Red

Right Where You Left Me

Gerda ran down the halls of the compound. She tried her best to keep a tight hold on the little bundle she carried, but her baby sister couldn't resist crying to the sound of the alarm.

When the young soldier finally made it to the doors, her mother was quick to grab her arm and pull her away. Gerda pointed her gun at her mother who was surrounded by guards.

"Gerda..." Maria held up her hands.

"You can't have her!" Gerda yelled, her finger barely squeezing the trigger. "She's a baby." Tears welled in her eyes as she gripped her sister closer to her.

"We will be right back, I promise. We will be a family once the war is over." Maria tried to get closer.

"You have to be here for Dad." The tears finally began to fall as she readjusted the gun in her hand. "I want you to stay."

Her mother had a pained expression. Johan Schmidt was becoming a well-known name across Europe as he grew closer to Hitler. But he still wasn't the better man. Maria knew he never would be and so she had to leave. Her youngest was still an innocent babe, but the twins were raised and turned out just like their father.

"I have to." Maria held the tears back as she reached out for the gun. As soon as her fingers brushed the cold metal she ripped it from her daughter's hand.

Guards swarmed the 7 year old girl as she gripped her sister tighter. "No! You can't have her!" She screamed as they began to separate them. "Momma!" She cried as they took her back to her room.

Maria took her youngest daughter from a guard. She sniffled as she pushed the blanket away from her daughter's face. The babe cried vehemently until she saw her mother's smiling face.

"Shh. It's okay. We are going to be safe. Russia is waiting for us." She smiled down at her.

Despite her promises, Maria and her daughter, Adelaide, did not survive long in Russia. Poverty overtook their lives and soon Maria not only lost her life, but her daughter as well.

- - -

"Scylla and Atlas were an attempt to make a family just like Schmidt." Adelaide and James walked through the quiet city. Rue and Mace were waiting back at the hotel.

"Zola made other serums?" James was beginning to put pieces together.

"Using my father's blood he made two failed attempts." She rubbed her thumb nail over different spots of her hand, she didn't know what else to do. "Although Zola wasn't able to target what muscles would be enhanced."

James stuffed his hands in his jacket pocket. "Scylla's overly smart and Atlas became incredibly strong." He watched Adelaide nod. "Then they came up with a better serum after the Winter Soldier program?" She nodded again.

They walked in silence. The bars and restaurants were still lively.

"Do you have any siblings?" Adelaide asked. Her face fell when she saw his blank stare at the ground. She forgot for a moment she was talking to someone who didn't know himself.

"I don't remember." He began to sift through memories he thought were his, but a lot of them were the horrible memories of what he did as the Winter Soldier.

"You should start journaling." He gave her a crooked look at her suggestion. "Describe all the mixed up memories. Detailed and vivid. It'll suck but it's worth it."

James smiled at her. "I remember being in the army. I was at a bar in Italy."

"Which bar? The Red Room had me stationed in Italy during the second war." Adelaide pointed out. He shrugged his shoulders with a small smile, not showing his teeth. "Right, sorry."

When they finally reached the hotel they were staying at, they both stopped. The sound of thundering footsteps approached them.

Adelaide crossed her arms over her face as protection from the blow. The soldier jumped out of the way as Atlas threw a punch his way. Atlas redirected his attention back on Adelaide.

"You could've killed her!" He yelled at her.

All the people on the street who were previously enjoying their night had now run away screaming in fright and terror.

"She's fine." Adelaide said. She struggled to get up, still not adjusted to fighting other super soldiers. She was getting tired of getting her ass beat on a daily basis.

Atlas stood between the Winter Soldier and his sister. He knew he was outnumbered but they had almost killed his sister and Adelaide had turned her back on them for years.

Gunfire came from a room in the hotel. Rue was firing down at Atlas. She threw her grappling hook against the balcony and jumped off. Atlas, more than outnumbered, ran into the shadows on an alley and disappeared.

"We need to go." James said.

"Where is Mace?" Adelaide asked, letting her suspicion be known to the others. "Tell me he's up there."

"I haven't seen him since the party." Rue admitted. She lost him halfway through and he turned off his radio.

Adelaide took in a sharp breath. She knew trusting him was a mistake. He was sure to be telling HYDRA all that they planned.