The Scorch || Marvel/HP

66 - Not This Shit Again

"You met him earlier this week on another assignment."

"I knew him."

As the conversation was ongoing, Harlow finally came to her sense. Her memories came flooding back. This was not good. She was stuck, god knows where, with the people who turned her into the worst version of herself. The teenager tried to be perfectly quiet. She rolled onto her stomach, her eyes stinging as she stared up at Pierce and Winnie. Slowly and slyly, Harlow tried to pull herself over the ground, dragging her body as she tried to find anything to protect herself with.

"Your work has been a gift to mankind. You shaped the century, and I need you to do it one more time. Society is at a tipping point between order and chaos. Tomorrow morning we're gonna give it a push. But, if you don't do your part, I can't do mine, and HYDRA can't give the world the freedom it deserves."

"But I knew him." Winnie replied, a sad look on his face that clearly showed his total confusion. It made Harlow's stomach sink as she watched the different negative emotions form on her friends face. He was suffering so much pain and sadness inside and she had let him.

"Prep him."

Those words uttered by Pierce caused an uncontrollable reaction from Harlow. It was one she used to regularly show whenever they used to take Winnie away from her to wipe his mind. Those days were the worst. He would return to her with no idea who she was and no understanding about himself.

"He's been out of cryo-freeze too long." One of the Scientists butted in, avoiding looking at Pierce to hide themselves from the harsh glare they were no doubt receiving.

Harlow squeezed her lips forcefully together, trying to prevent small noises of struggle or frustration from leaving her lips. She took slow and controlled breaths through her nose as her fingers tried to grip at the dirty floor. The way her muscles strained while she tried to silently drag herself just proved how badly she had been drugged up. Nothing felt right and nothing was right.

"Then wipe him and start over. " Pierce demanded and that was when Harlow lost her small inch of temporary cover.

The words burst out of her, ripping through her throat before she could even think. "Don't hurt him!" She yelled out urgently. Within a second she regretted losing control. She was lying on her front, staring up, at Pierce whose head snapped towards her, with so much fear in her eyes.

Harlow was stuck in a vulnerable position. No weapon and a mind far too puzzled to safely use her powers. She wouldn't have cared about safety if Winnie wasn't there. If he wasn't, she would've just screamed as released everything within her. The teenager didn't care in that moment if it killed her. She's much rather die at her own hands than theirs. Their cruel and manipulative hands.

"And... she's awake." Pierce drawled, a smirk quickly appearing onto his face. Harlow could practically see the man light up in joy. Enjoying the girls suffering and misery. It wasn't all that surprising considering he was a part of Hydra, and a big one at that.

"Don't hurt him." She weekly muttered back in reply. "Please?" She croaked, her chin starting to crumple as flashes of Winnie screaming entered her mind. "Please?" She repeated even quieter, practically begging the man standing mere metres away from her.

"Still the same huh?" Pierce remarked, "Still ruining yourself for this brute..." he continued, carelessly motioning over to Winnie. "... a murderer that doesn't even know you." He added, emphasising each and every word to make it cut at Harlow like knives. "I would've expected you to know better by now."

Harlow couldn't muster up any words. Even though she knew undoubtedly that Winnie didn't remember her. It still hurt to be reminded.

Harlow's silence was marked as a victory in Pierce's head. He had managed to find and murder her soft spot once again. Her speechlessness fuelled his ambition to finally get the soldier he desired out of her. She would be his perfect creation, with the help of another individual. Pierce needed full control of the rebellious teenager. The method used on the Winter Soldier no longer worked on her so he was only left with only one option.