Winter's Beginning [1]

Interrogation and Vodka

Chapter 12

Zola was given a cell with a toilet, tap with running water, a cot and a table with two chairs. Zola's face was bruised and his nose was broken from when Abi had attacked him. Phillips walked into the cell carrying a tray of food and drink.

"Sit down." The Cornel said to Zola who was hovering in the corner of the room. He set down a tray with steak, potatoes, broccoli, salt, pepper and milk on it. He then turned it to face himself.

"What is this?" Zola asked looking at the food.

"Steak."

"What is in it?"

"Cow." Phillips sat down. "Doctor do you realise how difficult it is to get hold of a prime cut like that out here?" Phillips asked.

"I don't eat meat." Zola replied.

"Why not?"

"It disagrees with me." Zola said.

"How about cyanide does that give you a rumbly tummy too?" Phillips asked. "Every Hydra agent that we have tried to take alive has crunched a little white pill before we could stop him. But not you." He began to cut into the steak. "So, here's my brilliant theory. You want to live."

"You're trying to intimidate me Cornel." Zola said.

"I bought you dinner." Phillips slid a piece of paper round the table.

Zola looked at it before reading it aloud. "'Given the valuable information he has provided and in exchange for his full cooperation Dr Zola is being remanded to Switzerland.'?"

"I sent that message to Washington this morning, of course it was encoded." Phillips told him. "You guys haven't broken those codes have you? That would be awkward."

"Schmidt will know this is a lie." Zola defended.

"He's going to kill you anyway, Doc. You're a liability and you know more about Schmidt than anyone." Phillips told him. "And the last guy you cost us was Captain and Agent Rogers' closest friend. So, I wouldn't count on the very best protection; especially if Agent Rogers decides to pay a visit and finish what she started." Phillips gestured to Zola's face. "It's you or Schmidt. It's just the hand you've been dealt."

"Schmidt believes he walks in the footsteps of the gods. Only the world itself will satisfy him." Zola muttered.

"You do realise that's nuts, right?" Phillips raised an eyebrow.

"What? The sanity of the plan is of no consequence."

"And why is that?" Phillips asked.

"Because he can do it!"

"What's his target?"

"His target is everywhere."

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Abi had been drowning herself in a bottle of vodka since they got back. She was sat in a bombed out bar in the centre of the city. Over two thirds of the bottle was gone and she was beyond drunk at this point. Her eyes were blotched and red from both the intoxication and from the crying. Her hand was broken and was therefore bandaged tightly.

"Abi?" Steve asked walking into the bar. He sat down across from her and grabbed a glass. He looked as though he had been crying.

"You know before we set off he gave me this." Abi pulled the ring on its chain from under her shirt. "He asked me to marry him, Steve." She more tears ran silently down her cheeks.

"We'll get Schmidt. I promise if it's the last thing we do." Steve muttered. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a glass.

They sat in silence for about half an hour. The pair turned around as they someone walked through the shattered door. Peggy smiled sadly at them both. Abi took another swig from the almost empty bottle. Peggy walked into the room and stood to the side of the table. She glanced wearily at the bottle in Abi's hand.

"Dr Erskine said that the serum wouldn't just affect my muscles, it would affect my cells." Steve said glancing at his sister. Steve had drunk two thirds of the whiskey but looked no different. "Create a protective system of healing and regeneration. Which means I can't get drunk. Did you know that?" Steve asked no one in particular.

"Your metabolism burns four times faster than the average persons." Abi muttered in a slurred voice. "I knew. I told Erskine. Biology was my forte." She muttered.

Peggy picked up a chair off the floor and placed it at the table before sitting down. "It was neither off your faults you know." Peggy said.

Abi took the last swig from the bottle; draining it of the remaining liquid. She then threw it across the room making the other two jump. She then unsteadily got to her feet and walked out.

"Abi?" Peggy called.

"Leave her. She needs to be on her own." Steve spoke up. "Did you read the report?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Then you know that's not true." Steve muttered looking into his glass.

"You both did everything you could. Did you believe in your friend? Did you respect him?" Peggy asked. Steve nodded. "Then allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must have thought you were both worth it."

"I'm going after Schmidt, and I doubt Abi will let me go on my own." He told her. "I'm not going to stop until all of Hydra is dead or captured."

"You won't be alone." Peggy told him.