You Must Remember This

Chapter 9 - A devil's pact

HYDRA base, Siberia, October 17th, 1945

"Don't stare at him. Oh, and don't make any sudden movements. He'll snap your neck like a twig."

"Worry about your own neck, Nik; your shoelaces are loose again."

Evelyn grinned as the Russian cursed loudly and hastily redid his laces. Nikolai was chaotic sometimes, but he really wasn't that much different from her. He was efficient in his work and not afraid to speak his mind when it came to it. The blond with crystal blue eyes was the first to welcome Evelyn to his medical team, practically hugging her since he finally had someone experienced enough to know the difference between an artery and a vein. And he was thrilled to have someone he could practice his English with.
Nikolai was also the only one who gave her some further details on what was expected of her. Their one and only job was to tend to the Winter Soldier. For the next few weeks, she'd be doing that with Nikolai until she grew accustomed to the routine. In time, she'd have to rotate with the others. 

Evelyn asked Nikolai about the Winter Soldier, but he couldn't tell her much. All he knew was that the Winter Soldier was part of a program that had been years in the making, long before he had joined HYDRA. And that the man was strong. Insanely strong. Evelyn quickly gathered he was not the most accommodating to deal with either. Only a handful of staff was allowed to have direct contact with him. And he was under constant supervision, even when in hibernation. It was almost like he was Zola's goose with golden eggs.

"Here he comes," whispered Nikolai.

Evelyn held her breath as the doors opened. Her eyes widened when she saw the masked man from the pictures Peggy and Stark had shown her. The mask covered the bottom half of his face like a muzzle. His hair was deep brown and messy. His boots, pants, shirt, jacket... all of it was thick black fabric and protective gear and leather straps except for his left arm. That was a shining silver, some sort of metal like titanium, maybe. And it had a red star on it. Was it part of the uniform, or... was that his actual arm?

The Winter Soldier strode to a chair with all kinds of machines behind it, all of which looked like they could only inflict pain. He gave his weapons (and he had quite a few of them) to two guardsmen, sat down, and waited. 
Zola stepped out from the shadows, a red book in his hands. He started to read aloud from it. 

"Желание, Ржавый, Семнадцать, Рассвет, Печь, Девять, Добросердечный, Возвращение на Родину, Один, Товарный вагон."
(Longing, rusted, seventeen, daybreak, furnace, nine, benign, homecoming, one, freight car.)

Evelyn curiously tilted her head at the words. They appeared completely random, but the way they were spoken... a command code, perhaps? 

"Я жду приказаний." The Winter Soldier replied in a low but intimidating voice.
(Ready to comply.)

Evelyn would never link that voice to James. Not in a million years. His was softer, kinder, and... and... Just not this voice!

"Отчет о миссии?"
(Mission report?)

"Мишень нейтрализована. Выживших нет."
(Target neutralized. No survivors.)

"Теперь вы будете подчиняться своим медикам."
(You will comply with your medics now.)

Nikolai nudged Evelyn along. She followed him cautiously. The Winter Soldier just kept looking ahead. It was plain as day that he was used to this.

"Солдат, вы ранены?" asked Nikolai.
(Soldier, are you injured?)