Chapter 12

Hydra had taken over a bank vault and set it up as though it was a makeshift medical lab. Bucky was sat in a chair that was attached to some sort of machine. They were monitoring his vitals and fixing the damage Abi, Steve and Natasha had inflicted on the metal arm. He was lost in his own head trying to grasp onto memories from his past. Seeing Abi and Steve had kindled some kind of spark and now he was trying to keep it alight; trying to remember who he was.

He could remember Abi smiling as they danced in a ballroom; the day he asked her to marry him; when he fell off the train with Steve screaming his name; the soviets finding him; Zola giving him the arm; Abi screaming in pain as they changed her as well and then being put into cryo-freeze.

He lashed out without even realising he was doing so and sent the doctor who was working on his arm flying across the room. His breathing became erratic as the thoughts ran through his head. The strike team all locked their weapons on him as he sat and tried to grasp more of a concept of who he was.

It was a while later when Pierce arrived and was shown straight into the vault. Rumlow was trailing behind him like a sort of dog.

"Sir." One of the doctors said as he walked in. "H-he's unstable. Erratic."

Pierce ignored him and walked in anyway. He raised his hands and strike lowered their weapons.

"Mission Report." Pierce said sternly but Bucky just sat staring blankly at the wall in front of him. "Mission report now." Pierce repeated. When he got no answer he walked up to Bucky and crouched down slightly. Without warning Pierce struck him across the face with the back of his hand. Bucky kept his head down for a moment before looking back up.

"The woman on the bridge. Who was she?" Bucky asked in a strained voice as he remembered her saying what he believed to be his name.

"You saw her earlier this week on another assignment." Pierce said avoiding the truth.

"I knew her." Bucky muttered.

Pierce pulled over the stool the doctor had been sat on and sat down. "Your work has been a gift to mankind. You shaped the century. And I need you to do it one more time. Society's at a tipping point between order and chaos. And tomorrow morning we're going to 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 that it deserves."

"But I knew her." Bucky repeated with more urgency.

Pierce sighed, stood and went over to the doctors. "Prep him."

"He's been out of cryo-freeze too long." The doctor replied.

"Then wipe him and start over." Pierce said.

Bucky froze. He knew what was coming. That was the only thing he knew for sure. But he didn't even resist as the doctors pushed him back into the machine. He complied as they shoved a gum shield into his mouth and the metal plates locked onto his arms, strapping him down. His breathing became erratic again as the machine started to move. He murmured the word no as the machine clamped down on his head. He clung to the memory of Abi smiling as she danced with him as the pain started. He started to scream in pain as Pierce exited the vault.