America's Soldier

Retreated Soldier

The Winter Soldier failed his mission.

Or rather, he encountered a delay in his assignment to take out James Barnes, and whoever he was with.

So he went back to base, mind whirling with the events of the day.

Why was the man so familiar?

Who is Steve Rogers?

He decides to ask his handler after updating him on the events on the bridge.

"Who is James Barnes? I think that I know him."

His handler waves off the question, but one of the other HYDRA agents looks concerned.

"You encountered him while finishing Fury. That is how you've seen him."

The soldier considers this, but shakes his head.

"That doesn't feel right. He called me Steve. I think I knew him."

The concerned agent steps forward.

"He's been out of freeze for too long," he murmurs to the handler. "His personality is returning."

"No concern. We'll just wipe him again and send him back out."

The soldier sits back, confused but obedient, and takes the moments he has left to try to remember.

Steve nearly returns.

But the machine buries him again.

The Winter Soldier is given his mission: kill James Barnes.

He will not fail again.