August 2nd, 2025
Steel blue eyes burned into Kate's vision even after they had gone. After the Winter Soldier had stopped the bullet with his metal hand and had taken the gun from her, it looked as if he was going to yell at her.
Instead, he'd stepped back from her, turning to look at Shuri behind him. Kate was only left confused as Shuri put her in a set of cuffs she didn't recognize, ones that didn't like to be tampered with. Nothing was said as Shuri pushed her out of the room alongside her IV band, the Winter Soldier in front of them, and into an adjacent room.
This room she knew was familiar, with the standard table, a single chair with two opposite it, and a double-sided mirror on one wall. They'd sat Kate down, her hands still bound behind her, and left. The silent drip of the IV kept her company, giving her the strength she knew she needed.
Now Kate was left even more confused, with even more questions. But oddly, she felt embarrassed. Maybe she had tried to take her life in front of the only person who had tried so hard to keep it, or maybe the attempt failed, and she had to live with those consequences.
Kate's memory was still fresh from the last time she was 'deployed.' Her entire back was still healing and sore from the beating she'd received. The burning ache of regret and betrayal is still persistent in her system. Every emotion she felt during cryostasis was as fresh as ever, swaying her logic to insanity.
After another ten minutes, the door unlocked, letting Shuri inside. She took a seat across from Kate.
"Do you want to start?" Shuri said softly. Kate lifted her eyes and glanced at the mirror, knowing full well who was standing behind it.
Kate wasn't surprised that the Winter Soldier was alive and had received some adaptations in the last few decades. She was slightly curious as to why she was in Africa when her handlers were explicitly ordered to take her to Germany while in cryostasis. She knew from the few minutes of being awake that the technology here was at its finest, which meant that HYDRA must be at its peak. She didn't particularly care where she was or why she was pulled out. But she was only concerned about one person.
"Where is General Vasily Karpov?" Kate knew it had been thirty years, but the hag would find every reason to escape death, and she intended to be the one to kill him.
Shuri's eyebrows raised, glancing quickly at the mirror before looking back at Kate. She hesitated, "Karpov is dead. He was murdered by Hemlut Zemo on June 19th, 2016."
Disappointment and shock fell over Kate, her brows furrowing between her eyes. "You seem disappointed," Shuri remarked, curiosity in her tone.
"Why was he killed?"
Again, Shuri hesitated but still gave a response. "Information extraction."
"About what?" This time, Shuri remained silent. "Why was he killed?" Kate asked again.
"Did you know him? Karpov?" Shuri countered, dodging the question.
"Yes, and I need to know why he was murdered." Shuri challenged her with silence, her eyes searching Kate's.
"Maybe. If we can manage to exchange information." Shuri didn't seem to be the interrogative type but was doing it surprisingly well. Kate clenched her fists behind her, cracking a couple of knuckles in the process. Shuri lifted her chin as she waited.
"Okay." Kate agreed.
Shuri smiled, her perfect white teeth matching the blinding paint on the walls. "What's your name?"
"Lauren Sonrail."
Tilting her head, Shuri leaned back, content with her answer. "What information was being extracted to get Karpov killed?" Kate knew the exchange well. Knowing that you had to ask very specific questions to make it worth your time.
"He was being asked about his involvement with The Winter Soldier program," Shuri said smoothly.
Kate could feel the eyes of the Winter Soldier on her through the mirror. Knowing that he had a full experience with the general, and Kate had one just the same.
"My turn. Why did you pick up the gun?" Kate's eyes shifted from the table before her to meet Shuri's.
"Because you left it there. Why did you take me out of cryostasis?" Shuri narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.
"Because abandonment wasn't on. Do you know what the Winter Soldier program is?"
Kate was beginning to get annoyed and was no longer amused by the game. She kept her mouth shut, constantly aware of the individual behind the glass.
Shuri sighed, looking down at Kate. "Don't bother trying to get out of what you think this is." Her voice was soft and lethal, a threat underlining her every word. "I've already run every test on you. I've pulled every single record there is of your existence, down to your elementary school teacher." And to prove it, she added, "and my scans show the vibranium on your spine, knowing full well that that metal wasn't accessible in your time."
Shuri leaned forward. "And if you're wondering if I'm the one you should be worried about, then you're right. I have every tool at my disposal, and as of right now, you were a mission for someone else. Nothing more. You don't have to be a priority of mine, but someone else decided to care, and now you're my problem.
"I don't intend to be what you were with before HYDRA, but there must be grounds for compliance. So when I ask if you know about the Winter Soldier program, you better answer because I'm the only reason you're alive right now."
Somehow, Shuri's mini-speech didn't phase Kate and sounded awfully familiar. Kate was only surprised that she knew of the metal on her bones. She could count on one hand how many people knew about that and even fewer who were alive. Regardless, Kate continued. "I'm alive right now because your friend stopped me."
Shuri scoffed, leaning back and looking at the mirror. "Which you seemed pretty shocked to see. Do you know him?"
"Everyone I used to know is dead." Kate was surprised that Shuri hadn't struck her, held a gun to her skull, or participated in any form of torture, especially as Shuri shook her head and looked at the mirror again.
"You are truly a pain." She muttered to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Behind Kate, the door opened to what could only be the Winter Soldier. She turned her head, watching as the soldier clad in blue leather made his way to the chair next to Shuri. Kate's eyes never left him, trailing every moment he made until he was settled.
"My name is Bucky." He introduced, speaking grimly. "And you can start by giving your name because we all know Lauren Sonrail doesn't exist."
YOU ARE READING
Eclipse (Born at Dusk - Book 1)
Fanfiction"It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, but our lives were created together within HYDRA's walls. They can't unmake us." To her, he was a ghost; to him, she was a stranger. Bucky is the only super soldier left, he'd checked himself. However...
