Winter Soldier Steve

Escape?

At the Hydra base, Steve stirred in his restraints. He looked around the room. He was in some sort of basement, and the door was locked from the outside.

His first thought was of Natasha, and he hoped she was alright. He kicked himself mentally for hesitating in the jet earlier. He had meant to tell her that he loved her, but had hesitated, and it was too late now.

He had seen her go down, and still wasn't sure of the cause. He raised his wrists, which were tied, to his mouth and began to chew them free.

After about ten minutes, Steve's jaws and teeth were sore, but his hands were free. There were a couple of sores on his wrists where the rope had rubbed, but he was mostly fine. He moved on to his legs.

He untied them almost easily, and stood up. He was careful to be silent, so that they wouldn't hear anything and come running. He slowly crept around the room, looking for something to break through the door. He settled for a staff, with a rounded tip. He walked up the short set of stairs and jammed it against the door with all of his strength. It made a crack, but it didn't open. He was practically blinded by the rays of light that streamed through. He jammed it again and again, each time opening the crack wider and wider, until it was big enough to fit through. He slid through it sideways, and fell onto the floor. The two guards standing outside the door jumped on him, and he punched one in the jaw, the wrist, the gut, and the other one in the temple, which got them both off of him. He crept through the hallways, ignoring the security cameras, until an army of men came through the hallway, and while he took out about ten guys, the rest overpowered him, dragging him back to the basement, and one hit him in the temple with the butt of his gun, knocking him out again.

——

He woke up again with a bruise the size of a mini-orange, and a horrible head-ache.

They had obviously tightened security, with three guards in the basement, and four outside the door. They switched twice a day, what felt like every twelve hours, although there wasn't a way to really tell time, besides the guard shifts.

Just then, the door opened, and a man in a long, black overcoat walked in with a tray of food. He walked up to Steve, who spat at his feet.

"Baron von Strucker. Hydras' biggest thug."

Strucker nodded.
"Welcome to the building, Steve. Would you like to meet your captor?"

Steve said nothing. Strucker stepped aside, and behind him was a young girl, the one who had shot Nat, and of course him too.

He glared at her, and even though he was tied up, the girl looked frightened. There was a boy beside her, Steve noticed for the first time. He looked similar to her, but with white hair. They were holding hands. He was her brother, Steve realized, and they were the ones who'd volunteered for Strucker's experiments with the scepter.

Steve looked up at him, and the boy jumped. They both seemed terrified that he was somehow going to set them on fire or something, just by looking at them.

Steve gave a longing glance at the food, so hungry he could eat a horse, and Baron Strucker laughed.

"Hungry, are you? Well, here," he pushed the plate closer to Steve and untied his hands. A guard put a gun up to his temple while he ate.

"We need to keep you somewhat alive for your friends to see. They won't tell us anything if they think you're already dead."

"They won't tell you anything anyway," Steve mumbled with a mouthful of food.
Strucker laughed.

"We'll see."

He walked out, and the brother and sister followed, stealing glances at the prisoner as they left.

As soon as Steve was finished eating, the guard on his left pulled a syringe full of green fluid from his pocket and pressed the needle into Steve's neck.

He pushed down the plunger, and within two minutes, Steve was asleep.

——

When he came to, the face of Baron Strucker swam before his eyes.

"Hello," he waved to Steve, who grunted. The guard to his right pressed the barrel of a gun to his temple.

Strucker snapped his fingers, and a man wearing a lab coat and science goggles brought in a tray with a single syringe on it.

Strucker took the syringe, this time filled with orange liquid, and inserted it into Steve's arm this time. Steve expected to feel drowsy, or maybe even feel his own life slipping away. But instead, he developed a horrible headache. It felt as if his brain were doubling itself inside his head. Strucker nodded to a guard behind him, untied Steve.

Steve would have questioned this, if he'd been paying attention, but he wasn't. He was more focused on making sure his head didn't explode.

Suddenly, the headache was gone. He felt newer, younger. He shook his head to clear it, and Strucker smiled.

Steve began to twitch, his brain being consumed by the effects of the serum. He blinked, unsure of what was happening, and Strucker lead him up the stairs and into his office. He sat him down in the center of a machine, and nodded to the guards.

"Wipe him."

——

When Steve woke up again, Strucker was in front of him. He pulled out a book, and began reading aloud.
"Longing. Rusted. Seventeen. Daybreak. Furnace. Nine. Benign. Homecoming. One. Freight car."
Steve heard him say, "Good morning, Soldier."
"Ready to comply," he heard his response. Strucker walked over to his desk, pulling a file folder out, and handing it to Steve.
"You will go to New York, and destroy the Avengers."
Steve nodded.
"Three of the weaker ones are coming to rescue you. Ambush them in the woods. Take their jet, and fly it back. I will send backup to meet you there."
Steve nodded again. He turned to leave, and Strucker grabbed his arm.
"Hail Hydra," he whispered.
"Hail Hydra."