Covert Affair | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 64: Dr. Anton Gruber

It had been a week since their romantic date, and the glow of that night still lingered. Jenna spent her time immersed in the lab. They delved into the contents of the flash drive Jenna had stolen from Hydra.

"Alright, let's see what Hydra's been hiding," Tony said, leaning over the holographic interface. He typed rapidly, bringing up a series of encrypted files.

Steve stood nearby, arms crossed and brows furrowed staring at the interface nervously.  Natasha was seated in a chair next to Jenna, her arm wrapped around Jenna's waist. Jenna herself was perched on the lab table next to Tony.

"Jenna, can you work your magic on these encryptions?" Tony asked, stepping aside to give her access.

"On it" she replied. As she worked, Natasha leaned in close. "You doing okay?" she asked softly, her hand briefly brushing Jenna's arm.

Jenna glanced up, meeting Natasha's concerned gaze. "Yeah, I'm good."

The room fell into a tense silence as Jenna worked, her fingers flying over the keys. After several minutes, she cracked the first layer of encryption. A series of files appeared, each labeled with a cryptic name.

 "Let's start with this one." Tony tapped on a file labeled "Winter Soldier Project 01."

As the file opened, a series of documents, videos, and audio logs appeared. Steve's face tightened as he recognized Bucky.

The first video began to play, showing a cold, sterile room. He stood beside it, clad in his Winter Soldier gear, his expression cold and devoid of emotion. A scientist entered the frame, speaking in clipped, 

"Subject is ready for deployment" the scientist said, adjusting his glasses. He had a thin, angular face and a sharp, almost mechanical demeanor. "Mission parameters are set. Target: high-value individual."

As soon as the scientist's face appeared on the screen, Jenna's eyes widened in recognition. "That's Dr. Anton Gruber" she whispered.

Natasha tightened her hold around Jenna's waist. "You know him?"

Jenna nodded, her mind racing with memories. "He used to work with my parents. They were scientists, too. Gruber was brilliant but ruthless. He was also the one who gave me my powers. I thought he was dead."

Steve's expression darkened. "He was the one who did this to Bucky?"

"I think" Jenna answered. "Gruber was obsessed with creating the perfect weapon. He used methods that were beyond cruel."

The camera zoomed in on Gruber's hand as he gestured towards the Winter Soldier. Jenna's breath caught in her throat as she saw a distinctive burn mark on the back of his hand. "That's him, no doubt" she muttered, her voice laced with fear. "I remember that burn. I was the one who gave it to him." Natasha's grip on Jenna's hand tightened. She remembered reading about Jenna's encounters with Dr. Gruber in her journals, the fear evident in her writing.

As the hologram faded, Steve turned to Jenna, his eyes filled with a mixture of hope and desperation. "Jenna, do you think he's still with Hydra?"

Jenna took a deep breath, her gaze flickering between her teammates. "I don't think so" she replied slowly, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "But I can't be sure."

Steve's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"His file in Hydra said he was missing. I think after your fight with him he never went back." Jenna hesitated for a moment before she glanced at Natasha. Natasha met her gaze and nodded subtly, encouraging her to speak.

Taking a deep breath, Jenna began to explain. "Bucky...He was in the cell right next to mine. He was the one who trained me to fight." she admitted, her voice tinged with emotion.