After what I could only assume were several days of different forms of torture. The absolutely most terrifying being the box. They would put me in a closed box, sand slowly poured into it, covering my feet and slowly getting closer and closer to my face. I spent the entire time coughing because in the small space my breathing quickened and I inhaled grains of sand. It slowly covered my neck and then my mouth, my nose, invading every crevice of my body that they could. When I finally was about to pass out or nearly passed out, they opened the door and I fell out, my head hitting the ground. They did this again and again. To clean me off they did the same thing but with water instead of sand, scalding water, freezing water. It happened several times. I never thought my fear of small spaces would hit me so hard, I didn't even know how they'd figured out I was afraid of them, but they knew. Yes they knew. If it wasn't Bucky hurting me I was back in the box, the size of a coffin, and they would put something in with me. It ranged from red fire ants, all the way to snakes. I had to hold completely still. The ants bit my entire body. The snakes were the easiest, surprisingly, they slithered around me, not really with a care for what I was. While I was in the box they would ask me to say different things. I have no memory whatsoever of what those things were, but if I didn't say them then they would add to everything around me. The water would move quicker, they would add another snake or another species of ant. After a long time I was conditioned to repeat anything they told me to say, no matter what it was. After several of different experiences such as this I was taken back to the room and tied down.

My hands were untied when I woke. I looked down at my ankles, they were untied too. I cringed, my face felt extremely swollen. When I shakily stood, I found a tray with bread and water. I eyed it suspiciously for a few seconds before my mind gave in. I finished the dry bread in a few bites and the water in one swallow. My stomach cried for more as I sat back down in the chair.

Where was Bucky? Being tortured himself?

I walked up to the cement wall and leaned against it as Bucky had. My powers were almost there. I could almost communicate, contact Steve or Tony or someone who could help. Almost, almost, I strained my mind and suddenly there was a click and the voices were back. I couldn't sense Bucky anywhere near me. I reached my mind out to the busy street which I knew was nearby looking for thoughts of Shield or some kind of police force.

No luck. No one had any thoughts that I could currently access which let me to believe that they could help me. I shook my head and kept searching. After a few minutes I slammed my fist against the wall.

"Damn it!"

I closed my eyes. Someone, anyone. Nothing, no one. Not even someone associated with a police force. I grimaced, walking back to the chair. I felt much more aware than I had been over the past few days. I focused onto the minds in the complex. There wasn't anyone outside my cell except the guards. I whipped one of their control panels up into my vision. I wasn't quite sure if I was coordinated enough to be able to make him knock out the other guard. Worth a try though. I quickly had him turn and bash the other guard in the face. I focused for a moment and tapped into his visual centers. I saw through his eyes and saw the other guards look of shock. I quickly made him rear back with another punch. This one was better aimed and hit the guard square in the jaw. He tumbled back and for a moment I thought he was incapacitated. Then he lunged and pressed a red alert button. Sirens started blaring. I looked around through the guard's eyes. He had a key card on his belt. There was a slider next to the door to my cell. I had him take it and unlock the door to my cell. I had him take it and unlock the door. I brought myself back to my own mind and froze his muscles. I walked through the door, glancing at the guard who was frozen.

"Thanks for your help." I smiled.

I turned and brought my foot down on the head f the guard who was on the ground. I grabbed his gun and sprinted through the complex. I rounded a corner and ran right into a heavily armored guard. I shuffled back and aimed my gun at his foot. I fired and he fell back. Jumping over him, I continued through the building. My fatal mistake came when I ran past a doorway, even when I saw someone standing in it. They grabbed the collar of my shirt as I ran by. I skidded to an abrupt stop and focused on finding their mind. But before I could, I felt a needle in my arm. My powers deserted me, but I still had a gun.

I spun quickly enough to yank their hand off of my collar. I thrust the barrel of the gun to their forehead before I looked to see who it was.

A male scientist, slightly taller than average maybe 5'11"? Black hair, I didn't know him.

"Listen carefully." I snarled. "You're going to show me a way out of here. Otherwise you're going to have a bullet through that brilliant brain of yours, you got me?"

He shook his head. "I'd rather die than lose our work."

My hands shook. Could I really take his life?

No, I couldn't.

I looked at him as I heard steps behind me. They still had me. I dropped the gun and put my hands up, spinning around slowly. Alexander was flanked by two guards.

"Well done, very well done Evans. That was an exceptional demonstration of your powers. Now, we need to escort you back to your cell. We're going to be having the first trial of the machine."

I took a few steps back. The scientist wasn't there anymore.

"No." I stated. "I won't."

He watched me for a moment. Then he smiled.

"Very well." He pulled out a communication device. "Soldier as soon as you have finished your mission we need you immediately back here. We have a situation that needs handling."

"Roger." Bucky's voice rang through the hall.

"He'll be back here soon. He will be much more lenient if he finds you in your cell."

He turned around and the guards blocked the hallway. One of them walked forward and picked up the gun I'd dropped.

"I leave the choice to you, Evans."

I glared at his back as he walked away. Then I planted myself on the ground, folding over and wrapping my hands around my knees. I don't want to face this. I shouldn't have to be here. It's not my fault that my parents had that job. Why…?

I sat like this for a long time, so long that I fell asleep. I was woken by Bucky's hands grabbing me roughly and hoisting me over his shoulder. I was so exhausted that I made no objection as he strapped me back into the chair. That was just as I actually woke up and the torture began again.

I was breathing hard when he was done. I could see bruises already developing under my cuts and lumps. At that moment I'd already given up. The pain was so much. It would almost be worth it to give in, maybe I would.

Alexander came in and dismissed Bucky.

I watched him leave, a look of confusion and regret on his face, not unlike the look he had given me the last time. Alexander was accompanied by two others who immediately got to work on the machine behind me. Alexander came around and sat in the chair in front of me.

"Remember, Evans, you would be nothing without Hydra. We made you who you are. Think about that as you go through the procedure."

At that he slid a mouth guard into my mouth. I clamped down on it. He smiled.

"I have to wonder what is making you so compliant. We may have been hurting you for days, weeks even, however, there are so many reasons you shouldn't be. Your kidnapping, your powers, your parent's assassinations.."

My eyes widened. He laughed.

"You mean, you didn't know?" He smiled, his eyes twinkling maliciously.

My body quavered with anger. I shook my head, repressing it.

Damn it Loki why do you have to be so stupid? I thought I know you were just trying to get rid of me but really?

"Yes, well we took the initiative during the invasion because it would be easy to cover up. Simple."

I snarled through the mouth guard. This changed everything, at least my opinion of Hydra. They weren't just assholes, they were extremely annoying, selfish awful underhanded bastards who had no regards for anyone except themselves.

The machine tilted back and my arms were latched down with more metal. Metal closed around my cheeks and static made it spark. My arm hair stood up.

"Ready to activate." One of the scientists at the machine spoke.

Alexander raised his hand.

"You will become one of ours, Cressida."

He lowered his hand and suddenly electric pain was surging through my body. T was such foreign pain compared to the torture I was acclimated to. My back curved and I could feel my scream rolling through the mouth guard. My mind hurt, ached, it felt like it was being turned inside out, rearranged. I didn't want that but the pain was so much. My chest spasmed, I couldn't control anything no movements. If I just let it take over it might be over sooner, I could be done, I'd be more helpful with Hydra. They could make use of me. Better use maybe than Shield?

But I can't just leave them… I can't leave Loki. Don't they need me?

The pain intensified.

They do, I want to work with them They're my…. Enemies. No that's wrong. They're my friends, my friends, my friends, my friends, my….

Our...

Enemies.

There isn't a reason to care about them. They are just in the way of our plans. No they're not. They're friends. They're my friends. I can't forget I won't forget. Stop trying to make me forget.

"STOP!" I screamed. The mouth guard absorbed my word and turned it into a feral scream.

The pain intensified.

Friends, enemies, friends, enemies, friends…

Make it stop. I can't no, no no!

Murky black snapped over my vision and I let myself sink into it. A brief relief from the pain still coursing through me.