Marvel Oneshots

Chapter 4 - Burning

Yo. Vote if you want. Ill try to be better about this. I know I say that every time. I try.

When I woke up on the cot in the room, I felt miraculously better and worse at the same time. My skin burned and I was dazed out of my mind, but the bruise on my side had disappeared, my throat didnt feel scratchy anymore, and I didnt feel hungry.

I can hear conversations go on outside, it was how I passed the time. I heard their conversations and made up what each of them looked like and if they had family or pets. The outside. Id always imagine the outside.

Natasha got out, someone will help me like they helped her. Or I can do it myself. I can. Ill learn about HYDRA and what the weaknesses are and Ill get out.

When the door opened I knew I must look pathetic, the Soldats eyes looked at me and then away. He mouthed something but I couldnt hear.

"Youre a person. A person. You know that right? I need you to look at me. Person to person. I need a break. One day."

He looked straight at me and spoke but no words came out. I could hear footsteps and a conversation between two germans but not him.

"Cut the shit and just talk to me." His brows furrowed and he dug into his waistband and pulled out a marker and wrote on his hand, "I am."

I dont understand. I took my hand and pressed it to his chest and pushed him back. Out of the cell. He looked at me confused and I shut the door.

Fuck, what is happening? Im so confused. I pressed my hands over my ears again and I heard a new voice. "What the fuck?" Again and I heard a new sound, "WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"

That hurt. My own voice hurt my ears...bad. Soldat came in and started to write on the floor. Ive never cried as much as I have these last few days and I hate it.

"Can you make it stop? Please? Please, make it stop. PLEASE!" I winced, grabbing him. I can see the handler out of the corner of my eye but I dont want to look at him.

Sodlat held out his hand and on top were a set of ear plugs. I put them in with shaking fingers, but once I did I let out a sort of laugh. All of it was gone.

Soldiers grabbed my arms and I fought them, finding a new kind of strength that I havent felt before. But when the baton hit me I fell to the floor screaming, electricity coursing through it and into me.

When I opened my eyes again I was back in the chair and they were pushing the serum into me. I wanted to scream but I knew itd hurt so I just clamped down on whatever mouthpiece they put between my teeth.

They all left, left me to burn. Burn alive in whatever fire they keep pushing into my blood. Holy fuck! Hell would be better than this. The fire. Burning. Burning from the inside out.

~ ~ ~

This office is small. No windows and two doors. Hes got files with large Xs on the front in a cabinet behind him. His shoes qre clean, pristine in fact, everything is.

"Whats your name?"

"Depends who you ask." I answer, keeping an impossibly straight face. Handler told me that treatment is done, and ever since Ive felt stronger.

"Im asking."

"Who are you?"

He sat back in his chair and clicked his teeth, "I think you dont want to tell me.... because you dont know."

I scoffed, but it was true, I didnt. After my last treatment I cant remember much of before. The man before me rose and walked about his office, reaching into the filing cabinet qnd pulling one. It had three red Xs on it and project summer along the white label.

"Youre name is Summer. We rescued you from bad people. They wanted you weak."

"Im not weak." I spit, shaking my head as a sound louder than his voice rang in my ears. Screaming.

"The pain made you stronger. Now Summer, we ask you use that strength. You are a weapon, and with the proper training and resources, you can help our cause."

"A weapon?"

"Mhm."

Its not right. I know it. Weapons arent people. Am I... a person? Does a person bleed fire like that and survive?

"Its okay. Confusion is normal. We will help you through it. Understand, that becoming the truest form of Summer takes pain and sacrifice, but in the end serving HYDRA is worth it."

I nodded, trying to piece it together in my head. I mean... I am stronger now after treatment. Maybe they did just bring me to my full potential.

~ ~ ~

Dodge. Kick. Pull. Punch. It was like a dance. Some things hurt, some felt like triumph and I knew that I had him. Winter is going to lose this time.

Once I win I get a mission. I get to help the cause. Thats what handler told me.

He was on top of me and I had him flipped in a second. My eyes flicked to the handler for a millisecond to see his smile.

Winter pulled me off of him and I slid under his body and twisted my hips to hit his knee just right. I jumped up and went to kick him but he was gone. All of a sudden I was laying on my back coughing and gasping, the air knocked out of me.

He stood over me, pinning me with a hand to my chest and the other raised to hit me in the face. But he paused, and his eyes searched for my face for a second. For a full three seconds we both just looked at each other until I made the first move, flipping him onto his back and getting my foot on his neck.

Winter tapped. I won.

He stood up slowly as I looked at handler. I got up suddenly and shoved Winter against the wall, "ЧТО ЗА ЧЕРТ! У тебя был я! Ты позволил мне победить! Иди на хуй!" (WHAT THE HELL! You had me! You let me win! Fuck you!)

"Halt dich zurück, Sommer." (Stand down, Summer.) Handler instructed and I obeyed but sure as shit I was not going to let it go next training session.

Ive been working years to get an upper hand on him, not to have it given to me. Im not a weak link that needs to be handed her wins.

"Ты не будешь нянчиться со мной во время нашего задания. Понял?"

He nodded and I walked towards handler, awaiting his next order. Handler told me and Winter to go get dinner and then we would be done for the day. I nodded and left, Winter not far behind me.

"What was that?" I whispered just loud enough the two of us could hear it.

"Lets just get dinner."

"No." I turned and he stopped. He looked... suprised? Did I catch him off guard?

"Then what do you want to do?"

"I want you to explain why the hell you pulled your punches?! Do you think I cant handle myself? If you dont think of me as an equal you know this mission will go sideways."

"You wouldnt understand, Summer. Move on. Lets get dinner."

I shook my head as I walked, "Fine, but you have to give me a new set of earplugs... I havent been able to sleep the past few days."

"And you still just about kicked my ass... damn."

"Getting old, Soldat!" I giggled.