『 RED SPARROW 』
( chapter thirteen , secrets. )

▬▬▬▬▬ ◈ ▬▬▬▬▬

         ISABEL'S TIME AT THE RED SPARROW ACADEMY WAS A NIGHTMARE. AFTER HER FACE DAY, SHE WAS CURLED UP IN HER BED WITH TEARS IN HER EYES. She hugged her knees close to her chest, the other men and women walked into the room, ignoring her. Her body was sore with bruises, they were mainly on her back and on her legs, it hurt to move even an inch. She had no strength in her anymore. She kept asking herself what she do deserve everything that had happened within the last few weeks and months. 

She was a mere nurse working for the military, her base got attacked and she should've died. She wished she was dead more than ever now. Yasmin walked slowly towards Isabel and on the small cot that was across from Isabel. She hated how young Yasmin was, she couldn't be any less than twenty, to Isabel she was just a kid. Yasmine's eyes looked glassy as she studied Isabel, everyone else was talking and going about as if nothing happened. 

"Isabel," 

"Don't," she croaked, the tears stung her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away with her hand. 

Yasmin reached out her hand to soothe her and Isabel quickly snapped, "Don't touch me, Yasmine," Isabel kept thinking about Bucky, she remembered everything from when she saw him. He looked so tired and worn out and he had lost his arm. What were they going to do to him? She wanted to see him again but Katya had said after she had finished her training that she would, Isabel just didn't know if she'd be able to finish it. 

"I told you the training was a bit intense," Yasmine said, "I should've warned about what would happen if you disobey," her voice was soft and she felt guilty for not telling Isabel what would happen. 

"Do they do that to everyone?" Isabel asked her gaze was fixed on a ring that was on Yasmine's finger. It was an amethyst ring, she knew because the twins both had amethyst necklaces. 

Isabel nodded her head, "I've heard that sometimes they do worse things, if it's constantly happening, they...kill them," she answered, "They don't want any liabilities or anything that will set them back." 

"That's terrible," Isabel muttered, she felt like she was there for hours on end. Isabel had said she was special but she didn't know-how. She needed more answers but she knew Katya would be hard to find. Isabel locked eyes with Yasmin, "I don't know if I can do this, I couldn't seduce Alexei, they're going to make me do even worse things. I can't kill a man, Yasmine, I can't do it," her voice cracked as she spoke it. She didn't know if she would be able to continue, she needed to escape but she wanted to help Bucky. 

Yasmine looked around and leaned to look at Isabel, "Look, from what I've heard, Katya's on thin ice and you're her saving grace. I know that this is hard and you don't want to do this, but you have to. Not just for you but for Bucky, Katya is a very powerful woman and so is HYDRA. You need to be what she wants you to be, for now, show her that you're strong. If you show them that you're weak, then you're as good as dead, understood?" 

Yasmine was playing with the ring on her finger, she kept playing around with it and twisting it around her finger, Isabel's gaze was fixed on it, "Who were you before you came here?" Isabel asked. 

"Does it matter?" 

"You're not older than me," Isabel answered, "They took didn't they?" 

Yasmine was quiet and she sighed, "It doesn't matter anymore because I can't go back," 

"Yasmine..." 

"Isabel, you'll learn soon enough that you won't go back to your old life and that it's gone," The brunette stood up from her seat and walked away with her back facing Isabel, she walked quickly so no one would stop. her. 

The words kept ringing in Isabel's head, you won't go back to your old life and that it's gone, she didn't want things to end like that. She wanted her old life back, she wanted her life before Bucky back, life before the war, she wanted it back. She missed her sisters and her brother and a part of her ached for Cuba. She missed her home but she knew she couldn't stay there any longer. Isabel knew that what Yasmine said held truth. She had to be stronger than she was, she had to step up and prove everyone wrong. She wasn't going to suffer through it again, she had to become what Katya wanted. 

Isabel stretched out her legs even though she felt the pain radiate throughout her body, she got up slowly and she could feel some small stares. She managed to sit up on her bed and she felt her entire body yelling at her to lay back down. She knew she couldn't, she kept repeating to herself that she had to be stronger, that she had to do survive. 

***

It had been a few months since Isabel had first started at the Red Sparrow Academy. She hated her training but she had to push through it or she would receive a beating or something worse. A majority of the people that had started didn't seem to last. She noticed each day that passed by that one person was missing. Yasmine still remained but her personality had shifted, she became stoic. Isabel saw the girl fade away and become someone else. 

Isabel became a weapon to Katya but she still needed to prove herself, she wanted to know what Katya had done to her and why everyone was watching the both of them and one day, Isabel's prayers were answered. 

After training, Katya had stepped into the room and asked for Isabel. Isabel had tensed, it was the first time she had seen Katya in a while. Everyone watched as Isabel walked out of the room behind Katya. Isabel felt her heart beating faster but she didn't show it, she had learned to remain calm under pressure. Katya had pulled her into a small office after following her through a series of hallways. 

"Sit, please," Katya said while motioning towards an empty seat. 

Isabel nodded and pulled out the chair to sit, there were a few files on the desk but Isabel didn't dare look to catch a glimpse of the files. Katya pulled out the chair across from Isabel and sat in it while grabbing a random folder from a pile. 

"Isabel, I must congratulate you on your training," she started, "You've excelled quickly, you're the strongest and fastest out of all the sparrows. You have made the most progress and you're almost ready to go on your first mission, to finally become a Red Sparrow," 

She was right. Since Isabel had started, her body felt different. She was stronger and faster, there were things she could do that the others couldn't. She could handle more punches than anyone else and she ran as if she had been running her whole life. It gave her confidence that she didn't know she had. When it came to the seducing, she struggled a little more than the others but she didn't let her confidence falter. 

Isabel's stare was fixated on Katya, "My first mission?" 

Katya nodded, "I've talked with the instructors and we think it's time, you're ready to become a Red Sparrow. If you successfully complete the mission, I might be able to get you to see Mr. Barnes,"

Bucky. Isabel hadn't been able to get him out of her head. The image of him sleeping was ingrained in her brain. She missed him and she wanted to be with him, she wondered what they did to him and if they were doing the same thing to him as they did before. 

"Is he okay?" she asked in a low voice. 

Katya nodded, "I must warn you, Isabel. When people have these attachments, it not only holds them back but it becomes a liability," Katya studied Isabel to see if her demeanor had changed and Isabel held her gaze on Katya. 

"If I don't see Bucky, I will find a way to see him myself," Isabel started, "You can't afford to lose me, Katya," 

Katya smiled, it sent a small shiver down Isabel's spine, "You're correct, Isabel," she took in a deep breath and cocked her head, "The thing is that Bucky isn't the only liability. Shall we talk about your sisters back home and your brother?"  

Isabel felt her heart stop and Katya noticed Isabel shift in her seat, "There it is," 

"How are they?" Isabel felt her pride slip, she hadn't asked how her siblings were doing, let alone, Steve Rogers. She didn't want her family to be something that could be used against her but she was wrong. 

"If you want an idea of what's happened while you've been here, I'll have you know that your brother Julian is married. They're expecting a child soon and as for your sisters, they're both working, still looking for you. As for Steve Rogers, he's dead," 

Isabel felt her shoulders drop, how long had she been gone? Steve was dead, he was gone. Julian had married and was going to be a father. Isabel felt her stomach turn and she quickly held a hand to her stomach. "How did Rogers die?" 

Katya rolled her eyes, "He was a very noble man and he ended up sacrificing himself," 

"Isabel, you must know that I do not like going to these measures but you must be kept in line," Katya continued. 

"What did you do to me?" Isabel asked while looking down at her fingernails. They were neatly trimmed and topped with a clear polish, they were told they shouldn't draw attention to their nails and they had to look kept together. 

Katya sighed and she opened the folder in front of her, inside were three files, one of Steve Rogers, Bucky, and one with her picture on it. Isabel furrowed her brows and looked at Katya. She had no idea what she was looking at, what did the three of them have in common? 

"As you remember, Steve Rogers was injected with the super-soldier serum. The serum transformed Captain Rogers, it made him faster, stronger, agile, along with many other things. HYDRA wanted to create their own Captain America, which is how they found Mr. Barnes. They had their own version of the serum and injected it into Mr. Barnes shortly after your base was attacked. I wanted a little bit of the action, a female super-soldier, she can easily blend in with others and attack when she can. Many didn't approve since I wanted a different approach. Then I found you, Isabel, I gave you my own version of the serum to see if it worked and it did. Once HYDRA found out, they were furious, I had to convince them that you were with it, and slowly, you are. This mission will prove whether I was right or wrong and I can only hope you prove yourself." 

"So, Bucky, Steve, and I were injected with similar serums?" Isabel asked. She knew Katya wasn't lying, she felt a change in her body and she felt different since the day Steve had saved her. What were they doing to Bucky? What was HYDRA's approach to their own super-soldier? 

Katya nodded. 

"So, Bucky and I are just weapons?" Isabel asked, she was irritated and angry. She wanted to cry but she had learned to hold back her tears. 

"Was Steve Rogers not a weapon?" Katya asked, "Your country created him and used him, Isabel. My goal for you is to put take some of these tasteless men out of power. There are many corrupt people out there, and our job is to see them out. If you prove yourself, then there can be many other like you and the Red Sparrows will be known, not only for their beauty but for their danger. They will be respected and feared but it all starts with you, Isabel." 

Isabel took in a deep breath, taking everything in. She had to process everything that Katya had said. She didn't know if Katya was manipulating her, she didn't know what was going to happen to Bucky. Steve Rogers was dead and she knew that no matter what happened, she wasn't going to see her family again. Would Bucky even remember her? 

"I understand," she started, it felt hard for her to say the next few words. She didn't want to but she knew she wasn't going to get a happy ending. She had to cooperate and she had to lose herself in the process, "Tell me everything about the mission, you have my cooperation," 

author's note 

y'all i am so sorry for not updating this. please forgive me! i am hoping to start updating more often now and if I am being honest, the second act will most likely take place during the events of the falcon and the winter soldier. i will be able to focus more on the show rather than all the movies and I'll have more motivation as well. i apologize for changing the setting of the story y'all but I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter, I know it's a bit long but I cannot wait to the write the rest of the story!!