Frostbite: Blood in the Winter// Third Book of The Frost Bite Series.

Feelings of Betrayal

November 23, 1963

The soldiers stood in front of Arnim Zola in an office, their mission report being filed. The room was dark, like any other room in a HYDRA facility. Their latest mission was a tough one, but they had succeeded, through some struggles.

"Witnesses?" Zola asked.

"Political crowd." The woman answered.

"Did anyone see you?" Zola asked.

"No." The man replied with hesitation.

"No one saw you, for sure?" Zola asked again. "Not when you arrived or while making your get away?"

The man glanced at the woman. Her face was kept straight. They both know that there was a camera, but they hope it wasn't pointed at them.

"No witnesses." The man said.

"How many shots?" Zola questioned.

"Two." The man answered.

"Two?" Zola looked up from his papers.

"I shot him in the neck, this shot was not fatal." The woman explained. The guilt in her voice was prominent. 

"I finished the mission, shooting him in the side of the head." The man said.

"Good." Zola nodded before looking at the woman. "Why was your aim off?" The woman didn't answer. "Every mission that we have given you has had some sort of set back, and you seem to be the reason."

"I do as you command." The woman said.

"But have my commands been carried out efficiently?" Zola asked. "No."

~~~

The soldiers stood in the caged training floor, practicing mixed martial arts. Zola and two other guards watched. 

Something was different about this fight. The man was on the defensive; blocking every swing, kick, or punch that the woman threw at him.

"Soldier." Zola spoke. He looked over. "Take a swing at her for once, you are getting weak." 

The woman high kicked and the man grabbed her ankle with his metal arm, swung her over his head and dropped her on the ground. The woman groaned, the wind had been knocked out of her. The man waited for her to get up.

"Why are you hesitating?" Zola asked. "Hit her!"

The man looked down at the woman, hesitating before grabbing her by the hair and lifting her up. The woman kicked her legs and moved around, but the more she moved, more pain was brought to her scalp. The man looked at her, making eye contact and it almost seemed like he was concerned for her.

"Mne zhal'." He muttered before throwing a punch with his metal arm into her stomach. 

She was knocked back through the air before hitting the cage and falling to the ground. A small cough escaped her lip as she curled up into a ball on the ground.

"Do you give up, soldier?" Zola asked. The woman remained silent. "Finish the job, soldier. She hasn't called for mercy yet."

The man looked at Zola, his face showing resistance to the orders.

"No."

~~~

Present Day

The Winter Soldier sat in a chair at the HYDRA facility. He was confused, he felt betrayed, lied to. He glanced up at the Head of HYDRA, his jaw tied. 

"The woman," he said. "She- I know her."

"Yes, she worked with you many years ago-" The new Head of HYDRA spoke.

"They told me she was dead." The Winter Soldier replied with a bite in his voice. 

"We may have bent the truth," the Head explained and kneeled in front of the Soldier. 

"She's not dead, why was she there?" The Winter Soldier furrowed his brow. "Why did you lie?" 

"She betrayed us." The Head covered up HYDRA's lies. "She is the enemy now."

The Winter Soldier sat back in his chair. The woman who was his partner was now his enemy, she betrayed him and HYDRA. He thought that she was gone forever, he thought that someone else had killed her, and in return he killed them on a mission. But it was for nothing?
Earlier he was hurt, now he was just angry. Angry at HYDRA for lying, and angry at her for betraying them, betraying him.

"Soldier?" The leader said and he looked up. "We have another mission for you."

"Ready to comply."

A/N: There's a bit of Russian in this chapter, feel free to use Google Translate.