Fire and Ice - (Bucky Barnes x OC) 18+

Chapter 27

ALEX

She didn't know how long the flight was before they arrived at a secure location, everything within her obeyed every command given as if she was a zombie. It felt like an invisible rope that connected her to Pierce and every word from his mouth was law.

They headed inside and Rumlow stood at the forefront of his unit with his arms crossed, hand over hand resting at his crotch.

"Rumlow," Pierce acknowledged him.

"Sir, good to have you back. What's the outcome?"

Brock Rumlow had more leeway than the others in the unit so he was able to talk freely. All Alex could do was listen to Pierce give him updates and then a command to take her to a room and strap her in the chair.

The chair...

The words somehow made her mind reel at the mention and yet, the emotion disappeared just as fast. Rumlow stepped forwards grasping her upper arm, fingers digging in as he guided her down the hallway. All the rooms at the Hydra bases were similar in layouts so this one wasn't much different to the previous one she knew. 

The room they walked into was bright in lighting with computers set up against one wall that contained many monitors. The centre of the room held the chair in question with wires attached to it, motorised arms that raised at the head and screens to monitor vitals. Rumlow pushed her forwards towards it before grasping her about the shoulders and turning her around to press down and make her sit. Doctors busied around, some at the computers, and some fiddling with vials of the like.

Alex felt numb to the point where nothing hurt, if it did she couldn't feel it. She knew that Steve and Sam got Bucky to safety before the building exploded because she'd seen it out the chopper's window. But she couldn't bring herself to care, it should have mattered to her, her choice to take his place and prevent him from enduring a world of torture again should have mattered, but it didn't. She didn't care about anything at all because whatever was in that serum had taken away her choice, her will. She obeyed without question, without hesitation.

Alex was rendered mute too, she couldn't speak on her own accord. All of it was a new experience and she found herself unable to hate it because it removed any and all emotions from her humanity.

Rumlow's face came into view and he finally spoke to her, "Your boy screamed in this chair, i'm looking forward to hearing you do the same sweetheart."

His words should have enraged her, his words should have pissed her off and yet...nothing. She simply stared straight through him.

Pierce walked in motioning for the guards that were following him to stay put by lifting his hand in gesture. Fixing his blazer cuffs on the way he stopped, bent at the waist to pick up a stool nearby and continue over to where Alex was sat in the chair.

"You are glorious, my dear." He said, scanning her face as he sat down. 

"The way you fought with the soldier. Absolutely impeccable,"

She stared mindlessly ahead but could hear every word of praise he sent her way.

"Your eyes are beautiful, it's like looking into the depths of hell itself. An ink black mirror,"

Her eyes still held that darkness in tact.

"You are the weapon that disposed of so many soldiers during your time with Hydra. Project Illyria, it is nice to finally have you in my presence, properly." He smiled, assessing her like she was a prize he was so proud of.

"I've got to hand it to Kovalev, he did a great job with you. No wonder the bastard was possessive." He paused, then continued. "I injected you with a serum that nulls your powers making you mine to control. It takes your will to act on your own away,"

Alex had no idea why he was being considerate enough to explain what she'd been injected with, but in some way at least she knew.

"Sir, she may even be more special than the winter soldier himself," Rumlow stated, and Pierce nodded glancing at the commander.

"There is no maybe, Rumlow. She is,"

His gaze fell on Alex once more before he stood up and looked down at her. One of the doctors removed the chair so he could step back freely.

"I think it's time we fight back," Pierce suggested. "The Avengers want a fight, so we'll give them one. But first, there's some work to be done," he walked towards the exit, stopping to address the doctor.

"Prepare her,"

"But she hasn't been under for years. This could take a while," The doctor replied honestly as if he was concerned for her wellbeing.

"Then wipe her, redo the programming," Pierce said. "As long as it takes, as many wipes as it takes. I want her under my control without the need to use a choker. I want that power she holds to be under my will, do you understand me?" He stared the doctor down, making the guy feel small and intimidated enough to bend, and he did.

"Yes sir." the doctor nodded, bowing his head while Pierce gestured for them to start.

Alex felt hands push her further back into the chair, and the metal clamps came down to secure her arms and wrists in place. Rumlow pressed a mouth guard to her lips and she opened her mouth obediently so he could place it inside for her to bite down on.

The doctors typed codes into the computers while the machine began to start up, whirring and beeping sounds filled the room as the metal levers lowered, clamps pressing against one side of her face securing her forehead and cheekbone to the back of the chair.

Internally she wanted to brace for the pain that was about to come but she couldn't, nothing worked, she was just a passenger in her own body along for the ride, forced to endure the torture and unable to break free.

In seconds Alex felt the immediate pain in her skull, electrical waves ten times worser then the choker shot straight into her brain, igniting every nerve and making her scream while biting down on the guard in her mouth. She gripped the edges of the arm rests, fingers curling so hard her knuckles turned white.

Pierce nodded in approval and walked out with guards following him, leaving Rumlow to oversee the job at hand. Her screams wrapped around the room as the torture of mind conditioning began.