James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nerves_of_ice) wrote2013-09-07 10:41 pm
nerves_of_ice) wrote2013-09-07 10:41 pm
He walks up the hallway, flanked by the four armed guards, and doesn't look back.
He doesn't need to. Through a trick of sound that echoes the general's words in a murmur from the walls, he can tell that Romanova--
(Natasha, he'll always think of her as Natasha now, deep within in the same way that he thinks of himself as Alex where no one else can see)
-- will come through this okay. She was taking care of herself long before he ever knew her; she's tough, she knows how to blend, she'll be able to handle the comrade sergeant and the rest of her training just fine.
As for how much trouble he himself is in, well, that's another question entirely.
They finish the walk to the interrogation chamber in silence.
One of his guards stations himself outside the door, on watch for the general; the remaining three escort him in. The room is pitilessly clean, all scoured concrete and harsh light, empty of furniture save for one metal table and a single matching chair. He takes up a relaxed, easy stance in the center of the room, facing the table, and composes himself to wait, allowing his face to show nothing of his thoughts. The guards trade glances and arrange themselves around him.
They aren't left waiting long.
The door bangs open and slams into the wall as the general stalks in, ignoring the hallway guard who hurries after him, closing and locking the door. His bootheels crack against the floor as he crosses to the table; metal screeches as he yanks out the chair and seats himself, glaring at the Winter Soldier.
"Comrade Eifreitor Lukin, attend me."
One of the guards jerks to an instant response, and swiftly moves to stand at the general's right shoulder, positioning himself a respectful two steps behind him. The guard from the hallway moves into Lukin's vacated place. The Winter Soldier notices all this from the corner of his eye, as he doesn't look away from the general's furious gaze.
"A training session?"
He doesn't hesitate. "Yes, Comrade General."
"You have overstepped your authority, Winter Soldier." The general's words are harsh and flat, and he hears his death knell in them. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"That if I have failed you, Comrade General, I accept whatever punishment you require of me."
"Do you?" The general snaps his fingers at one of the guards, who draws a pistol and puts it to the Winter Soldier's head, pressing the barrel hard against his skin. "And if I what I require is your life?"
He makes no move, and is distantly glad to hear that his own voice remains cool and steady when he answers,
"Then it is yours, Comrade General."
Suddenly, shockingly, the general bares his teeth in a feral smile.
"That, Winter Soldier, is the difference between you and the three guards who surround you even now." The gun at his temple jerks sideways as the nearest guard turns toward the general in stunned surprise, but the older man continues without a pause. "You are ready to die to serve Russia truly, while these craven fools have betrayed her by seeking to serve her enemies instead, thinking I would not hear of it. Deal with them."
The guards have less than a second to react before the Winter Soldier moves, and then it's too late. His left arm sweeps up and knocks the pistol away, after which he smashes the first guard's throat with his forearm as he spins on his right leg and snaps a kick to the second guard's chest. Both guards drop to the floor as he completes his whirlwind turn to face the third man, who's backing toward the locked door.
His hand flickers to his side and out toward the remaining guard, who lets out a gurgling sound around the matte-black throwing knife that's suddenly appeared in his throat.
The Winter Soldier draws a second knife and makes sure that the two men at his feet are dead before approaching the third guard, who has given up his futile attempts to breathe and is now sliding down the wall to the floor. He finishes the job and reclaims his other knife, cleaning them both on the dead man's uniform before stowing them away and returning to the center of the room to face the general once more, noticing as he does that the young soldier - Comrade Lukin - is staring at him in shocked disbelief.
The general, however, is still smiling.
"Be sure that if I had found you to be disloyal, your punishment would have been as swift."
He bows his head in silent acknowledgement - then raises it again at the general's next words.
"But you have done your work well, and I cannot spare you from the field any longer. Your next mission awaits you, Winter Soldier. Report to Comrade Lieutenant Budanov within the hour."
This has been both a lesson and a test, he realizes, and it appears he has passed.
"Thank you, Comrade General," he replies, and leaves the room as quickly as he can. The general had said 'within the hour,' which means he's probably got half that if he's lucky. He'll need every bit of it to both get his mission kit and leave Romanova's written progress report with Comrade Sergeant Tkachyov. He's got no way of knowing whether or not Oksana Vasilyevna will pass along the special 'training materials' he's included, but given Romanova's linguistics study, there's no obvious reason not to. He spares a moment to hope the intended message will be clear, then puts it all out of his thoughts and turns his mind to the mission ahead.
As he strides down the hallway, excitement beats a pulse in his blood. It's good to be headed back to the field, doing what he does best.
Behind him, the general turns to Lukin.
"You are surprised?"
"I -- " The junior soldier stumbles over his words, and tries again. "I don't understand. Why go through all that just to execute those three?" He waves his hand at the fallen bodies.
The general shakes his head.
"Not for them. They are nothing, less than nothing. For you, that you would know just how well controlled our latest weapon is... and how deadly."
Sudden realization flashes across his young eifreitor's face, and General Vasily Karpov nods.
"This demonstration was for your benefit, Lukin. Remember it."
He doesn't need to. Through a trick of sound that echoes the general's words in a murmur from the walls, he can tell that Romanova--
(Natasha, he'll always think of her as Natasha now, deep within in the same way that he thinks of himself as Alex where no one else can see)
-- will come through this okay. She was taking care of herself long before he ever knew her; she's tough, she knows how to blend, she'll be able to handle the comrade sergeant and the rest of her training just fine.
As for how much trouble he himself is in, well, that's another question entirely.
They finish the walk to the interrogation chamber in silence.
One of his guards stations himself outside the door, on watch for the general; the remaining three escort him in. The room is pitilessly clean, all scoured concrete and harsh light, empty of furniture save for one metal table and a single matching chair. He takes up a relaxed, easy stance in the center of the room, facing the table, and composes himself to wait, allowing his face to show nothing of his thoughts. The guards trade glances and arrange themselves around him.
They aren't left waiting long.
The door bangs open and slams into the wall as the general stalks in, ignoring the hallway guard who hurries after him, closing and locking the door. His bootheels crack against the floor as he crosses to the table; metal screeches as he yanks out the chair and seats himself, glaring at the Winter Soldier.
"Comrade Eifreitor Lukin, attend me."
One of the guards jerks to an instant response, and swiftly moves to stand at the general's right shoulder, positioning himself a respectful two steps behind him. The guard from the hallway moves into Lukin's vacated place. The Winter Soldier notices all this from the corner of his eye, as he doesn't look away from the general's furious gaze.
"A training session?"
He doesn't hesitate. "Yes, Comrade General."
"You have overstepped your authority, Winter Soldier." The general's words are harsh and flat, and he hears his death knell in them. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"That if I have failed you, Comrade General, I accept whatever punishment you require of me."
"Do you?" The general snaps his fingers at one of the guards, who draws a pistol and puts it to the Winter Soldier's head, pressing the barrel hard against his skin. "And if I what I require is your life?"
He makes no move, and is distantly glad to hear that his own voice remains cool and steady when he answers,
"Then it is yours, Comrade General."
Suddenly, shockingly, the general bares his teeth in a feral smile.
"That, Winter Soldier, is the difference between you and the three guards who surround you even now." The gun at his temple jerks sideways as the nearest guard turns toward the general in stunned surprise, but the older man continues without a pause. "You are ready to die to serve Russia truly, while these craven fools have betrayed her by seeking to serve her enemies instead, thinking I would not hear of it. Deal with them."
The guards have less than a second to react before the Winter Soldier moves, and then it's too late. His left arm sweeps up and knocks the pistol away, after which he smashes the first guard's throat with his forearm as he spins on his right leg and snaps a kick to the second guard's chest. Both guards drop to the floor as he completes his whirlwind turn to face the third man, who's backing toward the locked door.
His hand flickers to his side and out toward the remaining guard, who lets out a gurgling sound around the matte-black throwing knife that's suddenly appeared in his throat.
The Winter Soldier draws a second knife and makes sure that the two men at his feet are dead before approaching the third guard, who has given up his futile attempts to breathe and is now sliding down the wall to the floor. He finishes the job and reclaims his other knife, cleaning them both on the dead man's uniform before stowing them away and returning to the center of the room to face the general once more, noticing as he does that the young soldier - Comrade Lukin - is staring at him in shocked disbelief.
The general, however, is still smiling.
"Be sure that if I had found you to be disloyal, your punishment would have been as swift."
He bows his head in silent acknowledgement - then raises it again at the general's next words.
"But you have done your work well, and I cannot spare you from the field any longer. Your next mission awaits you, Winter Soldier. Report to Comrade Lieutenant Budanov within the hour."
This has been both a lesson and a test, he realizes, and it appears he has passed.
"Thank you, Comrade General," he replies, and leaves the room as quickly as he can. The general had said 'within the hour,' which means he's probably got half that if he's lucky. He'll need every bit of it to both get his mission kit and leave Romanova's written progress report with Comrade Sergeant Tkachyov. He's got no way of knowing whether or not Oksana Vasilyevna will pass along the special 'training materials' he's included, but given Romanova's linguistics study, there's no obvious reason not to. He spares a moment to hope the intended message will be clear, then puts it all out of his thoughts and turns his mind to the mission ahead.
As he strides down the hallway, excitement beats a pulse in his blood. It's good to be headed back to the field, doing what he does best.
Behind him, the general turns to Lukin.
"You are surprised?"
"I -- " The junior soldier stumbles over his words, and tries again. "I don't understand. Why go through all that just to execute those three?" He waves his hand at the fallen bodies.
The general shakes his head.
"Not for them. They are nothing, less than nothing. For you, that you would know just how well controlled our latest weapon is... and how deadly."
Sudden realization flashes across his young eifreitor's face, and General Vasily Karpov nods.
"This demonstration was for your benefit, Lukin. Remember it."