'Reina Parker, Agent, 14095774'
Over and over again she said those words in her head. Like a skipping record, she continued this pattern for hours on end.
'Reina Parker, Agent, 14095774'
She felt her eyes starting to close, sleep trying to overtake her. She was exhausted, starving, and freezing. She shifted from her spot on the concrete floor, her back resting back against the metal bars of the cage. She was tucked into one of the corners, her knees set against her chest with her arms encircling them. She rocked herself gently, continuing her mantra. She'd lost track of time ages ago. She no longer knew how long she had been kept here.
She stifled a yawn, shaking her head to chase the drowsiness away. She let her eyes scan the area, glancing up towards the ceiling. She watched the guards walk past overhead, their guns in their hands. If only she could get her hands on one…
She listened to a distant cough, peering over at the other prisoners within cages like hers. There up to five in one cell, some having less were the past occupants were dragged off to never return. Looking at her own cellmates, they weren't fairing much better than she. They had huddled around her in an attempt to keep each other warm, but she also noted the way they put themselves between her and the door on the other side.
'Reina Parker, Agent, 14095774'
She shifted again, trying to bury herself within her arms.
"Reina?"
She blinked, lifting her head to meet Gabe's eyes. They were trained on her, his brows crinkled together with concern. His mouth was set in a hard line, but Reina knew what he wanted to ask her.
"I'm fine, Gabe" She said those words so easily, even though everyone knew it was a lie. No one was fine here.
"How are your hands?" Dugan asked from her left. She shifted to look at him, shrugging her shoulders a bit as she unwrapped her arms to examine her hands.
They were covered in bruises and cuts, scuffed from the many hours of hard labor they were subjected to.
"This is nothing" She was telling the truth about that. During her few years as an agent she had been stabbed, shot, thrown around like a rag doll. A few cuts and scrapes were nothing.
She flexed her hands, her joints creaking from the lack of movement and cold. She dropped her hands against her knees, letting her eyes close as she leaned her head back against the steel bars. She heard the murmurs from the other cages, a message being quietly passed.
'They're coming, food rations'
Reina opened her eyes, hearing the whirling of the elevator as it descended. She listened, the whole group having gone quiet now. The doors scrapped open, and the sounds of echoing footsteps and the squeak of a cart reverberating through the room.
She couldn't see them until they were right at the door. Men dressed in tactical gear, guns at the ready. One tossed their food rations through the bars, letting them hit the ground and roll to them. Reina didn't move, her eyes trained on the guards. They made their way to the next cell.
"Rae"
Reina slid her eyes back over, her gaze fixing on the man in front of her. Bucky held out the small roll of stale bread to her, gesturing for her to take it. She reached out, taking the roll from him.
"Thanks…" Reina took a bite, chewing slowly. Her stare was fixed on the roll as she took slow, deliberate bites. When she lifted her gaze, there were five chunks of roll being held out to her.
She snorted in her throat, glancing around to the men in the cell with her. This had become almost a ritual now.
"Guys, I keep telling you. Eat you're rations. I'm smaller I don't need as much"
The rolls fell away from her, the men tucking back to the rest of their rations. She shook her head. Normally she would be downright insulted. But it was endearing to see that even in their situation, they remained gentlemen around her. It was almost like they forgot that a few short weeks ago they were all fighting alongside in the trenches.
Her mind wandered now, back to Camp Lehigh. She wondered if they knew they were captured…or if there were any survivors at all. She thought about Peggy, and if she was still waiting for her return or if she thought she was dead.
She doubted she would ever see her friend again. Knowing full well that they were too far deep into enemy territory. A rescue mission would cost more than it would gain. And she knew Phillips wasn't going to chance it. She couldn't be mad, though, she would have made the same call. No, this place would be the death of her. The only question in her mind was just how long she would be able to keep pushing forward.
