── THE YEAR OF '09 ──

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March 17th, 2009

The dark sky allowed the two soldiers to hide in the shadows, the two of them watched their targets closely waiting for the right moment to strike. Shadow turned to look at The Winter Soldier, nodding slightly before the two of them made their way into the house. Not a single sound was heard as they got in through the window, The Soldier sat down at the table in the corner as Shadow stood a few feet away from him.

Their orders were simple, no witnesses and silent attacks. They weren't going to risk punishment, the fear of ending up in that chair again was enough to enforce their programming to follow any orders sent their way. The two targets were a married couple, Shadow was to end the wife quickly and painlessly while the Soldier was to kill the husband with no mercy yet quietly.

Laughter was heard from the next room, Shadow moved silently towards the door staying within the Shadows of the room. The Soldier simply raised his head as the married couple stepped into the room before either could move or scream for help, Shadow covered the wife's mouth and held a gun at her head. The husband took steady breaths as he looked between the Hydra Assassin's, "Please don't do this... I beg of you. We'll leave and never look back, just please..."

Without further hesitation, Shadow snapped the woman's neck as Winter rushed to his feet slamming his metal fist into the man's stomach. Shadow dragged the woman's body into their bedroom and lay her body down on the bed, adjusting her limp shell to look peaceful. She heard the fight between Winter and the man end as steps echoed towards the room. Winter dragged the man's bloodied body into the room and placed him on the bed next to his wife before the two assassins left the scene.

The mission was successful yet the moment they were placed into their separate cells, Shadow broke free from the damaged programming within her mind. Alessia slid down the rough concrete wall, a single tear slipped down her cheek as she imagined the married couple's children walking in to find their murdered parents. She closed her eyes focusing on trying to find the memories that freed her from the poison that is Hydra yet they were nowhere and she was left broken and lost.

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April, 17th 2009

The cold stone wall was soothing on Alessia's back as she looked to the man sitting silently across from her. His mask was sitting tauntingly on his face, they both knew they were being watched and because of that, they couldn't do anything. Alessia closed her eyes and let the time fly by until the door opened, a guard ordered the two to follow him. The two controlled Hydra Assassin's made their way through the familiar corridors to their new shared room.

Once they were situated in the room, the outside lights when out and the lights within the cell changed to night mode. The only sound that could be heard was the buzzing of electricity from the lights and whatever other systems the facility had within it. Alessia was sitting on the bed, a stiff mattress underneath her but it was better than the concrete slab they called a bed, she had previously. With each successful mission, she is given some sort of prize.

"Daisies, right?" Winter spoke before he removed the uncomfortable mask from his face. "We really gonna be continuing our conversation from last time?" Alessia answered back. "Of course, it's about getting to know each other as we learn about ourselves again," Bucky tells her as he moves to sit next to her on the bed. Alessia rolled her eyes before moving to lean back against the wall, "Fine... Yes. Daisies are my favourites." Bucky's mouth twitched into a slight smile.

Alessia sighed as she thought deeply, "Okay... Ideal date?" Bucky raised his brows at the raven-haired woman who chuckled slightly. Bucky stayed silent as he thought deeply, searching the inner depths of his mind for what felt right to him. "Nice dinner, dance and a night walk," Bucky spoke with his eyes closed, slowly opening them to see the smile grace Alessia's face. "That's romantic. I like that," Alessia informs him before she yawned, exhaustion hitting her suddenly.

Bucky watched the raven-haired woman's eyes fall shut, soft snores quickly took over. Bucky stood up and moved her to lay down on the bed comfortably, he brushed the loose strands of hair from her face before sitting down on the lone chair within the room. He couldn't sleep, the nightmares haunted his dark mind and he refused to succumb to them around Alessia. Instead, he watched over her safely to ensure that Viktor didn't just wander in and take her away from him again.

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June 2nd, 2009

Alessia laughed as she looked up at the bland ceiling, Bucky's fingers weaved through her raven locks as they let the day's havoc relax. They didn't care about tomorrow, they only cared about this very moment and that was enough for both of them. "Alright... If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you be?" Alessia asks Bucky as she looks towards him, her head resting in his lap. "There was this... bar in Brooklyn that I used to spend every Wednesday at..." Bucky answers as he thinks deeply about his past.

Alessia smiled, "Sounds like it was a great place. I, personally, would want to be admiring the sights that is The Grand Canyon." Bucky shook his head slightly. "If you could live in any era, what would it be?" Alessia asked next as she fiddle with Bucky's metal arm. "I like the 2000's but it'd be better without Hydra," Bucky answered as he looked around. "I'd wanna live in the forties, meet the infamous James Barnes in his time," Alessia teased earning a small smile from Bucky who scoffed. Alessia laughed lightly as the door clicked, the two assassin's jumped up.

Viktor stepped into the room with Alexander Pierce, the two smirking as another man walked in holding the two red ledgers. Alessia's heart pounded in her mind as she looked over to Bucky, both of them locked gazes with no idea when they'd be themselves again and what kind of further damage it could create on them. Their budding friendship had become more over the year so far and Alessia was falling for this man, she turned to Viktor with a harsh glare. "You'll pay Viktor, I will be the one to kill you," Alessia spoke through gritted teeth.

Viktor took the ledger from the guard, "Oh Shadow... You won't." Alessia went to step forward, the guard began reading, "Желание. {Longing} Ржавый. {Rusted} Семнадцать. {Seventeen} Рассвет. {Daybreak} Печь. {Furnace} Девять. {Nine} Добросердечный. {Benign} Возвращение на Родину. {Homecoming} Один. {One} Товарный вагон. {Freight Car}." Alessia turned her head in time to watch the light fade from Bucky's eyes, the Soldier's dull hollow gaze was focused ahead awaiting his orders. "Я жду приказаний," The Soldier answered back.

Alexander and the guard lead Bucky out of the room and down the corridor out of Alessia's sight, the woman glared heavily before turning to Viktor. "Not smart," Alessia simply said before she rushed forward slamming Viktor into the wall behind him. She managed to punch him a few times before she was thrown into the opposing wall, her head hit the concrete hard causing her head to spin. She slid down the wall, opening her eyes slowly to see The Winter Soldier standing there blank as he picked her up by her throat. Alessia froze limply looking into the hollow man's eyes, the steel-blue was the last thing she saw before passing out.

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September 20th, 2009

Alessia wiped the blood from her face as she looked up at the reflection of a girl she found no humanity in. The reflections head tilted, the bodies appeared in her sight making her sigh heavily. The alarms were still blaring as she turned to see Viktor standing there with fury in his eyes, the older man was fuming at the death of his best scientists. "Oopsie," Alessia taunted as she leaned back against the sink, a sadistic smirk on her face as the guards raised their guns. Viktor could see it, the darkness within the woman's soul was breaking her and they would pay the price.

Viktor ran his hands down his face. "Wipe her," Viktor ordered in Russian before making his way out of the room. Alessia made attempts to fight back against the guards but was overpowered due to the sheer force of them, she screamed for them to let her go. They dragged her out of the room and into the one room that all soldiers feared, the metal chair sat hauntingly in the middle of the room surrounded by the remaining scientists. She thrashed and screamed as they tied her down to the chair, her memories would be taken from her and she wouldn't know whether she'd ever get them back.

And as she looked towards the door, there stood the one man she never wanted to forget. The one man who bought her smile back in this damned place. The one man who made her feel like all of the struggles were worth it. She kept her eyes on him as Viktor taunted her, whispering harsh comments into her ears. The scientists around her stumbled about preparing the chair to take everything away from her, to make her go numb. Her gaze locked, the hollow soldier that Alessia had fallen for completely. The man she...

A complete stranger...

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-Rose <3
{1653}