Redemption ||Bucky Barnes||

12. The Real Danielle Finley

"Everything" can range from very little information to an overload. I can only imagine what Bucky plans to show me as I follow him obediently. I'm terrified, actually. What if it's something I won't expect?

We take an elevator down to a lower level of the Helicarrier. I keep close to Bucky since the halls seem dimmer, a little more eerie on this level.

"Does Vanessa know you're doing this?" I ask.

"She'll know soon enough," he says. "I think it's a good thing she recruited me to help you. If it were her, she'd probably keep this from you for years."

"Why?"

"You'll understand," he says cryptically.

I hate it when people act so vague about things like this.

Soon enough, we go into a room similar to what I had been in before with Agent Hill. She's not currently present. In her place is Agent Romanoff, along with my sister. As quickly as possible, whatever they are looking at disappears from the screens. I scowl.

"What brings you down here?" Agent Romanoff asks neutrally.

"Agent Finley knows," Bucky says gruffly, staring at my sister pointedly. I see her visibly pale once it clicks in her head.

"We'll leave you to it, then." With a guiding arm, Agent Romanoff begins to nudge my sister out the door. She clearly understands too. I'm still the only one in the dark, like I have been since waking up.

"Why can't they stay?" I ask Bucky as they're almost out the door.

"Agent Romanoff feels that it's not her business to be here, and Vanessa...that's a different story. It'll make sense soon."

"You keep saying that, yet it still doesn't." My hands go to my hips.

Bucky goes to one of the touchscreen tables, zipping through files that I see on the monitors. I can't understand what any of the files mean. I look back at the closed door behind us. I understand Agent Romanoff's reasoning for leaving, but why take Vanessa out with her? I think it's my sister's place to see what Bucky is about to show me.

"Pay attention," he says rather quietly. "Eyes on the screen, Danielle."

I watch patiently while Bucky brings up the first piece of information. I recognize it as a profile, my profile. I don't know how they have a picture of me, nobody asked me to take one prior to waking up in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s care. They might've got it from Vanessa somehow. It's the only conclusion I can think of.

I step closer to the screens to read all the details: name; date of birth; birthplace; age; hair; eyes; background; education; parents; status...

I only skim most of the stuff that I don't want to mess with until my eyes fall onto something curious under something titled Affiliation on the profile. It has something unusual on it, which can't be right.

I don't remember anything about something called Hydra. The name is completely unfamiliar to me. It doesn't sound like something I'd be involved with.

I tilt my head. "I-I don't understand," I say quietly.

"What don't you understand?"

"What the hell is Hydra?" I look to Bucky.

His hands clench into fists. I think I've asked the wrong question.

"Bucky?" I ask this in a small tone. He doesn't meet my eyes. "I need to know. You brought me here for a reason, to show me everything. I don't want to wait any longer."