Remembering Freedom

On the Road

"Come on my dear." Volkov's hand was firm on her back as he steered Jemma down the hallway. "We need you to do something for us."

"I'm not killing anyone." She set her jaw. "I refuse."

"Oh no Dr. Simmons...we have other plans for you."

Her stomach dropped as they stepped into the vault. There two technicians standing on either side of the Wiper, their faces grim. She frantically looked for James, but only found the Soldier standing off to the side. He hardly reacted when she screamed and struggled as she was forced into the machine, the metal restraints tightening around her arms. "Please..."

"You will turn on your team after we're done with you." He smiled as the machine crackled. "You will follows orders without question...you will be our next Asset."

"Jemma."

She pulled against the restraints as the metal plates pressed against her temples...

"Jemma wake up."

"Wipe her..."

"Jemma!"

Jemma's eyes snapped open, a choked cry leaving her throat. There was a warm hand on her shoulder. Knowing blue eyes met hers and she blinked back tears as she sat up. She hissed as she bumped her hand against the door, noticing that they had stopped at a gas station. "Sorry..."

"Not a problem. Needed gas anyways."

She was glad he didn't push about the nightmare. "How much longer?" She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She was afraid to look at him again...to bring back the images from her nightmare. Of those cold eyes...crackling electricity...

"About four hours."

"You let me sleep all that time?"

"You needed it." He went to get out. "It's not like there's anything else going on."

"Could you get me a water while you're out?" She looked down at her splinted hand. It wouldn't look good for James if she walked in covered in bruises and sporting a broken arm.

He nodded, shutting the driver door and walking into the gas station. Four hours...four hours and she would be back with her team, her family. He would obviously stay to fight off HYDRA, but what then? Where would James go? Would he look for Steve or would he just wander? She wanted him to stay, but she knew he didn't want to hurt her or any of her team, which could possibly happen with the last mission given to him.

She reached backwards with her good arm, blindly searching for the bag with the Ibuprofen because the last dose was definitely wearing off. She could ignore the smaller bruises and even her aching ribs, but her hands were going to do her in. In the back of her mind she realized that her pain tolerance had increased in a short time. Finding a handle, she pulled until the bag was sitting on the consul. Steadying it, she unzipped the bag and dug through the supplies. There were a few extra shirts, the med kit and even a box of granola bars. It was also then that she realized that she hadn't eaten a thing since yesterday. Hunger was nothing new. A habit picked up from her days at the Academy and Sci. Ops, she and Fitz could be in the lab for almost 24-hour stretches where they didn't eat. Skye joked that the only reason that they ate or drank anything at all was because she practically forced it down their throats. Smiling at the memory, she set two in her lap and opened the med kit. She was dismayed to find the bottle was child-safe, meaning she couldn't open it with one hand. Setting the bottle in her lap, she zipped up the bag and pushed it into the back seat and waited for James.