Burning Bridges Inside My Mind
The Winter Soldier waited. He was good at waiting.
From afar he could hear noises; the familiar sounds of guns, the screeching of metal on metal, the clangor of broken glass, people screaming for help. A melody of chaos.
But he kept waiting.
The black SUV rounded the corner, countless bullet holes, the windshield barely holding together but still protecting the target. Calmly, the Soldier stepped onto the street. Waiting. The car approached fast and the target hadn’t seen him yet. The Soldier raised his launcher aimed at the car and shot.
His target was here. The Soldier did not have visual contact but the target was here. The building before him, sitting on a chair in the corner, covered by shadows. So he waited. The light went on, a blonde man walked into his field of vision – the Soldier hesitated. This man was not his mission. This man – this man – the light went out and the Soldier prepared for his kill; three shots straight through the wall.
He should leave – he should – the blonde man was looking at him and for just the spilt of a second their eyes met – and the Soldier left. Ran. His ears picked up the thunder of heavy feet on the ground, following him, windows shattering, doors breaking down. A calculated jump onto the next roof top. Another body landing behind him and the sound of – something – soaring through the air. The Soldier turned, extending his arm for whatever the man had thrown at him. It was a shield. A shield with a star. The Soldier flung it back at his pursuer and jumped of the building.
A new mission. Two targets, level six. The blond man from the apartment. Finding them hadn’t been easy and they were not alone.
He had four hours left.
One of the men in the car, he threw out into the oncoming traffic before ripping out the steering wheel. He watched as his two targets and the third man fell out of the car onto the street; easy targets. One of his assistants handed him a grenade launcher, he saw the blonde man raising his shield, protecting the woman while he was flung back, down from the bridge.The woman ran and Soldier followed. Slowly. There was no rush. She had nowhere to go.
A bullet hit his goggles. »Она у меня. Найди его.«, he ordered before jumping off the bridge himself.
He was passed by civilians, screaming, crying, he let them They were not part of his mission.
»…Taking fire above and below expressway. Civilians threatened. Repeat, civilians threatened. «, that was the woman’s voice, coming from behind one of the cars.
The soldier rolled a bomb into her direction and watched the ball of fire rise towards the sky – something was wrong.
The Soldier registered movement behind him but before he was able to turn around, a foot connected with his hand, kicking away his gun and his target landed on his back. He threw her off and picked up his gun again but she must have been quicker. His arm – his metal arm – spasmed under the electrocution and he watched her run away once more.
He had three and half hours left.
The Solder peeled off the device on his arm, his fingers disobeying his orders. Anger. He was feeling anger towards this woman. He didn’t have a clear shot; not one that would kill her but he pulled the trigger anyway, watching her stumble. His target was cowering behind a car and he got ready for his kill when the blonde man showed up, running towards him, shield in his hand; he charged. The man was a good fighter; efficient and fast but the Soldier had been trained all his life for moments like this. He got the shield, his target was half kneeling on the floor before he looked up, giving the Asset the chance to see his face for the first time and – he hesitated. There was something – something – his target moved and the Solder threw the shield at him. He missed. Drawing out a knife he began to attack his target who fought back and fought back good. His metal arm was around the man’s throat and it would have been easy to kill him. So easy but there was something…he shoved him backwards, charged again – and then the blonde man gripped his face, hand on his mask, and threw him through the air.
»Bucky? « Who the hell is Bucky?
Something…
Two targets, Level Six…I want confirmed death in ten hours.
Something…
This man is my mission.
He hesitated – and was hit by a pair of heavy boots, kicking him out of the way. It was a matter of seconds for him to get back on his feet but something – something wasn’t right.
Bucky?
He thought he smelled faint traces of paint and paper, felt the ghost of a touch on his face. Gentle. Caring.
Who the hell is Bucky?
He pulled out a gun and shot.
The Winter Soldier did not fail missions. Until now. He was back at the facility while one of the doctors fixed his arm and normally he would pay rapid attention to what they were doing, but this wasn’t usually.
Bucky?
The feeling of warmth. Not physical but…something else. Something inside him.
»Sergeant Barnes…«
He could see the face of a man long dead hovering over him, smiling.
A train. Mountains. Snow. The blonde man with the shield shouting a name. Bucky.
He was cold. So, so cold.
»The procedure has already started. «
»You are to be the new fist of HYDRA. «
Anger. Fear. Pain.
Bucky?
He lashed out.
Within seconds, every weapon in the room was trained on him and he knew he would be punished. He always was when he acted out. His handler came in, gesturing for the guards to lower their guns.
»Mission report. «. It was an order. It was the same order he always got afterwards. He didn’t reply.
Bucky?
Who the hell is Bucky?
»Mission report, now. «
Blonde hair, glistening like gold in the warm sunlight. Blue eyes laughing at him.
SLAP
He shouldn’t say it. He shouldn’t. If he said it they would take it away from him. But…but what if…
»The man on the bridge…«, Bucky?, »Who was he? «
»You met him earlier this week on another assignment. «, his handler answered, his face lacking all emotions, his voice steady and sure. He was telling the truth but…
»I knew him. «
»Your work has been a gift to mankind. You shaped the century and I need you to do it one more time. Society is at a tipping point between order and chaos. Tomorrow morning we're gonna give it a push. But, if you don't do your part, I can't do mine, and HYDRA can't give the world the freedom it deserves. «. Empty words that held no meaning for the Soldier – the man – Bucky?
»But I knew him. «
»Prep him. «, his handler commanded and the Asset knew what would happen. Had known it was going to happen all along.
»He’s been out of cryo – freeze for too long. «
»Then wipe him and start over. «
Bucky?
He had to hold on.
Bucky?
If he could just hold on…keep this memory.
Bucky?
Just this one.
The Winter Soldier sat on the chair. He felt slightly dizzy which was new. There was something he thought he had to remember but he didn’t know what and didn’t matter. His handler would tell him everything he needed to know.There was one target. One mission.
He knew what his target had planned, there was nothing he had to do except wait for the man to come to him.
»People are gonna die, Buck. I can’t let that happen. «, there was something about this man that seemed…off…but the Soldier ignored it. Ignored the words that meant nothing to him. »Please don’t make me do this. «, he looked…pained? The Soldier didn’t understand why his target would be in pain, pleading with him…like he seemed to know him. Still, the Asset didn’t respond, didn’t move, and his target’s demeanor changed. His face grew hard, his eyes determined, and he charged. It was a predictable move, easy to block. The shadow of a memory pushed through the Soldier’s mind, as if he had fought this man before. The movements seeming familiar but at the same time…weak. Defending rather than attacking. The Soldier wasn’t even sure how it happened, one moment he was having the upper hand, a knife buried deep in his target’s shoulder while he reached for the chip, and in the next, the man had him pinned down on the glass, demanding him to drop the chip. He didn’t. He had a mission.
Crack.
Pain shot through his entire body but he still held on. He couldn’t breathe.
Bucky?
His mission had him in a tight grip, cutting off his air supply.
Bucky?
Dark spots dancing before his eyes.
Bucky?
He must have blacked out. His target his gone when he opened his eyes again, climbing back towards the targeting system. His shoulder was dislocated but his metal arm still felt fully functional, he had a clear shot. Why couldn’t he kill him?
Bucky?
Who the hell is Bucky?
He watched the man sack down on the floor. He was the mission. He had to die. He had to – the Asset knew the chip was locked in without having to see it. He saw the two other Helicarriers go down in flames while theirs began to fall into itself and - »Argh! «, he cried out when a huge piece of metal landed on top of him. They were falling, falling down rapidly and there was no way he way going to survive this and there was the blonde man, climbing down to him to – what? What was he going to do? The Soldier was not easily surprised but…he’s pretty sure his targets had never freed him from underneath a pile of debris
.»You know me, «, the man persisted.
Bucky?
»No, I don’t! «, the Asset cried out, punching the man with his metal arm but there was no real force behind it. He was…tired? Exhausted?
»Bucky. «, there it was again…that…name. »You’ve known me your whole life. «. Anger. »Your name, is James Buchanan Barnes - «
»Shut up! «
Confusion. The Asset raised his head, panting heavily. His arm hurt with every move he made and he just wanted to rest. He couldn’t rest. He had a mission. He had – his – the man had taken off the mask and…and…that face.
»I’m not gonna fight you. «, it sounded like defeat and it should have been easy, now that the blonde wasn’t fight back anymore. It should have been easy. »You’re my friend. «.
Lier.
»You’re my mission. «, he growled and punched down on his his face again (Bucky?) and again (James Buchanan Barnes) and again (You’re my friend.). He couldn’t do it.
»Then finish it. «, the man muttered, his eyes half closed, »Because I’m with you till the end of the line. «