HYDRA
Steve's eyes kept flickering to the Machine every few seconds, noticing the way she was blinking hard, her posture beginning to slump. It almost seemed as if she was tired, not that she would ever admit to that. Natasha had taken over driving for a while, now only a few hours from the coordinates that the Machine had given them. It was a race against time, and they all knew it.
"Are you tired?" Steve asked, as the Machine's gaze fell on him.
"I have been trained rigorously to not tire. I will not require sleep for some time" The Machine answered.
"Still, we need you at the top of your game. Get some rest, okay?" Steve pushed, as the Machine considered his words for a few moments.
"As you wish, Captain" The Machine nodded, watching as Steve began shrugging off his brown jacket, before handing it to her.
"Here. You can use it as a pillow" Steve offered, as she took the clothing from his hand with a frown.
"This is not necessary—" The Machine started, but Steve cut her off.
"It would make me feel better" Steve stated, seeming to only confuse the Machine further, but she did as he requested.
The Machine considered pointing out that she was used to sleeping on the floor, but she doubted the Captain would like that. It seemed as if he was concerned with her…comfort? It was a difficult concept to understand. Why would a person, a real human being, be worried about her? Perhaps he was doubting her abilities. Had she been too slow earlier? She didn't think her reaction time had been off, but handlers were difficult to—
No.
Steve Rogers wasn't her handler. She didn't have a handler anymore. She was supposed to think for herself, make her own choices. But how did she know what the right choice was?
With a shake of her head, the Machine began folding the jacket she had been given and placed it against the cold window of the car. She placed her head against the soft fabric and shut her eyes, feeling the Captain's gaze on her. She didn't want to disappoint him, but she knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep. She had to be ordered to, and the Captain's command hadn't been clear enough. Still, she could allow herself to fall back into her memories. The ones with the Winter Soldier always made her feel warm. She was sure that feeling was connected to a certain emotion, but it was too jumbled in her head to decipher.
One thing that the Machine had quickly learnt about her comrade was his inability to rest. If the Winter Soldier wasn't patrolling the perimeter, he was working out their next move, or re-loading his guns for the seventh time that day. He liked to keep busy. And the thing he seemed to like the most was sparring. After having seen the Winter Soldier fight, the Machine was more than happy to learn from his experience. She had been taught to partake in anything that could improve her abilities. To make herself a better Machine. The Soldier was careful to pull his punches, not wanting to damage whatever grotty motel room they were staying in. That would bring attention to them, and that was unacceptable. But even his half-hearted attacks were enough to leave the Machine covered in cuts and bruises, and maybe even a fractured rib or two.
"Do you need a break?" The Soldier spoke up, during their latest sparring session, a cocky tone to his voice.
"Afraid I might beat you this time?" The Machine countered, sending a high kick his way, which he easily blocked with his metal fist.
"That would be highly unlikely" The Winter Soldier stated, throwing his fist towards her, missing the Machine by mere inches, as she ducked from the blow.
In her crouched position, she was able to hit the Soldier twice in the stomach, leaving him winded, before he grabbed onto her hair and sent her flying into a nearby wall. The Machine only had a split second to push herself to her feet, as the Soldier lunged towards her. She attempted to block a blow from his metal fist with her arm, but the impact had her stumbling back, leaving her open to a hard kick to her chest. Another punch to her face had the Machine disorientated, as the Soldier suddenly grabbed her, his metal arm wrapping around her neck, capturing her in a vice-like headlock. The Machine let out a panicked choking sound, feeling the metal plates shift against the vulnerable skin of neck, cutting off her oxygen. They both knew the Winter Soldier could have crushed her neck at a moment's notice, and this knowledge alone left the Machine's mind spiralling. She was starting to experience feelings of fear more and more. Her fear of the Soldier killing her in that moment had her failing to plan out her next move. Perhaps emotions really did make you weak.
"Figure out your next move" The Winter Soldier advised, his words helping to bring the Machine back to reality.
She attempted to claw at his arm, but it was soon clear this was useless. She would never be able to tear his arm away from where it was crushing her neck. She sent her leg flying back, hitting the Soldier in the leg, but his stance was firm, not moving an inch. Just as black dots were beginning to cloud her vision, the Machine did the only thing she could think of. She jumped off the floor, her feet landing on the front of the Soldier's knees, throwing him off balance as they both tumbled forward. She was able to roll forward, pulling herself away from his grip, clutching at her aching neck.
"Good" The Winter Soldier acknowledged, as she crawled to her feet, breathlessly.
Wanting to catch her opponent off guard, the Machine suddenly lunged at him, trying to back him into the wall, but he was quick to shove her away. Not one to be deterred, she began assaulting him with a flurry of punches, which he managed to block every time. With a growl of irritation, she backed up for a moment, her hands still raised in the air.
"You're not even breaking a sweat" The Machine grumbled, deciding it was definitely annoyance she was feeling.
"I don't need to" The Soldier responded, a grin spreading over his lips.
Spurring her on further, the Machine raced towards him, jumping off the floor and using both her legs to kick him in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards. The Machine had sprung back from the force but was able to glide into a backward headstand, quickly getting back to her feet. The Soldier tried to grab her with his metal hand but was able to duck underneath, bringing her back to his chest. She sent her elbow flying backwards, hitting him in the face, throwing him off balance. With all her strength, she then grabbed his flesh arm, and pulled him over her shoulder, throwing him to the floor, with a thud. A split second later, the Soldier was swinging his leg around, hitting her in the ankle, as she stumbled to the floor, hitting her left arm hard on the carpet. With a groan of pain, she opened her eyes to see the Soldier was already back on his feet, a seemingly unstoppable force of nature.
"Better" He exclaimed, holding out his flesh hand to her.
"You're still not breaking a sweat" The Machine pointed out, as the grin came back to the older man's face.
Her gaze stayed on his hand for a moment before she reached out to grab his metal hand that had been hanging by his side instead. The Soldier flinched for a moment, a frown growing on his face. She knew he wasn't used to people touching him there, but he helped to pull her up, nonetheless. She lost her footing for a moment, almost stumbling into his chest, still holding his hand. As soon as their eyes connected, he was quick to pull away, taking a step back, looking conflicted about something.
"You lean to your side before you strike, it gives away your next move" The Soldier informed her.
"Like this?" The Machine questioned, appearing to send her fist towards him.
The Soldier had raised his hands towards his face, ready to block her blow, which never came. Instead of punching him, the Machine sent her leg flying out, striking him in the face from an angle he hadn't been expecting. Spinning around, the Machine went to hit him again with her leg, but the Soldier was ready. He managed to grab her leg in mid-air, wrapping his flesh arm around her thigh and tugging her closer. The Machine tried to pull away from his grip, but he was far stronger. The Soldier suddenly spun them around, as her back hit the wall roughly. His metal arm sprung out to grab her neck, having her well and truly stuck. As much as she tried, the Machine was unable to break his hold, having barely any energy left to fight him. Just as she was getting ready to admit defeat, she saw something change in the Soldier's eyes. They were unfocused and cold. All of a sudden, his metal hand tightened over her neck, all but crushing her windpipe. The Machine's hands flew to his arm, gasping for air as she tried to push him away. He looked away from her, seeming unfazed from the way she was hitting at his metal arm. She had seen that look in his eyes before. He was lost in a memory. Clearly not a good one. The Machine tried to shout at him, scream, but the only thing that came out of her throat was a choked cry. Reaching out, she grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her, his blue eyes connecting with hers.
"B-buck…" The Machine gasped, her vision blurring.
Suddenly, his hand was falling away from her neck, as the Machine flopped to the ground, coughing loudly. She clutched at her bruised neck, groaning at the pain that blossomed over every inch of the skin there. She was barely conscious when the Soldier crouched down in front of her, a panicked expression over his face. He reached out to touch her but seemed to think better of it, his hand falling against the floor.
"Where…where did you go?" The Machine panted, leaning against the wall.
"I…I killed her. His wife. Why…why did I do that?!" The Soldier cried, his face contorted in confusion.
"W-who?" The Machine stuttered.
"He was my…my friend. He trusted me…I…I killed them. I killed them…" He trailed off, pushing himself to his feet, his hands flying to his head.
"You were following orders—" The Machine began, as he let out a yell.
"Their orders! Hydra! Nazi's! I was…I'm supposed to fight them! But I didn't…I didn't…I didn't…" Bucky began to repeat over and over again, scrunching his eyes shut as he shook his head furiously.
"Howard…I should have…Sergeant Barnes…I could have stopped him…" The Soldier exclaimed.
The Machine watched in horror as he began tugging at his hair, ripping out whatever his fingers could get a hold of. He was having a panic attack, even she could recognise that. His shouts would soon wake up their neighbours. It would be logical to knock him out, shoot him even, instead, the Machine took the illogical root and grabbed the unstable man's shoulders.
"Buck…Buck!" She cried, reaching up to cup his cheeks in her hands.
"…I hurt you" He mumbled, his eyes dropping to the red marks covering her neck.
"I'm fine. It's nothing—" The Machine began, when they both heard a loud bang from outside.
She instantly whipped around, rushing towards the side of the window as she peeked past the curtain. There was another loud rumble a second later, followed by a flash of lightning, as the Machine realised it was only thunder. She shook her head, feeling some of the tension leave her body when she knew they weren't under attack. She came to a halt when she turned around to find the Soldier missing. She surveyed the room from him when she heard movement from under the bed. Getting down onto her hands and knees, the Machine could just about make out the outline of the Soldier. He was shaking. His blue eyes were so wide she was surprised he hadn't popped a blood vessel.
"Have the bombs stopped?" He questioned, in a quiet voice.
"There are no bombs. It was thunder. We are not under attack" She tried to reassure him, watching a frown growing on his face.
"The war is over?" He inquired, confusing her.
"What war?" She replied, leaning down further so was lying on the carpet.
"What…what year is it?" He went on.
"2012" She told him, as he shook his head furiously.
"N-no…no. It's 1943. Where are we…who…who am I?" The older man stuttered, as the Machine felt her chest tighten at his despondent expression.
"It's 2012. We are in a motel in Illinois. I am Experiment K-80. And you are the Winter…you are Buck" She explained.
"…Stevie. Where is he? He shouldn't be out there on his own…he needs me. I need to find him" He told her, as he crawled out from under the bed.
"I don't know who that is…Please Buck, you need to calm down. We're on the run, remember?" The Machine pushed.
"From Hydra?" Bucky inquired, making her frown.
"No. We work for Hydra. You're supposed to return me to them" The Machine explained, as a look of realisation grew on his face.
"We need to leave. Now. Get as far away from Hydra as possible" He went on, as she leant forward to grab his arm.
"We can't go against orders! Hydra will find us" The Machine tried to reason.
"No! If they find us they'll put us both in the Chair. They'll wipe it all away" He insisted, as the Machine gave him a conflicted look.
"I don't think I have much left to wipe…" The Machine trailed off, thinking of all the memories she knew were missing.
There was nothing before Hydra. She had been a blank slate for them to mould. What would they mould her into when they got their hands on her? Perhaps the Winter Soldier…Buck, was right. Hydra was dangerous. Bad. Following Buck seemed like the right thing to do…
But had it been? Nothing good had come from that decision. They hadn't escaped. She had forgotten she ever wanted to and now…she was on the run from Hydra again. After what Rumlow had told her, one thing was different this time.
"…I'm not a Machine, am I?" She spoke up, startling the other passengers in the car.
Steve appeared to debate his next words carefully when he saw the vulnerable look on her face. It was hard to imagine what she must have been feeling at that moment. Lost, seemed the most likely emotion. Something he was far too familiar with.
"No. You're a person. Just like me" Steve replied, trying to give her a reassuring smile.
"All the things that I did…I was capable of saying no? I could have disobeyed orders—" The Machine began, but Steve cut her off.
"Hey, it's not your fault. They had control of your mind" Steve reasoned, as she shook her head.
"You would have said no" The Machine pointed out, as Steve gave her a sad look.
"And they would have shot me on the spot. You didn't have a choice" Steve explained.
"I would have rather died" The Machine murmured, turning to look out of the window, her face contorted in pain.
Steve opened his mouth to respond, but the words died on his lips. What could he possibly say to that?
"So, does that mean we don't have to call you the Machine anymore? Because that was getting old real fast" Natasha exclaimed, breaking through the tense silence.
"I'm not sure I deserve to be named" She frowned.
"Everyone deserves a name. And you already chose yours, haven't you?" Steve pointed out.
"Unless you want to be called your birth name—" Natasha suggested, but the younger girl cut her off immediately.
"No! No…that's not me. Not anymore. I'm…I'm Katy. I'm not that girl" She insisted, as the other two nodded, deciding to drop the subject.
They soon arrived at the old army barracks that Steve had been trained at, which seemed completely abandoned. There was no security in sight, allowing them to easily enter the facility. They trudged past the darkened buildings, as Natasha used her device to try to pick up heat signatures but was coming up empty. Steve had been quiet since they arrived, coming to a halt at one point, a far off look on his face. One which the Machine—
Katy.
Was very familiar with. She raised her hand out to touch the Captain's arm but quickly drew her arm back to her side. She may not have seen herself as a Machine, but Steve Rogers was still her superior. Touching a superior without their permission was a punishable offence. That still counted surely?
"You used to be small" Katy announced, bringing Steve out of his thoughts sharply.
"Huh?" Steve replied, giving her a dumbfounded look.
"I read your file. You were an experiment. Like me" She suggested.
"I agreed to it. I wasn't a kid" Steve pointed out, as Katy tilted her head.
"Why did you agree? Why did you want to take the risk?" She couldn't but ask.
"I had a thousand reasons. I wanted us to win the war, I wanted to help people but most of…I had something to prove I guess" Steve explained.
"Is that why you're still fighting?" Katy inquired, curiously.
"I suppose" Steve said, with a small shrug.
"But when will you have proven yourself? When does the fight end?" Katy frowned, as an unfamiliar expression flashed over Steve's face.
"Maybe it won't" He murmured, darkly.
"This is a dead-end. There's nothing here. Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off" Natasha informed them, walking over to the pair.
It was only after her words that Katy realised something about the barracks seemed strange. A buzzing sound reverberated throughout the facility, but it was difficult for her to hone in on. Crouching to the floor, she pressed her hand against the soil below, feeling the signal get stronger.
"I sense something…" Katy trailed off, closing her eyes as she tried to concentrate.
"A disturbance in the force?" Natasha teased, as Steve shook his head fondly.
"There's a signal underground. Something using a lot of electricity. Your device needs an upgrade" Katy explained, pushing herself to her feet.
"Ouch" Natasha huffed, with a smirk.
"I think I might have just found our way down" Steve mumbled, his gaze falling on a large building twenty minutes away.
They soon found out the building had been used as a base for S.H.I.E.L.D, perhaps where it was founded. Cobwebs and dust filled the numerous desks scattered around the large room. It was clear no one had been there for some time. As the three walked through double doors into a back room, they spotted some photo's on the wall, which made Steve come to a sudden halt.
"There's Stark's father. Howard" Natasha murmured, her gaze falling on a man appearing to be in his thirties.
Howard?
Surely the Howard that the Winter Soldier remembered killing wasn't the same as the man she was staring at? It was too much of a coincidence.
"Who's the girl?" Natasha inquired, noticing where Steve's eyes laid.
He gave no response, simply taking a sharp inhale and walking away, clutching his shield a little tighter. As he began to disappear past the bookcases in the room, Katy couldn't help but speak up.
"Was he killed?" She questioned, gesturing to the picture of Howard.
"Murdered. A long time ago now. He and his wife" Natasha informed her, as the girl stilled.
"Did…did they ever find who was responsible?" Katy pushed, making Natasha frown.
"No. Why all the questions?" Natasha replied, her eyes narrowed.
"I was just curious—" Katy began, when Steve interjected.
"If you're already working in a secret office…why do you need to hide the elevator?" Steve announced, finding a hidden entrance behind a nearby bookcase, leading to a dusty elevator.
The three soon descended in the rickety transport, only coming to a halt when they were over a hundred feet underground. Katy was quick to pull her knife out, as they exited the elevator, ready for an attack. She flinched when bright lights flickered on, revealing an old looking computer system in the middle of the room. The equipment was bulky and clearly outdated, but she could hear it ticking away. It was still working.
"This technology is ancient" Natasha murmured, eyes widening when she saw a USB dock plugged into the computer.
Marching forward, Katy reached out to touch the nearest computer screen, a spark coming out of her hand. In the next second, the blank screen was coming to life, a command blinking in green letters. Lights turned on all over the room, revealing dozens of magnetic tape units, which began whirring.
"Shall we play a game?" Natasha smirked, as she entered a 'yes' command on the keyboard, hearing the computer powering up.
"You're really trying to catch me out with these references today, aren't you?" Steve scoffed, with amusement.
"Is it working?" Natasha questioned.
"Nope" Steve chuckled, as a pixelated face grew on the computer screen.
"Rogers, Steven, born 1918…Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna, born 1984…Experiment K-80, born 1995, created 2006" The electronic voice announced, making Katy tense.
"It's some kind of recording" Natasha offered, as a camera tilted to the side to get a better look at her.
"I am not a recording, Fraulein. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945. But I am" The voice explained.
"You know this thing?" Natasha queried, as Steve slowly nodded.
"Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years" Steve exclaimed, a fearful expression on his face.
"First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972, I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body. My mind, however, that was worth saving, on 200,000 feet of databanks. After World War II S.H.I.E.L.D. recruited German scientists with strategic value. They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own" The voice told them, in a sinister tone.
"HYDRA died With the Red Skull" Steve insisted, firmly.
"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place. If you don't believe me, Captain…why don't you ask your friend?" Zola retorted, gleefully.
"Is this true? You work for Hydra?" Steve frowned, turning to the younger girl.
"…I did" Katy admitted, watching devastation grow on the blond's face.
"HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. But what resistance can a Machine muster?" Zola stated, turning his attention to Katy.
"More than you'd think" Katy spat out, feeling anger bubbling up inside her.
"Hydra created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once a purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your life. A zero sum—" Zola mocked, as Steve lunged forward to hit the computer screen, easily smashing it under his fist.
"As I was saying…the war is over. It might have taken seventy years, but Hydra will always win" Zola insisted, jumping to another computer screen.
"You won't be around to see it" Katy growled, grabbing a hold of the computer, as sparks suddenly erupted all over the room.
Steve and Natasha jumped backwards as the lights flickered above them, and different numbers flashed across the screen, slowly being deleted one by one. Katy had her eyes scrunched shut as Zola's face on the screen began to fade.
"H…hail…Hy…dra…" His electronic voice murmured before the screen went black, and the databanks around the room stopped whirring.
"You killed him?" Steve asked, with wide eyes, as she turned to face him.
"Decommissioned" She muttered, wiping away at a line of blood that was dribbling down from her nose, as Natasha's device beeped loudly.
"Guy's, we've got a problem. Short-range ballistic missile. Thirty seconds tops. Fired by…S.H.I.E.L.D" Natasha announced, as Steve's eyes darted around the room, desperately trying to figure a way out.
He was quick to rip away a metal grate on the floor, grabbing Natasha and Katy and all but throwing them into the dark space below. A split second later, there was a tremendous bang from all around them, causing the ceiling to cave in, throwing rocks and debris all around them. Steve held his shield above their heads, the only thing stopping them from being crushed. He let out a desperate yell as he tried to shelter the girls as best as he could when everything went black.
When he came to, ash was filling his lungs, and every bone in his body ached. He could feel someone grabbing his shoulders, as his eyes flickered open, coming face to face with Katy. He let out a choked groan, as he managed to push himself to his knees, his gaze falling on Natasha, who was still unconscious.
"Her vital signs are stable. We need to move, Captain. Now" Katy all but ordered, as Steve nodded and hauled Natasha into his arms.
Only a few seconds later, they heard the familiar rumble of a Quinjet's engine, whipping around as the plane came into view. A bright light was soon illuminating them, making Steve freeze, trying to shield Natasha with his own body. Katy suddenly threw her hand in the air, causing the Quinjet's lights to flicker and the engine to splutter. Her face contorted in pain as she balled her hand into a fist before thrust her hand towards the ground with a cry. Steve watched in horror as the Quinjet suddenly hurtled towards debris, hitting the ground with a bang and creating a fireball that almost threw the pair off their feet.
"Did you know you could do that?" Steve gaped, as Katy slowly shook her head.
"Captain, I think I am about to—" Katy cut herself off as she flopped to the ground, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.
By the time Katy awoke, they were back in Washington, with the sun starting to rise. They knew they needed somewhere to stay. Somewhere safe. Steve stated he knew someone they could trust, who Hydra wouldn't think of looking for. It was the best bet they had.
"Are you sure this Sam will be willing to help us? We are fugitives" Natasha pointed out, as they hobbled towards his house.
"He's a good man. I don't think he'll turn us away" Steve reasoned, as Katy began to walk away.
"I will check the perimeter, Captain" She exclaimed, before marching off, taking her knife out again, on high alert.
"Let's hope his neighbours don't spot the strange teenager wielding a knife" Natasha murmured, as they made it to Sam's front door.
The door was pulled open almost immediately after Steve had knocked on the glass. Sam didn't appear fazed by their appearance, nor the early time of the morning. That was a good start.
"Hey, man" Sam greeted.
"I'm sorry about this. We need somewhere to lay low" Steve admitted.
"Everyone we know is trying to kill us" Natasha added, running a hand through her hair, which was covered in ash.
"Not everyone" Sam replied, stepping out of the doorway to usher them inside.
"The perimeter is clear" A voice boomed from behind Sam, who jumped out of his skin, clutching at his chest.
"Jesus Christ!" Sam gaped, whipping around to come face to face with Katy, who was frowning at him.
"No? I'm Katy" She pointed out, making Natasha huff out a laugh as the pair entered Sam's house.
"Who the hell is this?" Sam inquired, pointing to Katy.
"She's a friend" Steve told him, the word 'friend' causing a smile to spread over the brunette's lips.
"Play nice" Natasha advised, as she closed the blinds that covered Sam's front door.
"Right. A compliment is required…your beard is very symmetrical. I approve" Katy informed him.
"…Is she for real?" Sam questioned, earning a fond grin from Steve.
"You guys have really been through the wringer, huh?" Sam exclaimed, after Steve had given him a summary of the last few days.
"Are you sure it's okay for us to stay here? I don't want to put you in danger" Steve pointed out, as Sam waved his concerns off.
"Hey, I'm sure I'll think of a way for you to repay me" Sam shrugged.
"Any chance of a shower then? I'd really like to scrub about three layers of dirt off?" Natasha suggested, as Sam nodded quickly.
"Sure. Second door to the right. There are some towels in there already" He directed her, as Natasha slowly stood up on shaky legs.
"Do you require any assistance? You appear unsteady" Katy offered, pushing herself to her feet instantly.
"Don't worry, I can handle the shower by myself" Natasha replied, with a small smirk, hobbling off in the direction of the bathroom.
"Oh shit, are you bleeding?" Sam asked, his eyes flickering to a bloodstain on Katy's thigh.
"I am still functional" Katy dismissed, as Steve reached over to press his hand against her thigh, watching as blood coated his fingertips.
"Your hurt? How bad?" Steve gaped, with wide eyes.
"I cut a laceration of approximately eight centimetres when I was pulling you out of the debris. I have lost a non-fatal amount of blood, a tourniquet was not required" She explained, making Steve frown.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Steve insisted.
"Like I said, I am still functional. I will not slow down the mission, Captain" Katy replied, as Sam rushed over to the kitchen, grabbing a kitchen towel which he quickly passed to her.
"Soldier. Status report" Sam commanded, watching something similar to relief grow behind Katy's eyes.
"Pain levels are tolerable. Mobility is minimally affected. Hand to hand combat is ill-advised currently. Nutritional levels are low. Sleep will be required in the next thirty-six hours" Katy listed off, as she wrapped the kitchen towel tightly around her thigh.
"Dammit, I completely forgot you haven't eaten anything since Rumlow—" Steve cut himself off, when he saw how Katy stilled at the mention of the other man's name.
Sam must have also noticed this reaction, as he quickly changed the subject, asking her what she would like to eat. It was a strange concept. Choice was new to her. She advised that she was used to a liquid diet and would unlikely be able to keep any solid food down. Sam soon placed the protein shake he had made for himself that morning in front of her, as the two men looked at her expectingly. Placing the cup to her lips, Katy's eyes widened at the pleasant flavour of the shake, which almost overwhelmed her tastebuds. She had finished half the drink before Steve advised her to take it slow.
"This was very enjoyable. I am pleased that it was not poisoned" Katy exclaimed.
"Uh, you're welcome?" Sam replied, unsurely.
"How about sleep? Did you not get much rest when we were in the car?" Steve asked, as Katy averted her eyes.
"...I did not sleep in the vehicle, Captain. I shut my eyes and pretended to. I cannot sleep without a direct order" She confessed, with a guilty expression.
"You should have told me" Steve sighed, running a hand over his tired face.
"I'm sorry. I...I know you are not my handler but you have been very kind to me. I did not want to push you to punish me" Katy explained, surprised when Steve suddenly reached out to place his hand on her shoulder.
"Hey. There will be no punishments. Not ever again. I promise" Steve told her, watching her relax under his touch a little.
A life free of punishment sounded very pleasant.