fate. It was that way. They had told it to her. They were meant to be!
"I gotta go."
He left her there. She was crying and shaking. Her world was shattering around her and he didn't seem to care. She had failed. She had failed. She wasn't good enough.
The basement was dark. It was always dark. So cliché. But he liked the bad guy vibe it added to him. The man walked in the room, and turned on the lights. The bad guy was waiting for him, seated on the couch. He heard a gasp. And he knew the man had drown his weapon.
He snapped his fingers and there was noises of a fight. It went on for a very little time. They were too many anyway. He decided, once the noise had ceased, that he should get acquainted more formally with the man he was here to personally punish. He had disobeyed a direct order from him.
He stood up and walked to where the man was held down by two soldiers. Several badges adorned with the octopus of Hydra were discernible on their uniforms. The man on the floor was shaking. From fright. A smirk tugged on the lips of the bad guy.
"Brock Rumlow. You had been assigned to protect The German Bride. You failed to protect The German Bride. You failed me. You failed Hydra. I do not forgive. Hydra does not forgive. You will be wiped or terminated."
The soldier remained silent. The man looked at him. He was pathetic. A so disposable asset for Hydra. Making him comply was too long. The Faustus method was only applied for high-value targets, excellent soldiers. He wasn't good enough to have this honor.
He would not live much longer. Wiping was only survivable if Hydra decided so. Hydra had decided against. He would die, believing he would live. Such a beautiful end.
"Take him."
Hydra Soldier Management Manual
Article 1: The soldier will receive a codename.
Article 2: The soldier is to have the best skills in its domain, whatever it may be.
Article 3: The soldier is under responsibility of a commander.
Article 4: The commander chooses where to use the soldier, according to its skills.
Article 5: No habits other than those implanted by the commander will remain in the soldier.
Article 6: To avoid loss of control from the commander, the soldier will be brainwashed.
Article 7: To avoid questioning of the commander, the memories of the soldier will be wiped.
Article 8: The soldier will be trained to keep its performance to its best.
Article 9: The soldier must not ask for intel about an order. If request is made, see article 5 and 6
Article 10: The commander will punish the soldier how he sees fit.
Article 11: Punishments go from physical aggression to death sentence.
Article 12: The soldier will be medically examined every month.
Article 13: Mistreatment of the soldier is when the soldier is rendered unable of exercising its role.
Thanks for reading.