Not an Experiment
She wakes up in the Hulk container, immediately rising to break free, but then her head feels like it has been hit with a brick, the chip in her skull humming.
“Sir, there’s a malfunction,” she says, knowing that the chip will allow her owners to hear her. “The Experiment does not contain the knowledge of where base is.”
The pain increases.
“Sir.”
“The Experiment has failed,” the man says, the chip downloading the knowledge into her brain. “It must be punished.”
“The Experiment will break free,” she says, surveying her cell. “It will return.”
“The base has been destroyed. Experiment 346 self-destruct activated.”
She waits for her brain to break into a thousand pieces, but after a moment of waiting, the man speaks again.
“Self-destruct malfunctioning. Backup termination activated. The Experiment has no further missions for the Program.”
“Sir-”
“It will not return to base.”
“Sir, the Experiment can decamp.”
Silence./p>
“Sir.”
“Communication terminated,” a pleasant robotic voice says.
~
“Maybe she has a radio,” Steve says, looking at the screen showing the woman standing at attention, as if there is an official standing before her.
“We didn’t find anything, other than that Hydra symbol on the tag of her hospital gown.”
“She mentioned the Program,” Bucky says, watching from his spot with his back to the wall, remembering what Stark had said. “It’s a part of Hydra. I remember that much.”
“Maybe she has a communicator in her ear, like a piece of metal implanted in.”
“It was a conversation. Do you think the person on the receiving end could hear her?”
“Is she listening?” Bucky asks. “She doesn’t look like she is anymore.”
“I don’t like it,” Natasha says.
The unknown woman sits down, her face becoming pale.
“What’s wrong?”
“Come on,” Nat says, leading the rest of the Avengers to the room, being the first to speak, the woman standing at her presence.
“Showing weakness is a sign of it,” Natasha says. “Care to explain why you were sitting?”
The woman looks at her, still a warrior.
“Experiment 346 set to emergency backup self-destruct.”
“You’re going to explode?”
“The backup is intense fever, followed by death.”
“Why are they eliminating you?” Natasha asks.
“The Experiment is in the Avengers Tower. Experiment 346 has failed its mission. The Program has abandoned Experiment 346, leaving the microchip in the skull to eliminate the threat of secrets being released.”
“Didn’t they train you not to crack under interrogation?” Bucky asks.
“Yes, sir.”
“Can the chip be extracted without casualties?” Natasha asks.
“Yes, but only by a child of the Red Room.”
“I would need to pull it out?”
“That is correct.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“The Experiment does not understand.”
“What’s your name?”
“The Experiment does not remember. When the Experiment was recruited, its memories were deleted.”
“Deleted?”
“Yes. The Experiment did not need its memories to fulfill its duties.”
“Why should I help you?”
“The...” She looks at her for a heartbeat, and Natasha catches a glimpse of humanity in those eyes. "The Experiment does not want to die.”
“What do you want? To live?”
“That is unclear.”
“Good enough for me.”
~
“Nat’s going to be fine,” Cap tells Bucky, who is waiting outside of the operation room.
“I know, but that dame...” Bucky says, running a hand through his hair as he looks at his friend. “She said that she was recruited. Like me.”
“How you were. You’re saved.”
“I know. The problem is, even once that chip is out, the Program will come for her. They made her like that; she’s a weapon to them.”
“When she’s awake, we can ask her what she remembers. What she does may help us with the Program. And until then, she’s got a team to protect her.”
~
“How are you feeling?” Natasha asks, coming into the room.
It’s been a few days, and—due to the Super Soldier Serum that heals her fast—the woman has been walking and talking for most of the time spent after surgery. Unfortunately, she is still under watchful eyes for more than one reason.
She stands up, standing at attention when Nat walks in.
“Fine, sir.”
“You don’t have to stand, you know. Sit down.”
She does, waiting for orders, sitting up straight, like a brick wall instead of a human being.
“We’re going to start off where we stopped yesterday. Have you remembered anything else?”
She shakes her head.
“The Experiment’s memories of the Program’s locations were erased.”
“That’s fine,” Natasha says. “Let’s try something different today. What do you want to be called?”
“I am Experiment 346.”
“You’re not just an experiment. You are a person.”
“The Experiment is not a person.”
“What is she, then?”
“The Experiment, owned and created by the Program.”
“No one owns you.”
“The Experiment is nothing without its value to its owners.”
“You could own yourself. Be your own commander.”
“What would the Experiment do?”
“Whatever you want to.”
“The Experiment has no personal ambitions.”
“You said that you had no ambitions. No desires, you mean?”
“Correct.”
“So, why would you not want to die?”
Natasha leaves the room soon after, silent.
Maybe Barnes can help.
~
Bucky knocks on the hospital door, using his right arm, keeping his left arm hidden from view, even with the long sleeves and gloves. The door is slightly open, so he asks if he can come in.
“Yes.”
He enters, seeing the woman standing in the middle of the room, her hair growing out. Her head was already bald, but the nurses had to shave it again when she had her surgery. There’s a scar, but the hair seems to be growing out enough that it’s fuzzy around it.
“Hi,” he says. “I’m Bucky.”
“Experiment 346.”
“I just wanted to see how you were feeling.”
“Fine, sir.”
“You don’t have to call me that. We’re on the same level.”
“The Experiment must show respect to its betters,” she responds.
“I’m no better than you.”
“You are obviously a soldier. I am an experiment.”
“I was controlled by Hydra, too,” Bucky says, pulling off his glove, showing her his metal arm, the metal glinting in the bright lights. “I was a soldier for them.”
“The Experiment has seen that arm before,” she admits. “A mission. Bulgaria, 1966. Experiment 346’s memory database has been compromised, but the Experiment remembers that assignment.”
“The chip that tried to melt your brain,” Bucky says. “Did it contain the information?”
“The logs. The Experiment remembers more than the Program would wish. Such as the Winter Soldier.”
“The Program is a part of Hydra, and Hydra is the enemy. Hydra tried to kill you.”
“The Experiment is of no value to them anymore,” she says matter of fact.
“So, try to be of value for yourself,” Bucky insists. “You’re not an experiment.”
“The Experiment-”
“You’re not an experiment!” Bucky exclaims, getting angry—but not at her. “You’re not an it. You’re a person!”
“What should the Experiment be called, then?”
“A name! A real name!”
“Like what?”
“Don’t you remember anything before you were recruited?” Bucky asks, still upset. “Your parents?”
“You are upset.”
“I’m just-”
“Would it please you if the Experiment called itself a girl?”
“Yes!” Bucky admits, and then growls and shoves his glove back on, the metal fingers disappearing under the thick cloth. “It’s about what you want.”