ZEITGEIST | james b. barnes

[ 58 ]

Verfall shuddered as the baton was pulled away from her skin, the veins in her neck pulsing as she tried to breathe the pain away. The agent above her didn't seem particularly sadistic as the baton hovered in front of her face.

"Не подведите меня снова. Вы понимаете?"

Do not fail me again. Do you understand?

Her body seized as the baton pressed against her collarbone. She tried to tuck herself away from the object but she only made it worse as the other agent- the one grinning from ear to ear- pressed the object harder into her bone, causing the pain to explode even further across her skin.

"Так точно, сэр."

Affirmative, sir.

Winter replied gravelly and Karpov straightened out his sleeves.

"Оставить ее."

Leave her.

Karpov ordered and the agent rolled his eyes.

"Ладно, хорошо."

Okay, alright.

He threw his hands up and Karpov turned around.

He grinned, tapping her with the baton once more. Her mouth opened in a half cry, bringing her knees to her chest as electricity shot down her torso.

In the second Karpov's back was turned, Winter lunged, crossing the small space between them as he punched the man hard with his right arm. There was a god awful snap and the agent's eyes grew wide before they rolled into the back of his head. His nose- was- it was terribly misshapen and blood splurted from his nostrils, gushing down his mouth and clothes.

Winter had been so incredibly gentle when he'd broken her nose.

A feeling of appreciation swelled in her chest.

The man collapsed and the other agent caught him before he could hit the ground.

Karpov sighed, massaging his temples but not disappointed in Winter as if he knew he'd done it with reason. He led the pair of agents out and locked the door behind him.

Verfall forced herself to crawl closer towards the wall, chest heaving with fatigue.

Winter shuffled back to her, dropping to his knees as his hand came close to her face. She flinched away, stopping her pathetic movements and curling into a protective ball.

"No- no- sorry. I'm sorry." Winter whispered, pulling his hand back.

Verfall blinked several times, mind hazy.

Winter's hand lifted again, hesitant, before placing it in her nest of sweaty hair. She closed her eyes, melting at the feeling as he pulled strands of hair away from her face.

His movement hadn't had such warm intent for- for decades.

He gently moved his arm under her shoulders, pulling her closer into his chest. She shuddered at the cold of his metal arm, but found it welcoming once it didn't grow unbearable. She curled into his chest as he scooted into the far corner of the room.

"Was my fault." She muttered. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head in refusal, stubborn even without the rest of his personality. His metal hand was gentle as he placed it on her forehead. She exhaled at the cold, the metal plates shifting ever so often.

They remained silent for a long time, the soft hum of his metal arm the only sound in the room.

She knew Winter didn't remember anything- didn't remember Howard or the way he recognized him with a gaze of confusion and terror. She knew James might've wanted her to do more of something. She knew he wouldn't want her to get hurt in the process.