Seeming
The Asset comes back on line suddenly, but it is quiet about it. It feels pressure on its main wound. It does not hear anyone speaking, but it can hear the breathing of two individuals. There is no clatter of machinery, so it does not think that it has been moved. It could have been taken by HYDRA, though, so it opens its eyes, carefully touching the bandage as it flicks its gaze up to the two men. It is Steve. And the other one. A primary and a secondary. It waits to see what is going to happen. It expects pain.
The secondary makes him. The Asset can see it in his eyes, can hear it when the man questions Steve Rogers’ judgement. The Asset considers this. Perhaps the secondary is actually the primary. He is certainly the most dangerous. Because Steve Rogers believes that the Asset is Bucky Barnes, but this other man does not. It will work within the given parameters for this.
It will greet the handler, the mission. It knows his name, how the man who was Bucky looked at him. It stays simple. Just those words. “You’re Steve.” It has barely spoken since HYDRA, it realizes. Once or twice to shopkeepers.
It does not want pain. It can and will use resources at it sees fit. It owns its brain now. And so it is ready to fight as Rogers approaches. But the movement is aborted and the Asset does not have to reveal that it has no weapons other than its metal arm - slowly coming back online. The plates shift quietly. It could kill the secondary, it thinks. But Rogers can overpower it. It cannot count on his kindness more than once. Rogers keeps referring to it by the wrong name. The Asset does not have a name. It gently presses on its wound to stay focused on the present.
The other man speaks. He is smart. He is not blinded the way Rogers is. Interrogation makes sense. But the Asset will not break. He is not ready to come in. They are all the same.
The Asset does not have to break, because Steve Rogers is blinded to the facts that both the Asset and the secondary know to be true. He watches the secondary, waiting for his reactions. At least his death would be swift, even if the Soldier is wounded.
Steve Rogers turns back to speak to him, offers help. The Asset remembers this from training. This is a trap. Help is not help. The only truth is pain. It does not want pain from this man. So the Asset plays the part that the man wants. For now. It is working on an exit strategy. So it smiles at Steve Rogers. “It’s good to see you,” it tells him. People say that to other people. He has observed it happening. He needs to get out of here. Steve Rogers hurts his head and when his head hurts, he can’t pay attention to the secondary, who will hurt him, who will stop him. He wants his journals.
He is consumed by that want, and because it takes so much power to want things, he almost misses Steve’s next words. The Asset considers what it has heard.
“I will heal.” He watches the secondary. He spoke wrongly. He needs to get out before they realize and Steve Rogers kills him for being an empty shell, an imposter. The Asset is in pain, of course, but it is no longer bleeding out uncontrollably. It can change bandages. It will get out of here.
He wonders what the secondary’s angle is as he listens to them speak. They step away, but they probably don’t know how well it can hear. It is always underestimated. That is what it is for. The secondary is giving him an opening to go, to get out. Is he being played with? He’s going to take the opportunity - test the cell door as it were.
“Yes,” it says. “I will stay.” Words mean nothing.