A Birdie Lost in Time | Bucky Barnes

|17|

When she awoke the next day, the girl needed a moment to let her mind catch up.

Reassigned.

New York.

With the Soldat.

Waiting for orders.

There was still a dull pain across her body, but she pushed herself up, meeting the eyes of the Soldat who sent her a nearly imperceptible nod.

She wasn't sure why he was on the floor. Like so many other things since she'd... come off the platform, it was odd to see him propped against the wall, metal arm resting against his knee.

He was no longer wearing the jacket he was yesterday. Now, only a shirt with short sleeves covered him, giving her a full view of his arm. An arm she did not recognise.

It was completely different, made of shiny black metal with gold between its plates. There was no silver and there was no red star.

It didn't make sense. How long had it been since her mission? She couldn't remember if he'd told her a date, nor if he'd said how long they had been reassigned for, but it had to be some time if he had an entirely new arm. And extra inches of hair that, at the moment, were pulled away from his face.

"Morning," he said, pushing himself to stand. "How are you feeling?"

The words didn't make sense either.

Nothing made sense.

"Soldat, permission to speak freely?"

"Course," he nodded.

Course.

What did that mean?

He nodded though, so she assumed it was permission. "I do not understand what is happening. Your arm. It's different."

His eyes didn't stray from hers as his jaw tightened. "I lost the other one in a fight."

"How long ago?" she asked, brain trying to work out a timeline. "I am confused as to how long ago my mission was."

"I got this arm about a... month ago. But your mission happened before that."

"What is the date, Soldat?"

He assessed her.

Familiar.

What he was looking for, she didn't know.

"The last date you were active was November eighteenth, nineteen-seventy-nine."

"Yes. That was my last mission date," she confirmed.

"What do you remember of that night? After you were injured?"

"After I was treated, we drafted the action plan to retrieve Doctor Balakin. Then, I was given the new suit and ordered to do a test run to ensure it was working."

"Then?"

"That is all I remember."

"And the suit you wore, it was the one you were wearing yesterday?"

"Yes."

He nodded. "Were you ever briefed on where I was when I wasn't on a mission?"

"I was told you were inactive. That is all."

He nodded again, fists tight at his sides. "I was kept in a cryogenic chamber. They froze me between missions."

Her brows furrowed at that. "You were frozen?" she asked, her words slow.