THE CHAIN, B. Barnes daughter

13. Irina

Irina I hate you and everything you are.

"YOU'RE SLOW TODAY, SEVEN." Irina sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "You'll never be a true asset to HYDRA if you can't keep up."

Seven wiped the sweat from her brow, her body aching from the relentless onslaught. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but she couldn't afford to show weakness. Any sign of vulnerability would only invite more abuse.

"I'm trying," Seven muttered through gritted teeth, trying to catch her breath.

"Trying isn't good enough!" Irina shouted, delivering a swift kick to Seven's midsection, causing her to double over in pain. "You have to be perfect. Do you understand? Perfect!"

Seven gasped for air, her vision blurring as she struggled to stay on her feet. The training had been relentless, and the scars that littered her body were a testament to the brutality she endured daily. But today felt different. Today, the weight of her situation pressed down on her more heavily than usual.

Irina continued to berate her, the words blending into a hateful stream of insults and commands. Seven's mind drifted to the file she had found about her father, about James Barnes, and the brother she had recently reunited with. These small glimpses of humanity and family kept her going, but they also highlighted the stark contrast between what she could have and the hell she was living in.

"Stand up, you worthless child!" Irina's voice cut through her thoughts, followed by another sharp kick. "You're nothing but a disappointment!"

"Leave me alone," Seven said, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination. "I'm done with your cruelty."

Irina laughed, a harsh, grating sound that echoed through the training room. "You're done? You don't get to decide when you're done, girl. HYDRA owns you. I own you."

Seven paused. She sighed and went back to her position. "Good girl." She said, Seven switched with anger.

"Now punch!" Seven punched. Not fast enough apparently.

"Faster, Seven!" Irina's voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy atmosphere. "You're moving like a snail!"

Seven pushed herself harder, her muscles screaming in protest. She darted through the obstacle course, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Every misstep, every hesitation was met with Irina's biting criticism and the sting of a baton to her back or legs. Seven's body was littered with bruises and scars, a testament to the relentless abuse she endured.

"Pathetic!" Irina spat, her voice dripping with disdain. "You'll never be more than a weak, sniveling child. Do you think your father would be proud of this performance?"

Seven clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She wouldn't give Irina the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She pushed through the pain, the anger, and the exhaustion, completing the course as best as she could.

But it was never enough for Irina.

"Again!" she ordered, her eyes glinting with malice. "And this time, try not to embarrass yourself."

Seven's vision blurred with tears of frustration and pain, but she nodded and returned to the start of the course. She couldn't let Irina break her. She had to be strong, for her father, for herself. She steeled her resolve and began the course again, her movements precise and deliberate.

Halfway through, she stumbled, her foot catching on an uneven bar. She hit the ground hard, the impact jarring her entire body. Before she could get up, Irina was upon her, the baton striking her side with brutal force.