Frostbitten

Chapter 6

I opened my eyes to find myself alone in a cold, dark room on a cold, hard bed. I tried to sit up but I was too weak to move. Whatever that man gave me must have done more than just knock me out.

I heard footsteps approach my door and I closed my eyes, hoping I looked asleep. The door opened and light came flooding into the room. Someone walked up to my bed and yanked me to a sitting position.

"I know you are awake." Said a harsh voice. He continued, "Let me introduce myself. I am Johann Schmidt, leader of Hydra, and you will be my successor."

I stared at him as he held up a syringe and injected me with the liquid, saying that it would strengthen me so I could move around.

"What is it with you people and needles?" I grumbled as I got up slowly. The man led me out of the room and spoke about the great weapon he was going to make me, how I would be the leader after he was gone, and how I had much to do before I could be anywhere close to what he wanted. We stopped at a door and the man pushed me inside and locked the door.

"Today we are going to see what kind of a fighter you are. This will be where you train." Said a voice through the window on the other side of the room. I looked around as the lights came on and saw guns, knives, rifles, and other fighting equipment on a table to my right. To my left were some floor pads leaned up against the wall that looked like they were used for hand to hand combat. But what I saw straight ahead of me scared me the most; there were dozens of ragged targets shaped like people, no faces or specific features but I knew they had been used many times for target practice.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, raising my voice. "Do you want me to kill in cold blood? Do you want me to beat people mercilessly? To become a monster like you?"

I watched as the man on the other side of the window stiffened. I made him mad and I regretted it.

"We are not monsters!" he yelled, "We are the heroes that the world needs! You people are so reliant on your freedoms that in fighting to keep them, you lose them all together! You were made to be ruled!"

I watched as he grew more frustrated with me while the minutes ticked by. He became so mad that he stormed into my room and began to beat me into submission. With every hit he said the same words.

You. Will. Obey. Me. Every single time until I was bruised beyond recognition.

"Do you understand what I am saying to you?" He whispered into my ear, "You will not disobey my orders no matter how much you want to. I am your master and will address me as such. This will be your punishment every time you fail."

He left and I stayed laying on the floor until some men came and carried me back to my bed. Undisturbed for the rest of the evening, I fell asleep and immediately had a nightmare.

I saw a short man, I knew he was a doctor, very important but I didn't know why. We were on a train, I was protecting him. It was cold. I heard thumps outside the train near the front. There were people trying to get in. I grabbed my gun and readied myself for a fight. I heard gunshots and left the man to join the fight. I ran into one of the cars just in time to see one of Hydra's soldiers blow out the side of the car. The soldier was thrown out of the car and I was left alone with the intruders.

I realized they who they were and found myself running toward them, shooting. They shot back and I was confused until I saw the reflection of the person shooting at them. It was me. I was staring at my own face. I was trying to kill Steve and Bucky.

I thrashed in my sleep trying to wake up, but I had no success.

I ran at Steve and threw him out of the way. Satisfied with my work, I turned to Bucky who was staring at me, not bothering to fight back.

"Makayla," he called, "I know you're in there. Don't do this." I ignored him and pushed him out of the hole in the side of the car. He grabbed one of the rails and I growled at my failure. I jumped at him, not willing to suffer a complete failure and pulled him off the side of the car. I heard Steve scream our names as we fell. Falling, down, never stopping...

I fell out of my bed, my blanket soaked with sweat. I sat on the ground in shock until morning.