The Winter Warrior // Captain America

«Chapter 33»

T H I R D   P E R S O N   P O V

Anna's head pounded painfully as she woke up with a groan. She struggled to open her eyes but knew she didn't have a choice. She felt a heavy weight pressing down on her arm and when she looked to her left, she saw her arm was trapped in a metal contraption. 

"Steve. Sam," a voice called and Anna shot up, seeing Bucky standing in front of her. 

Two other men hurried into the room and stood at a safe distance from her. One she recognised. The other, not so much. 

"Buck..." she whispered. She looked at her brother. "Steve." 

"Which Anna are we talking to?" Steve asked her. 

"Our mom's name was Sarah. I'm named after her," she told him before turning to Bucky. "Your favourite fruit is plums. You once ate ten in one sitting." She chuckled at the memory and Bucky and Steve smiled.

"Can't read that in a museum," Steve said, relieved his sister was back.

"Just like that, we're supposed to be cool?" Sam Wilson asked sceptically.

"What did I do?" Anna asked.

"Enough," said Steve.

"Oh, god, I knew this would happen." She sighed frustratedly. "Everything HYDRA put inside me is still there. All he had to do was say those goddamn words." 

"Who was he?" Bucky asked, folding his arms.

"I don't know," Anna muttered.

"People are dead," Steve spoke. "The bombing, the set-up. The doctor did all that just to get ten minutes with you. I need you to do better than 'I don't know'." 

Anna frowned as she dug in her mind, fighting to recall what had happened. It was all very blurry, but she could remember a few key things. "He wanted to know about Siberia. Where I was kept. He wanted to know exactly where." 

"Why would he need to know that?" Bucky asked. 

Anna looked at him. "Because I'm not the only Winter Warrior. HYDRA created a serum that resembled yours and injected it into a bunch of people, not just me."

"How many?" asked Steve.

"Five, I think, but they could've easily created more," she said. "We have to stop them before they get out." She motioned to the steel trap holding down her arm. "Can someone..." 

"Yes, of course, sorry." Steve rushed to the side of the contraption and pulled a lever. It opened and Anna's arm was released. She stretched it a couple of times before it felt normal again. 

She looked up and found the three men staring at her. "I'm sorry..."  she muttered. "About everything. I never meant for this to happen."

"I know you didn't," Bucky said, walking toward her and wrapping her in a hug. She tightly hugged him back and inhaled his familiar scent. He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "It's okay." 

She pulled back and looked at her brother. "It's good to see you, Steve," she said and he smiled, hugging her as well. 

Steve stepped back and motioned to Sam. "This is Sam Wilson. He helped me track you down," he said. 

Anna held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Sam," she said as he uneasily shook her hand. 

"You too," he said. 

"We should get going before they start searching this area," Bucky spoke up. 

"Good idea. Let's go," Steve said and he turned to his sister. "Someone's waiting for you outside," he told her.