Red Winter [Bucky Barnes]

Chapter Two: The Introduction

I stared at the ceiling fan, trying to ignore Nikolai's snores from beside me. I tilt my head to look once at him, shivering with disgust as I thought about what I had done. Though I hated myself for it; I wasn't stupid, he was in control of my life now. I needed to do whatever I had to to ensure that I survived. 

I almost pitied him for how blatantly stupid he was. He knew where I was trained, heard stories of what I was good at and yet even he couldn't see what I was doing. All it took was one doe eyed gaze and he fell for it. He was like most men I was sent to kill, so narcissistic that they would never believe that anyone could out smart them.

His stupidity would be my new lifeline; no matter how much I despised him, my future was in his hands. I watched him murder Alexi in cold blood because he was no longer valuable to him. If I wanted to stay alive I needed to prove to him that I had value. 

Nikolai groans as he opens up his eyes, smiling wickedly when his eyes land on me. I say nothing, but instead stand up, looking for my clothes on the floor. He quickly grabs my wrists and yanks it back towards him. 

"Did I say you could leave," he asks, slowly pulling me closer to him, his eyes lighting up with anger. 

How I wanted to turn the tables on him, but I knew better. Instead I smile softly as I turn my hand, tracing over his wrist with my fingers. "As much as I wish to stay," I whisper coyly, tilting my eyes down at him, "I need to keep up my training before I receive the serum. After all, you want me to be at the top of my game, right?"

He loosens his grip on my wrist, "I suppose that it wouldn't be the worst idea. Perhaps I'll send in Barnes, see just how good you are," he smiles sadistically, most likely imagining Barnes tossing me around like a rag doll. He made it clear last night that he enjoyed pain.

I smile sweetly as I free my hand, quickly finding my clothes and shoes, wanting to get out of this room as fast as I could. Though I had some small control over him, I was still very aware of how dangerous he was. I may not have known him for a long time, but I could sense the anger and rage buried deep within him. I did not want to see what would happen if he released it.

I rush out of the room, ignoring his burning gaze. I instead focus on trying to find my way around this bunker, they didn't exactly give me a tour. I could make out that this was the barracks, I just needed to figure out where the barracks ended and the bunker began.

Through a few trials and errors, I find my way into a small empty room. This was most likely used as a makeshift gym by some of the agents. I also imagined that this was were Barnes was trained or at the very least practiced. 

I find the silence of the room comforting, I could close my eyes and picture myself standing somewhere else besides this. I look out the window, seeing if there was anyone walking around. The hallways were empty, I guess that many of the agents were either asleep or on patrol.

A small smile creeps onto my face as I slip off my shoes, longing to do something that I had not done in a long time; dance. That was the one good thing to have come out of Moscow; I discovered that I had a passion and love for dancing. It was a good outlet to help cope with everything that they forced me to do.

I check the hallways once more, making sure that no one was coming. After I determined that the coast was clear, I close my eyes and picture myself back on stage at the Bolshoi. I could feel the heat of the stage lights, smell the overwhelming fragrance of hairspray. Girls rushing around backstage trying to find their places in the wings. 

Just as if I was there, I can hear the maestro cue the orchestra to tune. I could turn my head to either side and watch as stage hands frantically pull up the curtains as the orchestra begins to play a familiar melody. I remembered the hush that always feel over the crowd, the excitement in their eyes as ballerinas filled the stage. I sometimes wondered if any of them knew the horrors  behind the facade, though I don't think anyone could have ever imagine what I endured.m