11

Their little home was small, slightly dusty, but quaint. Torrance's mother was a small woman who didn't know better, she was easily manipulated just like how her father had been and now just like her sister.

The plague ran thick between them but Karina was spared, as far as they all knew. She was the safest, secluded in their little attic. Her little body wouldn't have been able to fight off the sickness as well as theirs, as well as they could for the mean time at least. 

Torrance had caught the sickness in the late stages of winter and it controlled her body like a new operating system. It was if she were no longer the true host, like she was taken over completely by this predatory disease. But Karina, who had been around her for the weeks and days prior to the sickness catching, was fine. Doctor's talked in hushed voices as to whether or not she had the ability to fight it off, whether she truly had the antibodies. 

The two sisters spent most of their time together, separated by the doors of the attic and by how far Torrance could walk before having to rest and wheeze and cough. Karina was nothing like Torrance, sometimes making the older girl wonder if they truly had the same father. Her blonde didn't compare to her sisters dark hair and pale complexion. She was small while Torrance was built, just a little stronger than the others. Her sister was weak and fragile, ten years younger. And although the younger girl would be nearing her last year as a teenager, she was so small she seemed as if she was in her early teens, small and too curious. 

"I don't want you or mother to die," Karina whispered one evening from behind her closed door. "It wouldn't be fair." They spoke in their native tongue, having both been born and raised in Russia. 

"We won't," she lied in response. She knew better than to tell her a lie but she had too, she wanted to keep her spirits high. 

Karina shifted from behind the door. "I've heard mother talking at night, about something that could help"

"Huh?"

"Something that could help you."

Torrance laughed softly, shaking her head to herself. There was nothing that could help them, not now at least and not for a while. "Like what?"

Karina was silent for a moment before whispering, "An experiment."

Torrance was quick to speak again, rushing out, "Experiments hardly ever work, they're more torture than they are help, especially nowadays. If mother--" She sighed, moving so she could rest her shoulder against the door. Her lungs felt like they were on fire, like she wasn't getting enough air. "--if she wants you to be apart of one, say no. It's too dangerous, too many risks."

"I heard her say something about a man named Zola and something about a thing called Hydra, I could be wrong," she said. "It could help you, the experiment might even work."

It was funny to Torrance that she didn't realize this would be one of the last times she would've spoken to her sister. How years later Karina would be killed in front of her, body buried next to her family's graves at her request. 

How funny it all was, talking to her about the experiments that would have her ending up here, in a room full of heroes. She looked around the ground, scratching the back of her head before saying, "The problem is that her grave is in Russia."

"Any specific part?" Tony asked, earning a small laugh from Wanda next to him. 

Torrance rolled her eyes with a small smile playing at her lips. "Stalingrad."

Both Natasha and Steve's heads shot up at the mention. Natasha spoke first with an eery smile, "I was born there."

"We fought there, during the war," Steve added. "But they changed their name over the years, it's Volgograd now, isn't it?"

Nat nodded. "Who would've thought, our ties would run deeper than being S.H.I.E.L.D. agents." The other woman shifted and Torrance couldn't help but be fond of the connection she suddenly had with her. Although their histories were different, there was still that same level of torment, of not understanding or knowing your body. "If you don't mind, I think it'll be a good idea if I accompany you there? Extra protection, of course."

Torrance smiled. "Well, of course." She was going to ask her anyways, Nat reading her mind. With her hands on her hips, she looked over the room and said, "The rest of you go to Stark Tower, we'll get what we need and we'll leave tonight. Surely we can get some fast transportation?"

She eyed Fury and he nodded and told her, "Let me make some calls." He stepped away from the group, pulling his phone from his pocket. 

"Obviously I'll be the one to check out the tower," Tony said, raising his hand. "I have my suit with me incase anything goes wrong." He made a wincing expression as he added, "Hopefully nothing does go wrong, I'm not in the mood for another rebuild."

She nodded, agreeing, "Take Wanda with you, she'll be able to contain explosions if there are any." Wanda gave her a small smile before turning to Tony and the pair going away from the group to discuss. 

Nat and Torrance looked at Steve and Bucky who were looking at them with dark eyes and crossed arms. She knew where this conversation was going to go. Who to choose, who to pick, who to love-- 

Steve was the first to speak, "What do you suppose I do then? You two can't go alone--"

"I'll go with them," Bucky said, standing. He took too large steps and was by her side in an instant and she couldn't help the small smile she had when she looked up at him. He was always so protective of her, so territorial, and it didn't surprise her that it had only increased with time and age. "Steve, go with Fury and the others, survey the area."

"But I should go with you," Steve countered, a frown forming across his lips. "I know the area well, since the war--"

Bucky smiled. "Don't forget, I was there too, comrade."

She hadn't expected Steve to turn sour at the thought of separating but she could hardly blame him, she had only just returned to them all. She turned to him and touched his arm, murmuring, "It's okay, us three will go and meet you in New York before you know it."

Please be safe, don't die-please-please-please-come back to me. I can't loose you again-I need you here with me--

"Be safe," he said and said that alone with a small smile. He left her side but she could still hear his thoughts, the raging in his head.

I need you to come back alive-come back safe-come back to me. We need you here-I should be the one going-why am I not going with you-it should be me-it should be me-me-me. 

His eyes met hers from across the room and a part of her wondered how bad it would be to cross to him and take him into her arms once and for all but her own raging thoughts told her no. Bucky was here and all too real, hand on her elbow as if to steady her or remind her that he's okay, he's alive. 

She blamed the other voice that liked to pop in and out of her head like an echo of her former self for the way she was torn between the two. She heard Steve's voice again, soft, like rain pattering against her skull.

Be safe. Be safe. Be safe.

She gave Steve one last curt nod before Fury was coming to them with news of a jet coming to get them and it would be here sooner rather than later. She thanked the older man and hugged him and wasn't too surprised to have him hug her tightly back, whispering in her ear, "Come back to us, agent."

She nodded with a warm smile, they'd be back before they knew it.

~

Torrance had her small backpack packed with what little belongings she had and had her suit, which she folded neatly, placing it on top of her other goodies. She had been gifted with new high tech boots by Tony, stating that he had been merely tinkering with some old boots in her size.

She was more grateful that he would ever know and she hoped she would be able to give him a true and proper thank you once all of this was over. And by that, she meant she'd share the longest drink with him that she'd ever had and also lend him her smarts with some of his older projects he hadn't finished. 

When she met Nat and Bucky outside, the jet was already there. She was thankful of the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. technology because there would've been no way in hell they would've made it to Russia before tomorrow. 

Wearing her hoodie and sweatpants, because that was all she had besides her super suit, she would be stuck wearing the outfit for the next day. Nat wore tight jeans and a leather jacket, her red hair standing out against the dark outfit and Torrance couldn't help but stare, the other woman was gorgeous, dangerously so. 

Bucky, though, wore old jeans and a hoodie like hers, concealing his metal arm. He also wore a baseball cap, trying to hide his face because he didn't need anyone recognizing him anytime soon. She nodded to the others and said, "I'll meet you onboard in a second!" 

She wasn't surprised to have Steve so close to her already, hugging her. "Find what you need and get back here, we can't have both you and Buck getting brainwashed in Russia, okay?" he mumbled into her hair and she nodded.

"We'll be back before you know it," she smiled, pulling back. 

Stay safe-keep your guard up-all of Hydra is looking-looking-searching for you. They catch your scent and you'll be gone-gone-gone-wiped.

"We have Nat with us, we'll be fine," she told him, letting her arms drop from his shoulders. "You know how to reach us if anything goes wrong."

"The same for you," he said and she watched his eyes wander towards the jet. "At least it's nice to know if Ana comes out, she won't try and instantly kill us. We're all on the same side here."

She wanted to thank him, to know how grateful she was that he trusted her. Instead, she smiled again and murmured, "See you later, captain."

He saluted her as he backed away towards the house, "Right back at you, shifter."

She turned before she saw his disappear into the house and Ana's voice popped up in the back of her head like a warning, we can't focus on him, we can't focus on anyone except finding the serum before anyone else does.

She boarded the jet and found a seat against the wall across from Nat and a small step away from Bucky as she thought to herself and to Ana, what do we do if it's not there?

Panic. We fucking panic, that's what.

Torrance rested her head back against the headrest and stared up at the ceiling as they took off. She gripped the bottom of her seat to keep her from moving, having forgotten her seatbelt like most things. 

She needed to go back to her apartment in New York, she needed a true moment to mourn the loss of Santiago, a loyal friend and someone she doesn't think she'll ever stop missing, and she needed time to truly collect her thoughts and memories. There was so much she was still learning about herself, so much she was remembering from Ana, she needed to just lock herself away somewhere dark and remember.

She just needed to remember and she silently thanked Ana as she pulled her into a memory on command. 

She was in pain. 

The pain burned her veins like hot liquid fire, seeping and sucking. Her eyes watered and felt paper dry all at the same time, every blink feeling like a paper cut. The good thing though, was that she could still feel her toes. She could wiggle them and her fingers too, it felt good to be slightly in control. 

The most control she would be able to get for the meantime. 

The restraints of her wrists, ankles, and neck were tighter than usual and she had a feeling that wasn't because she had been good. Her fingers itched to be touched, she craved to feel something other than the thin sheets she laid on every night and day. 

They told her trial seven would be difficult but they weren't ever so sure themselves, no one had gotten further than trial four. They were completely in the dark, same as her. No one had made it as far as her and when she had heard them whispering about it, she couldn't help the pride swell in her, overcoming the fear. She was superior and she was terrified of it, terrified of what all of this would make her into. She didn't want to become a monster, something no longer recognizable. 

When the doctors arrived, they carried IV bags full of the serum, five bags for the seventh trial, blue and shiny and felt like acid when left in too long. When they attached her to the first IV, her mind went fuzzy, her body warm. She had grown used it the serum being pumped through her like a transfusion, as if after all of this was done, she'd cut her hand and bleed blue and dangerous. 

"Patient is accepting first dose," the doctor announced and the man next to him wrote it all down. "Considering how the dosages affected her the last trial, stay a few feet away, we can't have another repeat of stage six."

She smiled, something sinister and evil lurking up to her throat. How easy it had been to rip herself free of the restrains when the power and strength surged through her. And how easy it was for her to grab arms and legs and necks and snap them, the bones cracking and breaking so precisely. 

Torrance shook her head, Anastasia was trying to take over. As more and more serum was administered, the farther she got from herself, from who she was supposed to be rather than who she was being forced to become. 

Her throat ached as she swallowed thickly, her tongue dry. She needed water, she needed something to eat rather than the sludge and slop they had been force feeding her for weeks. 

"How is our beautiful patient doing?" she wanted to spit in Zola's face as he approached her table with a smile. 

"Taking the serum nicely, almost completely finished with the first dosage," the doctor explained. She hadn't recognized this one when he entered, he was definitely different from the other ones who had been taking care of her. Maybe they were afraid, she'd be afraid if she were them. 

She was beginning to sweat, she could feel it in her hair and down against her back, her sheet dress clinging to her. She felt her IV tug and pull as the doctor replaced it with the second dosage of serum. "I'll kill you when I get free," she hissed, her throat scratchy and her words made her mouth burn. She was burning all over.

Zola laughed, monitoring the machines she was hooked up to before going to the IV bag and flicking it with his finger. She felt the surge of serum through her, giving her strength as it soaked her bones and coated her blood and marrow with something a little more dangerous and intricate. "You're first training session will be easy after this," he said with a smug grin. "Your skills will be extraordinary."

She seethed as the serum wrapped its little fingers around her, clawing into her organs and tearing her open like a crisp pomegranate. She will be free one day, she thought to herself. Just not today, but someday soon. 

"Torrance?"

She blinked, looking around for the source of the voice. When she rubbed her eyes and saw that Nat was standing, she furrowed her brows, "Huh?"

"I said that we're here, you ready?" she told her, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

A blush crept up to Torrance's cheeks as she nodded, "Yeah-I'm ready."

Bucky was waiting for the pair outside, overlooking the empty field around them. The sky was a light gray and there was a mist of rain coming down. It always shocked her to see how different countries had different time zones than the one she was familiar with. How it was still night in Jersey, but here it was the daytime, the city would be awake.

"Jet will be safe here while we get to the cemetery," Nat explained to them, pulling her jacket a little tighter around her body. There was a chill in the air. "You told us the cemetery was around this location-"

"I can see it," Torrance interrupted, transfixed on the little headstones in the distance. It was a small burial site with a small metal fence enclosing the area. It was small, most being unmarked graves from the plague but with the very few with their names etched into stone for eternity.

It wasn't a far walk to get there, only half a mile from the jet. Torrance could still see it in the distance, flickering every now and then to disappear and then reappear. Bucky kept close to her, guarded, another source of protection. 

Once inside the little cemetery, Torrance knew exactly where to go like a faded memory burning bright in the back of her skull. 

She's resting peacefully now, she's okay, Ana whispered to her. What happened is over now.

The memory swept over her for a moment when she found the grave. The three small headstones were small, flat. The names were faint but visible enough that she knew they were her families. Her family was six feet under and had been for decades but here she was, standing above them like no time had passed.

Anastasia stood towards the trees, watching the gravediggers get to work. Flinging dirt to the side for the little body they would soon put to rest. She didn't truly understand her bond with the girl but she knew from the raging inside her head that she was family, they would be bonded by blood for eternity. 

"We couldn't let you go unpunished," the voice behind her spoke. She was being watched, always monitored since she killed their men. They killed her sister without a thought so she did the same to them, it was only fair.

"She was my sister," was all she said, arms crossed as she leaned against the tree. 

Karina's body was wrapped in white linen, the nicest Ana could find. Through the white, she could still see the pink red rising to the surface. How brutal the guards had been, how unfairly dangerous they had been. It was all too easy. How quickly Ana had been doused in blood, raining against her face and hands as she screamed. 

The man behind her was just another guard, here to replace the ones she had killed just as easily as they. He stood eerily close, watching over her shoulder. "You had to be punished." He put a hand on her shoulder, his fingers grazing her neckline and she felt it, the energy, the thoughts, all of it.

It was easy to snap his neck, having his body drop to the ground behind the tree. She didn't like creeps and she didn't like people who were proud to kill such a young girl, it was all too easy for him and she hated it.

When she approached the gravediggers, they were kind enough to allow her to help throw dirt over her sisters small body. She was wrapped tightly in the linens and she could see the small strands of hair peeking out from underneath. 

She would lay there and rot for the years to come, only to seep back into the earth like most things. Like how things have always been. 

Bucky's hand touched her back and she was shocked from the memory that Ana was pushing into her. He was gentle with her, kind and quiet. She had barely noticed Nat leaving to grab shovels from the small shed near the entrance. 

"You never mentioned you had a sister," Bucky said in a whisper and she leaned into him, oh God, how she missed him.

"It was so long ago," she whispered back. "Almost forgot myself."

"How old was Karina?"

"Few months shy of twenty, I found her-" she cleared her throat, shaking her head. "-Ana found her. Got in trouble bringing her back to the lab, guards came in and killed her as punishment."

He was silent, the wind picking up and blowing his hair into his face. He was handsome, but he was still so different. It wasn't the same man she met and fell in love with during the war, but yet, here he was. He was here. 

"I'm happy you're still alive, Buck," she told him after a beat. 

He gave her a funny look as a smile came to his face.

"I mean it."

"Oh, I know you do."

She shook her head, kicking the dirt with her foot. "Nothing ever feels permanent, but this, you being here with me, alive, it just feels so different," she sighed, shrugging. "This feels like the most permanent thing in my life so far. Being back here, being me again, it just all feels right."

"It's funny though," he murmured, pulling her just a little closer to him. "We were never really apart, not for long. We were always together, one way or another."

She had almost forgotten how she had practically worked with him during their blurry days as Hydra agents. How Ana was with him and Torrance didn't have any clue. 

"Found shovels," Nat said from behind the pair and they turned. Torrance reached for one of the shovels, taking it and turning back to the grave. 

The dirt was hard but it was overturned easily with enough strength. But there was something about the dirt that didn't settle with her, how easy it truly was to dig, it shouldn't have been. With the three of them working together, it was fast to uncover the body. Well, there wasn't much of a body to start with, the corpse far from rotten. 

Just bones wrapped in linen sheets. 

"Where's the serum and the files?" Nat asked as Torrance jumped down into the open grave to look. 

They should be here, Tor, I put them right here! Ana was screaming inside her head, panicking. I put them right here, right next to the body. You don't know...

"No," Torrance murmured, pushing the dirt aside. Her hands brushed against something metal and she tugged it from the dirt. It was a small lockbox and she already knew what was going to happen when she inspected it and Nat seemed to know as well because she was hissing, "They took it, Hydra has it-"

Torrance tossed the box to her as she crawled from the grave. She brushed dirt off her hands and onto her pants as Bucky said, "We don't know that, we haven't ever checked the box-"

"The lock is broken," Torrance interrupted as Nat flipped the lid open easily. When the other woman threw the box down and back into the grave with an angry huff and shout as she snapped, "It's empty! What do we do?!"

"Maybe it wasn't even Hydra who took it, maybe it was just some grave robber," Bucky stated, coming up with outlandish ideas to keep them calm. Nat held out something towards them and Bucky took it. It was a small piece of paper, a note, and he read it aloud for Torrance to her as her chest constricted with a rush of anxiety. "It's an image, skull with six legs. Hydra got here before us."

He showed her the image and sure enough, there it was. Hydra's famous symbol she'd seen over a dozen times. Nat was scowling, already pulling her phone out to inform the others as she asked, "What do we do? Hydra has the serum and the notes on it, they could recreate it and make a superhuman army, how do we even stop something like that? What the hell do we even do?"

Torrance looked at the pair, the fear and anger in both their eyes because their mission was a bust. But she sighed, turning her head to look at the near empty grave as she said, "We panic. We fucking panic, that's what."

They were screwed.