❝They're a ghost story, you'll never find them.❞
IN WHICH A GHOST STORY OF A SUPER VILLAIN BECOMES AN AVENGER'S REALITY
BOOKS ONE, TWO AND THREE
[CAPTAIN AMERICA:THE WINTER SOLDIER , AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON , CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIV...
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ON THE FIRST WEEK AFTER SPARING VICTORIAS LIFE, Tony and Pepper locked themselves in his office to try and fit the pieces in the very complicated puzzle that was Violet Zola. Surprisingly, there were conspiracy theories on the internet also trying to work out who she was.
After the second week, Natasha and Clint sat in Fury's office, trying to convince the director otherwise. Why should her life be spared? She's killed thousands of people. She sabotaged their mission in Budapest. She is the face of Hydra. Natasha knows her more than anyone and Violet should not be trusted. Fury dismissed them- "You were once assassins too."
By the third week, the small glass window of the dented metal door slid to its place on the left, and Steve Rogers' face appeared in the hole.
Victoria sat on the chair she was once tied to, her hands were now bandaged and one leg was in a cast. Underneath the small window on Victoria's side of the door was a ledge, of which the Captain placed a hot meal on.
On the month mark, Steve pushed a pillow through the small hole.
Towards the end of the fifth week, a blanket with the comic book version of Captain America printed on was pushed through the small hole. Victorias now less-broken fingers traced the outline of a face she knew more than her own. She wondered where Bucky was, if he was looking for her. And then her thoughts drifted to Wanda and Pietro, Hydra. What were they doing without her?
On the sixth week Tony operated on her and disabled her tracking device. No gifts from Steve.
It was two weeks after they operated on her when Steve reappeared.
"You have a blanket with you and Bucky on?" She spoke before he had the chance to turn around and leave, her face suddenly looking through the hole, inches from his as he stands on the opposite side. Steve smiled, somewhat guiltily. Victoria liked his smile.
"Erm- yeah. We- I- kind of have a fanbase going. Bucky was my best friend. The hardcore fans love him too. Who he used to be."
"I miss Bucky." Victoria mumbled, casting her gaze down, upset. Steve's eyes lit up for a millisecond before quietly replying.
"Me too."
Both superhumans sat on either side of the door, Steve telling Victoria about the times he and Bucky had together, right up until he fell off the train. In return, Victoria told Steve about how Bucky treated her, even as the Winter Soldier. For days they bonded over the man who had such an important part in their lives, as Tony watched on.
☢
IT TOOK THREE MONTHS FOR HYDRA'S BRAINWASHING TO WEAR OFF VICTORIA. They could tell because she actually laughed at one of Steve's shitty jokes recycled from newspapers in the 1930's. Three months until the violent outbursts stopped and broken bones healed. Three months for Steve's soft spot to grow into a smile at the thought of her. Three months for her powers to dull down. Three months for Tony's DNA test with her to come back positive. Three months of intense therapy with a very expensive psychologist to begin to even understand what they were dealing with. Three months for Tony to decide to weasel his way into the new emotionally vulnerable assassin.
Tony approached the door of the cell the young woman was contained in. Through the glass window, he could see Victoria, violet veins illuminated, hold her hands out in front of her. Her face had signs of exhaustion, and it was clear she was distressed. He watched solemnly as he face slackened with defeat. When she slumped back in her chair, he entered the code to the door and it slid open.
Victoria didn't look up at his entry, Tony could feel her sadness roll off her in waves.
"Not used to feeling this useless, huh?" He said as he sat down on the floor in front of her.
"What would you know-"
"I know more about feeling useless than you think. You know, you probably had a better life living with Hydra than you would've done living with Howard. Living with your real family." Victorias eyes snapped up from looking at a spec of dust on his shoe to Tonys warm eyes.
"I was beaten and starved as a child. I was Zola's little lab rat whilst he experimented on me. I was sent to the red room to train just so it reduced suspicions on Hydra. What could possibly be worse? Having a shit childhood or killing thousands of people in twenty five years?"
"They taught you to survive. I had to learn that by myself seven years ago when I was nearly killed by a weapon I made."
"When I was twelve I was forced to join a public school. Two days later I walked into that school and killed everyone in the building. I'm a weapon. I'm not sure if I'd rather be killed by the weapon I made, or let the weapon I am kill me. But I believe it's a choice we all have to make. Sacrifice yourself or let karma bite you in the ass. And that is why I feel useless, Tony Stark. I can't save the people I care about from the karma that comes with the decisions I made."
"Yes, you can." This is it, he thought, he's finally going to be able to break down her walls.
"How?" She asked, skeptical as to whether it was one of S.H.I.E.L.D's tricks or not.
