If I Could Love || Bucky Barnes

002

"RIGHT this way," my guide tells me, leading me through the vast labyrinth of the HYDRA compound. As we walk, I observe our surroundings very carefully. To be honest, I don't know the compound very well. Up to now, I haven't been allowed much out of my cell. Unless it's for training purposes. Well, I might have been in this area before, though, of course, I wouldn't remember due to my lack of memories.

I glance at the corridor we're going down. It's dark, lit by fluorescent lights. There are a few agents milling about, going about their tasks, but to be honest, there aren't that many people around. Most are off on missions, or are hidden inside governments. That information I do know, due to the information that has been told to me.

As we walk, I look at the man in front of me. He's dressed in camo with the usual cap on his head. He has dark hair, and is of a reasonable height, though easy to take down even without the assistance of my abilities. We stop as two men walk almost directly in our path. I roll my eyes and curse under my breath, and my guide looks back at me nervously. He's young-- he can't be that much older than me-- and looks absolutely terrified. I wonder what he's doing in HYDRA to begin with. His parents were probably in it, and they wanted him to make them proud. Not that I care about any of this.

After the short walk from where I'm kept to where the Winter Soldier's are kept-- I'm actually kind of annoyed they didn't have him come to me, but considering the fact that he's their "top operative" I guess it's his place to choose-- we finally arrive at our destination.

We pass through sections of a room that are walled off by prison bars. Probably for just in case one of the Winter Soldier's goes bezerk. I sneer but look straight ahead. We're nearing the doorway to the actual part of the Winter Soldier's section.

As we enter, I get a good look at the place. It's large-- bigger than where I'm kept. To the center of the room is the Winter Soldier's memory wiping machine. It looks just like my own. Toward the side of the room is a doorway that leads to a much larger room. I can barely see what's through there, due to the door being half closed, but there seem to be large tanks filled with water or ice. I know they put the Winter Soldier's on ice frequently, so that must be where they contain them. Straight ahead and directly behind the mind blender is a second door. That must be where the Winter Soldier's live when they're active. Except the Winter Soldier, of course. With him on my mind all of a sudden, I look around, waiting to see him jumpscare us or something. Nothing.

I begin to get impatient. A combination of annoyance and impatience for me can be quite deadly. It's better that no one is in the room for me when I'm pissed off. If the man took much longer, anyone within fifty plus feet of me might want to run for their lives. I could get-- shall we say--- out of control when angry.

As I'm thinking these thoughts, the door that leads to the cell room opens a little more. Out steps a man who appears to be in his mid twenties or early thirties. He is tall, with long dark hair that falls to his shoulders. A dark vest is on his chest, containing all sorts of pockets or any kind of small weapon imaginable. He's glaring at us, but I get the feeling that glaring is his normal face. He crosses his arms, and I realize that his left isn't a real arm at all. It's made of metal. After looking at his arm a second longer, I see the edge of the red star near his shoulder. This is him. The Winter Soldier.

As I study him, he studies me with the same blank expression on his face that I have on mine, though to me, it seems as if he's sizing me up, wondering how I'm one of HYDRAs best agents. Let's just say I'm not the tallest in the world. More like average height. Despite these minor details, I feel a smirk forming on my face as I take a step toward him.

"So you're the Winter Soldier, HYDRAs fearsome weapon," I mock, stopping about three feet from him. I look into his eyes. They're a cold blue, the kind that could freeze anyone on the spot. I force myself to breathe, and harden my gaze,