𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍

CHAPTER 23

A/N: long chapter :)

Darkness swirled around Lia and Bucky as the machines worked to unlock their hidden memories. In a flash, they were transported back to a time long buried, when their lives were not their own. A cold, dimly lit room. Metal walls and the stench of fear. Lia stood in the center, her heart pounding in her chest. Across from her, Bucky, or rather the Winter Soldier, stared with emotionless eyes. Their handlers, Hydra agents clad in black, watched with twisted amusement. "Fight," a harsh voice commanded. "Until one of you can't stand."

Lia's eyes filled with despair, but she couldn't disobey. Not with the pain that followed resistance. She charged at Bucky, mimicking his super solider strength. Their movements almost mechanical, drilled into them through endless training. Bucky blocked her punch effortlessly, countering with a swift kick that sent her sprawling. "Fight Me," he growled, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of guilt. Lia scrambled to her feet, wiping blood from her lip. "We have to stop this," she whispered, but he shook his head. "We can't," he said, his voice hollow.

The scene shifted. They were on a mission, infiltrating a high-security facility. Lia moved silently alongside Bucky, their steps in perfect sync. The memory was clear, the details sharp. "No witnesses," their handler's voice crackled in their earpieces. Bucky nodded to Lia. She hesitated, but only for a second. They slipped into the shadows, their deadly dance beginning. Lia's hands moved with precision, disabling security systems while Bucky executed the guards.

Lia spotted an innocent man before her, a bystander who had unwittingly stumbled into Hydra's operation, looked at her with confusion and fear. Hydra's directives were clear, and she relished the power she wielded. Taking a deep breath, she let her voice soften into a melodic, entrancing tone. "Everything's going to be okay," she cooed, her voice weaving through the air like a haunting lullaby. "Just take this and shoot..." The man's eyes glazed over, his muscles relaxing as the compulsion took hold. His expression shifted from fear to serene compliance. He raised his hands slowly, as if in a trance, and brought them to his own head. With a gentle but firm motion, he shot himself straight through the head, crumpling to the ground in a shriveled heap. A smirk played on Lia's lips as she watched him fall, satisfaction mingling with the thrill of control. She had executed Hydra's orders flawlessly, and the power surged through her veins like a dark elixir. Without a second glance, she turned away, her mind already focused on her next target, her loyalty to Hydra unwavering and absolute.

Another flash, another nightmare. They were back in the Hydra facility, strapped to cold metal chairs. Electrodes attached to their temples sent jolts of agony through their bodies. A figure loomed over them, smirking. "Did you think you could resist?" he sneered. "You are ours, body and mind." Lia screamed as the electricity surged, her vision blurring. She glanced at Bucky, his face contorted in pain but his eyes locked on hers, silently promising to endure. "Don't forget," he mouthed, though even he seemed to be losing hope.

The memories shifted again, showing moments of forced camaraderie. Hydra would force them to rely on each other, building a bond through shared suffering and survival. They were in a cell, Lia tending to Bucky's wounds after a brutal training session. "I hate this place," she whispered, her voice breaking. Bucky took her hand, squeezing it. "I just want to be free." "Someday, we will be." Bucky said softly.

The final memory, after reliving innumerable traumatic recollections. They were being forced to fight again, this time more brutally, more savagely. Blood splattered the floor as they exchanged blows, each hit harder than the last.  "Enough!" a voice barked. The handlers pulled them apart, but not before Lia saw the deep gash on Bucky's side, his blood mingling with hers on the cold ground. "You disappoint us," the handler snarled. "Maybe next time you'll put on a better show." Lia's vision faded, her last sight Bucky's anguished face, his eyes filled with a sorrow that mirrored her own.

As the memories faded, Lia and Bucky were brought back to the present, gasping for breath. Both of their tear stained faces, pressed into their hands. The weight of their shared past pressed heavily on their shoulders, but they were no longer controlled by Hydra, but by their own choices.