Chapter 8
Instruction from the Winter Soldier, while painful and challenging, was the most interesting part of Subject A-0001's training schedule. The Asset moved with a fluidity and grace that Subject A-0001 wished to acquire. It was by studying the older Asset that the Subject eventually learned its greatest weakness.
That same powerful metal arm that served the Asset well as both a shield from bullets and a weapon that could destroy walls and shatter bones... also caused the Solider to lag. The arm was probably too heavy for the Asset's spine and shoulders. After long training sessions, where the Soldier would spar with Subject A-0001 until the Subject was breathless and barely standing, the Asset would start to lean. It would lean slightly to the left as if the arm itself were trying to drag the Asset to the ground. Even the Soldier's spine seemed to almost curve. The Subject had noted that the most effective jabs onto the Asset were always upon its shoulder where the arm and skin were joined.
Subject A-0001 used this information to its advantage after losing three lengthy sparring matches with weapons. The Asset was almost visibly waning by then as it moved to disable the Subject. Subject A-0001 ducked under the Assets right hook and jabbed the crevice of the metal arm and flesh with its dagger. The Asset jumped back, though it made no sound to demonstrate its discomfort.
Before Subject A-0001 can let loose another set of attacks, it spots a strange movement in the corner of its eye.
A child.
There was a child poking around from behind one of the trainers. The boy's eyes were unbearably sad as he locked onto her, and his copper hair was in total disarray as he clutched onto a beloved walkman. No sound escaped from the boy's lips as he pressed a single finger to his pursed lips in a silent "Shhhh."
The Asset used the Subject A-0001's distraction to its advantage and planted a firm punch with its metal arm into the Subject's temple. The world goes dark. When the Subject wakes a few moments later, the boy is gone. It does not report the malfunction to the Primary Handler.
Nor does it report seeing the boy reappear and disappear whilst training.
Subject A-0001 is improving. A true mark on the greatness of its Primary Handler. The Subject could now last over an hour in combat with the Asset before succumbing or disabling the Soldier. Training intensified to prepare Subject A-0001 to participate with the Asset on actual missions.
The Asset had been acting... differently in the last few training sessions. Its cold eyes were no longer as blank, nor was the Asset extremely cruel in its teaching methods. It'd even allowed the Subject to best it in combat when the Primary Handler last inspected a training session.
It was... discomforting. And made Subject A-0001 uneasy and malfunction alongside the Asset as strange emotions would flood through their body mimicking adrenaline, heart-pumping furiously whenever the Soldier's hands would turn soft against its flesh. Neither reported the concerning malfunctions to the Primary Handler. After all, the malfunctions didn't impede either Asset nor Subject from completing their directives.
Subject A-0001 had made a mistake.
The boy had spoken today.
He'd whimpered over and over again.
Asking for a girl.
"Malia."
The Asset had picked up on the Subject's obvious distraction. And so had the trainers, who'd reported it to the Primary Handler.
"What was the Subject looking at?" he demanded coldly, staring it down as it stared stoically ahead, refusing to look at the boy as he hovered behind the tense Asset.
Subject A-0001 remained silent.
A reprimand was issued as the Primary Handler smacked the Subject's face.
"Answer!"
The Subject's lips stayed sealed.
The Primary Handler was infuriated as he waved his hand to the trainers lulled to the side of the room. At his cue, the trainers rained down upon Subject A-0001 with fists and kicks whilst the Subject stayed still, only moving from the force of the blows, until the Primary Handler called out, "Halt."
The Subject remained lying on the ground as the Primary Handler crouched above it, blocking out the light so that it could see behind him at the Asset. The Winter Soldier was absolutely still, eyes stony with barely restrained fury as its fists clenched at its side.
The Asset was... angry?
That couldn't be right.
Assets didn't feel emotions.
The boy moved away from behind the Winter Soldier, striding past the panting trainers to fall to his knees by the Subject's side. His tiny hands fluttered around nervously as if he wanted to reach out toward the Subject-
A loud smack reverberated around the training room as Subject A-0001's head turned to the side from the force.
"What are you looking at Subject A-0001?" the Primary Handler growled out.
Brother.
The word practically echoed in its mind.
Brother. Brother. Brother. Brother. Brother.
But that wasn't right.
The Primary Handler reprimanded the Subject once more as he demanded an answer.
The boy scowled furiously at the Handler, his eyebrows scrunched up and lips pulled down. He didn't look at all intimidating with the black eye adorning his face and childishly plump freckled cheeks. His tiny fists were clenched around his walkman before he turned his hazel eyes onto the Subject's.
"Malia." the boy said clearly addressing the Subject, though no one else could seem to hear him, "Don' listen to this dill-hole."
The boy was American.
No.
Not boy.
Brother.
My brother.
Subject A-0001 had a brother.
But... Subjects didn't have brothers. Only people did. And the Subject wasn't human.
Or were they?
No, Subject A-0001 didn't even have a name.
"You do." the boy insisted, never breaking eye contact with it, You are Malia. You're people too."
The Primary Handler broke the Subject's nose when it remained silent, "Tell them to prep the chair. This disappointment needs recalibration." he spat out hatefully as he stood up before barking out, "Asset! Apprehend the Subject!"
Subject A-0001 couldn't find it in itself to care.
The Asset moved purposefully, gentle hands collecting her broken body from the ground before throwing the Subject over its shoulder when Subject A-0001 could not stand. One of the trainers had broken her leg. Again. The Asset was tense as the trainers and Primary Handler began leading the way to the recalibration center. The pain was inconsequential. It- She had realized something.
Malia.
It felt right.
A fogginess cleared from her mind.
Quietly, so only the Asset could hear her, Malia whispered her name into his ear like a prayer.
The Asset's- man's grip on her leg tightened in surprise.
"You're human too." she mumbled softly, a promise to the man they called Asset and knew nothing else, "They don't want us to know."
The man's breath hitched, and she could feel a minuscule tremble wrack through his body before he stopped, his own training kicking in. She could feel it thrumming in her own veins, stamped violently across her DNA, the command: Subjects aren't human. It does not have emotions.
But she did.
Malia did.
Peter -brotherbrotherbrother- beamed up at her victoriously as he trailed behind them.
His smile never dimmed. Even as Malia was strapped to the chair and a mouthguard was forced between her teeth, it was fine, more than alright because-