When we landed Stark began barking orders at the Shield agents whilst the others geared up. Steve and I stayed on the plane until everyone had cleared out, much to my annoyance as I am the only one that knows this damn place. Why they are having me be the last to enter is beyond me.

"You remember that time we had to ride back from Rockaway Beach in the back of that freezer truck?" Steve's voice penetrated my thoughts

"Was that the time we used our train money to buy hot dogs?" The scent of the sea filled my senses and suddenly I was a sixteen year old kid again.

"You blew three bucks trying to win that stuffed bear for a redhead." I remember. We had met that morning and I couldn't take my eyes off her. I remember Steve being so incredibly jealous that she was receiving all of my attention, purposely making me blow my money at the arcade.

"What was her name again?"

"Dolores. You called her Doll." I've always liked that nickname.

"She's gotta be a hundred years old right now." Steve laughed, clapping me on the shoulder. My humour was short lived, confusion replacing my laughter. "Why do you bring it up?"

"I find it helps eliminate stress." Steve mumbled staring out at the facility.

"You just wanted to test my memory, didn't you."

"I can neither confirm nor deny that claim."

A bluish light shines from within a fourth floor control room. Explosions ensue the break in accompanied by the terrified yells of hydra agents.

"That's our signal Buck." I can't take my eyes off the base. Knowing she is in there being tortured for my wrong doings makes me feel sick.

Steve grabbed my hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "Let's go get Belle."

---

Turns out Hydra is a lot more prepared than I first thought. There are agents everywhere, outnumbering us ten to one. Even with our super strength we are easily overpowered. We split off from the others heading to the south east side of the facility where Stark managed to track Belle's heat signature.

Unable to run through the base itself we took to the roof hoping for easier access. Little did we know that it was heavily guarded, much more so than inside the compound. Looks like today is the day for stupid mistakes.

"Don't let stark see me like this." I joked as I decked a guy around the face. The bionics in my arm whirred in exhaustion, not used to this much strenuous activity after close to a month out of the field

"You know I think he is past caring at this point." Steve shouted back. His shield cut through the air inches away from my face, taking out three of the guards that were on me.

"Show off." Sensing a guard running up behind me I turned to land a kick in his gut only to be blasted into the air by some sort of high tech gun. I was sent skidding across the roof and under the railings, leaving me dangling above a rocky casmn to which I could see no end.

Jagged rock dug into my palm drawing blood remarkably quickly. Just as I was about to let go I felt a hand tug me through the metal bars, dropping me a little way from the edge. They collapsed next to me panting heavily. I lifted my head enough to see bodies littering the rooftop, along with a smashed photon gun.

"Thank you." Pushing the flashbacks to the back of my mind, I sit up and gaze at him.

"Like I would let that happen again, Buck."

A second explosion shook the ground and smoke billowed from the vents in the floor. Barely having time to get my breath back I take off towards the stair well, practically jumping down the middle to cut time. I pass floor after floor of cells with screaming victims locked away. It takes everything in me not to stop and help them, after all I was in their position not that long ago. But belle comes first, she always comes first, and right now she is my top priority. Once she is safe I will go back through and help them.

"Cap, Barnes we have found her. Their floor training area." Training area? Why the hell is she in there? That was reserved for me when they were conducting...tests.

Shit.

"On our way." Steve said noticing my hesitation.

They must have been testing her. But why, she doesn't have any powers. She was never given any super serum, or had any health issues resolved by unnatural means. There is no reason for her to be there.

"Bucky come on we need to go." I didn't realise Steve was dragging me until we reached the elevator. Even then I struggled to get a grip on reality, to busy scanning my memory for anything remotely related to testing.

By the time we had reached the third floor Comms had gone dead only making my anxiety skyrocket. Of course there was probably a perfecto reasonable explanation for all this, shield Comms most likely wouldn't work this deep in the mountains, having to get through layers and layers of Hydra white noise first. But my brain seemed incapable of accepting rational explanations.

"Get back!" Everything stopped. Blood rushed in my ears almost drowning out the terrified scream entirely.

"Belle?"

"Barnes do not engage, she is dangerous." Stark yelled from across the room, a shield up protecting him and Clint from Belle.

Belle. What have they done to her? Black energy had made rings around her hands, coiling around her wrists like a snake suffocating it's prey. Her clothes had huge rips in, showcasing huge scars and bruises.

"Belle?" My voice was no more than a breathless whisper.

Belle turned to face us; Her eyes were cold and lifeless as she stared at me. A shiver shot down my spine as jet black sparks shot out from her palms, crackling like lightning. She cocked her head as she studied us, but her expression remained emotionless.

A familiar bruise marked the side of her face, pin pricks of blood trickling down onto her prison grade shirt. I have seen those markings all to often.

"You have no idea who I am do you?"

They brainwashed her.

"I know exactly who you are. You're my mission."

The sparks grew until they were ropes of black energy that licked the walls, permanently charring them. Using them as whips they cracked against the floor causing a huge blast of energy that sent us flying. I managed to dig my metal arm into the floor, steadying myself. Steve however was launched into the wall at the far end of the room.

"Belle what are you doing? We are trying to help you." I shout over the ringing in my ears.

"You just want to hurt me. Like they did." Came the dead reply. Even her voice was emotionless.

"Do you really think that? Or is that just what hydra told you." Natasha yelled from her cover.

"I can't trust you. All you do is lie." Another blast shook the room. Those weren't explosions we heard earlier, it was her.

Her powers hit the walls like a pitch black wave, washing away everything in her path. Tony managed to fly over to Steve, pulling him out of the blast radius, but I got sucked in. It pulled me in only to throw me away, my head striking the ceiling.

"Stop it! You're hurting him." Belle's voice shifted into something more familiar, her eyes briefly returning to normal before shrouding in black once more.

"He deserves it."

"You're right. I deserve this, everything bad that has happened to you is my fault. I did this. Punish me not them."

I raise my hands in surrender throwing Belle off for a second. A dagger materialised in her hands, gleaming dangerously in the fluorescent lights. Yet her eyes grew sad.

"I need- I'm protecting Belle. You hurt her." Ignoring the splitting pain in my head and the gash in my side I get to my feet, not once lowering my hands.

"I know, I know I did. I don't blame you for wanting to hurt me. But if you do, then you will end up like me, and that's the last thing I want for you. To be hated. To be hydra."

"I am hydra." Her grip around the dagger tightened and I prepared myself for what was to come.

"No you're not."

"Shut up Echo! Leave me alone."

"Belle talk to me. Tell me what's going on and we can fix it." I take a step further and Belle instantly backs up, seemingly forgetting about the avengers in a line behind her.

"She wants control. She wants to hurt you." Tears spilled over as she clutched the dagger for dear life. Only it was no longer pointing at me.

"Belle put the dagger down."

"She won't let me stop. I'm dangerous, Bucky. I can't let her hurt you."

"Put it down Belle."

"I'm sorry."

"No!"

...

Sorry i haven't uploaded in a while. here is a moderately long chapter to make up for it. the next few chapters are gonna be kinda short so apologies in advance