Chapter Eight

Steve's POV

I go down to meet with the girl, I have the two documents in my hand. I had taken out the part where it had her parent's names, I didn't want her finding out on accident about Tony. When I get there, she is sitting on the cot. Maybe we should get her a book, I thought to myself. She didn't look uncomfortable and then I think back to her cell at Hydra and how there was no possessions there. I wonder how often she was left to sit with nothing but her thoughts.

She looks at me when I get close to the glass. I decide not to go in and instead I put the documents through the slot of the door. She gets up and takes them. "That's all the information we found out about you." She studies the papers.

It should only take her a few seconds to look at all the information, but even after two minutes she's still looking at the papers. I realize that she is comparing the pictures. I wonder what's she's thinking about.

I clear my throat, hoping that maybe she will do something. It works, for she pulls her eyes away from the paper, setting them down next to her. "Okay," she says, "not as much information as I thought there would be. Hydra must not be great keeping records"

I don't know how to respond to that. "Hopefully you can fill in some blanks for us."

She picks the papers up and lays down. Now the papers are resting on her stomach. "Fine." She says. "If only so you will then leave me be."

I sat down on the ground in front of the glass, glad she was planning on being more forthcoming and asked the first question, "How long were you with Hydra?"

She picked up the first document, showing me the picture. "This was taken a week after I arrived at my first Hydra base. I was eight."

"How did you end up there?"

She sucked in a breath, "I was taken by Hydra agents."

There was a pause. I wasn't sure what to say, really. I wonder why everyone thought I was good at stuff like this, "What about your mother?" I finally ask.

"Killed."

I swallow hard, but I know I have to keep asking these questions. I don't know how long she will keep answering. I also needed to take this opportunity to see how much she knew about her family.

"Your father?"

"Killed."

I tried hard not to show any reaction to that. So, she believed her father was dead.

"Well, step-father." She added.

That was a new development, "step-father?" I questioned.

"Yeah. They killed my mother, my step-father, and my grandfather."

It was risky, but I had to ask, "what do you know of your biological father."

"Not much, he was just some dead-beat American."

I didn't want to press my luck further, so I switched the conversation. "What did Hydra have you do?"

"You did read the file, didn't you?" She asked. She sounded frustrated, but the words came out quiet instead of heated. "They had me kill."

She gave me a hard look, as if assessing my reaction. I don't react and after a moment she turns her head back to the ceiling.

I want to ask if she was like Bucky, brainwashed, but part of me was worried about the answer. What if Tony was right and she was just a killer? I shake the thought out of my head. She was just a kid. Even if she wasn't brainwashed, she was still under duress. It was Hydra, for crying out loud.

I think about leaving. I was beginning to think this was over my head. Yet if I didn't do it, who would? I know Fury would probably just lock her up and throw away the key.

I think of the picture in my pocket. It's of Bucky. I brought it with me in case I decided to ask her if she knew him. Hydra was a big agency, but maybe they had crossed path. It could keep the conversation going, I thought.

I take a deep breath, "have you seen this man in Hydra?" I put the picture flush against the glass.

She sits up and looks at the picture. She stiffens at the sight of him and then lets out a puff of air. "Winter Solider."

I didn't realize how little I believed she would recognize him, until she did. "How?"

"The Winter Solider is the most infamous and efficient killer in Hydra."

My shoulders slump. "You haven't actually met him?"

"I have."

"When?"

"When I was 14, for training."

I look at her to elaborate. She does not, so I push. "He helped train you?"

"More like they wanted to see how long I would last."

I give a puzzled and concerned look at that comment.

She explains, "There's no stopping the Winter Solider. You fight him and you see how long it takes for him to break you."

I felt sick.

I must have looked it to for next she said, "don't look so bad, I did good. I lasted 19 minutes and even then, I only had one broken arm and 3 broken ribs."

I stared at her. She was sincere.

I rubbed the back of my neck, processing the information.

"Do you know him?" She asked.

I wasn't sure if I should answer. Since she was giving me answers it only seemed fair to give answers back. "His name is Bucky. He's my friend."

She nods at that information. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Pierce's assets have been through a lot."

"It sounds like you've been through a lot, too."

She sighs, "It's different. Pierce's assets have no control over themselves. Plus, they go through the torture of mind wipes."

The question I dreaded asking was answered, but I had to confirm, "You weren't mind wiped."

She looked at her hands. "No. My handler preferred an asset that was more flexible in decision making. I didn't always make the right ones though."

"What do you mean?"

"My kill count should be a lot higher." She looked down at the papers. "There were some kills I wouldn't do."

"Like what?"

"I don't kill children." She swallowed.

I pause, worried about pushing forward. "What did Hydra think of that?"

She hesitated. "My handler didn't like it and I was punished. He refused to mind wipe me though. He… compromised instead, deciding to give in to my decision as long as it meant I would follow orders otherwise, which I did."

"A Hydra agent compromised?"

"My handler was… complicated."

"Nikolai?" I asked, remembering the name on the paper.

"No." She said, her look darkening at the mention of the name. "Before him."

"What was his name?"

There was a small pause, before she answered quietly, "Julian."

"Last name?"

"Same as Nikolai- Zamfir."

"Brothers?"

"Father and son." She corrected.

"Okay." I took in the information. Lots of things to process today. "Thank you for talking with me. That's enough for today."

She doesn't respond and I get up to leave.