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A Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier Fic - The Constant	By : TheConstant1944 Category: Marvel Verse Comics > Captain America Views: 2391 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
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Chapter Thirty-Seven
Hydra - Lehmann and Jakobs - The Decision

Doctor Eric Jakobs watches himself fix his bow tie in the mirror. He looks at himself. There is grey in his hair, he has missed a spot shaving, and his suit has seen better days...he has seen better days. He is getting old.
He looks down at the photograph on the sideboard; it shows a youngish woman and two children sat on a picnic blanket, their smiles wide and laughing. It is the only photograph he has left of his family.
He remembers the day it was taken so well. It had been his son's thirteenth birthday and they had driven out to the country to celebrate. They had bought him a kite. Not just any kite, but one so colourful that when they saw it flying it looked like a beautiful, mysterious insect. His daughter, who had been eleven, had run along beside him laughing.
He can see that picture so vividly in his mind.
His wife had called to them; she had laid out a blanket and they had eaten sandwiches, pickles, and birthday cake. The children drank fruit juice; him and his wife, wine. The sun was warm but comfortable. Afterwards he sat with her whilst they watched their children playing. They were so blessed, everything was right with the world.
His son had not lived to fourteen, and all of his family were now buried but not forgotten. He would never forget them.
His eyes smart and he looks away, finishes dressing. He has a meeting with Director Lehmann – well, not just him personally; they all have a meeting. It is to do with the new facility.
He meets Stefan on the way and when they take a seat they realise that Marinov has been invited too. That is good news: clearly, he is to go with them.
Lehmann enters with Jocelyn. She sits herself in the corner to take the minutes. Everyone but Jakobs was surprised when he had appointed her his secretary, but Jakobs knew that Lehmann had intended to replace Freya with her. After the failed 'mission', that idea had been scrapped and she had remained as his secretary instead. To give her her due, she seemed to be settling into the role well.
Marinov catches Jakobs eye and nods to acknowledge him.
There were fifteen of them around the table: heads of departments and their assistants; all the people who would follow Lehmann to the new complex, their teams to follow. In the middle of the conference table was a mock up of the new camp. It was impressive.
Half an hour later a full detailed account has been given of the new facility, and it is frightening. Project Winter Soldier is just a small part of it. The camp is being set up to train and run STRIKE Units. They will be sold to governments as anti-terrorist teams; STRIKE meaning 'Special Tactical Reserves for International Key Emergencies'. But all the personnel will be loyal to Hydra. These teams will infiltrate and work with foreign governments so that one day Hydra will truly be everywhere, and when that day comes they will rise up and destroy anyone who stands against them.
Lehmann is an excellent liar and an actor.
What most of the people sat around the table with him do not know is that they will never get to the new facility. He will be replacing them all.
They will never leave this complex.
When he begins his new regime he wants loyal subjects around him, not docile servants. He also does not want a record of his part in making the Winter Soldier; oh, he doesn't mind the glory but some of what he did will look troubling and he will not have that stain on his record. He will re-create the history of the project and those who know the truth will not be there to correct it.
They will all be dead.
He does not want to create panic, or suspicion, and so he plays this elaborate game; tells them what he thinks they want to hear. That they have a future with him at the new compound where their important work will continue.
Oh if only he could tell them the truth, see the smug smiles wiped from their faces.
Lehmann has just called for coffee to be served and is explaining that they are going to set up a specific unit which will work with the Winter Soldier on missions when he feels himself getting uncomfortably warm. The room is suddenly too stuffy.
He takes it that he is just feeling the excitement of the new future, but he is glad when they break for drinks and he sits at the head of the table, gathering his papers for the next half of the meeting.
His left arm feels heavy, and tingles, and he is having trouble seeing. He tries to reach for his cup but misses. He feels a tightness across his chest, a burning, and it annoys him. For the last few days he has been experiencing heartburn and he fumbles in his jacket pocket for some tablets. He tries to swallow some with his coffee and feels the pain move up into his jaw which irritates him more. By now he has started to sweat heavily and he is becoming aware that people around him are going quiet. He realises they are looking at him. No - not just at him but at his hand which is holding the coffee. It is shaking so badly that the coffee is sloshing over the top and onto the table.
He drops the cup and groans as pain flashes across his chest. He tries to stand. Everything seems to be in slow motion. He sees peoples' hands go to their mouths; sees the orderly Stefan react, moving forward towards him. His chair falls backwards and then next thing he knows he is on the ground but he does not feel himself fall. Jakobs is suddenly there, beside him, he is trying to release Lehmann's tie and that is when Lehmann realises he can't breathe properly. His face is red, his chest feels as if it has a great weight on it, he cannot hear properly and slowly he sinks into darkness.
“For Gods' sake clear the room and get some oxygen,” Jakobs calls out to the startled people as he turns to Stefan. “He's having a heart attack.”
Marinov begins to herd people from the room as Stefan fetches a canister of oxygen, he has sent someone else to get a stretcher so they can move Lehmann to one of the hospital rooms. Jakobs works on Lehmann, blowing into his mouth, pumping his chest to get him breathing. By the time Stefan is back and they have put on the mask to feed him oxygen Lehmann is breathing again on his own but he is still unconscious.
They get him moved to the Winter Soldier's medical room and place him on the monitors. Some of the doctors who were not at the meeting come in to see what is happening, to see if it is true; but they are mainly scientists and leave Doctor Jakobs as the decision-maker.
When Jakobs returns to his room later, he feels exhausted. He lies on his bed and looks at the ceiling. He has done all he can and he believes Lehmann will survive; this has just been a warning of sorts. But in the back of his mind is another message.
What if Lehmann was not to survive?
There is a knock on his door and he calls for the person to come in. It is Eduard Marinov.
“The others are wondering if they should wake Freya so she can help nurse Lehmann,” he says and then can't help but smile. If the question were put to Lehmann himself, he would be horrified. He would not want her anywhere near him.
“It would be worth it just to see his face when he awakens but, no, I don't think so. We have Stefan and can always request Kristo's help again.”
“So he will survive?“
Jakobs nods.
The two men are quiet until Marinov asks the question in both their minds.
“Do we want him to?”
Jakobs looks at him. He trusts this man. “I'll be honest Eduard, I had the same thought but I guess you knew that. I don't know what the right thing to do is. He will survive, it was just an early warning...but...”
He does know what he believes to be the right thing to do. Surely the moment he heard himself lying and telling the other doctors that he did not think Lehmann would live, he had already been laying plans? Even then? Subconsciously.
“I'll leave you to get some sleep. I'll call if meantime he wakes.”
Jakobs nods, knowing that it will be hours before the final decision has to be made. He injected Lehmann with a powerful sedative to keep him out of it.
To give them time to think.
*
Hours later, Jakobs finds Stefan in the Cryo Suite, looking through the window at the two pods. Both Freya and the Winter Soldier are in cryo sleep. Their vital signs stable.
They talk long into the night. They discuss the pros and cons. What do they do? If Lehmann dies, what will happen to the project? They know it will not be closed down...but is it better the devil they know?
Jakobs is aware of the thoughts behind Lehmann's plans for Hydra's world domination, and he knows how dangerous the man is. How much more dangerous will it be for the world if he climbs higher in the chain of command? Lehmann has no qualms in killing millions of people whom he deems not fit to live.
He, of course, has no idea of Lehmann's plans to kill most of those that have worked with him.
If Jakobs were to kill Lehmann then how many lives would he be saving? Or would it all be for nothing? How can he answer such a question? The thoughts go around and around in his mind.
“I will do it.” Stefan says. “I am already condemned to hell for killing a man. Another one will not make a difference.”
“And you think I am going to heaven?” Jakobs laughs, but it is not at all humorous. He already knows he will not be joining his beloved family. He looks at the young man and shakes his head. “Thank you, but no, this is down to me...I just wish I knew Stefan, am I right or wrong? Which way do I jump?”
Both Marinov and Stefan agree with Jakob's verdict and have told him so.
Really, there is no right or wrong. There is only what they must do.
Marinov will help and he knows he can count on several of his guards to keep quiet about what is happening. It is they who are keeping watch outside of Lehmann's medical room. Whilst Kristo has been helping by covering their shifts he will not assist them; they would never ask it of him, because they know he could not do it, could not cope. He is not strong enough in mind for some of the things he has already witnessed, but they do know they can trust him, he will not give them away. He has never truly gotten over what was done to the American soldier James Barnes. He has terrible nightmares; whilst he doesn't speak about it at all, he is no longer the carefree young man that he was.
Are any of them?
Jakobs finds himself sat next to Lehmann's bedside. He knows any time now he will wake. He will have some nerve damage, but nothing that physiotherapy cannot put right. He is thinking back on all the arguments they have had about humanity; they both look at it from different ends of the spectrum.
Lehmann's voice rings in his ears.
“When this word is ours we will have everything and they will have nothing, nothing! They will be like cattle - there to feed and clothe us.”
His voice had been brittle, uncaring, vicious. Can he let this happen? Can he let this man survive? He tries to tell himself he is no killer, but Jakobs' soul tells him differently. He is an abuser; he has already done damage to the world he can never put right and it breaks his heart.
Lehmann is stirring just as Stefan comes into the room. He closes the door quietly, and moves to stand at the other side of the bed.
Lehmann's eyes open. His vision is blurry and he feels exhausted. He is aware of Jakobs looking down at him and he feels annoyed because he doesn't remember what has happened. They were in a meeting and he had spilled his coffee and then as memory floods back he realises.
“Eric?” he says holding up his hand, it is trembling. His speech is slurred.
Jakobs takes his hand and lays it back down on the cover.
“You've had a minor heart attack.”
Lehmann turns his head and sees Stefan. “Water. I need a drink.” He is abrupt as always. He has never much liked the orderly, but Stefan does what he is told and even helps Lehmann to drink, some of it going down the front of Lehmann's top. Stefan places the glass back on the bedside table and Lehmann feels as if he has climbed Mount Everest and now needs to rest. It makes him crotchety. He dislikes weakness in anyone, especially himself.
“What is happening? I need to get back to work,” he says, but cannot make his legs move. He can just about form the sentence in his mind but is aware that his tongue feels too big for his mouth and the words are blurred.
Jakobs makes no effort to help him sit up.
“Help me up for Gods' sake, Jakobs,” he is querulous, like an old man. Part of his face sags and Jakobs can see there is maybe more damage there than he first thought.
Instead, he sits on the edge of the bed. His eyes have a pitying look in them which Lehmann hates.
“I was not at the final operation on James Barnes,” Jakobs says to him and he frowns.
What has that got to do with anything?
“What?”
“But I know people who were. People who have nightmares about what you did. About what they heard you say to him.”
“What the hell are you blathering on about?” Lehmann looks at Stefan. “You...help me get up, get him out of here...” But Stefan does not move and Lehmann cannot find the strength to make any attempt to sit up on his own. He falls back, breathless.
“You told Sergeant Barnes there was no need to remove the rest of his arm but you were still going to because it was of no use to you. In a way, it mirrors this moment. As I said you have had a minor heart attack and would get better but...we do not want you to. Because, to be honest Nikolay, you are of no use to the world. Well, use is probably the wrong word - you are of no good to this world,” Jakobs' voice has a sadness to it.
Nikolay Lehmann feels the first clutch of fear. He looks to the door but it is shut. He tries to call for the guard, but his voice does not carry far enough, there is just no strength in it – in him.
“I'll have you killed for this!” He is indignant, trying to put authority in his voice but it is no good, his words have no power in them, saliva dribbles from the side of his mouth and he tries to wipe it away with the sleeve of his top. He watches as Jakobs stands and picks up a pillow.
“Later tonight I will announce your death to the others. They will not be surprised as I have already told them you are close to death. I believe they are already squabbling over who is to move into your office.”
Lehmann watches, eyes wide, as Jakobs nods to Stefan. He again tries to call out, tries to move, but he cannot, he is just too weak.
“Maybe now you will understand how Sergeant Barnes felt when you cut into him on that operating table,” Stefan says quietly. He leans over the bed and holds both of Lehmann's arms down.
“I am truly sorry, Nikolay, but this is what you have driven mankind to become.”
And with that, Jakobs lowers the pillow over Lehmann's face and presses down hard. Even though he is weak the need to survive takes over and the man thrashes about in the bed. They hear his muffled screaming. Stefan finds it hard to hold him down, but he must.
They cannot allow him to live.
It takes longer than either man could have dreamt. Neither are killers and this stain will never leave their souls, but they believe they are doing the right thing. Project Winter Soldier will continue, of that they have no doubt; but they cannot allow Lehmann's madness out into the world. Hydra is bad enough on its own...but with people like Lehmann at the top, it would become truly horrific.
Once Nikolay has stopped moving, Jakobs takes the pillow away and reaches down and closes the dead bloodshot eyes staring back at him in bleak terror. Stefan cannot look. He goes to the door and opens it, and after conversing with Marinov two guards come into the room to witness that Lehmann is dead.
Jakobs is sat on the edge of the bed, Lehmann's wrist in his hand as if looking for a pulse. Eduard walks up to him.
“It is done?” he asks quietly, and Jakobs nods.
“God help us,” Jakobs says, and stands to allow Stefan to bring one of the sheets up and over Lehmann's face. Eduard places a hand on Eric's Jakob's shoulder but does not need to say anything.
They are in this together.
They hear Stefan say a quiet prayer but unknown to the others it is actually for Eric's soul, and not for Nikolay's, for he genuinely believes that Nikolay Lehmann had no soul and right this moment the shade of the man will be facing his maker...not God, but his true maker. The Devil.
The guards are told not to let anyone into the room and the door is closed. Jakobs goes to tell the others of the sad news.
The heart attack had just been too much for Nikolay Lehmann and he had never regained consciousness.
They do not know at this point that they may have made matters worse.
Not for them, but for the Winter Soldier.
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A Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier Fic - The Constant