After Death | Bucky Barnes(Republished)

Truth

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      I made it back with just a few minutes to spare, I was careful to not show any emotion as I checked back in. No one asked questions, but my supervising officer kept an awful close eye on me, watching my every move. Back in my quarters, my mind kept going over every word the man had said to me.

He said he hadn't killed me, said that he loved me. He seemed hurt that I didn't remember, it must be true, how else would you explain the fact that he described my dream perfectly. Maybe it wasn't a dream at all...

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      Days later, I was assigned on patrol late one night. I waited patiently for the room to finally clear. I then took a seat at one of the monitors, I dug through the files, experiments... And then I found what I was looking for: My file.

My picture came up with all of my information, it read 

Last Name
First Name
Former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent,
​​​​​​​Killed in combat.  

Followed by my age, height, weight, date of birth, date of death, medication administered.

I continued opening files and found several video clips; I open the first and saw myself restrained to a bed, fidgeting against the restrains and a man sitting in a chair next to the bed. I've seen him here, he stands around in the control room from time to time.

"What's going on?" I heard my voice coming from the monitor.

"You were not well, we are helping you." Laake said.

"Let me go, I need to see Bucky. Where is he?" my voice said.

      I suddenly found myself next to a man in a suit and tie, "Anyway, this is Steve." He gestured to a man with blonde hair, he held out his hand.

"It's nice to meet you." Steve smiled as I shook his  hand. I turned to  look at the man with long hair standing next to him.

"Uh... Hi." he said holding out his hand "My name is James." he said as I shook his hand.

"We call him Bucky." Steve said patting Jame's shoulder.

"Bucky." I repeat out loud as I sat in front of the monitor, I remember his shy smile clearly, he then dropped his gaze from my eyes to the floor.

I continued to look watch the clip and watched myself get tested and injected with different medications; I saw the needles they used to inject me, which left the scars on my forearms. I watched as I screamed cried and begged for them to kill me. The video ended and I opened the next one, I was seated and restrained to a metal chair, with monitors on each side of me.

Laake was there once more.

"I'm going to kill you." I hear myself spit at him.

"I very much doubt that." Laake says, "Now open up." he forced a mouth guard into my mouth. 

I remember the man in the suit and tie... Coulson. He was showing me files, this is what they described happening to the man with the metal arm, Bucky. I opened more files, documents which further explained the procedure.

"Subject received three bullet wounds to the abdomen at close range, Severe damage to internal organs, large amounts of blood loss. Subject three weeks pregnant, embryo extracted. Procedure continued."

I frowned, 'Embryo? I was pregnant?' I thought.

I heard footsteps behind me. I closed the files and turned off the monitor. I got up and started walking as if I was on patrol the whole time. It was another agent, my shift was over. I walked the halls down to my quarters, closed the door and locked it behind me. I paced back and forth in my small room. 

Everything I was told here was a lie. The Winter Soldier was right, I had worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. I was just Hydra's little experiment. They took everything from me.. 

Did I know I would have a child? Did he? I racked my brain, desperately trying to remember more. I turned on my heels in frustration, making a fist and striking the wall. I stared at the hole in the cement wall, there was no blood on my knuckles, not even the slightest pain. 

Published: October 2, 2015

Republished: May 11, 2016