Winter's Daughter

Chapter 8

It took an hour to finally finish the insignia on the girl's left arm. Rumlow was annoyed with her constant flinching.

"I told you it wouldn't be that bad kid."

Victoria looked to her shoulder and noticed the skin had been dyed red and in the shape of a star. The same star that James wore.

"You...You gave me a tattoo? I'm eleven Brock. This could've waited until I was a few years older." She looked at him then back to her arm.

"Well, orders are orders. Besides, Schmidt likes how you've matured. He think your ready to go on the field." 

"The field? Like, going out on missions?" Her eyes lit up at the thought of seeing the outside world again. After all, it had been five years.

"Uh-huh." Rumlow nodded quickly.

"I'll need to keep my training up with the soldier then." She nodded to herself and smiled slightly.

Rumlow shook his head. 

'She really doesn't know did she?'

He held the door open for her and let her go into the lab that James had been pulled into for his re-indoctrination. Schmidt had made sure that whatever was left of James would be buried for all time.

"Ah, I see you've come back. Do you like your new decal?"

She nodded. "Yes sir Mr. Schmidt."

He smiled and walked her over to where the sleeper agent lay unconscious. Victoria walked over to him carefully. She knew what they had done.

"Why do you have to hurt him like this? You don't know what he's been through."

Schmidt put a hand on the child's shoulder. "Dear child, I know more about what he's been through than you'll ever know."

Tears started to well in the girl's eyes as she thought about what would happen in the future.

Schmidt guided her out of the room and took her back to the shooting range where they had come from.

"Keep up your good work. You'll be on the field in no time."

He left her in the room then. Alone and afraid of what her future would hold. Happy, kidnapped, orphaned, then she had gained a father. Her hopes were dashed when she saw his body laying still in that lab. He'd never come back to her. At least, not as James Buchanan Barnes.

In the cold, abandoned lab, James' fingers started to move. He slowly felt his strength return to him before he ripped out of his restraints. He only had one thought on his mind as he pulled himself free.

'No one hurts my daughter.'