Avengers: Search for the Winter Soldier
Chapter 53: Dr. von Strucker - Apprehended
Summary:
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s efforts to hunt down and apprehend surviving Hydra cells gains ground as a high ranking scientist, an expert in brainwashing techniques, is taken into custody.
Meanwhile, Steve spends some needed time with Bucky; introduces him to the rest of the team and tries to help him remember their shared past.
Notes:
This chapter is dedicated to my amazing friend, Vylet aka Gothabilly13 for all your friendship and support through the decades, for your untiring dedication to me and my work and the wonderful feedback and constructive criticism on my stories. I appreciate you in my life, more than you will ever know. – W6C
~ Downtown Manhattan – The Previous Evening ~
The sun had set a few hours ago and Nick Fury stood at the window of his office, his hands clasped behind his back, looking down at the city thirty floors below. The only real evidence that the city was still awake and active was the thousands of brilliant lights illuminating the streets and the sporadic glow of illumination in the windows of the buildings surrounding the tower in which he stood. He always thought cities were more beautiful at night, with the darkness hiding the clutter and masses of people who lived there.
Four hours prior, he'd ordered two Task Force teams to scour the city as information gathered by undercover agents had revealed Hydra was aggressively on the move with the sole intention of regaining their lost weapon. Intel also revealed they knew the Winter Soldier was being held at the Avengers' Compound just outside the city.
There was a brief knock on the door before it opened without waiting for an invitation to enter. Agent Maria Hill marched in and stopped in front of his desk. She watched him for a moment, waiting for him to give her his undivided attention.
"What have you got for me, Agent Hill?" he asked, without turning around.
She considered him for a moment, not entirely comfortable with being expected to deliver her report to the back of his head before realizing he was in fact, giving her his full attention as he was looking directly at her through the reflection in the darkened window.
"One hour ago, S.H.I.E.L.D. Task Force One-Zero-One encountered a Hydra STRIKE team moving through the city. They attempted to capture and disarm, but the situation escalated immediately –."
"Casualties?" he asked.
"Two agents took hits… they're receiving medical attention for non-lethal gunshot wounds."
"Hydra casualties?"
"Four dead, three wounded -," she paused as Nick lowered his head, taking a deep breath. "There was a high ranking scientist among them, sir. He's been taken into custody and should arrive shortly." She looked at her watch, "ETA twelve minutes."
"A scientist?" Nick asked, turning to look at her with a deep frown. "Why would a strike team have a non-combatant with them on a mission?"
Hill shook her head and shrugged. "Apparently, he insisted on being with them when they re-acquire the Winter Soldier. According to Agent Miller, this doctor is… quite talkative."
Fury looked at her and tilted his head. "Was he read his rights?"
Hill nodded with an ironic grin. She didn't understand the people who refused their right to remain silent. "He apparently has quite the ego and likes to… brag… about his accomplishments."
"Good," Fury replied and turned around. "That should make our job a lot easier."
Hill smiled, "Yes, sir."
"Bring him to Interrogation Room 3 as soon as they arrive."
"Yes, sir," she replied with a nod and turned away, exiting the office she closed the door behind her.
~ Avengers Compound - Present Time ~
Bucky's gaze swept slowly across the grounds outside; he couldn't remember having ever seen so much green grass in one place in his whole life. "Where are we?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"We're in New York," Steve told him.
"Brooklyn?"
"No," Steve replied, dragging a chair over from a nearby table so he could sit beside Bucky. "Have you ever seen a sight like that in Brooklyn?" he asked with a grin. Bucky turned to look at him. He thought about the question but could only remember the landing outside Steve's apartment; two stories above the city street with a fire escape. He shrugged and the lost expression on his face caused regret in Steve for trying to play it up. "No, Buck, it's not Brooklyn. We're a bit upstate from there." He watched Barnes as he stared out the window. "Do you remember the building we lived in?" Steve asked.
Bucky thought about the question then looked at Steve. "Did we… live together?" he asked.
Steve smiled thoughtfully at him. "No," he answered softly. "We lived in the same building, but you lived two floors above me." Bucky nodded with the information. "After my mom died, I kept her apartment." He paused, thinking about that day.
Bucky watched as Steve became thoughtful, reliving that day in his head and his expression turned sad. "I'm sorry."
Steve re-focused and smiled at him, appreciating his friend's condolences so many years past the day. "When I found her…" he paused again and Bucky looked at him; his expression full of care and empathy for his friend as he realized Steve had found his mom had passed. "When I found her, I didn't know what to do. I was… emotionally… perhaps, mentally overwhelmed… my mind was reeling… and… I just started yelling for you, over and over, as loud as I could."
The rest of the team remained silent as they were allowed to witness the exchange between them and when Steve paused, thinking about the events of that day, Bucky prompted him to go on.
"Did I… hear you?"
Steve smiled softly, nodding. "Yeah, you heard me. You always…" he had to take another pause before continuing. "You always seem to know… when I need you. You always seemed to hear me, no matter how far away you were."
"Did I… come… to you?" he asked and Steve smiled again, before his memories took over; reliving the day. He remembered standing by her bedside, looking at his mother lying there unresponsive.
He'd brought her breakfast as he'd been doing since she'd fallen ill. As a nurse, she worked in a TB ward; the risk came with the job. When she didn't respond to his attempts to wake her, he realized she wasn't breathing and his mind went blank, the world tilted suddenly and turned upside down. He remembered backing away slowly and breathed out his friend's name. As he stepped backward out of her room and into the living room he kept repeating Bucky's name louder and louder as panic began to set in. As he neared the window closest to the fire escape he turned to lean on the windowsill. He took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes and shouted as loud as he could. He called for Bucky over and over again and seconds later he could hear pounding footsteps on the metal grating above his head. He vaguely remembered seeing his friend descending the fire escape taking it four or five steps at a time. The next thing he knew Bucky was at the window trying to calm him down in order to find out what had him so frantic.
He told Bucky that his mom was dead and the look of pure concern on his friend's face as he climbed through the open window to go check on her. Bucky confirmed she had passed and then there were other people in his apartment, taking their statements and taking his mother away. He clearly recalled that, through the entire ordeal of making her final arrangements and through the funeral itself, Bucky never left his side. He'd spent nights sleeping on the couch just so Steve would know someone was there in case he had trouble sleeping or just needed someone to talk to.
The following year, Bucky's mom passed; leaving him alone with his sister. A few months later, Rebecca got married and moved out and that left Bucky in his family's apartment. With both their families gone, it was just the two of them and that was okay. He and Bucky always fit; closer than brothers his mom used to say. When he had nothing else, he always had Bucky.
"Yeah," Steve finally answered. "You came… and you took care of everything, including me."
Bucky smiled, wishing he could remember being there for his friend. Wanda, Clint and Sam still sitting at the table with them were moved by Steve's telling of the events. It was another example of how these two men had always been connected – bonded together since childhood. Best friends, brothers-in-arms, soul mates; however one wished to define them, it didn't matter. Not to them. Their connection to each other was extremely strong. They stood as an example to the rest of the world of what true friendship meant; just as Natasha had described it… unwavering, honest and true and no matter where you stood on the subject of male bonding; theirs was a love story of epic proportions. You could take it in whatever way you wanted, because it didn't matter to either of them what anyone else thought or said about it.
"I wish you could remember," Steve said, his voice soft and thoughtful.
Bucky swallowed; his expression sorrowful and he nodded, "Me, too."
Steve smiled at him then reached over to pull Bucky closer, pressing his face to the side of his head. "You will," he whispered to him, "in time."
As he lingered there, he became aware that the tremors and twitching muscles affecting his friend always seemed to ease to almost non-existent whenever he pulled Barnes close to him. He released him slowly, allowing him time to get his balance and keeping his eyes on him. As Barnes sat up straight in his own chair, his shoulders and head began to move involuntarily again. Steve looked up at Dr. Golden and she smiled at him, clearly touched by his story and the interaction between them.
Down in his lab, Tony Stark hung up the phone and turned off the holograph machine. He picked up the jacket and pants that were spread out on the table and folded them neatly. He put the two items back in the vault and locked it before heading out to find the team.
The elevator doors opened and Tony stepped out to see most of the team in the common area. Dr. Golden was standing behind Wanda and Clint who were seated at the table across from Barnes. Natasha was standing behind Steve who had pulled a chair up to the end of the table so he could sit beside his friend. Sam and Bruce were casually moving around the small kitchen area and they both greeted him as he walked by. He acknowledged both with a nod and the expression on his face told them they should probably follow him, so they did.
Those at the table who could see him approaching gave him their full attention. The sudden silence made Barnes look at each of them in askance. Steve noticed they were all looking past him so he turned to look over his shoulder.
"Tony," he greeted then noted his serious expression. "What's wrong?"
Stark glanced at Barnes and then to the rest of the team he said, "I just got off the phone with Nick -." Nobody said anything as they waited for him to finish his thought. "There's been a development," Tony told them then looked at Barnes. He considered their guest for a moment and then pulled his focus back to the team. "He's on his way here… he has something to show us." His constant glances toward Sgt. Barnes let everyone know that the something that had developed had everything to do with Barnes – or more specifically, the Winter Soldier - and they figured correctly that it had to do with Hydra and their unrelenting search for him.
"I can stay here with James while you guys meet with Nick," Natasha offered.
Steve looked up at her and followed her as she moved to the chair Sam had vacated and sat down. He looked at her; confused and a little concerned. She'd been a large part of the Soldier's recovery team and right in the middle of it all with him. He wondered why she suddenly didn't feel the need to be there especially when Nick Fury was coming here in person to share vital information.
Natasha noticed his close scrutiny and offered him a smile. "There's little Nick can say that would surprise me," she explained, "Besides, I'd much rather stay here and keep Sgt. Barnes company." She reached out toward Bucky and Barnes studied her outstretched hand. He raised his eyes to look at her before raising his hand from his lap and slid it across the table. Natasha gripped his hand gently and smiled at him. She could tell when he looked at her so closely that he was trying to place why she seemed familiar.
"You're sure?" Steve asked.
"Yeah," she replied as casually as she could manage. "I'm sure you'll be able to catch me up on anything I need to be aware of."
"Okay," Steve said, feeling at ease in the fact that Bucky will be spending more time with someone on a social level and not just being watched over by physicians. He pushed away from the table and stood up. "Is he on his way now?" he asked Stark.
"Yeah, he should be here in a few minutes. I thought we could convene in my lab," he offered.
The offer to gather in his laboratory seemed odd to Dr. Golden at first but then realized that if what Fury had to share with them was particularly disturbing or dark, she would rather that not sully the sanctity of sorts that her office now offered Steve and Natasha. She nodded with the suggestion.
"That's a good idea," she replied. "Wanda? Would you like to join us?"
Wanda looked up at her a little surprised. She hadn't taken part in any of the recovery team's activities up to this point and was taken by the offer. "Umm," she looked at Steve, not knowing how he felt about her being added in without discussing it with him first.
Steve smiled at her though. "That's a great idea. You've been really wonderful with the -," he was going to say Soldier but wasn't sure how much Bucky clearly remembered at this point, "with him, so far. He's made great strides in your presence. If you'd like to join the team, you're more than welcome."
"Okay," Wanda nodded. "I'd like that. Thank you."
The team began to move out and Barnes watched each of them as they stood up and moved away from the table. They gathered near the kitchen, talking quietly as they waited for Cap to join them. Steve reached past the metal shoulder to give a gentle squeeze to the base of Bucky's neck in a gesture of reassurance.
"I won't be too long, okay?" Steve told him. Bucky nodded but looked slightly concerned.
"Is… everything… o-okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, everything's fine," Steve assured him. "Just some… Avengers business we have to tend to. Natasha is going to stay with you until I get back, all right?" Bucky looked at the redhead and she smiled at him. Bucky nodded and Steve gave him another smile before walking away.
Natasha watched the team exit the room then turned her attention to Barnes who was once again taking in the scenery outside the large window. He was gripping her fingers, seemingly unaware that he was still holding her hand. Natasha not only could see the involuntary movements of his head and shoulders, but the hold he had on her hand allowed her to feel the jolts as his muscles contracted suddenly; as if he was trying to pull her hand toward him. She chose to not engage him in conversation at the moment and just look out the window with him. She took in the scenic view outside and realized it'd been a very long time since she'd actually allowed herself to just "be in the moment" and appreciate the beauty that surrounded her every day.
Fury arrived not long after the team gathered in Stark's lab and he brought them up to date on the goings on between S.H.I.E.L.D.'s task force activity and Hydra's movements through and around the city at large.
He explained to them how S.H.I.E.L.D. was operating since the threat of a Hydra resurgence had been brought to light. He told them that they'd apprehended a high ranking scientist whose personal job it was to "train" and "condition" the Winter Soldier. He made it clear that it was this man's personal responsibility to oversee the abuse and torture of Sgt. Barnes to keep him as mentally unstable as was possible. It was his task to keep Barnes mind-bent and broken so they could do with him as they saw fit.
Nick did his best to make the team members aware of exactly what they were about to see and hear, because it was one of the most disturbing interviews in which he'd ever taken part. He handed the thumb drive to Stark who then walked across the room to insert it in a port that would clearly project the recording in a three dimensional view as the team members stood in a circle around the projection.
S.H.I.E.L.D. HEADQUARTERS – 03:17 HRS - INTERROGATION ROOM 3
The recording began as Fury and Hill arrived at the Interrogation center and directed into a small darkened room adjacent to Interrogation Room 3. They entered to see Agent Phil Coulson already present and he turned toward them when the door opened.
"How's it going in there?" Fury asked.
"I don't think I've ever witnessed an interrogation quite like this one," he replied.
"What does that mean?" Fury asked.
"They ask him one question and he goes on for twenty minutes," Phil told him. "He seems quite brilliant despite not knowing what 'the right to remain silent' means, or 'anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law'."
"Hm," Fury hummed as he stepped up close to the one-way glass to observe the activity going on in IR3. "That usually means that they don't believe they will ever see a court of law."
"Well, from what I've heard so far," Coulson replied, "this guy needs to be committed to a bug house."
"That bad, huh?" Fury asked.
"You're about to hear for yourself," Phil told him.
"So you've had personal and direct experience in the creation of the assassin known as The Winter Soldier," stated the interrogator as if clarification was needed.
"Of course," answered the prisoner. "Not so much as in the creation of him, as that took place long before I was allowed to get involved in the project. However, I have been in charge of the training and constant re-conditioning of the Winter Soldier for the past seventeen years."
"Constant re-conditioning- ?" the interrogator asked.
"Yes, unfortunately, the conditioning of this particular individual does not seem to adhere for any great length of time," he explained. "We believe it is due to the myriad of super soldier serums injected into his system over many decades. In order to successfully keep control this particular subject, we've had to resort to manipulative techniques that would make even the strongest among you cringe."
Steve could easily imagine the horrors that statement conjured up as he'd already read through much of the Winter Soldier files. After Black Widow had released them to the global internet system two years prior S.H.I.E.L.D.'s team of IT technicians had been able to intercept the encrypted files and removed them from public access almost as quickly as they became available. Director Fury could only hope that they had intercepted the files in time to keep all that information out of the hands of individuals or any organizations that may be operating with nefarious intentions. They'd spent nearly a year decrypting the coded information contained within those files and compiled them into transcript; hard copied files which Dr. Golden was now able to share with Steve and Natasha.
He listened as closely as he could as the senior scientist boasted about the progress Hydra had made in the field of mind control over the past decades. His thoughts would take over and his focus would drift with images conjured up by the words the scientist spoke. He did these things to Bucky, repeatedly. Steve did his best to listen to every word, but his mind tried to protect him from the emotional trauma of having to hear it being stated and being spoken with such pride. He found it hard to breathe at times. Dr. Golden kept her eyes on him and everyone else in the room, while trying to also focus on the man in the recording.
"With the cooperation of the Weapon X Projects out of Canada, we were able to successfully guarantee amnesia in our test subjects for a specific period of time by using hypnotic exercises in conjunction with electric shock."
The recorded projection, although slightly distorted, gave the feeling that the interrogation of the Hydra operative was taking place right in front of them. Steve was struggling with his emotions as he glared at the man sitting in the center of the group. The interrogator was not visually in the recording which only added to the impression of the scientist being in the room with them.
"With the administration of certain drugs, we are able to reduce the subject to a vegetative state through repetitive, long-term convulsive-shock treatments. Ironically, it is through these very treatments that we are able to guarantee total amnesia of the knowledge that these invasive treatments were even performed."
"Convulsive shock -," the interrogator repeated, studying the man's demeanor as he made these confessions.
"Yes, it's quite amazing really. At the end of it all, the subject is completely unaware that he's even been tortured. He's left confused and often loses the ability to speak or walk or even feed himself… when allowed to take in nourishment, that is," he admitted easily with nearly a shrug.
The scientist either didn't realize the seriousness of his situation or he didn't care. He was giving Fury all the ammunition needed to put him away for life and he did it with an appalling sense of glee – as if he was actually proud of the actions he'd committed against Barnes and others like him. He was boasting… even bragging about his work as if no one should care about what had been done to the victims of his experiments. To him, they weren't people and he appeared to have no understanding at all of those who had empathy for them or those who were angry about what had become of them.
Captain Rogers was barely able to contain his disgust at, not only the confessions in regard to the inhumane treatment put upon unwilling subjects; but also by the very lack of conscience these people had toward the atrocities they'd committed on helpless human beings… atrocities performed on his best friend, on the one person who had always been there for him in his times of need.
Steve had to fight hard to keep his tears at bay as the realization hit him again, that he had never been given the opportunity to be there for Bucky in his most dire hours – the hundreds, if not thousands, of hours he'd had to endure extraordinary abuse without anyone to support him and love him and tell him it would be all right. He had to cover his mouth with his hand as a sob escaped. Dr. Golden watched him closely, ready to shut this down if he showed any further sign of emotional distress. They were supposed to be here to help Sgt. Barnes recover, not to put Capt. Rogers through the wringer. She'd known before they had started this that no one was going to come out of it unchanged and she had warned the team members of that fact before they began. It didn't mean that she didn't worry about them at every turn of these events.
"We have proven without a doubt, that we can successfully induce a hypnotic state in our subjects using a variety of methods; a favorite is a list of code words spoken in a particular language and in a specific order to activate them; to turn them instantly from unassuming, mild-mannered civilians into highly focused, highly skilled assassins. After so many decades of trial and error, the actual control of these hypnotized subjects can now be passed from one handler to another, whether on base or out in the field, with ease. Some have even proven to be conditioned and re-programmed so successfully… that they believe the change in their own identity to be the truth of who they really are, even on a polygraph test. They will have no memory of the name given to them at birth, no memory of family or friends… as far as they are concerned they had no life before us."
"So what you're saying is you've purposefully created Dissociative Identity Disorder in your victims-?" The interrogator asked for clarification for the record.
"Of course," the scientist answered as if that should be obvious.
"Let me re-phrase so I can be sure I understand you, Doctor," said the interrogator, "… you've purposely created multiple personalities within these test subjects."
"Yes, we have. That's what we do. In order to get a person to do things they wouldn't do by their very nature, you would need to re-create them into a being that believes it is why they exist. They have no doubts about what they need to do and suffer no conscious ill-effects over what they've done," the Hydra agent affirmed matter-of-factly.
"How exactly?" the interrogator asked in order to get as much of his confession on record as he was willing to share. "How is that possible?"
"In order to produce beneficial dissociative effects through acts of torture, the torture itself must be administered three-fold; it must be done publicly, it must be done deliberately and repeatedly," the Hydra scientist explained.
His personal knowledge, of the torture sequences involved in identifying prime candidates for their covert assassin program, was extensive. He made it extremely clear that it was his sole mission within Hydra was to create covert operatives that could be used on both sides of any conflict in which Hydra saw fit to insert them, without any emotional interference or conscious thought of the morality of what they were doing.
It was clear to Fury that this man had much more hands-on experience than many others working within the torture cells of Hydra. Despite his close contact with the torture victims, he was more than capable of conveying the information of his atrocities in a very impersonal manner. Nick, Steve, Dr. Golden and the others found his lack of empathy toward his victims appalling and quite terrifying.
"The torture activity; regardless of what it is, by its very nature, is required to be sadistic in both physical discomfort and psychological anguish. It must be performed with undisguised pleasure by the administrator of the torture."
"Undisguised pleasure -," repeated the interviewer.
"Oh, yes. Nothing takes the subject's sense of hopelessness and helplessness to great heights… or the lowest of lows, if you prefer, than knowing the person tormenting you doesn't care how you feel. They don't care if you're scared. They don't care if you're in pain. They don't care that you feel alone. That's what we're trying to accomplish. Particularly if the torture is based on actions that mirror sexual activity, both in what is considered normal sexual activity and what would be considered by most to be deviant. Molestation and even rape is used repeatedly to dehumanize the subject especially early in the torture schedule. It is often the quickest and easiest way to overwhelm the subject both physically, emotionally and psychologically. That is not to say that the administration of these actions should bring any physical or sexual pleasure to the administrator of the torture, but pleasure to the ego as it experiences the very power of the acts they are performing on the subject. They need to show the subject that they are enjoying themselves while performing the act against them."
"Only then, when the subject feels completely helpless and at the mercy of people who have none to offer… that, is when we achieve the all-encompassing, pervasive, and most often, irreversible psychological effects of torture. And it is in that way, that the subject's own body is rendered his worst enemy. We use his mind and his body against him."
At that moment Nick asked Stark to pause the recording and took a moment to explain this is when he was given some important information. Agent Hill had uncovered the Hydra agent's identity and disclosed it to Nick via his earwig communication device. As it turned out, he was one of Hydra's top researchers and the top-most expert in mind control techniques. Once he'd been given that information, Fury turned his attention back to the man in custody. As the interrogation continued, he'd exited the observation room and headed for the interrogation room.
He told Stark to re-start the projection and explained this is when he entered the room and took over the interview.
Without so much as introducing himself to the man sitting at the table in shackles, Nick asked, "Do you feel any remorse at all for the actions you've committed against your victims, Dr. von Strucker?"
The Hydra scientist smiled at Nick. "We do not refer to the subjects as "victims", Director Fury," Strucker corrected, addressing him by name to let Fury know he didn't have the upper hand here. "They are simply subjects appropriated for the use in experimental testing. Testing sanctioned by the government, I might add." Fury scowled at that statement as Strucker continued, "We do not give thought to them as living human beings other than to note and record the effects of our experiments on their mental condition and physical health. Understand?"
"Oh, yes, we understand you, Doctor," Fury answered.
"What you need to realize, Director, is that the conditioning and re-programming of these subjects is completely dependent on the procedures themselves resulting in unmitigated corporeal agony which compels the subject's ego to mutate," Dr. von Strucker went on to explain as if he was indoctrinating new recruits into Hydra's torture program. "With his mind shattered, we can then pick up the pieces of that shattered mind and put them back together in a different sequence… and rebuild him into anything we want."
"You used these procedures on the operative known as The Winter Soldier," Fury said, stated for clarification.
"Of course, the Winter Soldier is our most successful operative… a sleeper agent of unequaled skill," Strucker replied, "His sense of self, his… identity… was slowly and systematically destroyed over time and in that destruction his mind became fragmented. At the same time, his personal ideals, morals and principles were crumbled into dust. He became tabula rasa… a blank slate. Once we achieved that state, we were able to re-create him in our image."
Wanda took note of Steve's fight to remain steady through the entire recording. She moved close to him and put her arm around his back. He looked down at her and raised his arm so she could lean against him. He draped his arm around her shoulders but neither said anything as the team continued to watch the projection. The other members of the team exchanged looks with one another as the Hydra scientist continued to explain his reasons for the atrocities he and the other Hydra scientists committed against Sgt. Barnes and others like him.
"The most amazing nuance of torture, in my humble opinion, is when the subject realizes his own body has become an accomplice of his tormentor, becoming a channel of unending communication between the administrator of the torture and the subject. The subject himself becomes a vessel of pain; his body is now identified as a treasonous, poisoned territory that he cannot escape."
Dr. von Strucker paused to focus on that fact and he couldn't help the evil grin that Steve suddenly wanted to slap off his face. Strucker continued as if he held nothing but pride in his torturous endeavors and in the successes he'd gained to help propel Hydra forward in their goal toward global domination.
"The body now wracked in unrelenting pain and the mind now shattered, the subject seeks out and fosters an intense dependency toward the administrator of his pain. It is a humiliating dependency, I'm sure, but it is a humiliation that is registered only deep within the lower reaches of the subject's mind. He is not consciously aware of his humiliation, he only seeks to find solace - a sense of peace - and he will only find it in the one person who can give it to him – his torturer. Very similar to a dog mistreated by its owner… it wags its tail and shows itself submissive in hopes for a pat on the head instead of another kick to the belly."
"Normal, everyday necessities become terrifying for him…sleep, food, water, toilet, bathing… even freedom of movement eventually becomes a thing that induces fear. These necessities are wrongly perceived by the subject as the direct causes of his degradation and humiliation. The subject begins to fear closing his eyes in order to sleep, even though we give him every opportunity to rest." Dr. von Strucker paused with a thoughtful grin before continuing. "He becomes frozen in fear, terrified of making any movement no matter how subtle. Even to the point of being unable to produce a swallow reflex due to subconscious signals that tell him the reward he is being given is unwarranted and undeserved… and therefore he is physically unable to take in nourishment. I don't think I need to explain the sense of vulnerabilities naturally inherent in the act of using the toilet or simply bathing, do I?"
"No, you do not," Fury replied with an angry expression on his face.
Von Strucker nodded, as it should be obvious to anyone the fears inherent in those activities and seemingly unaware of the ire emanating from the S.H.I.E.L.D. director. "The subject will even learn to not breathe for great lengths of time... for the terror associated with the movements of respiration becomes ingrained in his mind. Because even the slightest movement could reveal his position to an aggressor, that fear sends a signal to his brain and the result is the inability to draw a breath. It is one of the first defensive mechanisms the subject adopts – the ability to freeze and became completely still, sometimes for hours at a time. That's not to say he can survive not breathing for hours at a time, but the very slow and shallow movements become his norm. That ability to freeze when necessary and to not move for long periods of time becomes a beneficial skill especially when the subject is on an active mission or while being pursued during egress. It is a life saving skill in order for him to remain hidden from those who would pursue him as well as remaining hidden from the target he may be hunting at the time."
Director Fury explained to the team that he'd stood in the room with Dr. von Strucker for over an hour as the Hydra mind-bender boasted about his success in the continued tormenting and brainwashing of Sgt. Barnes in order to keep him, for decades, in the mindset of the Winter Soldier.
"Of course, torture of a subject can often be reinforced or accelerated with the application of the same sets done to their friends or family or even to colleagues. We seldom ever have to go to that extreme though, as simply the threat of having the same terrors put upon the people the subject cares about is enough to induce the psychotic response we're looking for."
Steve's mind froze. The doctor's words echoed in his head and nausea nearly overcame him with the realization that these maniacs may have been able to victimize Bucky to these extremes simply by threatening to do the same things to his friends and family. Hydra may have very well used him against his friend. "Oh God," he exhaled with that possible reality. Dr. Golden heard him and kept her eyes on him throughout the rest of the recording.
"As I'm sure you are aware, a cohesive sense of self, and a solid identification with that self, is crucially dependent on the familiar and the continuity of the familiar in our lives," Dr. von Strucker explained to the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as if he were lecturing a class on Torture Basics 101. "By attacking and disrupting both; his biological body and his social body, the subject's psyche becomes strained, and that amount of emotional and psychological stress brings the subject to the point of dissociation. When the subject begins to dissociate from what is happening to him; that is when we know that we have him.
"You see… the mind, when overwhelmed by chronic stressors, has no choice but to try to find solace in a dissociative state. The chronic, overwhelming stress in which we keep him triggers the subject to induce a self-hypnotic state in order to escape the reality being presented to him. His perspective of self no longer holds identification with anything or anyone around him. It's as if his mind floats disconnected in space, ready to be molded, to be "created" in another's image. By isolating the subject from all that is, or once was, familiar to him, a gap in the ego - between "I" and "me" - widens and the dissociation increases, and in so doing, increases the sense of alienation.
"The subject, under torture," he continued, "is forced into a position of pure object and loses his sense of individuality, his sense of privacy from the world at large and his sense of intimacy with those around him. He loses his entire sense of 'self'… his sense of humanity is stripped from him. He experiences time only in the now, in the present, because it becomes all that he has. In that respect, his perception of the world; which normally allows for a sense of relativity to the things around him, is disrupted until the world no longer holds a sense of reality for him… nor do the people around him. His inability to relate to others or the world as we know it has been destroyed. He's a misfit, a deviant, in the eyes of our social construct. He is no longer… acceptable."
The information being shared proudly by the Hydra scientist was nearly overwhelming the team, especially Steve. He'd already known most of this from reading the files or listening to the recordings Hydra had compiled over the decades, but to hear the information being shared with such enthusiasm and a complete lack of empathy toward his victims was mind-blowing. His enthusiasm and lack of empathy and concern for Bucky tied Steve's stomach in knots. He was completely unaware that Dr. Golden was watching him closely and noting how Capt. Rogers was escaping the heaviness of this reveal by going into his own head. Long minutes passed without his knowing and not knowing how long he'd been lost in his own thoughts, he turned his attention back to the projection as Strucker continued to explain how he'd been able to gain total control over another human being.
"—he is rendered helpless even in sleep. Thoughts and dreams attack the mind and invade the body. Nightmares and terror thoughts become his existence... and we become his salvation. We can make the pain go away; we can give him that which seems unobtainable… the reward of peace and pleasure. We become -"
"- gods," Fury finished dryly. The door behind him opened and Agent Hill entered to stand beside him. Nick gave her a nod, barely visible to anyone in the room.
Dr. von Strucker grinned, pleased that Fury was paying attention and nodded. "Crudely put, but yes. We take from the subject the most basic modes of relating to reality as we know it and that becomes the equivalent of his cognitive death. We warp his sense of space and time by implementing sleep and sensory deprivation.
"The identification of self is completely shattered. The subject ends up with nothing familiar to hold on to: no family, no friends, no home, no personal belongings, no loved ones, no language, no history, no name, no identity… no sense of self at all. No autonomy whatsoever.
"Gradually, the subject loses his mental resilience and sense of freedom. He feels alien, not only to himself but to the world around him; unable to communicate with or relate to others any longer. He is unable to attach himself or to even empathize with others as a human being. He is given no choices and no freedom and because he no longer remembers ever having either, he doesn't miss them. He does as he is told."
"So, how is it that they are able to become dependent on their abuser if they can no longer relate to others?" Agent Hill asked.
Up to now she'd remained mostly silent, listening, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the information and opted to allow Fury to do the interrogating, but even that was unnecessary as this particular prisoner couldn't stop himself from spouting off and sharing the genius of his work. Now she found herself numbly curious as well. The Hydra scientist raised an eyebrow and grinned; again pleased to have their attention.
"We completely deprive him contact with others and, with that total deprivation, the subject eventually becomes starved for human interaction and with that outward interaction and personal connection denied to him, the prey bonds with the predator as it were. It's referred to as "traumatic bonding"; not unlike Stockholm syndrome. As strange as it may sound, it is a bond that centers itself in hope and a search for meaning… yes, even in the brutal and indifferent nightmarish universe of the torture chamber.
"As I mentioned earlier, if you look at the body as like a temple; it is familiar territory to each of us where one expects certain reactions and responses from it. It is the one place in which one's privacy; intimacy, integrity… and inviolability are guaranteed... normally. Torture is considered by most people to be an obscenity, because its very nature joins what is most private with what is most public. The administrator of the torture invades, defiles, and desecrates this temple... repeatedly. He breaks it down and makes it something once worshipped into something now repulsive to the subject.
"Torture takes all the isolation and intimate solitude of privacy and twists it into an unrecognizable thing with none of the usual security that normally accompanies this type of voluntary isolation. At the same time, it requires all the self-exposure of the utterly public without any of the possibilities for friendship or camaraderie. Even the chance to find someone to have the shared life experience with is non-existent. He is connected to no one and can relate to no one and no one can relate to him… except those who cause him pain and then promise him peace. He is completely isolated from the rest of humanity. He is entirely alone in all of his experiences and knowledge of this dark and desolate existence.
"Our torture techniques combine repeated instances of complete humiliating exposure with the devastation of utter isolation. The outcome... the final product of the Winter Soldier Program, is a scarred and shattered individual… an empty shell that we then re-create into something stunningly beautiful in all its destructive capabilities."
"The subject gradually becomes obsessed by his endless re-occurring thoughts of the torture itself, the pain and suffering it causes, and his non-existent station in life, of his worthlessness and subjugation at the hands of others. He is demented by pain and the continuous sleeplessness of an unnatural insomnia which we create; couple that with induced coma and keeping him in a sleep state for months at a time, the subject systematically regresses, shedding all but the most primitive defense mechanisms. His psyche begins to split, and his sense of self is thrown off, his ego is destroyed; shattered, it turns into a Projective Identification."
"Projective identification?" Maria questioned, not understanding the term.
"Yes, he begins to incorporate the characteristics of a being that is so desired by the administrator. Even while the ego fights for its own survival, it also tries to fend off future attacks by becoming a reflection of what the administrator wants. It becomes an unknowing accomplice in its own destruction. The administrator of the pain continually projects the identity he desires upon the subject, until the subject's mind makes the connection that adopting this identity will stop the pain."
"The inconsistency that the subject eventually exhibits, because of this duality of defense, produces a cacophony of internal arguments within his own psyche and the subject is eventually seen as a walking contradiction of himself. The duality of feelings, thoughts, actions and beliefs cause him great turmoil and he will eventually construct an alternate world that only he sees or believes exists. His world is detached from our reality because he is detached from what we know to be reality. The subject will also often suffer from de-personalization and de-realization, along with hallucinations, delusions, and psychotic episodes."
"He becomes totally dehumanized… objectified," Fury concluded, his eyes like daggers, pinning von Strucker.
"He becomes a being that exists in an altered state of consciousness, he regresses to a primitive state, he becomes... a predator, an apex predator," Strucker confirmed with a nod. "He becomes a perfect killing machine."
"Please stop," Steve said and everyone looked at him. "Please… stop it. Stop the recording."
"Captain," Dr. Golden stepped toward him as the projection froze. "Are you all right?"
"No," he said and began to hyper-ventilate as he tried to keep himself from bursting into tears.
Tony moved to the console to shut down the projection. He had to admit to himself that he was feeling overwhelmed by the info dump from the Hydra mind-bender. Every person standing or sitting in the room remained silent, trying to absorb the information they'd just heard and the completely non-empathetic manner in which it had been delivered. Even Dr. Golden had been stunned into silence as she studied the man in the recording. His complete lack of empathy toward those in his charge was insurmountable.
She'd had patients who were victims of such mentality, but this was the first time she'd heard from the very mouth of the tormenter. Being told by a patient that they felt they had been treated like an object and not a person was one thing in itself, but to actually hear the justification of such treatment from the mouth of one who could render such actions upon another human being without any remorse whatsoever…. it was so much more terrifying to see and hear for herself… she couldn't begin to fathom how inexplicably terrifying it would be to actually be at the mercy of such a man.
Steve stared at the frozen image of the man who had tormented his friend until it disappeared and then he turned on his heel and walked out of the room. Dr. Golden gestured for everyone to stay where they were before following him.
TBC'd