Winter Soldier (Book One)

Chapter: 14

DAY: 7
Lark

My body felt like it was burning from the inside, like I was on fire. No, I had to be on fire. My head was pounding and screaming, howling for it to end. I felt like a smoldering ember, a flame that wouldn't die. I wanted to scream, to crawl out of my skin and climb into an ice cold bath. But I was trapped, forever in a burning body with no escape or solace. I begged for death and screamed it's name into the abyss, but no response came of it.

I remembered a face, I remembered the person. It was Jack. But it wasn't Jack. It didn't exactly look like him. The skin was darker and appeared sickly green. The eyes were black, a solid black that looked like an endless abyss. I remember that he just suddenly appeared, grabbed my neck and covered my mouth. I felt helpless and scared when he appeared. But then he slammed me down on the ground and let go of my mouth. I laid there gasping, and that gave him the perfect opportunity to release something inside of me. I couldn't exactly see it but I could feel it enter my body. I had no control over anything my body did, I was his puppet. He had disappeared and my body went slack, being released from my strings;  laid there gasping and clawing at my throat for breath. I remember Bucky calling my name, yelling for Fury. I wanted to scream and scream, to rip and tear out the horror that filled my veins. 

Suddenly, from that darkness, came a flash of light. I was back. Gasping for air and wide-eyed in panic.

"Lark!"

Alarms were going off and people's panicked voices murmured somewhere around me. I took in my surroundings, as blurry as they were and pieced it together. It was a pure white lab with windows that looked out into a hallway. There were three figures here in the lab with me.

"Lark, it's okay." One said. I rubbed at my eyes and blinked until I could make out who it was more clearly. It was Bruce. Banner stood close by, but when he touched my shoulder I flinched backing up from him as my knees came up to my chest, my breathing accelerated and my heart began to race. Banner stepped back and Clint walked over quickly into view.

"Hey, hey, Lark. Calm down. Everything's fine." he said as he gripped my shoulders. He looked me in the eyes for only a moment before something made him turn around. I looked up. The Agent was standing by the door. Clint looked back at me again. "You okay?" he asked quietly. 

The beeping noises around use began to slow down, and it took me a moment to realize it was the monitors. I nodded slowly and Clint let go of my shoulders. I lifted my hand to wipe my forehead and the back of my neck, running my other hand through my hair.

"Do you know what happened to you?" Banner asked, his voice made me flinch just slightly. "Did you see something before you went out?"

"Give her some time, the kid just woke up. Let her breathe." Clint said harshly.

"But the quicker we get the information the quicker we can apprehend the person who did this."

"But don't we already know who it was?"

"We have theories." Banner answered.

My legs dropped down and I kicked them over the edge of the table. I felt a tug against my right hand and I looked down and found an I.V.

"You can take that out." Banner said. "We don't need it at the moment."

I pulled up the tape that was keeping the tube down and pulled back on the tube until it came out. I looked over myself, feeling hot and sweaty. But as I took in everything  and let my mind settle a little, I found that I was wearing tight navy pants and something like a sports bra. I looked up at Clint and then looked back at Banner.

"You've been battling a bad fever. I'm surprised you're awake right now." Banner said, coming around to face me. He tilted my head up and looked into my eyes, opened my mouth to examine my throat.

A fever. That's why I felt so incredibly hot, like I felt like I was burning. What was happening to me? Why?

"Fury's ready to see her." someone said, it made me jump. I looked up and saw the Agent standing in the doorway.

"Thanks, we'll send her down." Banner said to her.

"Here," Clint set down a pile of clothes and boots next to me. It just looked like a uniform that the agents wear. But it was somewhat darker. "Get dressed in these, they spare." Clint and Banner both turned and left, the windows sealed themselves shut for privacy.

I hopped down from the table, landing on my unsteady feet. I waited until I could find balance to lift up the top pile of clothes.

It was one of Black Windows old uniforms. I knew it'd be a bit small around the hips but I'd make it work. I took my time getting dressed into the uniform. Putting on the boots was fairly easy. The uniform was dark grey with a black stripe running up the outsides of the legs. When I made myself decent enough, I walked over to the door and pushed it open, the Agent was waiting on the other side for me.

"Follow me," he said. He turned and walked down the hallway, I followed him as best as I could manage despite his enthusiasm to he was walk like he was in a marathon. He rounded a corner and suddenly someone appeared out of thin air in front of me. They hand slammed over my mouth and shoved me up against the wall. I was looking into bright green demonic eyes.

"Hello Lark," he said. "Surprised to see me?"

My hands clawed at his until I realized who it was. Jack. His face was dark, looked like it was covered in ash; maybe from the dark swirling cloud of green mist that surrounded him.

"You're going to have to keep your mouth shut about this, Lark. You can't tell anyone it was me." He grinned wickedly. "See, this has to be a secret, maybe even a hallucination. If you don't, we'll come looking for you, and there is no possible place that you could hide. He's got big plans for you, Lark. And I'd hate to see it all go to waste on a pathetic girl like you.Now, don't let me down.. Zip those lips and you'll do just fine."

Jack vanished into the thin air and I landed on the floor with a gasp. I leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath.

"Ms. Treadwatter?" I looked up just as the Agent came back around the corner, brow furrowed in worry. "You alright?"

"I'm fine." I answered him with a shaky voice, brushing myself off and straightening the collar of my shirt. 

"Alright, then, follow me please." he said. I walked over and we both turned the corner.  He slowed down as we came to the bridge of the Helicarrier. Fury stood by for screens with his hands folded behind his back, Bucky stood behind him a little ways.

"Director Fury, we've brought Lark." the Agent said. Bucky turned around when the Agent said my name. My heart lept when Bucky looked at me, stomach fluttering and my chest growing tight.

"Hope you're feeling well," Fury said as he turned around from the screens. "Because we have a lot of questions." Fury stepped around Bucky and walked up past me, grabbing my arm and turning me right back around. I caught a glance at Bucky before I was forced to watch where I was walking.

Fury lead me over into a private room where he sat down at the head of the table.

"Sit, this may take a while." he said. I pulled out one of the chairs and sat down.

What do I say to Fury? What can I tell him? Do I lie? Do I tell him about Jack? My chest ached as I sat there waiting for him to speak up, for something to happen before I blurt out something that could cost people their lives. I knew what Jack was capable of, but I didn't know that he was like that. I don't even know what to call him, a freak? No. A villain? No, stereotypical. I was at lost for thoughts, for words and I didn't know if what would come out of me next would be a lie or a truth to save my own skin.

Fury cleared his throat and I flinched, he adjusted in his chair to face me; "Let's begin, shall we?"