A Meeting
He kept close on Zemo's heels as the three were led through the streets and into a small building to a sitting area where Selby was waiting for them. “You should know, Baron. People don’t just come into my bar and make demands.” The woman started as they entered the room.
“Not a demand. An offer.” Zemo explained. Zemo and Sam took a seat while he remained standing, scanning the room, ready to protect his handler. Stay quiet, stay still, await orders.
“A lot has changed since you were here last.” Selby spared a glance at him but turned her attention back to Zemo. “By the way, I thought you were rotting away in a German prison. How did you escape?” She questioned.
“People like us always find a way, don’t we?” Zemo deflected. “I’m sure you’ve already figured out what I’m here for.”
“You’re taller than I’d heard, Smiling Tiger,” Selby cut him off. Bucky was getting more nervous by the second. She clearly was suspicious of them. Sam luckily just nodded, no reason to give her more suspicion with a false accent. “What’s the offer?” She asked, rejoining Zemo in conversation.
“Tell us what you know about the super-soldier serum,” he began, and standing up to walk towards Bucky, “and I give you him.” Zemos soft voice and gentle touch fell on him like a ton of bricks. Treated like merchandise again. Nothing more than a tool or weapon. He wanted to throw up but kept his face blank. The Soldier wouldn’t care if he were treated like an object. “Along with the code words to control him, of course.” Another hand landed on his right arm and this time he could feel the heat coming off it. Zemo reached up to grab his face over the mask and tilted Bucky's face to look at him. “He will do anything you want.” The hands finally retreated and Bucky caught a poorly disguised look of disgust from Sam in the corner of his eye. Thankfully Selby was focused on him, not Sam.
“Now that’s the Zemo I remember,” she began excitedly. “I’m glad I decided not to kill you immediately.” She paused for a moment, letting them know she still had all the power over the situation.
“Yeah you were right to come to me. Arrogant but right.” Zemo returned to his seat and waited for Selby to continue. “The super-soldier serum is here in Madripoor. Dr. Wilfred Nagel is the man you wanna thank. Or condemn, depending on what side of this you’re on.” Finally some progress. “The Power Broker had him working on the serum, but things didn’t go as planned.”
“Is Nagel still in Madripoor?” Zemo boldly asked.
“Oh. The bread crumbs you can have for free but the bakery is gonna cost you, Baron.” Of course it wasn’t going to be so easy. Selby stood up and stalked towards Zemo. “And before you get all cute, don’t think you can find Nagel without me.” Protect the handler was his only thought before he looked up and the guards had guns trained on him. He’d taken a step forward without thinking.
“Stand down Soldier,” Zemo commanded in Russian. He returned to his previous position and the guards slowly began lowering their guns. Selby’s eyes were back on Bucky now and this time he had her full attention.
“Like I said, Baron. The bakery is gonna cost you and it’s going to be more than the promise of the Winter Soldier.” She took a step toward Bucky. “Especially since everyone of importance knows that Sergeant Barnes," she spat out, "has been chummy with the Avengers since Hydra was brought down.” She turned on her heel back to Zemo and snapped, “Did you really think you could pull a fast one on me? Do you have such little respect?” Guns were raised once again but the three remained in character. It was a miracle Sam did but he likely didn’t think there was much of an option since they had no weapons. Zemo remained as calm and collected as ever as he explained himself to Selby.
“Of course I didn’t, my dear. The Avengers believed they fixed the man Steve Rogers knew." Zemo turned his gaze to Bucky."But he came right back to me. Awaiting orders." He said with a smirk. "Desperate for someone to use him again. Tell me, Soldat. What do you live for?"
"To serve you sir." The words were slightly muffled due to the mask. It was not designed to allow speech but the words were clear enough for Selby to hear.
"You see," Zemo turned back to Selby, "seven decades of hard work cannot be undone in a few short years. A directionless man will return to what he knows, and there was enough of the Winter Soldier left to awaken. And I must say after these years without orders, he is eager to please."
"You'll have to prove that, Baron." She turned back to Bucky. "A man's instinct is to defend himself, but if his programming has, in fact, been reactivated, your orders ought to become his first instinct." Bucky grew nervous at this, but kept it off his face. "I'm aware of the parties held by Hydra's clients. I'd like a personal demonstration." She walked up right in front of Bucky. "I want you to give me control over him. Have some fun to make sure you aren't lying to me." Bucky kept his gaze forward, though his heart rate sped up. He desperately hoped Sam or Zemo would come up with a way out of this. Come up with some idea so he didn't have to play along. Zemo was not so kind.
"As you wish Selby. But I must ask that your wishes go through me." Selby's frustration grew on her face. "You see there are certain commands that the Soldier will only respond to from a handler. You can have total control when our transaction is complete but for now, he will only respond to me. I'll endeavor to give you a satisfactory performance." Selby seemed reluctant but agreed to the terms. Bucky wasn't sure if he should be grateful or concerned that only Zemo had control.
“Soldat.” Zemo began in the all too familiar sound of Russian. “On your knees and grasp your right wrist with your left hand”. Dread laid heavy in Bucky’s gut due to the remaining memories of those words but he immediately followed the orders. Zemo
continued in the foreign language, “What do you think your friend will think of you when we’re done?” Dread turned into panic as his eyes flicked up to Sam. He’d be able to get through this on his own but he didn’t know if he could stand Sam watching. He’d never speak to him again after this. After what would soon follow Zemo’s words. After he’d seen Bucky lay down and roll over for his audience as they hurt him. As Bucky laid there just to take it without fighting back. Selby stepped in front of him blocking his eyeline to Sam which he was shamefully grateful for. Zemo let out a series of quick commands, in English this time so Selby would understand. “Let the lady do what she wants and do not fight back. Stay quiet, stay still, await orders.” His breath hitched for a moment in anticipation of the events to follow but it went unnoticed to Selby.
“Look at me, Soldier”. Bucky made the emotion fall out of his eyes and stared up at Selby. He could check out mentally in the past but he just hoped he remembered how. Her hand came down quickly with a slap, clearly testing the waters. When it did very little than jerk his head a bit she came down again with a back hand that snapped his head to the side and caused him to blink a bit of the pain away. “I said look at me, Soldier!” She shouted, angry that his eyes had been away from hers for so long. “I want to see the submission in your eyes. None of the fight a man would still have.” Bucky took the next backhand better, only losing her gaze for a moment. He set his jaw under his mask but kept his eyes as blank as he could like she wanted. A punch to his temple caused him to lose balance for a moment and his grip on his wrist slipped. He corrected it quickly but it did not go unnoticed. A guard now stood close behind him and he was feeling incredibly trapped. An unanticipated kick to the stomach caused him to double over for a moment before the guard’s hands wrenched him back up by his arms. He bit back a groan behind his mask with a hidden snarl.
“Smiling Tiger, why don’t you sit right here so you can’t get a better view of the show.” Selby said. Internally, Bucky begged Sam to stay where he was so he didn’t have to see him like this. But he also knew if he refused it’d ruin the whole mission. At least most of his face was hidden away from Sam’s concerned eyes. Selby swung at his face again but as it made contact she swore and shook her hand. “Fucking mask nearly broke my finger”. Her hands stretched out and undid the mask before ripping it off and throwing it across the floor. Bucky felt terrifyingly and entirely exposed with nothing to hide himself away. When he was without his mask Hydra would pick apart every facial expression and twist it into what they wanted to the point where he didn’t feel like his face was even his anymore. It was ‘scared’ or ‘loving it’ or ‘asking for it’. It made him wish he could never take it off just because everything was easier behind the safety of the mask. Selby gripped his face tightly, nails digging into his cheeks, and inspected his face. “Baron, you never told me the Soldier was such a looker.”
“What can I say? Most people can’t see past the intimidating exterior long enough to admire all facets of the Soldier.” A fresh fear set in with their words and Bucky tried to push it aside before his feelings could show on his face. He realized he had failed when Selby forced his face close to hers and said, “Aww, I think we embarrassed him Baron. His cheeks are all red!” Her voice twisted into Karpov. Then Rollins. Then Rumlow. Everything felt numb. More punches and kicks came but it felt like the damage was being inflicted on someone else. There was the sound of a distant phone ringing and muffled voices. Then there was the ghost of the foot on his back. The staticky feeling of the carpet against his cheek. The only clear words he could hear were “kill them”, closely followed with a gunshot. He stood quickly, knocking the man holding him down and kicking his head to make sure he was out. There was a blur of motion, missed shots, and brief grunts of pain until he found himself standing in front of Zemo protectively with a gun in his hand. He could see Sam moving his lips in front of him but couldn’t process the words.
“Soldat, drop your weapon and follow me.” Zemo ordered, putting the discarded mask back on his face. Bucky obeyed, leaving the gun on the floor and following Zemo and Sam out the door.
They walked at a brisk but still inconspicuous pace and Bucky watched their tail. Suddenly notifications from every phone in the vicinity started to go off. The word must already be out. Eyes began tracking them and hands fell to guns hidden in waistbands. Bucky wished he still had that gun from Selby's place. Before long, the first shots of gunfire were heard and they were all too close. They immediately began running but Zemo separated from Bucky and Sam. Sam had to drag Bucky for a few steps to keep him from running after the fleeing man. He came back to himself quickly and trailed after Sam. They turned into an alley, finding Zemo had just turned into it at the other end. A relief he wouldn't admit washed over him as his eyes landed on him. Shots rang out and their chasers dropped to the ground. Zemo came towards him and Sam. "You seem to have a guardian angel." Buchy heard steps coming their way and took a protective stance in front of Zemo and Sam.
"Well this is too perfect." The voice was familiar but he couldn't quite place it. As she stepped into the light she spoke again. "Drop it Zemo. And get out of the way Barnes." Bucky didn't move an inch until Sam pushed in front of him to get a better look.
"Sharon?'' Both Sam and Sharon explained their situations but Bucky didn't relax until she dropped her gun away from Zemo. As much as he hated him, they still needed him alive. The conversation was a bit of a blur. Bucky still felt distant and his fingers felt numb. After some pleading from Sam, Sharon called for a car to take them to a safe place in Hightown. Bucky didn't say a word the whole drive. He was still a bit out of it and the quickly fading pain from Selby's assault was the only thing keeping him present. He just wanted out of the damn uniform so he could feel a little bit like himself again.