But He is Human, Right?

It would be easy to say I felt uncomfortable with the Winter Soldier following me around, but to be honest, I didn’t notice him at all. I wanted to notice him, I even tried looking for him every once in a while, but he was a ghost. I knew he was near, I could feel that, but there was never any proof of it, it was just my gut telling me I was being watched. He came to me every night and I repeated the Russian words to him, but other than that my life was pretty normal. 

My week was oddly quiet, that was probably thanks to Peirce. Normally I would have some kind of mission from S.H.I.E.L.D. by now but apparently there was no need for a STRIKE force this week.

I think most normal people would like to have a break, get a day off, some time to themselves, not me. I couldn’t be alone with my thoughts, I needed something to do. This mission against Cooper couldn’t come soon enough. 

I sat in my room, it was almost two in the morning, with my leg bouncing up and down. I had tried multiple times to make it stop, but at this point I had to just accept it. If my old teacher ever saw me in this state he could surely wack my shaking leg until it couldn’t shake any longer, but it had been a few years since I graduated from HYDRA’s training and the bad habit had come back.

Teacher believed my leg hindered my ability to do my job, I know better. Nothing will get in between me and my survival, especially something as trivial as a bouncing leg.

I was definitely supposed to be asleep by now, but instead I found myself sitting at my desk staring at nothing. The Winter Soldier was asleep, at least I think he was. He always slept on my floor but he never closed his eyes. I could never fully tell if he was dead or alive when he was like this and I was too scared to get close enough to test his breath. Even when asleep he looked more on alert than a fox after hearing a gunshot. He was a mystery, and I hated puzzles. I just wanted to Google the solution, but I doubted that it would have any results. Instead, I turned my attention to that red starred notebook. I’d read it more times than I care to admit and still was no closer to figuring out what he was then before I knew he existed. Despite that, I dug through it again, hoping that maybe there was some kind of answer I had missed.

I feel asleep at my desk, my nose in that stupid book.

I woke up minutes before the knock on my door. The Winter Soldier was up already, standing in the corner of the room with hollow eyes. I ignored him, brushing a hand through my hair to make myself presentable before opening it up. 

It was one of HYDRA’s messengers. I couldn’t remember her name, it didn’t matter, they were all the same in my mind anyway.

“Peirce says it starts today. Malitime Theater at 7:56 tonight, STRIKE will fill you in.” she said. I nod my head to dismiss her and she walks off without another word. I close the door and look at the Winter Soldier.

“We start our work today,” I said. There were plenty of times that I tried to start a conversation with him, but it never worked. He was always completely silent. He just stared with unreadable eyes. 

I got dressed and started my morning routine. Once I started my workout, the Winter Soldier disappeared and I knew I wouldn’t see him again for the day unless absolutely necessary.

Time seemed to crawl on agonizingly slowly. That wasn’t abnormal though, it was just part of the job. And I could wait, I was good at waiting. 

Soon enough a message from Snyder, the STRIKE leader, came through my phone. It simply read: “Got orders from Fury to meet at the Malitime Theater, get there as soon as you can, I’ll find more information soon.”

I could speculate as much as I wanted about what happened between Peirce and Fury and HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. but I often found it easier to just follow orders. Peirce did his job, now it was time to do mine. I grabbed my guns, strapping them to my chest and belt before hustling to the Malitime Theater. I trusted the Winter Soldier was following, even if I couldn’t sense him, he would do his job just as I would. 

Snyder was outside the theater. It was barely five so no one was lined up yet. The show would start at eight, probably a few minutes later as all shows did… that was if it would go on at all after the staged assissination attempt. I greeted her with a pilot nod and bow just as I did with all my superiors. Even if S.H.I.E.L.D didn’t care as much about respect as HYDRA did, it was still a safe bet if I wanted to climb ranks.

“You were quick,” Snyder said.

“Always try to be,” I replied, putting no more weight to the words than I would normally.

“Apparently, Fury got a tip that someone of importance is gonna be attending the show tonight,” Snyder explained.

“Do we know who?” Unlike with HYDRA, It was safe to ask questions with S.H.I.E.L.D. They were weak and would allow a more lax structure. That was probably why they had been so easy to infiltrate.

“Ambassador Cooper, he’ll be in private box 3. I’ve been trying to get him a personal guard since his arrival, but he turns his nose up at all my suggestions. He explicitly requested not to have any body guards at this show, so keep yourself hidden.”

“You suspect foul play?” I asked.

“You can never be too careful,” she said, “No one with that much influence should be left unguarded, you know they won’t be left unmarked.”

I nodded my head in agreement. She was smarter than most people in S.H.I.E.L.D, a lot of people in STRIKE were. I respected her for that fact. It was a shame that one day she would be gone. It was uncertain if HYDRA would kill her off or just force her to retire, but somehow I would eventually take her spot as head of STRIKE, that was the goal since day one and I doubted HYDRA would change its mind just because I thought Snyder was smart. She wasn’t a HYDRA member and therefore at some point she would have to go.

But I shouldn’t have been thinking about the future, I had a mission in front of me now that needed my full attention. 

“You got a plan?” I asked.

“You guard the inside, I’ll guard the outside-” she reached into her pocket and gave me an ear piece- “we’ll keep in contact.”

“Right, do the workers know we’re here?”

“Yes, not our purpose, but they won’t bother you. Remember though, Cooper doesn’t know we’re here, unless you have to, keep it that way.”

I nod, “Yes, ma’am.”

She dismissed me and I made my way inside. I located the private box first. It had a lot of weak points, plenty of ways to get shot. There was one advantage I had, and that was knowing that this assination attempt was all staged and would take place at 7:56. Even knowing that though, Peirce hadn’t given me any other details. That was fine though, I was used to fighting with one eye blind, that's just what working in HYDRA was like, and honestly, I kinda liked the thrill of the search. 

I set myself up in the rafters of the theater, out of sight from everyone but still able to see everything. I liked being in high locations, the space often gave me room to breathe. It was in that space that I was able to spot him, or at least I think I did. The Winter Soldier was a master at being undetected, it didn’t take long for me to learn that, but in that moment, in the rafters in that theater, I think I spotted him before he noticed me. It was just a brief moment, but I saw him, a sniper rifle already in preparation, looming in the shadows of the upper curtains. It was as though a sixth sense went off in him, as soon as I think my eyes located him, he was gone in a blink. A true professional, there was a reason Peirce was so proud of him.

The time ticked on and soon enough people started to enter the theater. I watched all of them, motionlessly. They were all so naive, so… stupid. They all thought they were safe, but little did they know not only was there an intruder over their heads, but the world’s deadly assassin was looming somewhere. Idiots, all of them, ignorance bliss was a curse, one I was glad HYRDA had freed me from. I pity those native souls down there. Not a care in the world, not a care or a clue. Idiots, all of them.

And it was at that time that the biggest idiot of them all walked into his private box. I checked my watch before turning my full attention to Cooper. He was there with what was probably his wife and two daughters. He was planning on bringing his family and had requested not to have any guards, how foolish was this man? I guess at the very least it would make him that much easier to manipulate further down the line. 

7:54, two minutes and counting. I silently adjusted my guns and did another search of the areas with my eyes. I spotted the small glimmer of a snipper rifle off in the distance. I traced its angle with my eyes, it would be hitting the curtain right next to Cooper’s left ear. Close enough to make it look real without the chance of my error. Not that I would mess up, I never did, HYRDA wouldn’t accept that.

7:55, one minute and counting. Knowing my mission, I suddenly made my way closer to Cooper while still remaining undetectable. It was about time to make my epic save.

7:56, it was time. I jumped down, two seconds before the gun went off but no one would be able to tell that difference. The bullet sliced through the air, hitting its mark perfectly. I too made my mark, swiping Cooper out of the way in what looked like just the nick of time. This was the real acting.

7:57, I lifted myself off Cooper offering him a hand but before he could take it, I heard noises, footsteps. I quickly pulled out my gun and aimed for the entrance to the private box. Apparently the show wasn’t over just yet. Two Hydra soldiers entered, I didn’t remember either of their names, it didn’t matter.

I fired at the first one, the taller one, aiming to miss all vital organs. I had to make it look real, but I wasn’t killing anyone on my side, not unless I was told to of course. Once he was down, I turned to the other attacker. He’d taken hold of Cooper’s youngest daughter, holding her as a shield. I could faintly hear her scream and her mom begging him to let her go, but everything seemed distant. Everything unimportant was always muffled when I was concentrating on a fight. I only had attention for threats and they weren’t one of those. 

I pocketed my gun, not wanting to risk hitting the daughter. I wouldn’t, I was too good of a shot for that, but I had to put on a show. I shifted my weight down, swiping the emnies legs out from under him, causing him to lose balance. I rushed forward, grabbing the girl and tossing her behind me before endangering the enemy. One swift beat to the head later and he was out. I thought that would be the end of it, but apparently I was far off, there were more. Lots more, HYRDA was really going all out with this. 

“Stay behind me!” I ordered the family. I doubted they needed to be told, but I wanted them to associate my voice with safety, it would benefit me in the long run. If they followed my orders in a panic situation, they would be more likely to follow them in regular life.

They didn’t all enter at once, there wasn’t enough room in the private box for that, but that didn’t stop them from storming in rather quickly. Fourteen of them in total. I was instantly brought back to my training days. I smirked to myself, this was going to be fun.

I spun my guns in my fingers, showing off just a little, before I started to fire. I aimed at their hands, disarming them one by one. I was just as skilled with my left hands as I was my right when it came to aiming, I never missed my mark. Once my bullets were out, I reloaded faster than a cowboy in a shootout. I knew every inch of my weapon, I could unload, reload, dismantle and assemble all in less than a minute with my eyes closed. This was child’s play.

Once they were all disarmed, I dropped my guns and went for it with fist. Had these people been anyone else, they would have been dead already, but these were my fellow soldiers, I had to play nice. Well, as nice as you could be while beating someone up.

Punch after punch, kick after kick, I finished my job. Just as I was headbutting the last one into submission, Snyder came up to join the fun. She looked around, clearly impressed with my quick work.

“Perimitor secured,” she said. I could hear pain in the lower sections of the theater, but I kept all my attention focused on what was in front of me.

“Everyone is safe up here,” I replied. I looked over my shoulder to see the Cooper family huddled together. There was fear in the daughters’ eyes. I secretly scorned Cooper for bringing his young children here, they were just kids, they shouldn’t have had to go through this.

“Sir,” It was Cooper, his voice was more hoarse than I had expected, “You saved me, us, my family. What’s your name, sir?”

I gave him the closest thing I could offer to a smile. “Brock Rumlow, sir,” I said as I extended my hand. He shook it without hesitation, “And this is my superior, Ms. Snyder.” It was still wise to stay in line, I was a soldier after all. 

“Ms. Snyder, you have a fine soldier here. I believe I requested no guards, but needless to say I’m grateful for your interference,” Cooper went on. His wife placed a hand on his shoulder, I noticed the slight hint of tension when she touched him, almost imperceptible.

“Just happy to serve,” I replied before Snyder could say anything.

“And serve you did my boy,” Cooper expressed, putting an arm around me. I resisted the urge to glare and shrug him off and instead just offer what some might consider a smile, “I owe you my life, son.”

I hated when people called me son.

“I’m just glad I was able to help, anything to keep people safe,” I replied with a cheerful tone that my inner feelings didn’t reflect.

“I know you probably have enough responsibilities, but after today what would you say to being my personal body guard for my time here?” Cooper asked, “You’ll be paid handsomely of course.”

I looked over at Snyder. I knew the answer already, but my role as the perfect soldier meant that I had to refer to my superior at all times. 

“I just want you to be safe, sir, I’d be happy to let Rumlow protect you during your stay, I truly believe he is the best fit. He’s the best we have, he’ll serve you well,” Snyder said. She seemed reluctant to let me go, I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. 

“Then it is settled,” Cooper declared, “I have high expectations of you son.”

“Yes, sir.” Mission accomplished, I was in.