When the war started, I was about twenty years old. Maybe older, maybe younger. My age wasn't a priority when I applied for the army. All they wanted to know was if I could fight. When they saw who my father was, and where I had lived for half my life, they knew I could.

If they had any doubts, they had been squashed the moment I entered the campground and beat all the boys in training. That's about all I remember up until I was shipped off across the ocean.

When I heard that the 107th was getting sent to the front lines, I set aside one last night to spend with Steve before I left. I know we went to the Stark expo, but the rest is all a bit of a blur.

Steve says that Howard embarrassed himself, covered it up, and left the stage while I cheered. After that, Steve had decided to try again to join the army.

I do remember telling him not to do anything stupid while I was gone.

I don't remember what he responded with.

Again, it was all a blur.

On the front lines, we worked like clockwork. We destroyed Hydra bases and caught any stragglers for interrogation.

One time, we had gotten an anonymous tip about the Hydra base where their head scientist, Arnim Zola, was doing his work. We had suspected it was a trap but decided the reward was greater than the risk.

That was where we went wrong.

They had known we were coming ever since they had sent that letter. They were ready for an army.

They captured every single one of us and put us in small circular cages. I didn't know why, but I hated it more than the other men. It felt like something was about to cave in on me, and I had no idea what it was.

Soon, their soldiers had begun to pull out ours one at a time. Once you went in, you didn't come out.

When they chose me, I didn't know why, but I had fought with every fiber of my being. I had hoped I could escape and get back to base. Come back with more men. Get my people out.

They were all that mattered.

They were fellow soldiers.

They were friends.

I had not been able to escape. I had not been able to go get help. I felt useless.

When I asked why they chose me, they had told me the other men had each given up another soldier who was stronger than them, just so they could live. I had been the latest sacrifice. When he began torturing me, asking me who was stronger, I gave no name. Somehow the pain was nothing compared to watching the people I loved die.

I think that had been the first time I realized that I loved them. The first time I had committed to the fact that they were part of me.

But even that pain was nothing compared to what was next.

I don't remember much. Just the light they shone on me every day, if days had even passed, and the searing pain that existed at all times.

They told me they were making me stronger. They told me I would thank them someday.

They lied.