7. Ready to comply.

Start from the beginning
                                    

Barnes was later joined by the hired psychiatrist who had been sent to interview the prisoner and evaluate his mental well-being. The former appeared in the doorway, his sunken shoulders blocking the soft light from the contiguous hallway. The Winter Soldier remained staring blankly at the wall between two armed guards that stood in front of his pod. Eventually, the unknown man in glasses came in, his steps slow and tentative.

— Hello, Mr. Barnes.- the soft-spoken voice of the man interrupted the silence.—  I've been sent by the UN to evaluate you. Do you mind if I sit?- he asked, his English thick with an accent. To this the prisoner made no reply, and the man sat anyway. — Your first name is James?- all Bucky did was lean his head back against his uncomfortable metal chair, trying to block out his current situation.

Inside the small office Steve couldn't hear anything being said; he could stare at the small screen and watch the evaluator sit down at a desk, facing Bucky's pod. Sharon stepped inside the small see-through room, carrying more images, papers and a voucher with her too, handing it to Sam, who looked slightly annoyed.

— The receipt for your gear..- she explained and Sam glanced down, immediately frowning at the words. The blonde's eyes briefly met Magna's from all the way across the glass wall and the latter nodded inconspicuously.

'Bird costume'?- Sam read aloud with leering disdain. He cocked a brow and let out a short scoff. — ... Come on.

— I didn't write it.- stepping towards the control buttons that were mounted into the table, Sharon pushed the "Restricted" button, which stopped the muted audio from Bucky's evaluation.

The CCTV footage of Bucky came on on the screen next to Steve's head, and the audio was louder. He gave her a quick look, but turned his attention to Bucky again as the psychologist continued.

— I'm not here to judge you, I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James?- the latter didn't care what the man was there for. All the prisoner wanted was to get it all over with, even if the result was him getting killed. For Bucky, death wasn't the worst outcome. In fact, he'd choose death over the Machine every single time. Barnes opted not to answer the question.

The doctor, however, pressed further -he could clearly tell from the way Barnes held himself, tense and closed, that the former sergeant didn't want to discuss his problems and he didn't want him to talk about them either; still, Dr. Theo Broussard was persistant.

— I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James.- the man commented, shuffling through papers calmly. Bucky inhaled deeply. He needed to get his frustration under control.

He repeated the name over and over. James. James. James. That wasn't who he was anymore. He was Bucky. Back in the forties, he'd died once as James, the sergeant, the friend, the son. This time, if it came to that, he would go out as Bucky... just Bucky. Finally, he spoke.

— My name is Bucky.- was the first thing out of his mouth, his voice coming out croaky because nobody had thought of giving him a glass of water since taking him into custody. Wasn't that against the law? He almost laughed. Everything about him was against the law. The evaluator was quiet for a long time, writing something down.

Steve was slightly affected by his answer, his eyes still wondering on the screen as he thought.

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