Animalia // Barnes

Chapter Fourteen: Meeting Hank

~VANDENBERG~

I steamroll down the halls toward the training rooms, agents scattering in fear. "Commander Surdens!" I holler, making one of the new recruits jump in fear. Fury courses through my veins, causing me to clench my fists. The tall man turns to face me, a nervous expression plastered onto his face. I pull my only gun out of my thigh stealth, placing the barrel on his temple. "Give my one reason why I shouldn't blow your brains out."

The man gulps, sweat beading on his forehead. A small crowd forms around us, eager to see the scene unfold. "I-uh..." He stutters, barely standing. I stare him down, making him shift uncomfortably. "Anyone who doesn't want to be skinned alive, castrated or mauled to death by a car should leave. Now." I order. The agents are gone within a few seconds, the only evidence of their existence being some swinging punching bags.

"I-" He begins once more, swallowing. "I have eliminated all of the obstacles and captured The Avengers for you." I smile bitterly. "You killed Animalia. You had exact orders that she needed to been obtained. Not only did you kill her, but you lied when you said that you made sure the other threats were occupied. You've barely scratched the surface!"

Surdens jaw starts to twitch. "Animalia's body wasn't found when we used our scanners. We believe that she escaped before the tower collapsed." He says. I lower the gun, my anger dissipating slightly. "Then find her. It's your ass that's on the line."

"Yes ma'am."

***

~MEL~

I soar through the air as a small ant, my tiny wings buzzing as I fly. "Left." Scott says, pointing to a building. I twitch my antennae happily, a strange sense of glee flowing through me. A woman with dark hair stands outside, an impatient look on her face. We both fly through the gap at the bottom of the front door. The faint smell of Chinese food fills my senses, making me eager for a meal. I haven't eaten in four days, making a painful hole form in my stomach.

The woman walks in - presumably the Hope girl Hank talked about - and smiles. Scott hits the button in his glove, regaining his natural size. He pulls off his helmet, drawing in a deep breath. They both turn to my small form, Hope giving me a questioning look. Too late to turn back now. I will my cells to change, the familiar change overwhelming my senses, causing me to close my eyes. My body changes slowly, my arms being one of the first limbs to emerge. My torso and legs are the next to appear, leaving a grotesque mix of an ant and human head to change last. When the process is over, I exhale loudly.

Hope shivers. "Can I leave Animalia with you?" Scott asks her. She nods, gesturing to a room down the hall. Scott leaves quickly, leaving a heavy silence behind him and tension thicker than HYDRA's metaphorical skulls. Neither of us speak for several seconds. "Hank is this way." Hope begins, scratching her neck and walking away. I follow her silently, her thumping footstep sounding strange in comparison to my quiet ones. I remember HYDRA training me to be quiet and tread lightly in my feet, which was a agonising process.

I stand on broken glass, the tiny shards embedding themselves into the soles of my feet. Blood stains the sterile white floor, small pools visible from where I had stopped walking. "Keep walking. You will learn  to be light on your feet." Melony says with a stoic expression. Tears prick my eyes from the pain, leaving me with two choices. Keep walking and learn, possibly making the wounds worse, or stand here and be punished.

Lifting one tender foot in front of the other, I walk through the glass. I attempt to be lighter on my feet, which seems to work. The tiny shards don't embed themselves any further, and the only sound of movement is the occasional movement of glass. I begin to run through the shards quickly, only getting cut when I linger for too long. A relieved smile tugs at my lips, but I know better than to wear it.

"Very good." Melony says approvingly. "You will resume training tomorrow after your meal. You are dismissed." I nod, walking down the empty, damp, hallway, accompanied by eight agents. The watch me like a hawk, quiet and ready to kill if I strike. I leave a blood trail toward my cell, along with a couple of glass shards.

"Can I get a medic? I don't particularly want to bleed out tonight." I announce, stopping. The men raise their guns, one pushing the barrel into my back and barking for me to keep moving. I stumble, the glass fragments embedding themselves further into my feet. I move quietly, my feet making no noise whatsoever. We reach the empty cell, Bucky seemingly missing. I walk in, turning to have the door slam in my face.

I sigh in defeat, slumping down onto the floor.

Hope opens a large door, revealing an older man sitting at a large, polished desk. The room seems old-fashioned, yet the wallpaper isn't frayed or stained. The paintings are hung perfectly, making me feel out of place in this seemingly perfect room. He stands, walking over to us. "Thank you Hope. Do you mind if I have a private word with Animalia?" He asks. She sighs, but leaves quickly. The man smiles kindly, gesturing for me to take a seat. He seems tired, the wrinkles around his face showing his age. "I'm Hank, and you must have many questions." He begins, taking a seat. "I can tell you what I know, but you must do the same in return."

I nod, smiling weakly. "First of all, what is your name?" Hank asks. I laugh. "You tell me. I go by Mel, but that's not my real name." He nods.

"How long was I stuck in HYDRA for? If you can find me, surely you knew where I was to begin with."

"A little over ten years. We think you were frozen like The Winter Soldier. But what made you so special?"

I tense. "They froze us? I- I've been there for ten years?" Hank nods. "I don't know what made me so special then. All I remem-" I stop myself.

Hanks facial expression lights up. "You remember? Already? Barnes didn't remember anything for weeks. How can you do the same in a few days?"

I mentally shoot myself for the slip up. "I... I don't know. I just... Can. I don't know why they chose me for any of this, or why I did half of the things I've done. I just want to save my friends and live a life away from HYDRA." My stomach gurgles, snapping Hank out of a daze.

"Let's get you something to eat."