Respect | S. Rogers [1]

12 | THE WEAPON

February 1945
Hydra's Headquarters, Swiss Alps

"Yes?" she asked Dr Henryk politely. 

Rosemary had been summoned to her father's office. Scanning the room, she glanced quickly at the file he was putting away managing to read ZIMA ZOLNIERS: PROTOTYP I. (WINTER SOLDIER: PROTOTYPE I).

"Beatrycze," the name sent her mind on alert. She had already noticed that there were more agents guarding his office than usual but pretended to pay no attention to it. Keeping her stoic expression and nonchalant stance, she listened. "Do you know why you are here? What is your duty to Hydra?"

Dr Henryk was a man who liked taunting others, to show that he had more knowledge on whatever matter than whoever he was speaking to. She knew why she had been called back to headquarters. She had done the small task of finding out when the SSR would be attacking and came back to prepare for battle, which was the only thing left to do considering the war had reached its breaking point, but she doubted that was what her father wanted from her, so she repeated what she had been told since she was little.

"I am here to obey orders for Hydra's mission," she said instinctively.

Stone cold he continued questioning her. "That is right. And what is  forbidden in Hydra?"

"Failure."

"Yes, we don't fail," he drawled, speaking to her as if he was talking to a child but with calculating eyes. "Except you have, twice." 

Her mouth went dry and didn't dare to utter a word. "Your mission was to gather intel on our enemies, so we could anticipate their every move..." he paused, "not to mingle with them and become attached." He stepped closer to her.

"I did what I was told. I only got near them to—"

"DO YOU THINK I'M STUPID?" He screamed in a fit of anger. Realizing he was giving in to his emotions, he regained his cool. "I will admit that you had me fooled for a long time but all traitors are destined to make a mistake eventually. Yours was that you started believing in fantasy, daydreaming of a pathetic life and forgot who you truly were."

"What are you Beatrycze?" he asked after a pause.

"I'm a Hydra agent", she replied looking directly at him, their eyes seeming to be staring at a mirror as they saw their same shade of green staring back.

"No, that is not what you are. What. Are. You. Beatrycze?" he emphasized each word and Echo stopped looking at him, fixing her gaze on a spot behind him.

"A weapon."

"Yes. Weapons don't go to tea parties and they certainly do not go to celebrate festivities," Henryk glowered and Rosemary refrained from closing her eyes in desperation. "You disappoint me, Beatrycze. Didn't you think we would find out? You let your guard down, but we are always watching. You've gone soft. I really hoped it wouldn't have to come to this, but you can't be trusted." I will have to wipe her memory clean, he thought.