SOLDIER ─ marvel

XXII. The Missing File

Chapter Twenty-Two
Soroya

"Well sis, I have some bad news..." Alex begins as Walker and I renter the living room.

"This is a HYDRA agent's house." I finish for him.

Alex blinks at me before letting out a sigh. "Yes, how did you know?"

"I saw a picture of Wilhelm Bauer in the bedroom, he's a HYDRA scientist. He worked in Siberia on the winter soldier program."

I see Alex's eyes widen, and I know he's thinking about Bucky and what this could mean. This prompts me to say; "I told Walker about Bucky, I told him everything."

Walker's raises a brow. "Bucky?"

"His nickname," I answer, turning back to my brother. "I think Bauer and Zemo are trying to recreate the super soldier serum by using Bucky's blood. It's the only thing that makes sense."

Alex runs a hand through his hair and nods his head, staring down at all the scattered papers. "That's odd. If Bauer was apart of the winter soldier program, then how come all of these papers are related to PROJECT SHIFTER?"

I blink. "What?"

Alex nods, gesturing to the floor. "Almost all of these papers and files are about PROJECT SHIFTER. Most of it is redacted, but the ones that aren't are about the people who worked on the project."

"Isn't PROJECT SHIFTER the program that created the two of you?" Everett asks.

I nod, glancing over my shoulder as I see Walker step forward and ask;

"Why would Bauer have files about a project he wasn't apart of?"

"After HYDRA fell he probably just grabbed all the files he could and fled. He probably didn't want to risk the Avengers or anyone else getting their hands on HYDRA data." Alex answers.

I begin to inquire aloud; "Why would Zemo want something about our project? Wait...could he know about our relationship with Bucky? If he knew about us, he would try to find a way to stop us from messing with his and Bauer's plans."

Alex nods, going over to the old couch, still covered in papers and files, making a scrunch as he sits down. "Soroya...there's one file that's not here."

"What file?"

"Julian's file."

I feel my breath hitch, my palms growing clammy as I ask my brother; "You're certain?"

He nods. "I double checked. His file isn't here. It could mean Bauer didn't grab it in his escape, but every other member of PROJECT SHIFTER is here. Becker, Setherton, the other lackeys you told me about. They're all here, but not Julian."

"Who the hell is Julian?" Walker asks.

I don't turn around to face him as I answer; "He was the scientist who helped me master my powers. He was also my best friend. He-he was killed by HYDRA for trying to set me free when I was fifteen."

Walker's gaze lingers on me even after Alex begins to say; "We're the only survivors of PROJECT SHIFTER, so I can't see any other reason why Zemo would want information on the project. So if we're assuming that Zemo and Bauer know that we're coming for them, why is Julian's file significant?"

A lightbulb goes off in my mind as I turn my attention to Everett. "Was the case about Analiese Remington made public?"

Everett nods, crossing his arms. "Yes, but not all of it."

"Was the information about the serum she created to temporarily stop my powers released to the public?"

Everett shakes his head. "No, that was made classified."