Necessary Good, Unnecessary Evil | No rest For Wounded Souls [Bucky Barnes]

Prisoner 75632

"All things truly wicked start from an innocence."
-Ernest Hemingway

****

Berlin, Germany. 2012
4:00 AM

Nova's POV

"Prisoner 75632, get over there." I slowly raise my head, confused.
I start to recognize some of the words but still can't tell what they're saying.
They don't like that. I don't know Russian. How am I supposed to understand them?
I stay still on my feet, feeling my heart starting to beat faster.
One of the soldiers heads over to me, grabbing my arm and dragging me to the wall.
He presses my back against the bricks, and I understand what is going to happen.
"No! Let me go!" I shriek, trying to push him away.
His grip stays firm on my shoulders as a second man puts me in a metal choker, locking it to the wall.
I hear a metallic screech and two metal bars slide by my sides.
The soldier holds my arms up as the machine locks my hands in metallic gauntlets.

I don't want to go through this again. I can't.
"Please, don't do that," I plead, breathing in sharply.
I move my eyes around the old shed, hoping to catch anyone who seemed to care.
My heart sinks when I meet two blue eyes in the back of the shed, and my eyes fill with tears.
"Help me!" I scream, "Help me!" I try again, feeling my throat burn.
He remains silent, his eyes burning into mine.
Why is he just standing there? Why doesn't he help me?
He knows how this goes. How can he do nothing?
I see the man in the white coat attach the usual wires, sticking white pads on my temples.
He grabs my chin, shoving a mouthguard between my teeth.
I widen my eyes, feeling my heart pounding in my ears as my breath becomes more and more rushed.

"Step back," The man speaks, letting go of my face.
I know what is coming next, "charge, shot." My muscles tense, and I feel electricity run all over my body.
I feel each fiber of my body contract to the point where I'm sure they are going to snap.
My neck bends back, hitting the back of my head against the bricks.
"Bronze, venomous, headquarters, twenty-two," His voice digs in my head, scraping out whatever is left of me, "harvest, offshore, dealer, reward."
The power goes off, and my body immediately relaxes, hanging forward.
My legs refuse to keep me up, and when the machine releases my body, I collapse to the dirty floor.
I feel my body twitch as I try to open my eyes.
The bright lights on the ceiling blind me, and my heart hurts.
My body moves, I feel my muscles work, but it's not me.
I slowly get up, my body still sore.
My head turns to the side to face a pair of blue eyes, "We ready to go?"
He recites in English, and I nod.
A soldier puts my equipment on, stepping to the side.
The doctor hands me a dagger and a gun, "We want quick and clean work. The mission report is in six hours."

****

7:08 am

The cold air feels like razors blades on my skin.
I've been sitting in the snow for an hour, keeping my focus on the target hiding in the safe house about thirty feet from me.
I hear a short whistle, and I stand up, heading to the path in the wood around the house.
I see the light reflect on the metal arm of the Soldier standing behind some bushes.
He's been monitoring the back for hours, waiting for our target to leave the house.
He was supposed to get in his car ten minutes ago.
"We are going in." He signs with his hand, keeping his eyes on the windows.
"We have to take him alone." I sign back, knowing his family is still inside with him.
Our orders are to take him out. Only him, no one else has to get hurt or can see us.
"It doesn't matter." He signs quickly, taking out his gun.
"Take the front." I nod, walking back to my position.
"Two minutes." I hear him speak in my ear.