Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 29 - Facades

Pierce closed his eyes, his lips pressing together as he sighed deeply through his nose. He was beginning to grow tired of being contradicted by his subjects. "Why are none of them obeying orders?" He asked the room at large, annoyance lacing his voice as he threw his hands up in exasperation.

One of the scientists scrambled forwards, a notebook in his hands. "Upon seeing familiar faces, it's not uncommon for the neocortex and the prefrontal cortex to reignite old memories. With the old memories, or rather, glimpses of them, resurfacing, the subjects become confused. Their orders and their previous selves are literally fighting for control." He explained, pointing down at some of his notes, where different parts of the brain were highlighted.

"Wipe her as well then. I don't need another failed attempt at the Widow's life. I don't want her harmed, I want her dead. Along with the Captain." Pierce ordered as he turned around without as much as a backwards glance towards the blonde woman in the corner.

Topaz rose from her chair, her hands outstretched against the agents now treading towards her. "No, you can't do that. Dr. Krieger is in charge of me. Not you, not these men." She protested just as her back hit the wall. That some of her memories had been wiped from her memories before, wasn't a secret to her. Like her obvious time together with Black Widow. But this sounded way more serious.

Pierce glanced at the soldier, who had gone silent by now. "Oh, Krieger has been assigned new subjects to take care of, so she's no longer in charge of you. I am. So, take your place in the chair, Topaz. Time to experience a new era." He said, a malicious grin playing on his lips.

Over by the machine, one of the scientists was releasing Winter, the clasps around his bulging muscles opening with a low click. Before allowing the soldier to stand up however, the scientist said a few Russian words. Winter's jaw clenched, the blue eyes becoming colder with every passing second.

"Готовы подчиниться, Зимний солдат?" (Ready to comply, Winter Soldier?) The scientist asked, watching the Soldier intently for any signs of his old self.

"Готовы подчиниться." (Ready to comply.) Winter responded in a dull voice before pushing himself up from the chair.

Topaz trudged over to the machine, unable to refuse a direct order. She glanced at Winter, who just watched her with cold eyes, his mouth clamped shut. Once again, she was a stranger to him.

She eyed the machine warily before hesitantly lowering herself down and placing her arms on the armrests. The metal restraints immediately trapped her to the chair, adjusting to her size as her arms were nowhere near as massive as Winter's.

The air got caught in her throat as her heart began to hammer inside her chest. It was weird, the back of her mind was screaming at her to get up, to run away from this. But the robot in the back of her mind kept her body still, drowning out that little voice of sanity.

Electroshocks weren't unfamiliar to her, as it was a common punishment within HYDRA. Her hands balled into fists, preparing for the pain as the faceplates sparked malevolently above her before engulfing her face.

At the last moment, one of the scientists showed her the mouthguard, and she opened her mouth obligingly. Crushing her teeth was not something she fancied doing as the human body could exhibit exceptional strength while under pressure.

It felt as though her veins were on fire when the electricity pulsed through her. The screams left her throat involuntary, and she bit down on the mouthguard hard to suffocate them. Black spots began to pop up in her field of vision, and she tried to jerk her head away from the faceplates, but it was no use. She was tied down, unable to move even an inch.