The Dark Captain

Chapter 7

Arianna woke up and she felt sore. And she loved it. After so long, after all the teasing, it felt right that Steve had been the one with her. She looked over at the super soldier in the bed with her. He looked peaceful, despite the lines of pain etched into his strong features. She caressed his cheek, smiling as she remembered his beard rubbing against her skin as he would feast on various parts of her body.

She moved to stretch and his eyes opened. He allowed a smile to play on the edges of his lips. It hadn't been a dream in the heart of hell. It was real. She had fit perfectly around him and, for a moment, everything had been right in the world.

"You look so beautiful in the morning," he said, his smile growing at the joke.

She chuckled and turned back to him, saying, "I'm a mess, but thank you."

He pulled her in for a strong kiss. His body wanted her again and he knew she would be ready for him. But, before anything could happen, guards stormed in. Several men took hold of Steve, pulling him from Arianna. Another guard held her tight enough to leave bruises. Both of them fought against the hands holding them, trying to protect the other.

They were separated in the hall and Arianna was taken to a kind of observation room. She was thrown onto the floor in front of Valentina. Arianna looked up, anger filling her. However, she knew something was about to happen and didn't want to make it worse.

"What are you going to do to him?" she asked.

Valentina went to the windows. Arianna was forced to get up and follow. She knew she would move heaven and earth, fight every demon in hell, and take on any number of deities if it meant she could kill the woman in front of her. Valentina de la Fontaine was a dead woman walking.

But Arianna had to bide her time.

"Seems hearing isn't enough," Valentina stated. "Time to see."

Arianna came up to the window and gasped. Steve sat in a chair. He wasn't fighting. He didn't look at anything in particular. He glared at the wall in front of him, the one-way mirror that Arianna and Valentina were behind. Arianna could see that he knew what was coming and knew there was no way to stop it. He accepted what was coming.

He opened his mouth for the guard to be placed. Fighting at this point would only put Arianna at risk, and he would not do that to her. Not to his Ari.

Valentina pressed the button for the intercom and said, "Begin."

The metal straps locked around Steve's arms, holding him in place. His breathing came in gasps. He hated the chair. He knew it had been repurposed for him, now that HYDRA no longer had the Winter Soldier. But he let those painful thoughts go. Shedding a tear from the past didn't change the present. He had to prepare for the pain.

With a bit of whirring sounds and the crackle of electricity, the headpiece moved to line up with his head, locking into place. Then, a large number of volts were applied to his temples. He screamed around the guard in his mouth.

Arianna banged on the glass as she demanded, "Stop it! Leave him alone!" Tears fell and a pleading tone took over her voice. "Fight it, Steve! Listen to me! You have to fight it!" Knowing he couldn't hear and feeling helpless, she leaned against the cold pane in front of her. "Please! Don't leave me!" She looked at Valentina. "I'm sorry! Just stop this!"

As Steve's screams stopped, Valentina took hold of Arianna's neck as she said, "If this happens again, we'll have him beat you within an inch of your pathetic life." Arianna grasped at Valentina's hand, trying to suck in some air. "This is your fault."

Madam Hydra let go and Arianna coughed. She watched through her spotted vision as Valentina left before she was dragged back to her cell. She sat on the bed, waiting for her Captain.