Post by James Barnes on Jul 29, 2016 1:13:32 GMT -8
<"WHAT was it you said, Soldier?"> one of his handler's agents demanded, waking the man from his light sleep. He never slept very deeply; he was almost always on the alert, whether for potential danger or his next orders. And tonight had been no different, except for how exhausted he'd been when he had fallen onto the cot that passed for his bed.
He had been training harder than he had in a long time; apparently, his handlers had a very important mission for him, and they were working him harder than ever.
Tonight, though, apparently something had been different. There were times that he talked in his sleep, though when he started to, usually he managed to wake himself up enough to stop. But it appeared that tonight, they had heard him. And whatever he had been saying, well, they hadn't liked it.
<"I don't know,"> he responded, moving to stand at attention, clad in his sleepwear as he was.
Despite the fact that he'd been asleep, that he really didn't know what he'd said, the other man narrowed his eyes at him and gestured to several people outside the room. It was at that point that the Winter Soldier knew that punishment was coming.
Eight soldiers arrived, all armed to the teeth, to escort him to the chair. They should have known better by now; if he tried to escape, they would need more than simply eight soldiers to stop him. But he wouldn't try to escape; he served Mother Russia.
He headed down the corridor, surrounded by soldiers, his bare feet cold against the concrete. But that was nothing compared to what he'd endured before, what he was about to endure.
They led him into the room, and his eyes locked onto the chair immediately. He knew what was coming, had dealt with it countless times before, but every time he saw the chair, he had to school his face into a careful mask. If they saw the tiniest hint of weakness, that would only result in more punishment.
The scientists stripped off his shirt and put him in the chair, and steel restraints moved into place, restraining him.
<"Do you know why you are here, Soldier?"> one of them asked.
<"I was talking in my sleep,"> he replied, his voice steady even though he didn't know what he'd said.
<"That is correct,"> came the response. <"You were calling out a name that does not exist, Soldier, and for that, you will be punished and wiped.">
When he had been awoken in such a manner, the Winter Soldier had known that something like this was going to happen. He would have been more surprised if it hadn't, quite frankly.
He didn't say anything to the scientist's words; he merely opened his mouth for the guard that they were sure to place there, to keep him from injuring himself while they punished and wiped him once more.
The chair moved, tilting him back slightly so that the scientists would better be able to work. One of them fiddled with the controls, and the chair powered on, the head piece lowering. They went to work, punishing and wiping the Winter Soldier once more.
He clenched his jaw, biting down on the guard between his teeth. He couldn't cry out, couldn't show weakness; if he did, they would only increase his punishment.
And then, after what felt like days, the head piece lifted, the shackles opened, and he was able to sit up. He somehow managed to keep a lid on his trembling; it wouldn't do to let them see what it had done to him.
<"You shouldn't be having any more ... issues with talking in your sleep,"> the scientist said. <"Back to your cot.">
The soldiers surrounded him once more, though this time, there were only four of them. They thought that, because he had just been tortured, that they would need fewer guards. He was a good Soldier; he did as he was told. But if he had wanted to get out, they would have needed more guards.
He returned to his cot and sat with his back against the wall. There would be no more sleep for him tonight.
He had been training harder than he had in a long time; apparently, his handlers had a very important mission for him, and they were working him harder than ever.
Tonight, though, apparently something had been different. There were times that he talked in his sleep, though when he started to, usually he managed to wake himself up enough to stop. But it appeared that tonight, they had heard him. And whatever he had been saying, well, they hadn't liked it.
<"I don't know,"> he responded, moving to stand at attention, clad in his sleepwear as he was.
Despite the fact that he'd been asleep, that he really didn't know what he'd said, the other man narrowed his eyes at him and gestured to several people outside the room. It was at that point that the Winter Soldier knew that punishment was coming.
Eight soldiers arrived, all armed to the teeth, to escort him to the chair. They should have known better by now; if he tried to escape, they would need more than simply eight soldiers to stop him. But he wouldn't try to escape; he served Mother Russia.
He headed down the corridor, surrounded by soldiers, his bare feet cold against the concrete. But that was nothing compared to what he'd endured before, what he was about to endure.
They led him into the room, and his eyes locked onto the chair immediately. He knew what was coming, had dealt with it countless times before, but every time he saw the chair, he had to school his face into a careful mask. If they saw the tiniest hint of weakness, that would only result in more punishment.
The scientists stripped off his shirt and put him in the chair, and steel restraints moved into place, restraining him.
<"Do you know why you are here, Soldier?"> one of them asked.
<"I was talking in my sleep,"> he replied, his voice steady even though he didn't know what he'd said.
<"That is correct,"> came the response. <"You were calling out a name that does not exist, Soldier, and for that, you will be punished and wiped.">
When he had been awoken in such a manner, the Winter Soldier had known that something like this was going to happen. He would have been more surprised if it hadn't, quite frankly.
He didn't say anything to the scientist's words; he merely opened his mouth for the guard that they were sure to place there, to keep him from injuring himself while they punished and wiped him once more.
The chair moved, tilting him back slightly so that the scientists would better be able to work. One of them fiddled with the controls, and the chair powered on, the head piece lowering. They went to work, punishing and wiping the Winter Soldier once more.
He clenched his jaw, biting down on the guard between his teeth. He couldn't cry out, couldn't show weakness; if he did, they would only increase his punishment.
And then, after what felt like days, the head piece lifted, the shackles opened, and he was able to sit up. He somehow managed to keep a lid on his trembling; it wouldn't do to let them see what it had done to him.
<"You shouldn't be having any more ... issues with talking in your sleep,"> the scientist said. <"Back to your cot.">
The soldiers surrounded him once more, though this time, there were only four of them. They thought that, because he had just been tortured, that they would need fewer guards. He was a good Soldier; he did as he was told. But if he had wanted to get out, they would have needed more guards.
He returned to his cot and sat with his back against the wall. There would be no more sleep for him tonight.
