Captain America Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier Steve Rogers Fan Fic - The Constant

Chapter Fifty-Four: Winter Soldier & The Constant - New Duties

Winter Soldier & The Constant - New Duties

It has been twenty-four hours since you saved the Winter Soldier's life. You still feel that it's selfish of you. If they had gone for a head-shot he would be free but it is you that is keeping him here. You forcing him to stay in a life that you know James Barnes would not have wanted.

Why do you always do the wrong thing?

You have been called to Caldwell's office, and when you arrive the Winter Soldier is also there. From the look his secretary gave you when she ushered you in you can tell the two of them have been arguing. The Winter Soldier is not supposed to argue with the director, his handler; he is supposed to obey everything he is told to do. It is clear that he has been out of cryo too long, his programming is breaking down - but from the look on Caldwell's face he doesn't seem too upset by it.

Caldwell invites you to sit down and does not take long in coming to the point.

"He..." meaning the Winter Soldier, "has asked for you to be trained in certain areas." His voice is neutral.

You look to the Winter Soldier for guidance but he says nothing. He is studying you, you can't read what is going through his mind.

You clear your throat. "Which areas? I don't think I understand."

The Winter Soldier moves in his chair. "You can't even fire a gun," he says.

"I don't want to fire a gun," you say, looking at him.

"You need to learn." He just glowers at you, and you have both forgotten Caldwell is there too.

"No, I don't."

"Yes...you do!"

"No, I don't!"

"Children, children..." Caldwell says, bringing you both back down to earth.

You look at him. "I'm a nurse, not a bloody...soldier."

That is news to the Winter Soldier - it is not what they told him in programming.

"I want her to learn to drive as well. As I said I think she can be useful...more useful than we currently use her for."

"What!" You turn back to him. "I don't need to learn to drive, why would I want to drive? I never leave the base, I never use a car." You've barely ever been in a car.

"I want you trained up so that if I need you out in the field..."

"Me? I'm not a soldier. Why would you want me out with you?" Then what he said dawns on you.

You both look at each other.

To him, it is simple. "You saved my life. Out of all the soldiers and guards on the base you were the one who protected me."

You don't know what to say.

"We were discussing training you so that you can be used as another point of exit on missions," Caldwell says. It is something that Adam Morton had been talking about for some time now.

He can see your confusion and continues: "Whenever a mission has been completed, the hardest part can be extraction..." you try to interrupt; after all, the Winter Soldier always travels with a team of highly trained soldiers. But Caldwell holds his hand up. "...let me finish. Most of the time, it is a case of getting him in and out of secure facilities, but sometimes the missions take place in public areas..." You don't want to know what happens. You really don't want to hear any more but you have no choice. "When a hit has taken place, they are looking for a lone assassin or a group of soldiers. What do you think they will do when they see a car full of Russian men with weapons? Much better that he is in a car with a young woman, as if they are out shopping...or on a date. The world is changing out there, and we need to keep up with it."