The Break of Winter ▸B. Barnes

Chapter 9

Liv's POV

Unlike the rest of our little group of criminals, I didn't get the luxury of being treated like a human being. I was quickly shoved onto the ground and loaded into some kind of glass container where I was strapped to a chair. I closed my eyes and rested my head back against the chair. This way of restraining me was hitting far too close to home.

Flashback
I was shoved into a metal chair, restraints around each wrist, ankle, and my forehead. "Gentlemen, this isn't exactly how I like to be tied down," I say sarcastically. One of the scientists stops and stares at me for a second, so I spit in his eye. I was already here as a punishment, so I might as well go down swinging. "It's rude to stare," I comment. My action is rewarded with a slap across my cheek, forcing my head to the side. I push my tongue against the roof of my mouth and roll my eyes.

"I suggest you get your behavior in check before we have to give you more consequences," a doctor advises.

"Oh, yeah? Like what?" I ask innocently, as if I hadn't had this punishment before. The doctor simply smiles before putting a mouth guard between my teeth. He proceeds to connect a pad to each temple. He flips the machine on, and electricity begins to flow into my skull. The pain is excruciating, but I do my best not to scream nor drop the glare I was giving the doctor. Eventually, the pain overwhelmed me and my body began to tremble until I couldn't hold back my screams anymore. Eventually after what feels like hours, my world goes black.
End of flashback

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a dark, empty room. "Wow, this decor is astonishing," I say to myself.

After what feels like hours of being trapped in this cage with only myself and my thoughts, a door slides open and a brunette man with glasses walks in holding a clip board.

"Hello, Miss Quinn. I've been sent by the United Nations to evaluate you. Do you mind if I sit?" He smiles. Something tells me this man can't be trusted. "Your first name is Olivia?" I remain silent. "I'm not here to judge you, I just want to ask you a few questions."

"Isn't that kind of the whole reason you're here?" I remain looking down at my feet.

"Do you know where you are, Olivia?" He ignores my remark. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me, Olivia."

"It's Liv," I correct. "Actually, second thought, you can call me Olivia. Only my friends get to call me Liv."

"Tell me, Olivia," He exaggerates my name. "You've seen a great deal, haven't you?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I rely, stepping away from my smartass behavior.

"You're afraid that if you open your mouth, the horrors might never stop."

"Don't put words in my mouth. I said I don't want to talk about it, nothing more." I snap.

"Don't worry," He says, touching something on a tablet. "We only have to talk about one." Suddenly, the power goes off in the room.

"What the hell is this," I ask, anger building as I finally move my eyes up from the ground to glare at him.

"Let's talk about your home. Not Romania, certainly not Brooklyn. No, I mean your real home." The hair sticks up on the back of my neck and I get chills once I see what he pulls out of his bag. I never thought I would have to see that book again.

"поврежденный" Damaged

"No," I whisper. I can't go back, I have to be here for Steve and Bucky.

"девять" Nine.

Just remember: Steve and Bucky.

I manage to break free from the restraints.

"снег" Snow.

Steve and Bucky. They need me.

"восемь" Eight.

Steve and Bucky.

I start punching using my metal arm where I noticed a crack in the glass.

"сумерки" Nightfall.

Steve and Bucky...

"взятый" Taken.

Steve and Bucky.

"запрещено" Forbidden.

Bucky and... a blonde boy.... Steve.

"один" One.

Two boys, they're important to me. What're their names again? Bucky and.. something else.

"пламя" Flame.

Bu- wait, who?

The glass that I had been punching shatters.

"мерцать" Shimmer.

I drop to the ground. "солдаты?" Soldier? I look up at the man and stand up straight.

"Готовы соблюдать." Ready to comply.

"Mission report. December 16, 1991."
••
Bucky's POV

Steve, Sam, and I sprint down the hall where we were told Liv was being held. Once we start to get close to the room, we start to find unconscious guards, but we don't have time to check if they're alive or not. Our girl was in danger. "Help," I hear a weak voice say. We turn the corner to see the "doctor" laying on the ground.

"Get up," Steve says, already aggravated. I don't even bother with words. I walk straight to him, grab him by the shirt, and slam him into the nearest wall.

"What do you want?" I ask, venom lacing my words. He cuts out the act.

"To see an empire fall," he smirks.

Before I can ask him anything else, I heard a loud crash that is shortly followed by Liv entering the room. However, this wasn't live. This was the Winter Soldier. Her normally soft eyes were now dark and empty, her face had no expression, and her entire body was tense. Even when she was looking directly at me, it was like she looked straight through me. She starts to swing at me, but I'm able to block each hit. After training with her for so long, I could practically predict each move she made. I pulled her against me in a choke hold, and despite her not currently being my Liv, her body still fit perfectly against mine. Eventually, she breaks free and throws me against a wall, where Sam was recovering. I notice the doctor trying to escape, and so does Sam. "Hey!" He called, causing the doctor to turn to face us.

"Go," I tell Sam. "I'll stay and help Steve." Sam nods and sprints towards the doctor.

I return to where Steve and Liv were, only to find the Winter Soldier is gone and Steve pulling himself out of an elevator shaft.

Eventually, Steve and I find her on the roof attempting to escape in a helicopter. Steve starts to run towards the helicopter, but I beat him there. I grab the helicopter at the last second and use all my strength to keep it grounded by holding onto the edge of the roof. I groan in pain, it felt like my body was going to rip in half. Just when I thought I couldn't do it anymore, Steve called out to me. "Bucky, duck!" As soon as the words left his mouth, the helicopter cane crashing down, blades narrowly missing my head. The tail of the helicopter nearly hit Steve, but luckily it missed him too. Before I get the chance to recover, Winter's metal arm breaks through the glass and grips me around my throat. I try to push against the helicopter to get away from her, but it pushes the helicopter into water below, bringing both of us with it. When I swim back to the surface of the water, I notice that Liv hadn't come up yet.

"Shit," I mumble to myself. I go back under to find her unconscious, still in the helicopter. I struggle to unstrap her but once I get her out, I drag her to shore where Sam and Steve meet us.