Hail HYDRA | Skyeward

Episode 8: The Things We Bury

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Austria, 1945

"Beautiful, is it not?" A man seated at a table with The Obelisk in front of him as he stares at it. There are at least four men holding a clipboards looking at the seated man closely, there is also another man working a video recorder that is focused on the man at the table. "Your group was digging in the ground at night. How you found it is a mystery. Do, tell us." Reinhardt said.

The man at the table looks up at him. "We've heard the same stories as you."

"Well we've both searched so long for a thing we barely understand. You can hold it, if you like. Please." Reinhardt waves his hand in invitation toward The Obelisk. One of the men with a clipboard takes out a pocket watch and looks down at it.

The Man at the Table nervously reaches out and touches The Obelisk. The man with the clipboard starts his stopwatch up as soon as his hand makes contact. The Man at the Table gasps as his arm burns. It spreads up his arm onto his face and he falls sideways out of the chair as the man with the clipboard stops the stop watch. He takes his pen to make a note.

"Worked quickly on this one. So, gender's not a factor, nor race...no pattern emerges. Fascinating. Put him with the others then bring in the next subject." Reinhardt said not bothered.

A woman, Jiaying is breathing rapidly as she's lead down a hallway. The guards holding her take her into the room where Reinhardt is. "Please, have a seat," he indicates that she should sit in the chair. The guards drop her in the chair in front of The Obelisk. Her eyes go down to The Obelisk as Reinhardt speaks. "Do not be afraid. Feel free to pick it up, examine it."

Jiaying looks up at him then back down to The Obelisk. "Please." Reinhardt said.

Jiaying looks down at the floor and sees a burned finger lying on the ground. One of the guards shove her closer to The Obelisk. She stands up from the chair but the guard restrains her accidently knocking over The Obelisk. He turns her back toward the table and forces her head down close to The Obelisk. 

When she speaks it's in Mandarin. "No! Please, don't! Don't do this!"

"Discovery requires experimentation." Reinhardt replied. They push against her moving her face closer to The Obelisk. When her cheek makes contact with The Obelisk we hear the stop watch start up. Instead of burning her it begins to glow orange. 

The two guards holding her down release her in astonishment. Everyone in the room is looking at her with astonishment. She lifts her face a bit and looks down at The Obelisk. She sits in the chair and takes The Obelisk into her hands as her breathing steadies. "Remarkable," Jiaying just stares at The Obelisk in her hands.

Reinhardt moves to stand in front of her. "What makes you so special?" Jiaying looks up at him, almost guiltily, and sets The Obelisk back down. "I think it wise we prepare her for surgery. We must examine exactly what makes her tick."

A new guard runs into the room getting Reinhardt's attention. "Herr Dr. Reinhardt, Red Skull has fallen. He's dead. The allies approach." The guard said urgently.

Reinhardt shakes his head disappointed. "The world has lost a great mind," Jiaying's eyes go back to The Obelisk as movement happens all around her. "Put her in a cage. We'll unravel this mystery later, yes?" The guards take a hold of her arms, pull her out of the chair, and lead her from the room. "Discovery requires experimentation and this experiment will take time." Reinhardt said.

***

Present Day, 2014

Whitehall stands in front of a group of people who are all looking at something. "With all of modern science and millions of dollars at your disposal these are your results." While he was speaking he looks at the tablet that they are all looking at. which is showing a picture of The Obelisk.