Fangs & Roses

Chapter 4

James "Bucky" Buchanan Barnes

World War II, Alzosnow Hydra Base, 1945

"Sergeant Barnes, you are to be the new fist of HYDRA," Zola monologues. Bucky wasn't paying attention. He heard a faint yelp, and he strained his ears.

Was it Sarah? No. Thank God. Then the machine turned on. A horrible electricity sound, and it hurt. He bit down on the gag. After what felt like hours, they turned the machine off.

"Soldat," A voice interrogated.

Da, ser.

Who the hell is that?

"Let me go," He howled.

The machine activated again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

As the pattern began. After every wipe, the voice got louder, and his memories got quieter. By the time they got around to asking his name, he could hardly respond, and the other voice, the Winter Soldier, he called himself, got louder. Then he felt a sharp smack to his face, bringing him back to the present.

"Soldat," Schmitt screamed.

"Go. To. Hell," Bucky growled.

Silence. They turn the machine back on. The Red Skull walks away. After the machine turns off, they ask him his name. Exhausted, he answers.

"Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, 32557038," He murmured. Then he felt another needle before he fell unconscious. When he woke up, it wasn't Bucky Barnes in his body. It was something unusual. He didn't, couldn't, act like Barnes. He called his superior, Command. He described to Barnes, a young lady, with dark hair, brown eyes, and a stunning smile. He depicted someone who was obviously powerful, dominant, but in a fragile package.

Are, are you romanticizing my best friend? Dude! Though, she is kinda cute. A man walked up and handed him a gun. The soldier did not fire.

"Lukas Tyler, Polish, Jewish army private, found stealing ammunition from Berlin and transporting them to Murrin. Shoot on-site" The man chatted. He signaled to the guard at the door, and they lead in a light-skinned, brown-haired man, who was obviously emancipated.

I'm supposed to shoot him!?

Command said that they are in charge. The Winter Soldier didn't care. He picked up the firearm and fired between the eyes. The man slumped to the floor.

Oh my, God. The man walked towards him, seeming to know a secret.

"I wish you hadn't done that," A female intern whispered.

"We cannot let Command know of this. It's not safe to let him around them. They will shut the project down! They wanted the loss of memory, not loss of humanity," A balding man shouted. The Winter Soldier was in shock.

Command said to do as they told us. You can't hide her project from her.

But now you can't see her, or protect her. He tried to reason with himself.

Oh.

"Put him in with those werewolves from earlier. With any luck, he will be torn to pieces before the war is over," A red-faced man ordered the others. Werewolves?

"Soldier, present your arm," The female intern barked.

"Да, мэм," The soldier yelped. He held his arm out, and they stabbed a needle into the vein. He felt two people pick him up by the arms, and begin to drag him. He was dropped and felt cold concrete. He heard the tearing of fabric, and slowly opened his eyes. He couldn't focus on who it was, but he saw brown ombre hair and a bloody face.