𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐃, steve rogers

25. GOOD ACT

2016 | HYDRA BASE — The hot water fell evenly on poor Ariel, who was staring into the nothingness. In her mind, she was still connected to Wanda and her mind game. She was barely responsive and still rigid, either because of the magic the witch was using or because of the Siren serum that Strucker injected her.

The steam and the water adorned the room, but Ariel didn't notice anything. She didn't even mind that the hot water practically burned her still open wound on the side of her skin. She felt absolutely nothing ...

"Alright, you had enough time to shower. Come on let's go." Said a female HYDRA agent, who looked up from the watch on her wrist. She stood by the door and waited for a reaction. "I'm not buying your act, the serum is not even that strong! Don't think I'm jeopardizing my job because of you." She grumbled, when Ariel still didn't move.

"I know you can hear me, wannabe princess." She said angrily and approached Ariel, who was still staring at the bathroom wall as if mesmerized. "Look at me when I talk to you!" But still no answer, even when she was standing next to her. "I said look at me!" No answer.

"SIREN!" She screamed before grabbing Ariel's chin, turning it in her direction. However, the agent got a little scared when she stared into the girl's empty eyes. Her eyes almost rolled into the back of her head, as absent as she was in her thoughts.

A little worried, she let go of her chin and pulled her from the shower. She put some clothes and a grey bathrobe on her, before walking her to the door where Agent Ward picked them up.

But even with his presence, she was only in her thoughts. Together the three walked towards her cell and made sure that their little secret weapon arrived safely. Agent Ward opened the gate with his key card and noticed how she looked pretty bad and weakened. "Is she alright?" Ward asked with a concerned look. Even though Grant Ward was with HYDRA, he sometimes had a gentle side towards his favorite little mermaid.

"She's fine. It's all part of her act." The agent said annoyed. "She's just a dedicated performer." she scoffed into her ear, before turning back to Ward. "Your turn, she's getting on my nerves."

Ward carefully helped the girl lie down in her bed, made sure that she was lying neatly and covered her with a warm blanket, worried she would freeze. 

"We need you, come on." he would say, lightly slapping her pale cheek with his hand. "Do something-" He suddenly shuddered at her touch, she felt different. Unpleasantly cold.

"You will scream sooner or later, Siren." he warned as he retrieved his hand. „We'll make sure of that." however, after several attempts to wake her, he left the cell and left her alone to stare at the ceiling.

Ward liked her best in this new state, since she wouldn't try to argue with him. He despised how she would always try to "save" him, and how she would tell him too leave HYDRA behind. He was sick of her wannabe-saint voice, telling him, he was going to die sooner or later. How no one would remember him, or care that he was gone.

Ariel truly felt sorry for him, even though he put her in so much unforgivable pain and sorrow. After all he was still very young, he could've done so much good if he chose the right side...

But of course Ariel's suffering wasn't done yet. I'm fact shortly after only a few minutes the next one came into her cell.

Strucker.

"Oh hello, my dear little Siren." He said hello and stepped into the cell. He sat on a stool next to her bed and rummaged around in his pocket on the small table next to her bed. With a sharp cannula he filled another load of the glowing blue siren serum into the syringe.

"Agent Ward, asked me to look after you. He said you weren't feeling quite well." He replied while Ariel just stared at the ceiling, like she did the entire time. "He definitely has a gentle, soft spot for you, my little one." He said and sat down next to her on her bed. Next he lifted her sleeve up by her arm, tapped his rubber-gloved fingers on her arm and looked in vain for a good one Vein.

"I promise to be gentle too." He replied and stabbed the needle into her arm. But Arielle didn't flinch either. "Are you all right, siren?" Strucker asked, her eyes still blank. "I'm sorry, I couldn't find the vein." The doctor apologized and retrieved the needle out of her arm. "Don't worry, I'll try again." He dipped the needle again, hoping to get a response from his patient.

He was sure she could hear him. He was sure she was just playing a game and just faking it – just a good act. "Maybe we should try to find a thicker vein?" Strucker asked, pulling the needle from her arm once more. His gaze wandered to her neck, faintly covered with blue scales, where her gills were once located.

With his left hand he turned her head to one side, twisted the syringe in his right, and held the handle with one fist, as if he was ramming the needle into her throat at any second, rather than carefully sticking it in ...