Hydra's Lair

Chapter 10

James was once again in the medical wing, only a week after the prisoners had beaten him, but he wasn’t there to get a new wound looked at he was there to check on Kasey just like he’d been doing for the past few days. According to the doctors she was stable but as he watched her, a dark shadow-like form would occasionally flicker around her body… her ghost. Every time he saw that James would hold his breath and pray she would hang in there and wake back up.

            “Barnes it’s time for training again, I can’t let you be on break all day.” Ward spoke up as he came into the room.

            James didn’t look up at him. “How long?”

            “How long what?”

            “How long until they decide to just… give up on her?”

            Ward sighed and examined the medical sheet. “It’s been what, a week and a day since the mission? I would say HYDRA decides to stop wasting their resources on her any day now.”

            “What?” James jumped up and whirled around to face him. “They can’t just do that! What if she were to recover?”

            “They won’t care. She isn’t helping them with anything except taking away their money to keep her alive.”

            “W-what if I can wake her up?”

            Ward rolled his eyes at him. “And how would you do that?”

            “I-I could… I could uh… M-my powers! I could try speaking with her spirit and get it to try waking her up… maybe… I don’t know if I can… she’s not dead. I’ve never tried this…” James started pacing around and talking to himself.

            “James!” Ward growled. “Training time.”

            James snapped his head up to look at him. “Grant, please, if I do this I will be training.”

            Ward glared at him. “Do not address me by my first name. I am your superior therefore you should do well to remember I will be addressed as ‘sir’ or by my last name.”

            “Of course… Ward.” James quickly apologized. “But just let me try this, if I learn how to communicate with someone’s living spirit or ghost, then just imagine what I could be able to do to help you out.”

            “We are training for combat now stop stalling.”

            James twitched in annoyance before disappearing into the shadows, Ward let out a sigh as he looked around for his apprentice. James appeared again and aimed a blow at the back of Ward’s head but he easily turned around and caught his fist.

            “So predictable…” Ward twisted James’ wrist until he managed to get free. “Now let’s train and maybe I’ll give you another break later as a reward.”

            James nodded in defeat, that was the thing about him, his anger burned fast and only lasted a few attacks in before he managed to calm down. A nurse glared at them as they walked out before going into Kasey’s room to straighten up anything they had messed up in their small fight. Ward showed him a new combination of moves once they reached the training room and James repeated the steps back to him. Once Ward was satisfied with his skills James was allowed to put in a twist that only he could do; adding his shadow travel abilities.

            “Ready to test those moves in an actual fight now?” Ward asked.

            “I think so.” James replied.

            Ward waved his hand and the agents that had been standing on the sidelines came out and got into fighting position. James copied them and Ward brought his hand down. “Start!”

            James immediately ran into the shadows and appeared behind the agents, taking two of the seven out before dodging a third one’s attack and slamming their head into the wall. The other four grouped together as he disappeared into the shadows again; this time when he reappeared they met him with different series of moves until he was only defending himself as he looked for an opening. Finally another agent slipped up and he managed to knock them out while breaking the other agents’ formation. He was about to take care of the last three agents when an uneasy feeling sent a shiver through him and he turned around to see a weakly flickering form of Kasey drifting in. James let out a yelp of surprise before getting taken down by the remaining agents, who, of course, were oblivious to the half-formed ghost in the room.

            “Time!” Ward shouted and waved the agents off. “James that was truly a disappointing performance. I really thought you could’ve taken them all out.”

            “Can I speak to you… alone?” James glanced at him and Ward nodded in understanding.

            “Agents you are dismissed.” Ward waited until they were all gone before turning towards James. “What is it now?”

            “Kasey… she’s dying quickly. Her ghost is starting to wander, I need to try helping her before it becomes completely free from her body.”

            “Fine… but if you don’t succeed then remember what I told you… don’t be too attached.”

            “Yeah like you followed that rule.” James retorted as he left. “You’re still trying to get that Skye girl to trust you… like it would kill you if she doesn’t.”

            Ward was about to reply before thinking twice about it, James was under pressure, and a pressure he had felt before himself. And all he wanted to do was release it as anger at him, so instead of speaking his mind Ward just pretended not to hear and continued walking; he could get back at James later with more grueling work.