Look to the Future | reader insert

||25||

A few days later_

I was thrown down against a really cold section of flooring and groaned.

When I looked up, I found myself staring at a whole bunch of people, they were all in tubes with wires sticking from their arms.

"W-what is.." I trailed off, staring at them as I pushed myself up, "what is this?"

"The rest of the Winter Soldier Project," Zemo answered, "unstable unlike your partner. But still Winter Soldiers. Somewhat similar to you. But more closer to your partner in science."

"Why're you showing me this?" I asked, my body ached, my head screamed and all I wanted to go was grab the gun on his hip and shoot the place up so I could get away but I could barely stand after the nightmares I've been forced through these past... Hours? Days? Weeks? I don't know.

It feels like it's been so long. I've just been constantly fighting against him trying to get my brain to go back to the way it was before Sokovia.

"Well, your brainwashing, they used the same code that we used for the Winter Soldiers but I've discovered you've become unresponsive to the code. Or so it seems," he hummed, "however, these subjects... Not so much."

I frowned, looking back to him.

"What..." I trailed off, "I don't-- I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"Like these subjects, you, deep down-" he walked past me and walked down the room, "-have the code buried deep deep in your psyche. So deep, it seems almost buried. But I've noticed something. What do you see?"

"See?" I asked, "I see people."

He sighed and stopped walking, turning back to me.

"Closer."

"I see people being tortured by you," I answered, "involuntarily tied down and locked away from the public, their pasts, their futures."

"To be more precise, it was Hydra that did this. But you're almost there. What do you see?" he stepped towards me.

"I just told you," I stepped back, but was quickly stopped by the feeling of the edge of the platform. Didn't really feel like falling down stairs today.

"What do you see?" Zemo pressed infuriatingly, "don't make me ask again."

"Fine! You want to know what I see?!" I shouted, pointing to the poor people in a trance like state, "I see myself. I see my past. I see my childhood, or lack there of."

I paused.

"I see Hydra," I glared at her.

She smiled.

"Seem the Avengers have been doing a little brainwashing of their own," the doctor stated, almost amused by something, "the Americans have your partner. He's locked up and soon your precious Avengers will see the true Winter Soldier. Although- without you, he's not really a full team is he?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, "where is he? I thought you had him."

"Hydra did. I don't," he shrugged, "he... escaped from Hydra. I traced him to Romania. But then I got an interesting call, you had placed yourself away from Stark, in a space you didn't know back to front. Catching you was easy."

"It's almost like you were planning this," I frowned.

He let out a slow low laugh.

"Right about now, your partner will be all tied up in interrogation. I'll be going to meet him soon enough," Zemo told me, "and he'll be beating the Avengers up soon enough. Again. You'll meet him again soon, I'm sure. But for now, it's time to reconnect with the old you."

"What?" I stared at him before he pushed something down against my head.

"I read about this technique, apparently it was very well received when you were a child. I'll use this since the code isn't working without a little help," he told me, "after all, you seem to have gotten mentally stronger lately."

"No!" I threw my hands up and tried to push the weird head piece from my head before I was grabbed and dragged to the centre of the room, "Tony! Tony help!"

"Sorry, kid, Tony Stark won't be coming. You're all alone here."

°🕰️°

Tony's PoV

A shiver ran up my spine as I sat down.

"You OK?" Natasha asked.

"Besides being beaten up by a mad man?" I asked, "I'm doing pretty well."

"Any news on y/n?" she asked as she sat down near me.

"Nothing," I replied, "I can't even find a trace. Not the car, not the man that grabbed her, nothing. It's frustrating me. And every minute that I cannot find her is another minute in which she suffers more."

"I don't suppose you have any idea where they are?" Secretary Ross walked in, he was referring to Steve, Sam and Bucky who'd escaped and disappeared a few hours ago.

"We will," I replied, "GSG-9's got the borders covered. Recons flying 24/7. They'll get a hit. We'll handle it."

"You don't get it, Stark," Ross said, "it's not yours to handle. It's clear you can't be objective. I'm putting Special Ops on this."

"What happens when the shooting starts?" Natasha asked, "what? Do you kill Steve Rogers?"

"If we're provoked," he answered, "Barnes would've been eliminated in Romania if it wasn't for Rogers. There are dead people who would be alive right now. Feel free to check my maths."

"With all due respect, you're not going to solve this," I told him, "not with boys and bullets, Ross. You have got to let us bring them in."

"How would that end any differently than last time?" he asked.

"Because this time I won't be wearing loafers and a silk shirt," I told him, "seventy two hours. Guaranteed."

"Thirty six hours," Ross fired back, "Barnes. Rogers. Wilson."

"Thank you, sir," I thanked.

"And also," he paused on his way out of the room, turning to look over his shoulder to me, "you lost a very dangerous weapon. Find f/n l/n just as quick."

I stared at him for a moment.

"Y/n isn't a weapon," I told him, "she is a nineteen year old girl. Same as any other you'll find on the street."

"Tell that to the extensive weapons manipulation training she's had since she was eight years old," he replied before leaving.

I let out a stressful exhale before looking to Natasha.

"My left arm is numb. Is that normal?" I asked her as she walked over and patted me on the shoulder.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Always," I lied, "thirty six hours... Jeez."

"We're seriously understaffed," Natasha reminded me.

"Oh yeah," I leaned back and sighed, "it'd be great if we had a Hulk right about now. Any shot?"

"You really think he'd be on our side?" she asked, I shook my head, "I have an idea."

"Me too," I looked up at her awkwardly, "Where's yours?"

"Downstairs," she answered, "Where's yours?"

I smiled.

"Queens," I replied, "someone y/n has been watching for the past six months now."

She gave me a confused look and I just smiled wider.

Peter Parker.

Y/n, don't worry, soon I'll be able to focus solely on finding you. It shouldn't take too long to stop Steve.

I'll find you.

I promise.