The Russian and the American (Bucky 1940's)

Chapter 24

As the group finally pulls into the abandoned military base, they get out of the car and stat looking around. Nat pulls out her phone and as her and Elizabeth are walking, Elizabeth turns around to Steve who seems to be staring off in the distant. Almost like he's reliving something.

She knows too that with the serum that it enhances everything, including flash backs. Meaning that he's probably actually seeing the people and what not. You see, even dreams with the serum are heightened. It makes things feel more real, even to the pint where your mind can't distinguish the difference between reality, past, and fake.

"Steve," Elizabeth calls out.

But Steve doesn't answer, instead his eyes and body follow away so Elizabeth calls out his name again, only this time louder. Finally he turns around to face her and Elizabeth gives him a reassuring smile. His shoulders drop and he walks over to the two girls.

"That building right there. It wasn't there before," Steve says.

So, the three of them walk over to the concrete building and walk down the stairs. As they walk around the building, they stop in front of a wall of pictures. The General, Howard Stark, and Peggy Carter. The both of them stop and look at the pictures. Steve is fixated on the picture of Peggy and Nat realizes this.

"Who's the girl?" She asks with a smirk.

Elizabeth looks to her and slightly shakes her head. Telling her not to keep going with that. Thankfully she does and they carry on through the building.

"Now, why hide the elevator?" Steve asks, pulling apart the bookshelf.

They step in and ride it down. As the doors open up, it reveals a computer and filing room. They walk over to the middle of the room where a bunch of old computers sit being unused and collecting dust.

Natasha walks up to the computer and puts in the hard drive. As she starts typing she says with a smirk, "shall we play a game? It's from-"

"Yeah, I've seen it," Steve says.

  Finely, the computer turns on and the outline of a green face pops up.

  "Rogers, Steven, brown 1918. Romanoff, Natalie Alianovna, born 1984," the computer says in a voice that Elizabeth knows all too well.

  The camera then turns to her, saying, "Elizabeth Yessana, born 1915."

  "It's some kind of recording," says Natasha.

  "I am not a recording, Fräulein," it snaps. "I may not be the man I was when the captain took me prisoner in 1945. But I am."

  Then a picture pops up of Arnim Zola. Confirming Elizabeth's theory, her hands clasp tight, along with Steve's.

  "You know this thing?" Asks Nat.

  "Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for Red Skull. He's been dead for years," Steve answers.

  "First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you, I have never been more alive. In 1972, I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body. My mind, however, that was worth saving, on 200,000 feet of databanks. You are standing in my brain."

  "How did you get here?" Steve asks.

  "Invited," he says with a smile.

  This makes Elizabeth shudder ever so slightly.

  "It was operation Paper Clip. S.H.I.E.L.D. recruited German scientists with strategic value," Nat informs.

  "They thought that I could help the cause. And it was all thanks to your little friend. I was able to help my own."

  "Hydra died with the Red Skull," Steve spits.

  "She knows the saying. Don't you?"

  "Cut off one head, two more shall take it's place," Elizabeth answers with a whisper.

"Prove it," demands Steve.

A video pops up on the screen and a picture of Red Skull pops up.

"Hydra was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was when you try to take that freedom, humanity resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded and I was brought in. Thanks to a little double agent."

Elizabeth looks up at him then to Steve. A look of worry and confusion is painted on her face.

"The new Hydra grew. A beautiful parasite inside S.H.I.E.L.D. And that parasite is the woman standing next to you. For seventy years, Hydra has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war, and when history did not cooperate, it was changed."

The moment he says this last part, an image of Elizabeth pops up. She's in a full black, leather outfit with a muzzle tight against her face and a look ready to kill.

"That's impossible. S.H.I.E.L.D. would have stopped you," Natasha says.

"Accidents will happen," Zola says, showing a picture of Howard Stark.

"Hydra created a world so chaotic, that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain it's security. Once a purification process is complete, Hydras new world order will arise. We won Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your life. A zero sum."

At this, Steve punches the computer screen, shattering it into a million little pieces. But he only reappears on another screen.

"As I was saying."

"What's on this drive?" Steve demands.

"Project Insight requires insight. So, I wrote an algorithm."

"What kind of algorithm? What does it do?" Natasha asks.

"The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you will be too dead to hear it. Seems as if you have a job to do Rusulka."

Suddenly, the doors close, trapping the three underground. Steve goes to throw is shield but it's too late. He catches it and soon after, firing can be heard from outside. Elizabeth stays there frozen until Steve grabs Natasha and the three hide in a hole. Steve places his shield above him and Natasha and Elizabeth uses the gate as protection.

Once the firing is all done, they quickly take out and make their way back to Washington. Steve said he knows someone who will help them, so that's where they're headed.

Sorry it's been a while since I've last posted. I've been busy trying to publish my book so my main focus is on that but I will try to update as frequently as I can. Happy holidays.