Chapter 12

Adeline slowly opened her eyes. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears. Her breathing increased as white lab coats worked around her like vultures circling their kill.

"Bucky," she managed to utter, hear heart rate increasing, thumping loudly in her ears as she felt hands on her. She couldn't be back in a Hydra base. The war was over. The white lab coats shouted to one another, one grabbed a needle. What were they doing to her? She swung a heavy hand, causing the lab coat to drop the syringe. She pulled out her IV, attempting to get up. She fell off the hard table, stumbling on her feet while she reached for anything solid.

Everyone was shouted and bright lights flashed around her. Her heartbeat in her ears making it hard to concentrate. Adeline felt hands on her, pulling her, seemingly in all different directions. She called out for him as their white gloved hands, covered with crimson red pulled on her. Her attempts to escape were growing weaker as the white and red overtook her once again.

~*~

Adeline woke with a start. The only thing that could be heard was her rapid breathing. She looked around the white room then down to her arm where a needle was taped. She attempted to take it out, but her wrists were strapped to the bed. Her whole body ached as she adjusted in the itchy, white sheets. She blinked a few times in an attempt to clear her mind. Suddenly, the door to the white room opened.

"Good morning," a familiar voice rang. Adeline looked up to see dark hair and misty grey eyes.

"You," she mumbled as the memories came rushing back. It must've only last night that Emmett killed David. "You traitor."

"Please, Adeline, don't say that," James pleaded.

"You killed him! A man who trusted you!" She shouted, her voice hoarse as she twisted her wrists in their restraints.

"Adeline -"

"Shut up! Shut up! You're a liar, a traitor and a monster," Adeline spat. "And the worst part was I trusted you! I cared about you!"

"Woah, now, let's all just calm down," Emmett walked in, attempting to ease a fuming Adeline. "James, out in the hall. I'd like to have a little chat with our guest." James nodded and briskly walked out, leaving Adeline with Emmett.  Adeline glared at him, not saying a word.

"Morning, sweetheart," Emmett said, making himself comfortable, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I must say, you're stronger than you look. I can't imagine the power you possess. And all of it gone to such a waste. That's why I'm here." Adeline still didn't say a word, continuing to glare at him.

"Oh, don't look like that, sweetheart, smile for me," Emmett urged and she still didn't move. He sighed, leaning back slightly. "No problem. We have methods of ... encouraging your compliance," Emmett said with a smile. Adeline spit in his face, wanting to wipe that smirk off of his face. He reeled back in anger, raising his hand to slap her but instead his face melted away from anger, forming into a smile and he soon began to laugh.

"You're going to be so much fun," Emmett said as he sobered. "And such a pretty face too. To say that I won't enjoy every minute of breaking you would be a lie." He slowly undid her wrists only to cuff them again, pulling her out of the bed. Her hospital gown clung to her awkwardly as her bare feet sounded against the cold concrete floor quickly to keep up with Emmett. She pulled against him, but it was of no use so instead she took in her surroundings. Maybe she could form an escape plan. The building harbored an ill feeling. It was dim and cold. Not the usual kind of cold when you can't feel your toes or the tip of your nose, but the kind of cold that made your bones ache and made it hurt to move your eyes. Adeline let out a cry as she was dragged along the grey corridor. Along one side was a smooth steel but along the other side, there were multiple human-sized metal coffins that glowed a sickly yellow. Through the frost, she could see people in these machines. Frost crystallized on their eyelashes and spiderwebbed on their pale skin. They seemed to be dead. Each one had a calm peacefulness to their visage. It made Adeline sick. She saw that each had a number. They were experiments. Adeline didn't have enough time to let the fear settle as she was guided to a room with a single chair in the middle.

"No," Adeline whispered as she stopped walked. "No, please, no." Emmett undid her handcuffs and she acted quickly, punching Emmett in the temple, causing him to stumble back. Adeline spun around before the Hydra agents had time to act. She felt the laziness in her body as she kicked the first agent back, knocking over another along with him. She turned, sending a strong punch to the third agent who crumpled to the ground. She was stopped by an arm which wrapped around her neck, placing just enough pressure to make her gasp for breath. His other hand gripped a knife, pressing the tip into her side though not enough to break the skin.

"Stop, stop," Adeline begged only for the pressure of the blade to increase. She gripped his arm around her neck tightly as her vision began to blur. Her grip weakened as her hands fell to her side, the pain overcoming her before it was gone. She fell to the floor, too weak to move. She stared at the grey ceiling listening to her ragged breathing.

"See what happens when you don't follow orders?" Emmett asked, bending down next to her. He grabbed the fabric of her hospital gown, balling it up in his fist, dragging her across the cement and placing her in the cold metal chair. Hydra's doctors adjusted the straps, making sure they were secure around her arms as Adeline's head lolled back against the headrest in fatigue.

"No, Adeline," Emmett began, sitting on a stool directly in front of Adeline, "tell me what happened in 1942. Because your blood sample was very interesting." He fished in his jacket pocket, pulling out a vial of Adeline's blood.

"Beauty isn't it?" Emmett asked, holding it up to the light. "It's amazing how this little bit of blood can unlock the secret to a new breed of soldier. You, my dear, are the most impressive yet. However, there is still room for improvement.

"You see, the one thing this serum can't do is form the mind. Hydra is past this forming of the physical features. What we need now are loyal soldiers. And the human mind is something very delicate. But if tampered with correct, something beautiful can happen." Adeline simply looked at Emmett with a look of pure hatred. She wouldn't forget his face. And when she was free, she was going to kill him.

"You are a woman of great knowledge," Emmett commented. "I think you will appreciate what we have accomplished." Emmett signaled to the doctors who wheeled in front of her a cage with two rats.

"These two are from the same litter," Emmett explained. "They have been with each other since birth. You can imagine there would be a birth bond between them. But if I take one -" Emmett reached into the cage, pulling out a rat as it squeaked in protest "- and use a bit of electricity with the implant we've placed in just the right part of the brain -" Emmett took a small electrically charged rod and placed it to the temple of the rat who struggled in Emmett's hand, screeching in pain. "Observe." Emmett placed the rat back in the cage with his brother and he attacked. Squeaking filled the room as the brother tore into his sibling. Blood covered the bottom of the cage as the rat surviving rat was left sniffing the warm corpse of his sibling, his small muzzle covered with blood.

Adeline couldn't take her eyes off the sight as the brother padded around the cage, leaving small bloody footprints. Adeline was going to be Hydra's rat. She was going to be their experiment. She was rigid with fear as the white lab coats took away the cage. Emmett stood, walking around Adeline like a caged animal as the doctors prepared her. She pulled against the restraints that wouldn't loosen their grip. Fear seized Adeline's body as the machine hummed to life. What she thought ended, what she thought Steve and Bucky died to end was here.

The machine lowered itself over her head, her muscles tightened as the electricity flowed through her and she screamed. She wished she was back in 1938. Maybe if she told Bucky she loved him then, things would've been different. She found herself just where she wanted to be. Her and Bucky kissing. It felt just as she remembered but suddenly they were ripped apart and she felt as though she were falling. Adeline blinked her eyes, the grey room coming back into focus just as another wave of pain stiffened her muscles.

"Just relax, don't fight it," Emmett's voice rang in her left ear as she felt herself slipping.

~*~

For the next few weeks, Adeline was moved from facility to facility, not really knowing how time passed. It was difficult to make an escape plan when each facility she traveled to was a completely different layout with new passages and cells. The only people she saw were her handlers who would feed her, train her, take her to the showers, and transfer her to each new compound. She was finding her strength, but they were taking things away from her. Her memories weren't all there anymore. She could feel them slipping away as each day passed.

"Asset, up," one of her handlers said in gruff Russian. She originally didn't know the language, but she learned quickly as the only thing they spoke around her was Russian. Adeline got up, holding out her hands to be put in cuffs. She was led down the hallway where she was sat down in a chair in front of a dirty and cracked full length mirror. She hadn't seen herself in a long time. She was pale and her hair was greasy and unkept. Her handler took out a pair of scissors, beginning to cut her once beautiful chestnut brown hair up to her jawline.

"Shower," the man said, hoisting her up from the chair before being led to the showers where she was relieved of her cuffs. She stripped naked and was sprayed with ice cold water. She wasn't given a towel to dry off, just the clothes she used to train in. She shakily pulled them on. If she were to escape, she would need to do it here when she was free of her cuffs. She had been in this compound for a few nights so she knew the general layout. Before she could do any more planning, her wrists were in cuffs and she was being led to the training room. She took another look around. She would make a break for it the next time they let her out of her cuffs. She took a deep breath, but as they opened the door, a man with slicked back blonde hair, a scar through his eyebrow stood in the middle of the room. Emmett. She forgot everything she was planning as her handlers took off her cuffs, closing the door behind her. This was all his fault. She wanted to snap his neck, break his bones, see him in pain. She would do anything to see him in pain.

"Move," one of her handlers said gruffly, pushing her shoulder. However, Adeline didn't move. She felt frozen, looking at the man responsible for her misery. He gave her a cocky smile. "I said move!" Her handler pushed her shoulder harder. Adeline turned, anger in her eyes as she grabbed the man's wrist, snapping it back. The satisfying crunch of his bones and his loud scream made her smile. She quickly brought her knee up, efficiently breaking his nose and knocking him out. Adeline's other handler pushed Emmett away, running toward her. She turned around just in time to punch him square in the jaw. She gripped his wrist, yanking him forward so she could get on his back, swinging her arm around his neck, cutting off his air. The man sputtered beneath her, trying to yank her off in vain. She simply gripped tighter until she felt a pair of hands yanking on her shoulders. Adeline growled, releasing the grip on her handler who fell to the ground. She turned, punching furiously at Emmett. He backed up, pulling out his dagger. Adeline was blinded with anger as she continued to advance.

"You did this to me!" She shouted, throwing a hard punch which was blocked by Emmett's arm. He pushed her back up against the wall before shoving his dagger into the joint of her left shoulder then twisting it harshly. Adeline let out a scream as Emmett backed away. She slid down to the floor, placing her hand under the knife. She was breathing hard, her left arm completely numb. More handlers rushed in, looking at the scene.

"Fix up that damn arm," Emmett snarled, backing away as her handlers yanked her up.

"No! I hate you! You're going to pay!" Adeline shouted as they yanked her away into a white room. "No!" Adeline tried to pull away but it was no use as she was strapped to the table. The white lab coats rushed in and a bright light blinded her as their gloved hands came closer and closer until the pain began.

~*~

Adeline woke up, trying to clear the fog that hung in her head. She blinked a few times, as the pain began to settle in. It was a sharp pain in her left arm. She looked down, breathing hard and she saw her left arm which appeared to be wrapped in white cause that was, in certain places, stained red with her blood. She was scared to look under as she slowly sat up, leaning against the cold concrete wall.

"Do you like your new improvement?" Emmett's voice broke the silence.

"Improvement?" Adeline rasped, turning her head to look up at him through the bars of her cell.

"It should be fully healed in a matter of weeks based on your cell regeneration," Emmett said.

"What did you do?" Adeline asked, closing her eyes.

"Take a look for yourself," he said, gesturing for her to unwrap her arm. She sluggishly began unwrapping her arm, starting at her fingertips. There was a glint of metal and she held her breath, continuing to unwrap. Her arm was inflamed and red. From her shoulder ot her fingertips was an imbedded exoskeleton.

"What ..." Adeline breathed, moving her new arm painfully slow.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Emmett said. "That, right there, is vibranium. The -"

"Strongest metal on earth," Adeline finished.

"Exactly," Emmett said. "Enjoy it. You should feel honored." Adeline shook her head.

"I'd rather cut off my arm than take anything from you," Adeline snapped.

"There's that attitude again. We're going to have to work on that," Emmett scolded. "Just enjoy your time off while you can. Because once that arm is all healed up, you're going to go through hell." With that Emmett left her in silence. She sighed, closing her eyes and resting her arm carefully on her lap. She prayed that soon, it would end.

~*~

Adeline didn't know how long she had been in Hydra's hold. She tried keeping track but there was nothing in these compounds besides the steel coffins and grey concrete. She felt herself coming apart. Each day parts of her would simply vanish. She would go through her memories every day, making sure to count them and each day there would be fewer than the day before. 1941. She couldn't remember 1941 as she lay her back on the hard floor of her cell. She remembered Bucky and Steve. She knew they were both dead and she knew she had to get out of here. The next year. 1942. Each day it was getting harder. 1943. 1944. She closed her eyes allowing the tears to fall.

"Adeline," a soft voice called causing her to slowly open her eyes. Her name hadn't been used since she got into this mess. What greeted her vision was dark hair and misty grey eyes. He, however, looked different. His hair was turning grey and his face bore the beginnings of old age. She couldn't have been here for that long, could she? No. Her handlers hadn't changed or aged as much as James appeared to have.

"You," Adeline growled, her voice sounded strange to her after not using it in some time. " What the hell do you want?"

"I'm here to help you," James whispered.

"And why should I trust you?" Adeline asked.

"I can't make you trust me, but I do want to help," he said. "Do you need anything?" What she wanted was a warm path and a blanket, but she didn't want help from a traitor.

"I will take nothing from you," Adeline growled.

"Adeline, please," he begged.

"Go away."

"Adeline, I can help you," he said. "I have a plan." Adeline looked at him. If she were to trust him, she would be going against her own promise of ending everyone in Hydra. Of course, she could always do that after he helped her get out.

"What is it?" She asked finally and he gave her a small smile.

~*~

Weeks had passed and Adeline's hope for James' plan waned. She should've never placed such folly hope into that traitor's plan. She wasn't getting rescued any time soon. Her handlers pulled her into the shower rooms where she stripped and was hosed down, causing her to shiver. She was never going to get out of here. The only thing she could hope for was death. She shivered as she pulled on her clothes. She held out her arms for her handlers to cuff but an ear splitting siren began to sound, echoing off the concrete walls. Adeline looked up, wide eyed.

"Bring her back to her cell," the Russian man ordered to the other and soon she was locked in her cell. She watched as people ran back and forth, shouting orders.

"We need to move out now if we have any chance at continuing our work," a female voice sounded.

"But if we move now, we also might lose all of it," Emmett countered.

"And if we stay, we will most certainly lose it," the female voice urged. "We need to move out now to lead them off our trail. Bring the asset. That's all we need."

"And the girl," Emmett said.

"We only need him," the woman said in an authoritative voice. The alarm continued to sound but the activity in the compound grew less and less. They were going to leave her. She rattled the bars on her cell. If they were going to leave, they could've at least unlocked her cell and turned off the alarm.

"Adeline," James said, causing Adeline to jump back. "We need to move. Now."

"What's happening?" Adeline questioned.

"You really thought I forgot about the plan?" He asked, unlocking her cell. She held out her arms for the cuffs. He gave her a sad smile before cuffing her hands, pulling her out of her cell. They walked briskly down the hallways until he pulled open a heavy door. She was instantly greeted with a harsh wind and snow blowing in her face. It was impossibly bright as she covered her eyes with her arm.

"Come on!" James shouted, pulling her along through the snow, leading her to a small aircraft. The wind stopped as she stepped on board and her wrists were free as James dropped the cuffs to the ground. He then ran to the cockpit, starting up the plane that rocked in the wind.

"Where are we going?" Adeline asked.

"Buckle up!" James ordered as the plane began moving. Adeline quickly took a seat, pulling on the straps. She held onto the edges of the seat as the plane rocked back and forth until it was finally off the ground, trying to move through the wind. "I'm taking you somewhere safe," he said once the plane was steady in the air. Adeline didn't know if she should feel grateful just yet. It was only an hour later James began putting the plane down. The whole ride together was silent which Adeline was grateful for. She had a pounding headache and the windows in the didn't help as it only let in more light. The landing was smoother than the takeoff as he opened the door. It was darker out but the small amount of light hurt her eyes.

"Where are we?" Adeline asked as she stepped into more snow.

"Come on," James said, not answering her question. He led her to what looked like an old barracks from the war. He opened the heavy metal doors which creaked in protest. A slight gust of wind exited the building, blowing Adeline's short hair back. She hesitantly followed James into the dim entrance.

"Is this part of the plan?" Adeline asked, looking around at the grey walls.

"This is a safe place, I promise," James said, urging Adeline forward.

"I thought I was going home," she countered.

"You will go home," he said. "Some day." James turned on the lights which flickered, revealing the cobwebs and the dust that had settled in the large room.

"Some day?" Adeline asked, looking about the room and before her eyes rested a metal coffin causing her to stop. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Adeline, I can't get you home," James said. "But I can keep you here until I can."

"What are you saying?" Adeline asked, knowing where this was leading to.

"It's the only way," James said. "It'll be just like you're sleeping. You wont feel a thing." He gripped her hand, gently guiding her forward. Adeline swallowed hard as her chest began to feel tight and her legs became weaker with every step she took. James stood her in the metal coffin.

"Promise you'll come back for me," she whispered, looking at James who, for an instant, was her fiancé.

"I promise," he said before pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek as she did on their first date. He pulled away, giving her a sad smile before closing the door. Adeline's breathing quickened as James stepped away from the small window. She raised her hands, placing them on the glass before she felt her toes go numb only to quickly spread throughout her body and the last thing she saw was her pained reflection in the glass.

Author's Note: The woman pictured at the beginning was a member of the S.O.E. or Special Operations Executive of Britain which highly influenced Adeline and the creation of the M.O.R. The S.O.E. was a real organization which greatly influenced the outcome of the Second World War. Both men and women joined in an effort against the Axis powers.