As y/n is interrogated by Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff, memories of her life as the Ruby Raven start resurfacing. She used to work hand in hand with the Winter Soldier. Except she knows there's more to that, more to him, and she's determined to...
"We fight every night for something When the sun sets we're both the same Half in the shadows Half burned in flames"
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--February, 1988--
"Today's the day."
I lift up my chin and look away from that woman. "I know." At least I still remember today's my eighteenth birthday.
"Graduating at last."
"Just get it done already."
Two men take me away to a cold room that smells like sanitiser. I'm already wearing a hospital gown and I know damn well what's coming for me. They're going to prevent me from ever being distracted. Because spies and soldiers can't love, can they ? And if they have kids...they'll be distracted, and that can't happen. Never. I'm not saying I'm not scared. Believe me : I am. It all happens so fast. I don't even see it coming. They place a mask on my mouth and like that, within a second, I'm asleep. I'm asleep and they can do whatever they want to me. I wake up a few house later. My stomach hurts like hell. I knew it was painful. I mean how could it not be ? I feel empty. I tear up a little when the director comes in. She looks as cold as usual but I can see something else in her eyes. Something that wasn't there before the operation.
"Does it hurt ?" She asks, and I can see her evil grin.
"Not really," I lie.
"Good, because I need you to do something for me."
"What is it ?"
"Have you ever heard about the Winter Soldier ?"
"Of course I have. Isn't he like, I don't know, a myth ?"
The woman chuckles, sending shivers down my spine. God, this woman scares the shit out of me.
"He's not a myth. You're meeting him today."
"What ? Why ?"
"Your graduation is not completely over. There is one more thing left to do."
"What is it ?"
"The Winter Soldier needs a partner. And we chose you."
"Me ? Why me ? I'm not..."
"You are strong enough, trust me. Or at least you will be."
"Do I need to train more ?"
"Oh no. You have achieved more in four years with us than everyone has achieved in a lifetime." She chuckles again. "You could say we are giving you a gift."
I fear this even more because I know for sure that the Red Room doesn't do gifts. What they do is sending young girls to fight all kinds of men. You never see them coming. I should know by now. She tells me to get up and to follow her. I tried to ignore the pain, the excruciating pain that's burning my whole body. I walk up to another chair that doesn't look a tiny bit more comfortable than last one. I can't help but sigh as I sit where I'm told. There are all kinds of machines around me. I try my best not to care about them. They are other doctors, different from the ones who performed the surgery. I see them preparing needles filled with a liquid that I can't recognise. One of them approaches me with a needle. He straps my arms to the armrests and I start getting the point. That liquid is for me, even though I have no idea what's in it. So I ask.
