Back to Barnes // the winter soldier

2: prepared

     "How is the prisoner, Agent Brookes?" Fury asked as I rushed down the sleek white halls, fresh out of a meeting the following day. I pursed my lips, pivoted on my heels, and turned to face him.

"He's fine. We're getting him into stronger chains today; he snapped the old ones." I replied curtly, awaiting the moment I could walk away.

Fury tilted his head down. "Impressive. Who are you bringing in with you?"

I shook my head, shifting the folder in my arms. "No one, I'm handling it myself."

"Agent Brookes-"

"With all due respect, I'm a former Marine. I was trained in combat for eight years. I do believe I can handle him if anything happens. Is that okay with you, sir?" I nodded sharply when he pursed his lips, then turned and walked away. I had no patience for this right now or any time.

It took only a few minutes to reach the supply men, as they were three doors down from Banner's lab. I knocked on the door and stepped in, greeted by the three men bent over my list of demands.

"Good morning, Agent Brookes." The tallest one looked up at me. The other two gangly men followed suit, awkwardly putting their respective projects down.

I exhaled deeply. "It's survivable. Do you have the chains I need?"

One of the shorter ones nodded, scooting away into the incredibly dark, closet-sized room to retrieve it. I waited, smiling numbly. Thing 1 returned with the box, setting it on the table and cutting it open with Thing 2's box cutter. I walked over and peered into the box, noting the fidget of Thing 2 as I walked past.

"Here they are, the beauties!" Thing 2 exclaimed, feebly attempting to lift the chains from the box. I watched with a squared jaw as the tall one had to help him lug them out. When they slammed onto the table, Thing 2 proudly gestured to them.

I inspected them carefully, tracing the links, the cuffs, and the locks. "They'll do." I nodded in thanks, easily lifting them back into the box and carrying it out. I walked back to my office, which was smack between Agent Hill's and the late Agent Coulson's. After quickly grabbing a protein bar, I was back in the halls and down to the cell. I was a few yards away when Roger's called my name and started running. I picked up my pace, quickly scanned my card, and slid into the room, the doors shutting behind me.

As expected, I was greeted with a pounding from the cell and a knocking from the other side of the door I just passed through. Shaking my head, I ignored them both. I punched the code into the control panel and watched the glass doors of the circular cell open. The captive stood back in shock. I just shook my head again and walked in with the protein bar and box of chains in hand. I handed him the protein bar. "Eat,"

He turned the foil-clad bar over in his hands, confused. He looked up at me with narrowed eyes. "No."

I glared at him. "Okay? Then sit."

He cautiously sat down at the chair in the middle of the cell. I knew better, though. It couldn't be this easy. I smirked, setting the box down and walking to the right of the chair. I took the old chain's bolts off and let them fall to the floor. I bent to the floor with my back to him, digging through the box. I suddenly froze, hearing the sound of his boot-clad feet shuffle. Damnit, I needed to take those off of him. With a sigh, I slid my hand over the handgun in my side pocket. In one swift move, I was standing up with the gun to his head and my free hand grabbing his metal arm.

"Really?" I quizzed.

He reversed my hold on his arm and flipped me over, the gun falling from my hands and his knee now on my chest. All the long-haired assassin did was glare at me, his newly-present knife in hand and pressed against my neck. I rolled onto my side, knocking him off and jumping up. From shock, he let go of the knife, allowing me to quickly pick it up. As he jumped up, I had the gun in my hand. I kicked him against the wall, knife under his rib cage, and gun back on his temple. His eyes flashed in panic and he threw his hands up. He was weak. His refusal to eat wasn't going to work in his favor.

"Really?" I whispered, my breathing heavy. I dropped the knife and lead him to the chair. He sat there obediently as I went back to securing the chains to the walls. With that finished, I approached him with the cuffs, at which he snapped his hands to his chest in a protective manner.

"No." He growled, eyes narrowed at me.

"Yes." I mocked, snatching his right hand and securing it into the cuff. "Man, do you speak only three words?"

He huffed, breathing still heavy as he continued to glare at me. "You said I would get out of these today."

"You made me break that promise when you decided to let yourself out last night," I muttered, securing the other cuff against his cold metal wrist. "What is this thing?"

The captive yanked his wrist away, growling under his breath.

Animal.

I sighed, grabbed the empty cardboard box, the broken chains, and the protein bar off the floor. "I'll be back tomorrow, Winter!" I saluted him out with the bar. "Stay chipper!"

He grunted, pulling against his chains as I walked out.