Okay, trying to update more often. So I'll try and finish this by the end of today. Now onto replies.
To VeronicaChase: … exe. PaleWolf has stopped computing. I had no clue adults were wasting their time reading this! XD. How old did you think I was? I only turned fourteen in January.
To themugglepadme: I'm glad you started writing a fanfic! Also, you're forgiven for your trickery! Glad you're enjoying the chapters.
To leoms: Thanks for the support! I love reading your reviews, they give me motivation to keep writing!
And to Radiant Arabian Nights: That's a great idea, I'll see what I can do to fit it in. I'm planning a follow up fanfic, for what happens after the viewing. But after that forcing them to watch Civil War would be great!
Also, out of mild concern towards SuperShadow, did something happen? I'm just a bit worried because you normally review every chapter. Hope you're okay and safe.
-PaleWolfsHowl.
Winter felt like walls were closing him in. Trapping him. That voice. It played on repeat in his head. He remembered it all so well- well, at least he remembered his time at Hydra with perfect clarity. Zola. Zola. Zola. It was all he could think, everything else was just a fog.
He knew he was trembling, but he couldn't stop. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't breathe! The panic only increased as his mind dredged up images of Zola's face peering at him. Giving out instructions.
If possible his ability to breathe and form coherent thoughts decreased even more as Winter's thoughts spiraled out of control.
He was vaguely aware of Steve kneeling down in front of him, vaguely aware of Steve's hands gripping his shoulders.
He could barely hear what The Captain was saying, let alone make out any of the words. It was like a heavy static had fallen over him, and everything was muffled.
It was shocking, when suddenly he seemed to snap out of it. His thoughts clearing. He became aware of what had caused his sudden clarity.
Steve was no longer kneeling in front of him, instead The Captain had pulled Winter into a tight hug, one hand on Winter's back, and the other on the back of his neck.
He didn't know why this had calmed him down, but he distantly remembered Steve doing the same thing back during the war. After the 107th, and just like back then, Steve had managed to stop the panic.
Winter took in a long breath, he was aware of everyone in the room stiffening with shock. Even if he'd been civil and friendly with Steve, this was probably still a shock to them. Especially since they didn't know how he'd react.
He sat straight for a second, tense and unmoving, still shocked, before he crumpled forward, leaning out of his seat, he slumped against Steve, burying his face in his old friend's shoulder. He couldn't help it, his human arm wrapped around Steve's back tightly. His left hand gripped into Steve's shirt in a vice grip.
He could tell Steve had been holding his breath too, unaware of how Winter would react. Steve had taken a big risk, because if Winter hadn't once been Bucky, then he probably would have reacted violently.
Steve seemed relieved as he pulled Winter into a tighter hug. Winter could tell he was being careful not to put too much pressure on Winter's neck. Smart. It didn't really matter in the end, because Winter could never bring himself to hurt Steve- even if he was panicking.
They stayed like that for a while, sitting on the floor with Steve calming Winter, before Steve spoke up quietly. "What did he do?" The blonde asked softly, and Winter couldn't bring himself to pull away from Steve. It felt oddly safe, and familiar. Maybe that's what a 'brother' was. Someone you could go to for comfort without getting hurt?
Winter spoke up, his voice shaky, he was aware of Steve's teammates watching with tense shoulders. "H- he was the o- one who first found me. H- he instructed the o- operation f- for the arm." He stuttered out, painfully aware of how weak he must seem.
Steve's held him tighter, the hand on Winter's neck getting a tad bit tighter. Surprisingly, it didn't make him freak. But, if Winter got the chance, he'd be having a serious talk to Steve about self preservation. Even if it was a little hypocritical. But, seriously, he hugs a panicking enemy assassin?
He continued his explanation, his voice shaky. "Z- he was the one who o- originally e- experimented on m- me. S- so I su- survived the, er, e- event that c- caused th- the arm." He managed to choke out, rolling his left shoulder pointedly. Steve was tense, obviously upset over what Winter was saying.
Steve cleared his throat. "I- I can't say everything will be okay, because it most likely won't- at least not for a while. But after this-" He nodded his head, gesturing towards the room. "We'll do our best to free you. No, we will free you." There was so much conviction in his voice, it hurt Winter. Knowing it didn't matter, but wanting so much to believe what Steve was saying. Even though he knew he would never leave this room.
So he just nodded into Steve's shoulder, not trusting himself to speak. He didn't want to lie, especially not to The Captain. But he definitely couldn't tell them what he planned to do, that would be a disaster.
"Umm, guys." Maybe- Archer Clint spoke up, and Winter managed to pull his head up from Steve's shoulder to peer at the man. Maybe- Archer Clint was staring wide eyed at Winter and Steve's seats. Which was now a… couch? When had that happened, was Possibly- Sylvia a witch or something? Like Gandalf- but female?
Steve seemed to have noticed too, rolling his eyes before helping Winter up into the couch. Not because Winter couldn't do it himself, it was just because he was still trembling.
There was a note on the couch, and Winter rolled his eyes, why hadn't the girl just come and spoken to them. Steve picked it up and huffed.
"What'd it say?" Natasha asked, leaning forward in her seat to try and get a closer look.
"It says ''here's a comfort seat because a lot of drama *trauma* shall happen,'' and it's signed as 'Prowlers'." Steve read with a roll of his eyes, but Winter couldn't feel the same light heartedness.
So, the movie of future would reveal who he was? Great, fantastic. Just what he needed. Even though he knew it would happen at some point…
Winter was too exhausted from his panic attack to properly freak out at the moment. That would be saved for later.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by the thing starting up again. He shuffled around for a second, before he and Steve ended up sitting in a fairly odd position. Since Winter was too tired to sit up straight at the moment, he was laying across the length of the couch, his legs thrown over Steve's lap.
He was amused to note that Steve's teammates didn't even look shocked, having already accepted that everything that was going to happen would be weird.
Everyone turned their attention back to the screen.
Natasha Romanoff: It's some kind of a recording.
Dr. Arnim Zola: I am not a recording, Fräulein. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945, but I am. [the computer screen shows an old photo of Dr. Arnim Zola]
Winter shuddered, of course Z- he had found a way to preserve himself. Winter knew better than to underestimate the man- computer, whatever he was now. After all the small, unassuming man had done…
Well he'd be a fool if he wasn't worried, even if it was all on a computer, Steve and Natasha could still be in danger.
Natasha Romanoff: Do you know this thing?
Steve Rogers: Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years.
Dr. Arnim Zola: First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972 I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body, my mind, however, that was worth saving on two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain.
"Now that's just disturbing." Natasha commented, blinking at the screen, her green eyes looking unimpressed. Winter had to agree, why couldn't the man just die? Why'd he have to insist on being alive? It was downright rude.
Winter was fairly disturbed to see the look of deep consideration on Stark's face, he couldn't seriously be thinking…
Bruce seemed to notice, and called Stark out on it. "Tony, no. Don't you dare." The scientist scolded his teammate, and Winter watched in amusement as Stark pouted, looking like a child.
"But Bruce-'' He was cut off by Bruce shaking his head. "No." Was all the man had to say and the Tin Can shut up. Though Winter doubted he had seriously given the idea up.
Steve Rogers: How did you get here?
Dr. Arnim Zola: Invited.
Natasha Romanoff: It was Operation Paperclip after World War II. SHIELD recruited German scientists with strategic value.
"What?" Winter almost felt bad for Shield, they definitely had it coming for them. Steve was practically red with rage, and Winter was very glad it wasn't directed at him. Because, gosh, that was a terrifying look Steve had in his eyes.
Natasha even had the slightest look of discomfort in her eyes. "I had nothing to do with it." Natasha informed The Captain.
"What were they thinking? Everyone knew Zola was dangerous, they knew he was RedSkull's top scientist!" Steve was angry, but Winter didn't even feel mildly frightened. Because, he agreed with Steve on this, one hundred percent. Especially with more and more memories flooding in. He doubted that if he had broken free of Hydra that they would have come back so fast, but with watching the movie and being by Steve… well, it speeded things up.
Natasha nodded, looking a little bit guilty, but only a trained eye could spot it. Winter looked away from her when he saw Maybe- Archer Clint's hand on her arm. Nope. Not going down that train of thought again. Wait- train of thought? No. He didn't like trains. It was an odd thing to dislike, but...
Dr. Arnim Zola: They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own.
Steve Rogers: HYDRA died with the Red Skull.
Winter rolled his eyes at Steve. "Cut off one head, two more shall take its place." He recited, hating every word he spoke. Of course, that saying was a tad bit wrong, because they hadn't been expecting one of their 'heads' to bite back.
Steve just rolled his eyes at Winter, though some of his anger was fading away. Winter remembered that vaguely, Steve didn't get angry easily, but when he got mad.. well, he got really mad. He didn't do it half way.
Dr. Arnim Zola: Cut off one head, two more shall take its place.
Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Winter thought dryly. Nope. That didn't happen.
Steve Rogers: Prove it.
Dr. Arnim Zola: Accessing archive. [the computer screen shows them old footage of Johann Schmidt/Red Skull, of the how the original SHIELD founders] HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom.
That was for sure, Winter could barely remember what the word 'freedom' even meant. Hydra had done a good job, robbing him of his free will. They just hadn't counted on Winter fighting back so hard. They hadn't expected him to struggle so, so hard. And even though they figured it out in the end. Winter's rebellious nature would never truly leave him.
What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist.
Winter felt like the man was just reciting what he'd learned from the war, and from trying to deal with Winter in the early days. Winter remembered that he'd tried to kill himself fifteen times, unwilling to become what he'd ended up becoming.
He remembered managing to kill over fifty Hydra agents once, when he'd pretended to be broken. He remembered how many times they'd had to wipe his mind to get rid of everything. And even when he'd forgotten everything, he'd still fought back. Of course, it didn't matter. They'd ruined whoever he'd once been. And Winter hated them for that, so, so much.
The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly.
After the war, SHIELD was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew. A beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For seventy years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed.
Well, Winter knew for a fact that that was true. After all, half the time he'd been the one sent out to 'fix' history. He'd caused over half of those crises, managed to start up quite a few wars. And it didn't matter. Winter knew Steve would manage to end Hydra once and for all, someday.
Natasha Romanoff: That's impossible, SHIELD would have stopped you.
Dr. Arnim Zola: Accidents will happen. [the computer screen shows them HYDRA had killed Howard and Maria Stark making it look like a car accident
along with the recent death of Fury]
Winter was suddenly very glad he'd confessed to Stark, because that would have been an even bigger disaster. He forced himself to not glance at Stark, who had taken a deep breath. He also noticed Natasha wince at Fury being on the list, why did he always have to kill everyone?
HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum. [in anger Steve suddenly smashes the computer screen] As I was saying...
Steve Rogers: What's on this drive?
Dr. Arnim Zola: Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm.
Winter honestly didn't know much about the algorithm, Hydra had tried to keep any important information from him. Even when they believed he was one hundred percent under their control, they still talked in hushed voices. Obviously, most Hydra agents had read the over review of Winter's past, and had decided not to trust him with any real good info. Of course, if Winter ever got the chance, he had enough information to completely wreck them.
Natasha Romanoff: What kind of algorithm? What does it do?
Dr. Arnim Zola: The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Steve grumbled, and Winter could feel The Captain's arms tense across his legs.
"C'mon. This is practically an action movie. You and Nats are the main characters, you'll be fine." Stark said, waving his hand in an annoying way. Winter rolled his eyes, this was real life, not a book or movie. (Little did he know…)
[suddenly the doors starts to close, Steve tries stops it by throwing his shield in between it but he's too late]
Natasha Romanoff: Steve, we got a bogey. Short range ballistic. 30 seconds tops.
Steve Rogers: Who fired it?
Natasha Romanoff: S.H.I.E.L.D.
"So… Hydra, then?" Winter couldn't help but ask sarcastically, having rested up and relaxed since his panic. Well- of course he'd still spent most of the time stressing and overthinking things, but still…
Natasha rolled her eyes at him. "You're the Hydra boy, you should know." The new nickname caused snickers to go up around the room. Winter glared half heartedly, wearing a slight pout under his muzzle.
Dr. Arnim Zola: I am afraid I have been stalling, Captain. Admit it, it's better this way. We're both of us...out of time. [Steve notices a small opening on the ground, he throws the metal door aside and just as the place explodes he throws himself and Natasha into the hole and protects them with his shield, he then manages to get them out from under the building rubble just as STRIKE agents arrive to roam the area for them]
"See, main characters, you're both alive." Stark said with satisfaction, but Winter could tell he was relieved.
Steve rolled his eyes at his teammate as Winter watched with interest. "Yeah, whatever Tony." Steve said, and Winter huffed.
"He's not wrong." Winter said, since technically, Stark had been right. Stark smirked a little at Winter's words.
"See, even Terminator agrees with me." Okay, these nicknames weren't getting any better. Honestly, Winter might have to add these to his mental list, which was getting quite long.
"Sure, Soda Bottle." Winter said, his voice a tad bit smug. Snickers went up around the room as the two continued to argue playfully.
