Neither she, nor the Soldier, could've expected what Karpov would do with the serum once they returned with it. No questions were asked when they did present it to him, only praise before they were sent off for what was known as 'maintenance.'
Graf was already ready, two guards warily watching as the two soldiers were stripped by a team of lab technicians. Left only in their tactical pants and a long sleeved shirt, each soldier was then poked and prodded. They didn't ask if they were injured, or if their arms needed work. If nothing was wrong, they were sent to their holding cell until further notice. HYDRA didn't trust them -and rightfully so not to- out on their own. They didn't even trust themselves.
They each had a bed and a small self above it, that was it. The Winter Soldier laid across his cot, not even bothering with his shoes. She rolled her eyes before doing the same, but stripped off her outer shirt to be left in the army regulation tank top. A few moments later and a man walked in with an IV. She'd been expecting him, her head was beginning to pound. Once the drug was administered, and the bag hung on the hook above her head, they were left alone once more in their small, locked room.
"Better?" He was the first to speak this time.
"Yes," she breathed, the pressure diminishing.
"What are you thinking about?"
She couldn't stop a tiny smile from uplifting the corners of her mouth. He had purposefully waited for her drugs to take a hold of her before asking, knowing it made her more open. Cheeky bastard.
"Do you think Barnes is your name?"
"No, malyutka, I don't," he said. Even with his voice taking its normal sharp edge, she understood what he was really feeling. She could always read him like a book... Most of the time.
"It's better that way, zima," she answered, muttering how 'HYDRA knew what was best' and that they could survive this. She could've swore that he laughed before she became unconscious.
Karpov required her presence two days later. Graf was present, as were half a dozen armed guards. That wasn't much of a surprise, but the four men and single woman standing off to the side gave her a strange feeling. Annoyance, maybe? She could never tell. With the IV gone, her brain was buzzing with thoughts, using its freedom.
"Ready to comply" the Winter Wraith muttered in Russian, eyes never leaving the new group. Sizing them up, zoning in on weak spots. They were HYDRA, she knew that. In fact, if she was correct, they were apart of the organizations top kill squad. The Elite.
"Let us begin," Karpov motioned for her to follow, her doing so, with the Elite close behind.
The Winter Soldier was already present in the infirmary-type room, empty gaze sweeping over the kill squad before landing on her. He didn't seem to know what was going on either.
Six beds were placed along the walls, three on each side. Graf led her to the one closest to the door, the Soldier standing at the foot of the bed.
She wasn't allowed to ask what was going on, but one look towards her handler had him answering her silent question.
"You need more, and now we have it. More soldiers are needed, and you need to become stronger. Your skill set is too valuable to let waste," was all the information he gave her before allowing two new men in white lab coats to step forward. They took her non-bionic arm and strapped it to the arm rest, causing a swift look of anger to appear on her face. The Soldier noticed. That same serum they had retrieved two days earlier surfaced again, this time its bag being hung above her head. The needle pierced her inner elbow, the drug causing a different feeling to sweep through her after five minutes had passed. Ice seemed to flood her veins. Her face was set in steel, she refused to show her discomfort. She had endured far worse.
Yet, it did progressively get worse.
Once the bag had drained into her bloodstream, the Soldier had escorted her to a different cell than normal. Other guards had taken the Elite elsewhere. This one had a bed, as the other had before, but restraints accompanied it.
"Don't you dare," she had hissed, but Karpov had surfaced and ordered her to let the Soldier restrain her. Her mind wouldn't let her refuse, but she still had broken through the one restraint that tried to hold back her cybernetic arm. Graf had to temporarily de-commission it.
"Watch her" was Graf's last order to the Winter Soldier before they left. The cell was then locked.
Her breathing accelerated until she was panting, continuing to thrash on the bed. She couldn't sit still, her increasingly rash movements undoing her tight braid. Hair now stuck to her skin due to the sweat continuing to accumulate. It progressed to even worse as the hours ticked on. Groans and screams would escape her, most of them out of pure anger at being given such serum. The pain was excruciating, coming close to even rivaling her 'mental conditioning.' Her head was pounding so hard she couldn't concentrate on anything, it felt like it would explode. She didn't know why it was so bad, why it wasn't as easy to take as the first time she had been given dosages.
The Winter Soldier stayed, watching her. He seemed concerned, different expressions passing over his face, but he never said anything to her. It was during the last hour that he finally stood up and proceeded to stand over her. He surveyed her face, finding her pupils blown so wide they were black, her whole body pale. Without much thought, his metal arm brushed some of the hair off of her forehead. The cool touch was a comfort on her heated skin. It was then that she finally stilled, her eyes focusing on him for the first time in hours, and the door was unlocked.
"Soldier, report," Karpov ordered, stepping inside but keeping his distance.
"It's complete," the first Winter Soldier harshly stated, his jaw clenching.
"Release her"
Her arms were freed, she swung her legs off the side of the bed. Never before had she felt such rage when she found Karpov looking down on her, a pleased expression on his face. When she took a menacing step forward, a warm hand grabbed her wrist and stopped her. Zima. Karpov didn't notice.
As soon as the general took his leave, giving the pair of them further instructions, she wrenched her arm free and shoved him back. He hit the back wall. Shock crossed both their features. This serum, it was different. She felt so... Powerful.
Their gazes met, neither of them voicing just how strange this situation really was. They didn't have that luxury. They could only follow their leaders, chained at the collar.
***
Zima = Winter in Russian
Malyutka = Little One in Russian
Both of those are Google translations, I'm learning Russian but it is a very slow process. So the googles was the best option. Hope you're enjoying the story, next chapter will come soon.
- Flynn
