January 7th, 1982
The snow fell slowly with a crisp wind guiding them against Kate's skin. Brushing her gloved hand over her already red nose, she cast her eyes down to the snow covered pavement underneath her boots.
Fresh air had never felt so good to Kate. Her lungs felt light, lifted with the dull purple sky above her. The cold bite on her face was a pleasant reminder of what she had lost.
The footsteps of the man next her were nearly in sync with hers, despite his gate being much faster than hers. She couldn't help but take her time in the city before them, she hadn't been outside in years.
"I forgot how beautiful the snow can be." Kate whispered to herself, her eyes drawn to the snow capped trees and buildings around them. A smile played at her lips as the orange hue of street lamps danced across the snow on the ground.
The man next to her gast her a glance, preferring to keep to himself as they continued along the streets in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia.
Kate raised the scarf around her neck, nuzzling into the warmth as they neared the guest entrance of the nuclear facility the city was known for.
She went through the motions of greeting a nuclear physicist that was well known, that Kate was only able to meet then. She kept her guest, the Winter Soldier, by her side at all times. The small Soviet faculty knew only by his stance to stay far away from him.
His metal arm was covered, his face covered with a standard masked helmet; if Kate didn't know the man so well, she would've guessed he was any other soldier.
The purpose of the visit, and the reason for her to be let out, was that the physicist she was meeting with, Evgeny Petrzhak. He was currently one of the Soviet Union's primary physicists that worked alongside the assistant to the President of the Soviet Academy of Sciences. Since Kate's supervisor, General Kuznerh, was highly pleased with her recent performances, he'd sent her to meet with the physicist instead.
She attended the presentation alongside half a dozen other Soviet colonels, each of them with their own guard. Kate appreciated that she received looks from everyone, a dark wariness towards her soldier as well. It was good to gain her recognition by being a threat it seemed. The Soviets were hard edged people.
They had to leave the facility methodically, and Kate was one of the last, chatting with the physicists who had taken a liking to her. Once she had said her fair wells, they exited onto a back alley in the city and took a moment to get back onto the main road.
Night had fallen quickly, the snow picking up and had already laid a new layer of snow on the ground.
"What did you think?" Kate asked the soldier beside her, stuffing her gloved hands in her pockets. It wasn't uncommon for her to talk to her soldier, much less ask him about commanding subjects.
"He sounded promising." He admitted, his voice revealing a frown underneath his mask.
Kate quickly became distracted, letting the cold trigger emotions she hadn't felt for a long time. "Is it usually snowing on your missions?"
The winter soldier's steps faltered for a moment before resuming beside her. "In the winter, yes."
Kate shook her head and smiled. Guiding both of them to where they were staying for the night. It was four hours back to base, and considering the building snow, she knew they'd be stuck if they tried to get back.
"You did well tonight." She complimented.
The soldier didn't respond for a moment, "I'll remind you that I stood guard."
YOU ARE READING
Eclipse - Book 1 (Born at Dusk)
Fiksi Penggemar"We're not who you think we are. We're helping you." "I don't care." She turned the gun from Shuri and pressed the barrel beneath her chin and fired. To her, he was a ghost; to him, she was a stranger. There were no more super soldiers. It was a we...
