Melioration ~ James Buchanan Barnes

OO6 ~ Interrogation at its finest

While you are probably on your way over here, Bucky is now in the glass cage with Nick Fury and Steve Rogers at the other side of it, asking him questions about his intentions and who sent him.

Of course he slips up, saying your name and Hydra's. It's just.. his mind is all over the place because of Steve. He can't seem to remember who he is but he looks so familiar. The activation words only seem to work for a period of time unless he isn't exposed to ties to his past. 

Once they're gone, he keeps dwelling on it in his mind. 'I knew him.. I knew him.. I know him!' But that's all he knows and nothing else is coming back. He hates it and he hates doing this all. Some part of him is glad he couldn't get to the Scepter but all he wants to do now is run. He wants to never be involved with this ever again and start a life somewhere new. He's done being imprisoned half of his life. Once by Hydra, by you and now here. And he shouldn't just say once. He is mentally still imprisoned by Hydra. 

~

'If it isn't {y/n}. What a waste of time this must be.' Nick Fury enters the room and takes a seat across from you. 'It is, yes.' You avoid eye-contact with him and sigh. 'I know you well enough to know that you're thinking about why your plan failed. I mean, we played along for a bit but we saw right through you.' Played along? They knew it was you from the start? 

'Don't tell me you were here the entire time. Because then I can understand why it failed. If you weren't here, then how did they know? I know you never told them about me, you wouldn't dare. Too much shame involved.' A smug grin is tugging on your lips. So much shame on his side.  Probably cropped shame because he would never dare speak of you. 

'{y/n}, I wasn't here when you invaded the lab and that's why it amuses me so much. You know how we found out?' 'Don't say it. Please, don't say it.'  Your mind is hurting at the thought alone. If he told them, your whole plan fell through. That means he is weaker than you had imagined. And it must have happened when you were on your way here because you didn't check the camera on him then.

'That assassin you send, he spoke the minute I brought in an old friend. No matter how many times you wipe his memory, seeing something from the past will always bring them back. You're a scientist, {y/n}. Specialized in the human mind and how to experiment with it. You, out of all people, should know this.' Your heart, your poor heart. To think that you and him were friends once. 

'I may have overlooked something.'  You admit while folding your hands together. 'May have? Sweetheart.' He shakes his head and you're really done now. You're wishing you would have approached this differently but how? 'Just leave it. Alright? I am proud of the way I improved Sergeant Barnes and I have no regrets! But Nick, give me the Scepter and I will be out of your hair! Or in your case, your head.' Seeming he's bald. 

'It's Director Fury for you. And no, you will never get the Scepter! You will have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands.' What a hate he shows towards you. 'What happened to you, Nick? I have never seen you this tense!' He shakes his head furiously. 'No, don't even try {y/n}. You blew it! The minute you turned your back on me and betrayed me by closing a deal with Hydra. I never thought to see the day that you crossed over. You swore to protect Shield with your life!' 

Oh yes. You have a history with Shield. Matter fact, you were a highly trained agent of Shield. Well respected even and you had the other agents under you. But then Hydra gave you much more, promising you to make you their best scientist. A function you were truly good at. Of course you had to follow their training as well but after that, everyone respected you at Hydra. Plus, you had the juiciest intel from Shield. It was an amazing time but now you're stuck here. 

This all happened eight years ago. And apparently, Nick hasn't forgiven you yet. 'You're still on that? Please! Hydra offered me more than Shield could ever give me in a lifetime! Including more money! Besides that, it really is true what they say about Hydra. Cut off one head, two more shall take its place.'  You smugly say what pisses Fury off more.

'You have fallen far, agent {y/l/n}.' You snap and jump up, tugging at the handcuffs on the table. No one has called you that in a very long time. 'Choose your next words wisely, Nick.' But he is not impressed. In fact, it only leaves him cold. 'Then what? You're cuffed to a table and I'm here. Free to leave anytime I want. Unlike you, who's not going anywhere for a long time.' Oh no, he wouldn't.

'You can't lock me away! Hydra will find me! They will save me!' He shakes his head and already walks towards the door. 'I wouldn't count on it. Once Hydra knows you have been taken captive, they will let you rot! They're way too scared you come back a changed woman!' Defeated you sink back into the chair. Perhaps he's right. You have witnessed it before but then again, would they really?

'Agents! Take her towards the prisons!' Fury commands and within seconds you're pushed into the halls and towards the elevator, going to the lowest floor which is deep underground. That's where the prisons are. You wouldn't believe they would have these when you look at the Avengers tower from outside. 

'Is James down there?' You ask an agent you've never met but he only shakes his head. 'Did you really think we would let you close to him? After all, you activated him!' That's exactly your point. You need to do it again in order for you to get out of here. 

But you get a prison cell somewhere in a corner. It's filthy and no place for a lady. Unfortunately for you, you don't have much of a choice. This is going to be your home for a long period of time.