Red Winter: Timeline

Chapter Nine: Azzano

(Author's Note: We're going a bit AU for a lot of backstory. I don't know when The Winter Soldier Book originated. I don't know who wrote it. I don't know the science behind Bucky's brainwashing. So I'm going to wing it. Maybe it's wrong? Oh well, read and enjoy.)

War. The gun shots, explosions, and yelling muddled the air. Breathing alone was hard, there was so much dirt and grim filling their lungs. Bucky had explained to both Sam and Wanda prior that Azzano was where the 107th Infantry were ambushed by the Wehrmacht. This was where HYDRA took Barnes and some of his men and they were sent to work at the weapon facility in Austria, where they were forced to help make the new weaponry for HYDRA's forces. During his imprisonment he had became too weak to continue, thus he was taken to undergo experiments conducted by Arnim Zola.

The three of them had landed in November of 1943, when Captain America freed Bucky and other men from HYDRA. Their plan was to scope out the building as the battle occurred, making it easier for them to slip by. The three of them had changed again, along the line they acquired black pants and dark green shirts, most likely swiped from an Army camp. Wanda had pulled her long hair into a high pony tail and tucked the shirt into her pants as it was too large on her. Sam, who had found that The Winter Soldier book would be in this facility at this time, prepared a game plan. Bucky at all costs was to avoid his past self and try to find some research on computers about the brainwashing while Wanda and Sam searched for the book. They only had limited time though as the building would be destroyed in no time.

Bucky made his way through the halls, ducking from runners and searching for a computer near the lab. Sam and Wanda split up, hoping to cover more ground. Wanda turned the hall and found four HYDRA members with guns, they seemed to be blocking a set of large red doors. Taking a deep breath she turned the corner and stood there as the men looked up at her. They shouted in Russian held up their guns, but they were no match. Wanda's eyes grew red and in a matter of seconds the guns were flying out of the men's hands and whizzing past Wanda to slam against the wall. The men, stunned, were frozen. Wanda stood there for a moment, waiting for them to charge, but instead they turned and opened the doors and ran through them. "Ok..." She looked around, "Hmm..."

Sam had similar trouble, fighting off HYDRA members as he made his way through the halls. There wasn't any real concern though, until he heard Steve Roger's voice. Suddenly Sam had more urge to him, fighting the men off. There was no hope though, Captain America came around the corner and took out three of them by the time Sam had taken down one. Once they were on the ground Steve leaned over to help Sam up, "Good fighting soldier." Sam looked at Steve in shock, "You look for a prisoner."

"Ye...yeah." He nodded.

The red, white, and blue was very bright. Sam made note of this, liking the darker colors Steve would later sport better. "You got a name soldier?" Steve let go of Sam's hand.

"B...b...Brown." Sam closed his eyes, how creative.

"Well Brown, think you can take it from here?" Steve smiled.

"Yes sir." He watched Steve jog down the hall, Sam wanted to laugh at how Steve spoke, so forward and proper. Taking a moment to gather himself she began to run down the hall.

Bucky eventually found an office, once inside he barricaded the door and got to work. Brainwashing, memory, serum, sensory deprivation, implants. The words all seemed to mold together as he was reading. Bucky leaned back in the chair, he didn't remember the sensory deprivation before, but seeing the word on the monitor it started to come back to him.

Wanda fought her way through the large room, it wasn't too difficult as her powers assisted her along the way and she didn't have any civilians to worry about. After it seemed well, she began searching some desks, only to have someone from behind grab her neck and swing her to the ground. Johann Schmidt looked down at her, his angry eyes pulsing. Wanda tried to kick him off of her, but there was no use. Schmidt picked her up and threw her into one of the desks. Wanda hit hard, grunting as she collected herself. The man looked like his face was permanently scowling. Wanda threw him across the room with her power, giving herself more time to collect herself. Once she was standing, she looked over and locked eyes with the man. "What are you?" His voice, low and grumbly.

Wanda didn't answer, she rose her hands to the ceiling and pulled them back down, bringing the ceiling down on to of the man so she could escape the room.

"Brainwashing..." Bucky clicked a few times to get to another page, "Brainwashing, code words...code words...memory..." He repeated what he read, "Code words..." his eyes widened, "Code words!"

Sam felt the building shake, his nerves flared as he realized they didn't have much time left.

Wanda ran into the hall, there was hardly anyone there. The building shook, she took a deep breath and started down another hallway.

Bucky looked up as the building shook, he got up and ran out of the room.

The three of them started to make their way outside back to their meeting place. Sam and Bucky seemed to have no issues, but they starred at one another for a moment and turned back to the facility as they realized Wanda was not there yet. Bucky began to head back toward the building, but Sam's hand stopped him, "She'll be here."

"That place is going to explode!" Bucky clenched his fists and teeth.

"She's got this." Sam tried to sound sure, but he too was beginning to worry. The two of them shot a look toward the building as the first explosion rang out. "She's coming..." Sam repeated this, "She's coming." As Bucky fought against him, Sam wrapped his arms around his friend in an attempt to keep him still. Another explosion rattled their heads. As the final explosion happened they watched as a figure emerged from the smoke, Wanda. She was stumbling, Sam finally released Bucky and watched as he ran toward her, catching her just as she was about to fall to the ground. Her face was dirty, covered in ash and soot. There was cuts and scrapes around her arms and face. The shirt she had on was torn at the collar.

Bucky picked her up and ran toward Sam, setting Wanda on the ground and moving the hair out of her face, "Wanda..." She coughed, her eyes still closed, but a cough was good.

Sam placed a hand on Bucky's shoulder, "Let's get out of here."

Back in a small Austrian town Bucky laid Wanda down on a cot, they had checked into a tiny inn. "She breathing?" Sam crossed his arms and leaned over the bed to look at her.

"Yeah, she's breathing." Bucky pulled the covers over her and sighed, "Did you find anything?"

Sam shook his head, "You?"

"Maybe." He nodded, "I need more though..."

The two men fell asleep in chairs, the rain began to pelt the window as the moon rose in the sky. The room was small, only a single bed in it, but it was cozy with burgundy patterned carpet and paisley wall paper.

Bucky opened his eyes when he heard the bed creek, he looked over to see if Wanda was awake. He resulted to standing and walking over toward the bed because the room was too dark. Hovering over her he saw her eyes staring back up to him. "Hey." He smiled, "You ok?"

Wanda nodded, she looked around the room, "Where..." Her voice was a bit rough, she cleared her throat and tried again, "Where are we?"

"Same year. Austria." He sat down at the edge of the bed, leaning one arm over her legs to hold himself up. "You scared us."

"I'm sorry." She took a deep breath and looked up at him, "I have good reason."

Bucky raised his eyebrow, "Oh yeah?"

Wanda nodded, "I found the book." She coughed again, "I only read some of it, I was interrupted."

"By?"

"You..." She watched his eyes widen, "and a scientist."

"Zola..." Bucky looked down for a moment.

"Big head?" She asked, he smiled, "I found the book, I tried to read as much as I could. Copy what I could, but Zola ran into the room to gather his documents."

"What did you do?"

"I dropped it and ran." She coughed.

"Did I see you?"

Wanda shook her head, "I don't think so. You seemed out of it." She took a deep breath, "Is there a shower?" She pushed the blankets off of her, "I feel disgusting."

"Over there." Bucky pointed.

After washing the grime off of her she pulled on new clothes that Sam had gone out and bought earlier for them. Bucky wanted to know what Wanda had read, but when she came out of the bathroom she immediately laid down and fell asleep, he didn't want to disturb that.