The Seventh Avenger: Memories Never Die// Bucky Barnes

FIVE: THE WINTER SOLDIER

Even though there appeared to be nothing else physically wrong with me aside from my battered nose, Dr S'yan had insisted that I skip the rest of training. Knowing perfectly well that I was in no position to argue with him or go back out on that mat and finish the fight, I hadn't protested, even when he informed me that I would have to stay in the infirmary to do so. If it meant that I could avoid looking at the smug face of Jasper, then I would gladly sit in the infirmary all day long if I had to.

By the time that he had finally allowed me to leave, training and experiments for the day had long finished with everyone else slowly moving towards the dining hall for dinner. Bidding farewell to the Doctor, I had slowly trudged behind the last of the people moving towards the space, my nose still throbbing from a pain that I knew wasn't going away any time soon. Though the ice had helped in some small way, I had known when I had first applied it that it all it would be able to do was numb the pain for a short while before it eventually swelled back up again. All I could hope for was that if I did end up fighting tomorrow, that I didn't get punched in the face once more. If I did, then I didn't doubt that my nose would break this time.

The hall was filled with all the other test subjects by the time I reached it, some already with food placed on their platters in front of them, while others waited in line to collect their own. Those who did have food were either shovelling it down as quickly as they could while others barely touched their food, too battered, bruised and bloody and in far too much pain to eat. The sight caused for my heart to clench with both pity and anger, though I said nothing. It was quickly and finally dawning on me that there was nothing that I could do to stop the injustices here when I was stuck inside this place myself: not unless I wanted to wind up dead. If I wanted to stop everything here, then I was going to have to get out of here first.

Upon spotting Sara and Riley sitting at a table at the back of the room, I change direction and start to move towards them. They don't see me coming until I'm almost at the table, though when I do, Sara shoots me a small smirk. "Well, well, well," She croons, her fingers drumming against the smooth surface of the table. It was the same table that Jasper had slammed my face against earlier today, the sight causing my stomach to churn. "If it isn't the lone survivor."

I shoot her a frown at this, as I gently ease into the free chair on the opposite side of the table. "What's with the lone survivor thing?" I demand.

Sara exchanges a surprised glance with Riley at this, clearly shocked to discover that I didn't know what it was that she was talking about. But it's not her who explains what she had meant, but the kind blonde beside her instead. "Mollie never came back to training," Riley informs me gently. "She got was knocked around so much that Dr S'yan cleared her from training for the rest of the day...and for tomorrow as well."

I can't help but flinch at her words, Mollie's bloodied face flashing across the back of my eyes. "I didn't realise that I got her that bad," I murmur, the guilt that I was already experiencing only intensifying with this new information. I had known that I had done quite a number on her, with Dr S'yan having told me that I had managed to knock some of her teeth loose. But with him sending her away as quickly as he had, I had assumed that her wounds hadn't been that serious to keep her on bed-rest for the next two days.

The guilt must show on my face, as Riley sends me a knowing look. "You were just trying to keep yourself from getting hurt," She firmly reminds me. "Like we said. When you're out there, on that mat, everyone has to look out for their own neck. If you hadn't of fought Mollie, then she would have done the same to you."

"Or that girl," Sara adds lowly.

"Or the girl," Riley agrees. "But unlike you, Mollie wouldn't have felt guilty about doing it. She's one of the ones in here that enjoys the violence.