War Guilt [#Wattys2015]

Chapter Sixteen

Location Unknown, Germany, 1944

Third Person View

It had roughly been a year since Zola and Schmidt had frozen Maria to preserve her power. The more they froze her and the longer she was frozen would make her stronger. It also meant she wouldn't age. But now was the time for her to thaw and serve her purpose...

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Maria

I felt so exhausted, as if I'd run nonstop for a year. I fell to the floor when I could once again move. I so desperately wanted to get up but I just couldn't.

What happened to me?

I tried to think back but there was nothing there. It was like whatever I was trying to remember was locked away, never to be seen again. I didn't feel frightened or sad however, I didn't feel anything.

I had my head leaning against the door of whatever that dark, cold room was and I could hear the muffled sound of two people talking. Wondering if they'd hear me, I tapped on the door. When nothing happened I assumed they couldn't hear the slight tap of my fingers but then suddenly the door opened and I fell onto a cold, hard, tiled surface. I lay there, not being able to pick myself up, breathing heavily. I moaned, disapproving of my current state.

"Good morning 14315," a tall man with a red face said to me.

14315...

"Who are you?" I asked faintly.

"I am your master, we created you. I am Johann Schmidt and this is Arnim Zola," he explained, gesturing to a small man behind him.

I listened to his words. "Who am I?" I asked.

"You are 14315," he replied.

I shook my head slightly from side to side. "What is my name?" I asked.

He paused and turned around to face the other man. They spoke for a bit before Schmidt came back over to me and answered my question.

"You do not have a name but we can call you Nova," he replied. He seemed to be getting restless, as if he just wanted to get on with something.

Nova.

He turned on his heel and went back over to Zola, gesturing with his fingers for two other men dressed in dark uniforms to collect me. They picked me up and followed Schmidt and Zola. We went down a few hallways before ending up in a dimly lighted room. The men placed me on a laying chair and hooked up a few tubes to me. One of them went into my stomach then they poured a thick liquid in it. Suddenly my starvation dispersed and I felt replenished.

Schmidt sat on a chair next to me and began to tell me things; all sorts of things. He started off with me, telling me what I am capable of. Then he proceeded to tell me about my purpose; taking down the US Army who were battling against him and the rest of Germany. He told me they were the enemy, they were bad. Hydra was the good people who were trying to help the world.

"Because of what you are capable of, we need you to take the US Army down otherwise we can't do our part for the world," he explained.

I nodded in approval. I felt a certain loyalty to him and I felt the need to please him, do exactly what he tells me to do.

He then told me about the complications who were a man named Captain America and his Howling Commandos. He said it will be easier for me to rid of them first then proceed to weaken and take down the US Army. I was in disbelief of what he said I could do until he showed me a projection of me doing something incredible.

"I glow golden? My power is golden. That's why I am Nova?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied.

I got a sense that he was manipulating me but that thought soon diminished when I remembered what he had done for me, what he had given me. I had to repay him and the only way I could do that was to do the task intended.

I looked down at my arms just a a golden lighted patterned through them. I quickly opened my hand and a ball of golden light formed over it. I thought and different objects and the ball formed into all of them.

Wow...

I smiled widely and looked over to Schmidt who seemed to be studying me. Slowly, I nodded my head to him.

"I'll do anything you say, Master."

A Few Days Later

I stood in the centre of a preparation room while a few of Schmidt's female slaves and experiments dressed me. Most people would find it uncomfortable but I had become accustomed to it now. At least they weren't men.

When they were done they all stood in front of me and nodded their heads before rolling a long mirror in front of me. I studied myself. I was dressed in the US Army uniform but it was slightly torn to make it look like I had escaped the grasp of Hydra. My red hair was at shoulder length now and was growing quick as a result of the experimenting. I took one last look before walking out of the room to meet Schmidt.

"Are you ready?" He asked me.

"I am," I replied.

He nodded. "Inform me of your mission," he directed to make sure I hadn't forgotten.

"Get into the Army and kill their leader. Once they run ramped lead them back to base to be captured," I said.

"Good. Now come with me, I just need to do some slight modifications before you head off," he said and led me into a room a few metres down the hallway.

"Doctor Zola, prepare her," he instructed.

Zola was standing near a chair with clamps on either side of it. At the head of the chair was a strange looking device. Schmidt made me lay in it and clamps my arms and legs. I began to fret a little.

"Do not worry child, we are just going to freshen your mind. We don't want you remembering anything nasty while you're on mission," he said.

Zola made me bite down on a rag then put the device over my head. It surged with electricity and I knew what was coming. I bit down on the rag hard, my body tense and my hands in fists. Zola suddenly flicked a switch and the device came to life. I screamed in pain as every last part of my mind was swept away. The only thing remaining was my mission.