Novosibirsk - Siberia, October 13, 1945

The snowstorm came by surprise. In less than five minutes, the entire city was covered in a downy sheet of white. In less than five seconds, Evelyn was frozen to the bone. The snow and frost stuck to her like glue to paper. It weighed her down as she trudged along, making a one-mile walk feel like a hundred.
When she finally reached the quaint tearoom, she took a breath of relief at the warmth instantly attacking her numbed senses and shrugged off her cloak. Evelyn hoped the blizzard wouldn't cause any interference with her wire. Stark had sworn it wouldn't, but she could never tell with his 'inventions'.
As she took off her black scarf to hang up with her cloak, Evelyn clicked the side button of the silver watch he gave her. She thought she heard a soft buzzing from inside and prayed it wouldn't make that noise when she talked to Zola. After a week in the city, HYDRA's number one scientist had finally taken the bait and left a message at her lodging, requesting a meeting for a job offer. If that flimsy bit of jewelry around her wrist screwed it all up now, she would personally ensure Howard Stark would never procreate.

"Столик на одного?"
(Table for one?)

Evelyn turned when she heard the proprietor's croaky voice on her left. She looked like so many old Russian ladies Evelyn knew at home, with her gray hair neatly tucked away underneath a red shawl and a kind smile on her wrinkly face. Hard to believe she could be part of HYDRA too.

"Нет," Evelyn replied in perfect Russian. "У меня тут встреча с доктором Шмидтом."
(No. I have a meeting with Dr. Schmidt.)

"А зовут Вас?" asked the old bitty.
(Your name?)

"Ева Росc."
(Eva Roth.)

"Ждите здесь."
(Wait here.)

Evelyn nodded and watched the woman walk to the back. She took a moment to take in the room. There were only ten tables, of which seven were occupied, mostly by ladies chatting. It didn't look like any were HYDRA agents, but it wouldn't be the first time those bastards won in playing hide and seek. Even the family enjoying a piece of Slazka cake was suspicious until proven otherwise.
The old woman beckoned her, and Evelyn made her way past the wooden tables with fine, white tablecloth and red cushioned chairs. The light from the ornate chandeliers above each table bounced off her diamond hairpin on the green and gold walls. When she reached the back, the Russian granny promptly returned to her boiling savor, leaving Evelyn alone with HYDRA's chief scientist.

Arnim Zola, not that much bigger than the old woman, stood and turned to Evelyn with a welcoming smile on his chubby, spectacled face. Her heart pounded with rage. This was the man who had worked with Red Skull. Her brother's enemy. That made him her enemy. And if he truly had James, she would make him wish he had never been born.
Now that she stood face to face with this bastard, Evelyn felt so many things at once. An overwhelming fury rushed through her like a wild river. In any other time and place, she would have knocked Zola's lights out, but fear kept her from doing so. If anything went wrong, or if he suspected she wasn't who she claimed to be and her cover got blown... she would never know. She would never know if HYDRA had James or if he was even alive. That thought was enough to give Evelyn the strength and courage she needed to see this through. Right to the very end, if she had to.

"Мисс Роcc," Zola extended his hand to greet her, "рад познакомиться с вами. Спасибо, что так быстро согласились встретиться со мной. Пожалуйста, присаживайтесь."
(Ms. Roth, it's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. Please, have a seat.)

"Взаимно, Доктор." Evelyn shook his hand, hoping he wouldn't remark the way her jaw clenched at touching him, and then walked round the table to sit opposite him, so she could monitor not only him but the entire tea room.
(Likewise, Doctor.)

"Darf ich Ihnen einen Tee anbieten?" Zola pointed to the teapot in the middle of the table.   
(May I offer you some tea?)

Wow, you're going straight into this, aren't you, you little maggot? If you think switching languages is going to rattle me, think again.

Evelyn mustered a smile and replied with confidence. "Ja, bitte."     
(Yes, please)

Zola nodded approvingly and poured the tea for both of them. After taking a sip, he hooked his fingers and rested his hands in front of him on the table. The way his squinty eyes measured Evelyn up churned her stomach.

Stay calm, she told herself. Think of Steve. Think of James. You're doing this for them. God, if I ever find those two morons, they're gonna be in for it!

"Ich war ziemlich beeindruckt von Ihrem Lebenslauf, Fräulein Roth. Es kommt nicht oft vor dass ich jemanden treffe der mich interessiert. Aber ich spüre dass mehr in Sie steckt als man auf den ersten Blick sieht."     
(I was quite impressed with your resume, Fräulein Roth. It's not often that I meet someone who interests me. But I feel that there is more to you than meets the eye.)

"Wie es für Sie ist... Dr. Zola."      
(The same goes for you... Dr. Zola.)

Zola started, eyes widening in surprised. Evelyn leaned in as she reached for her cup and whispered, "Hail HYDRA."

That certainly put the fear of God in him. Zola grew as white as a sheet and hurriedly looked around him while Evelyn casually sipped her tea, the corner of her mouth curling into a smile.

"Es ist mir eine Ehre, Sie endlich kennenzulernen, Dr. Zola. Aber, und verzeihen Sie mir, wenn ich das sage, Sie hätten wirklich einen anderen Decknamen verwenden sollen. Ich weiß zufällig, dass Johann Schmidt tot ist, und er sah etwas... röter aus als Sie, Herr Doktor."    
(It is an honor to meet you at last, Dr. Zola. But, and forgive me for saying so, you really should have used another alias. I happen to know Johann Schmidt is dead, and he looked somewhat... redder than you, Doctor.)

Zola raised his brow. "Wie?" 
(How?)

"Nicht hier, nicht jetzt." Evelyn gave a nod with her head. "Das Paar zu Ihrer Rechten."
(Not here, not now. The couple on your right.)

She'd noticed them when she passed their table. Both were seated in a way they could see Zola, but the woman had her handbag on the chair opposite her, closest to the scientist. No woman would ever place her belongings that far away. And the man still had his coat on, despite it being toasty warm inside the tearoom. It was so obvious, even to her. Idiots. 

Zola turned his head slightly to glance over his shoulder. He then raised his hand to call over the old lady. He whispered silently to her, and she nodded. Even though some tea was still left inside, the woman took the teapot away and scurried off to her samovar. She filled the pot to the brim and then brought it back out. But instead of walking straight to their table, she took a detour past the couple. When she got to them, the woman pretended to trip, and the teapot went flying over the table, drenching the couple and the handbag with the steaming hot water.
The man sitting with his family rushed forward to help, claiming he was a doctor and practically forced them out the door to his practice. Coat-man clutched the handbag like it was his most valuable possession. With some luck, they might still save the recordings from the device undoubtedly hidden inside. 

When the peace returned to the tearoom, Zola faced Evelyn again and chuckled. "You have quite the observational skills, Fräulein Roth." 

"Something every good nurse must have," responded Evelyn, making sure her voice had a slight German accent.

"Quite right." 

He took a sip of his tea. Evelyn waited for him to continue. She felt bad for the SSR agents, but honestly, if they'd been even slightly better at their job, she wouldn't have even known they were there. And this was bound to give her some points with Zola. 

"I believe, Fräulein," he started, "I would very much like to hear your story. Can you tell me about your family?"

"My parents moved away to America shortly after I was born, after the First War. They returned to Germany in 1934, leaving me with my aunt to finish school. They joined the Schutzstaffel to work under Himmler and met Herr Schmidt, who later recruited them to work near the Bavarian Alps, I believe. My mother informed me of his fate in a letter, and of HYDRA's fate, too. All encoded, of course. They mentioned you as well."

"They did? Strange. I do not recall meeting anyone by the name of Roth."

"You doubt you would have met my father, since he was a pilot, but you worked closely with my mother, Greta Müller, at some point."

"Greta Müller." Zola frowned pensively at the mention of the name. "Yes, I believe she was one of my researchers. A brilliant woman. She was sent away after some time, though, to..."

He fell silent and stared at Evelyn. She nodded. "Her last letter was dated February 10, 1945, in Dresden. It arrived at my post near the Austrian border a week after the city had been bombed. My parents' bodies were never recovered. At least, not to my knowledge."

Zola shut his eyes, leaving Evelyn to wait with bated breath. She had rehearsed the story a hundred times with Peggy. She could say a lot about the SSR, but digging up information was something they excelled at. Finding Greta Müller — a known HYDRA associate who'd spent years in the US before returning to Germany at the dawn of the war — listed amongst the dead after the Dresden bombing had been a stroke of luck they'd taken full advantage of.

"Dresden was... terrible." Zola sighed and looked at Evelyn again. "I am sorry for your loss, Fräulein."

"My parents knew what could happen when they set foot in Germany," stated Evelyn solemnly. "There was always a possibility I would never see them again. I mourn them, but I do not cry for them. They lived the life they wanted, as I aspire to do."

"Hm... May I remark you appear to be a practical woman?"

"You may." Evelyn sat back in her seat. "But if you are the man I think you are, Dr. Zola, you already knew that of me. In fact, I believe you know exactly the kind of woman I am. Else, you would not have contacted me. I fit the profile you are looking for, do I not? Or should I say, the profile HYDRA is looking for?"

"Once again, excellent observational skills, Fräulein. I indeed requested some information about you from my acquaintances in America. What I found was... interesting. High marks in school, top of your nursing class, but you are a rebel as well, it seems."

Zola picked a brown briefcase up off the floor and pulled a file. Evelyn saw her fake name on the folder. Now came the moment of truth, literally. The best lies were laced with truth, Peggy had warned her, and if the SSR had done their job right, Evelyn Roger's life had been made into Eva Roth's. If she spoke truthfully where she could, her story would be even more believable.

HYDRA's chief scientist flipped through the folder, halting now and then to comment. "Taking part in manifestations against abortion law, performing emergency surgery without training... Your skill is commended, while your actions and opinions are condemned. There is one incident, in particular, I found most illuminating. If I can — ah, here it is. A young Nazi soldier was brought into the medical tent after his company was detained. No one wanted to operate on him. No one but you."

He peered up at Evelyn over his thick glasses. She met his questioning gaze calmly and said, "His legs had been shot to pieces. He would have died if I hadn't removed them."

Zola closed the file with a hum and pushed it aside. He sat completely still then, his head low, lips to his hands as he'd propped up his elbows, and his expression blank. "Please do not take this the wrong way, Fräulein, but I must ask. Why join the American army? Why not join Germany as your parents did? Or HYDRA, for that matter?"

"By the time I got my nursing degree, the war had already started. I could not join my parents anymore, nor did they want me to. HYDRA was not what it was supposed to be under Herr Schmidt. They preferred me to improve my skills, so that, when HYDRA was once again what it used to be, I could serve proudly."

"Hm... And your opinion on the war itself?"

"Honestly? It was a waste, Herr Doktor. None of us is better or worse than the other. We are all born in the same way, no matter where we come from or what we believe in — naked and crying. Yet what differentiates us is what we accomplish while we are on this Earth. Our legacy, if you will. I wanted to save lives. Now, I want to improve life. By any means necessary."

A glistening appeared in Zola's beady eyes then. "If that is truly your raison d'être, Fräulein Roth, I believe I was right in contacting you. HYDRA has indeed moved on from what Johann Schmidt intended it to be. We are doing something new now, something... etwas wünderbar. Not only the preservation of indeed life and knowledge but also the creation of it. This brings me to my last question for you; I surmised you have some understanding of midwifery?"

Midwifery? Why would that matter in all of this? I only mentioned that once in the papers I made up with Peggy. Why does he want to know about that? 

"I do," replied Evelyn, hiding her confusion as best she could. "Extensive, in fact."

"Ausgezeichnet! Then, Fräulein, I am pleased to say you have passed the first phase of our interview."

Wait, what? First phase? Oh, you slimy son of a bitch.

"After I leave," continued Zola, "someone will take you to the location for the second phase of your interview. I am obliged to inform you that you will not walk out alive should you fail the tests that are put to you. The same applies if you attempt to leave before my associate arrives. HYDRA cannot be permitted to be discovered just yet, Fräulein. We slumber, and we wait patiently until all heads are in place. I'm sure you understand."

He drank the last of his tea and then rose to his feet, briefcase in hand. "Ich hoffe das Wir uns sehen am nächsten Standort, Fräulein. Es wäre eine große Freude, mit Ihnen zusammenzuarbeiten."
(I hope to see you at the next location, Fräulein. It would be an immense pleasure to work with you.)

As he walked away, Evelyn fought the urge to go after him, to tear him limb from limb. She clenched her fists in her lap and let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding when the door closed behind him. 
Her gaze wandered to the old woman behind the counter. She was polishing her samovar, keeping an eye on Evelyn through the reflection. The other patrons were still just chatting with each other, enjoying their tea and cake, unaware of what had transpired in the back of the establishment.

I can't leave, mused Evelyn. If I do, that bitty will send someone after me to kill me. But if Peggy and Stark were listening to us all this time, they might be on their way already. If they bust in here, guns blazing, they'll blow the entire operation. I've got no choice. 

Evelyn picked up her cup and held it against her lips, pretending to drink. She whispered into her watch, not once taking her eyes off the old Russian woman. "If you can hear me, don't come. Don't interfere. This is the only shot we have, and you know it. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll activate the tracker in my hairpin when I locate Sergeant Barnes, just like we planned. If you don't hear from me within the next twenty-four hours, presume I passed whatever test they have planned. If you don't hear from me within the next six months ... presume I'm dead. Be safe. Rogers out."

She put her cup back down just as the tearoom proprietor shuffled toward her table, teapot in hand. She poured the tea into Evelyn's empty cup and waited. 

Not one for subtleties, huh? What did you put in the tea, you old hag? Fine then, no going back now. James, you better be wherever it is they're taking me. If I die because of you, I will come back to haunt you for the rest of your life. 

Evelyn drank the tea all at once and then looked up to ask the old woman if she was supposed to do anything else. But the bitty just gazed at her with wrinkly eyes. Then, all of a sudden, Evelyn was overcome by dizziness. Her breathing became shallow, her heart was beating like a wild drum, and her vision blurred. A pair of firm hands grabbed hold of her as she slumped in her seat. The colored walls changed to darkness. 
Evelyn tried to see who was carrying her away, but it was all such a haze. The sedative the tea had been laced with was working incredibly fast. She struggled to keep her eyes open. In her fight against the blackness threatening her, she saw a mask. Dark brown hair. And cold, empty eyes. But... behind those eyes... 

Bucky?