Bad Idea | Corrupted Minds Trilogy Book 1 (Bucky Barnes)

Help Me, Help You

Rosella watched as the Hydra soldiers fixed the bent bars Bucky had created. She fumbled with the shock bracelet the little scientist man put on her. "It'll keep track of the progress of your powers," He explained. "It'll also produce a very high voltage shock whenever you attempt to use your powers without permission. Don't think we didn't see your little stunt earlier." Rosella looked up above her and in the corner was a camera watching her. How could she forget about cameras? That's one of the main things these places have. As soon as the soldiers finished their work on the bars, a set of guards escorted Bucky back to his cell. Rosella grew happy to see a familiar face and when the soldiers left, she rushed to the newly made bars and held them.

"Bucky." She called to him but all he did was sit against the wall and stare into the distance. He was just like when they had first met. Distant, cold, and emotionless. They had wiped him. She knew what they had done to the Winter Soldier. Her curiosity led her to research everything Avengers or Avengers-related. She found Hydra and was able to hack some files. In one file, there was something about the Winter Soldier and what they do to keep him under their control. The file never showed his face and the language was in Russian. Rosella used Google Translate to read the files. She only stopped looking at them when her friend warned her saying, "They'll track you down and take you." Her friend had been right.

Rosella felt sympathy for the soldier. What he was going through she couldn't imagine it. He was being used and was forced to forget everything. He wanted to remember who he was and was trying to fight the control, so Rosella decided she would help him any way she could. She looked at her shock bracelet and back at the soldier. She concentrated on having her body feel light and weightless. Her wrist began to feel the shock charges the scientist warned her about. She fought the charges and phased through the bars. When she finally was able to go past the bars, her arm burned in pain but she resisted crying or screaming. She looked at her wrist and saw that the bracelet was still on her. Huh, she thought. So whatever I touch can phase also? Too bad the bracelet couldn't fall off. She then slowly approached the soldier as the pain from her wrist decreased.

"Bucky?" She called his name, hoping not to trigger or anger the Winter Soldier. He didn't move or flinch as she cautiously sat next to him. Rosella knew it was stupid, but she gently touched his exposed flesh arm and he reacted. His metal hand grabbed her wrist and threw it off of him. He didn't look at her and kept his focus on the wall in front of him. Rosella didn't know what to do so she decided to leave but before she could take a step away, he mumbled something.

"Vivian..." She wondered who "Vivian" was. Maybe his sister? Rosella made her remember that name. It would be useful to him to know he knew someone named Vivian. Rosella went back to her cell and worried about Bucky.

*******

Waking up, Rosella could faintly see a body far in front of her. She returned to her cell, sleeping against the wall. On the other side of the bar wall, Rosella could see Bucky laying on the ground with his back to her. His hair was scattered and he twitched. She yawned as she sat up and stretched. Bucky seemed to be calm but when she approached him, she saw him moving and sweating. He made noises and mumbled names. Was he having a nightmare? He then clenched his fists. She knew better than to wake up a person while they had a nightmare so she waited it out.

"Bucky," She tried to console him, hoping that a familiar voice would help bring him out of the terror. "It's Rosella. You're having a nightmare, you'll be okay." She tried to comfort him somehow. He only seemed to be worsening, shaking and twisting fervently. Before she could reach out to him, the soldier sat up out of breath. He looked around anxiously and worried. He locked eyes with Rosella and didn't take his gaze off her.