WORLD'S WEIGHT ▹ tfatws

[ 011 ] chapter eleven

"Why would you pretend to believe me when clearly you still think I'm not telling the truth?" Her eyes squinted at the man.

"I wasn't pretending," he countered. "I just know there's something else bothering you besides the fact you knew what to know more about the Red Poison."

She moved closer to him. Ever since Czarina was confronted by Yuri she's been dying to talk to someone about it, though she wishes Bucky wasn't able to notice her current predicament because he has his own things to deal with, it felt somehow relieving that.

"He told me who was the last lead scientist of the project." She confessed with her eyes glued anywhere but to her.

"And who was it?"

"Valeriya Kuzmich." Czarina didn't have to look at him to know that he was appalled the moment he heard the woman.

"Rina," Bucky called out to her. "Do you want us to go after her? Do you think she knows more about the Red Poison?"

"No, I don't." she immediately objected on an extreme level. She had plenty of time to think about everything Yuri told her while flying to the city. The part of chasing ghosts made her rethink why she's still persistent on the Red Poison when it's clear that she believes what the former wolf spider said. She knows it too in herself that the serum didn't work out, because if it did the Department X wouldn't be so invested in curing her and Levi. They were their last true super soldiers. The same reason why no one defended Red Room when SHIELD attacked it for the first time.

Another proof of it was their major mission in 2009. The assassination of Michael Rogers, it was a simple play for a proof of dominance. They wanted to take credit for killing the only surviving meta human and super soldier of America that time. The Department X was losing their sphere of power in the new world, their organisation was on the last legs so they decided to take a huge risk that they thought would help them gain control again. They wouldn't be in that situation in the first place if they had capable manpower on their side. Which they didn't because their attempt to create an enhanced army failed miserably.

"At first I was so convinced that there's more of it, that maybe Yuri was lying. And Valeriya really finished my formula. That I need to go after her to end this all," Czarina spilled her thoughts. "But I think about it, it's obvious that I only thought of that because I let myself make this about me. About my guilt for what I did, and possibly because of how I know Valeriya."

"She did a lot of horrible things to you, of course you'll feel like going after her." Bucky spoke in his usual, comforting voice. "Especially after knowing she took advantage of the nightmare work Department X forced you to do."

"But Dad, this isn't about me," she acknowledged again. "Right now there are ten super soldiers out there running around. I'm not letting my personal agenda get in the way of the mission. That's what you taught me, right?"

"Yeah," he agreed with a nod. "But are you sure, you really believe it?"

"I do." She reassured him firmly. "I'm gonna deal with this whole Valeriya thing at the right time. For now we look for another lead on the Flag Smashers."

"Well... as for that I think I have one." Bucky glanced back at her with a light tipped smile.

The father and daughter watched as Sam pushed through the doors and strutted back to their spot with a more distressed look. "Sorry that took long, the higher office called too. Questioning me about why I didn't cooperate with Walker and his team."