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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
Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters. They are solely owned by Marvel and MCU. No money is made from this story.

Chapter List
- 43
- 44
- 45
Chapter Forty-Four
A Week In The Life Of Eduard Marinov

Tuesday
Eduard Marinov feels his stomach clench as he nears the first checkpoint gate. He has returned to somewhere he doesn't want to be. He has spent the last few days with his wife but has been called back in a whole twenty-four hours earlier than he was due.
Which can only mean one thing. They are bringing the Winter Soldier out of cryo.
Marinov knows Jackson Caldwell will be arriving the following day, and so he knows he will be briefed then. Meanwhile, he will need to make sure everything is running as it should be. He had left his trusted number two, Serge Zolnerowich, in charge so he has no worries there.
He just doesn't want to be back here.
They check his papers on the front gate even though they know him by sight, and he would not expect anything less. He then drives the car into one of the empty bays, removes his bag from the back seat, and throws it in one of the camp's Jeeps. As he passed the first guardhouse, he will have been scanned. The scan will show he has no weapons, no bugs nothing to warrant a break in security. He has one of the top three highest clearances on camp within Hydra yet they still do not fully trust him - because Hydra trusts no-one; not even its own. Not many people know of the advanced security the Hydra camps have; most would be amazed by the technology. But Marinov stopped being amazed a long time ago. Whatever it is that powers this advanced technology frightens him to his very core.
Because Eduard Marinov is not one of Hydra's own and it is luck and perseverance on his part that he has kept it hidden for so long.
About a mile into the camp he hits the second checkpoint. Up to this point the camp has included housing quarters, admin blocks, a cinema, and a small shop which stocks an awful lot of things for everyday life. Many of the same buildings can be found in any military camps all over the word. Even soldiers need the necessary day to day things for living.
Beyond the second checkpoint is where things begin to change. Only Hydra personnel get past this point.
He pulls the Jeep over and two guards emerge to meet him. A third stays in the guardhouse behind a screen of bulletproof glass. Marinov's papers are checked again and he is asked to exit the vehicle. A wand is waved over him whilst another guard checks the Jeep inside and out. It takes about ten minutes in all.
“Good to have you back, sir,” one of the guards says as he waves him through.
As he drives through the camp he begins to see the familiar Hydra uniform and insignia, and by the time he pulls in to his parking bay he knows he is home.
Only this will never be home for him.
He grabs his bag and runs up the stairs to the building that houses his office and quarters. The guardhouse have already advised Zolnerowich that Marinov is back, but Eduard phones him from his rooms.
“Give me half an hour and then meet me in my office,” Marinov says and then puts the phone down. He is sat on the edge of his single bed and dry wipes his face with his hands. This time yesterday he was with the people he loves and now he is back here. How things can change in just a day.
*
Neither man trusts that Marinov's office is clean. After all, both of them are fully aware of the listening posts set up within the camp. They discuss the day to day things that need Marinov's attention now that he is back. He advises Zolnerowich that Caldwell is due to return on the morrow.
The last six years have seen a lot of changes under Caldwell. Changes that for Hydra are for the better. The camp is well-organised; despite Caldwell's young age he knows what he is doing. The Winter Soldier has been pulled out for four successful missions and three training sessions.
Jackson Caldwell also knows how to protect their investment. Each mission and training session is overseen by him. Things may change in the future but to date the same schedule is more or less followed. Caldwell brings the Winter Soldier out forty-eight hours before the mission to assess his health and ensure he has time to get over any debilitation that the cryo or programming may have caused. Once the mission is completed, he is given another one or two days to rest before he is returned to cryo-freeze. During the time before and after he is updated on anything he needs to know.
Caldwell is still often seen on camp even when the Winter Soldier is in cryo. He tries to schedule a weekly meeting with the other camp commanders and Marinov firmly believes not a lot gets past the young American...which is why he and Jakobs have to be so careful.
Caldwell does not believe in waste. Often, the personnel on Project Winter Soldier are used on other projects and tasks when their soldier is asleep; with the exception of the cryo team whom Stefan works with. That team is always required to have someone on duty in cryo to keep watch on their charges. But others such as the guards, the programming team and the technicians have other things to do. Duties can range from helping out on other projects, updating services, electronics, keeping everything running and organised. The camp is like a well oiled machine.
Marinov has overall control of all the guards used on this part of the Hydra camp. His team are used in the rota which covers all the gun towers, checkpoints, and guard dog sections, but within the one hundred and fifty strong team is a smaller dedicated unit who, when the Winter Soldier is to be woken, are used for guarding him. The rotas are a nightmare. He and Zolnerowich always work on them together. It is their least favourite task. Marinov also ensures he has regular meetings with the other people in charge of security on the camp. Caldwell is a very keen advocate on everyone singing from the same hymn sheet.
Although the Winter Soldier's presence is not advertised around the camp, his presence is known by nearly every STRIKE team and most of the soldiers know about him. One of the biggest headaches for Marinov is stopping curious personnel from trying to see him. He has to admit when you see the Winter Soldier striding out of the building to be taken to his rendezvous he is an imposing, frightening figure. Most times he has on his mask and goggles, and dressed all in black he is bristling with pent-up strength. Marinov knows anyone who says they are not afraid of him is a fool.
Last summer, Marinov caught one of the cryo-freeze technicians actually charging money to allow young soldiers a chance to see the Winter Soldier asleep in his pod. When Marinov discovered what was happening he could not believe the stupidity of the man. He had had no choice but to report it to Caldwell. He believed he would be in for a dressing down for not realising at first what was happening but Caldwell accepted the fact that humans have an amazing capacity to create opportunity out of anything and everything. He had referred to the technician as their young entrepreneur – but be that as it may, it did not stop Caldwell from giving the order to terminate the young entrepreneur's life. A job that Marinov was grateful he was not required to carry out himself.
The project and the camp are running smoothly.
*
The rest of the day Marinov spends going over rotas: mundane things such as sickness, injuries that can leave them short-staffed. He looks at the reports and sighs. How stupid can some people be? One of the guards got too close to the electric fence, survived but the burns were bad. Another one climbed one of the watch towers as a drunken bet and fell nearly fifty feet. Alcohol is banned from this part of the camp, and the guard will need to face punishment if and when he awakens from the unconscious state he is currently in. Marinov makes a note for Zolnerowich to track down once and for all where the alcohol was coming into the camp and a harsh reminder would be issued with a higher sentence. Not just a fine and loss of privileges - the sentence would need to be much more sever. He has to nip this in the bud.
After walking around the camp, talking to people and getting his updates, he decides to call it a night. On his way to his rooms a guard comes up with a message for him that has just come in over the wire. He alters his route so he can call in at the cryo suite.
The technician he finds on duty jumps almost to attention when he sees Marinov come through the door. He fumbles with the paperwork he is doing and Marinov tries not to smile as he sees the man's nervousness. Better they are afraid of him than lose their life because they aren't.
“We need to bring The Constant out early tomorrow morning,” Marinov tells the man. He received a message from Caldwell to say he wants her awakened before he arrives back.
“Yes sir. Er, I mean...” the technician never knows how to refer to this man so he decide to leave it at Sir. “Er, about what time?”
Marinov frowns. “I suggest you talk to Stefan, he will know what the best time would be,” he says and then, leaving the man, he decides it is definitely time to retire for the night. He has a headache coming on and wonders for the umpteenth time how he got involved in all of this.

Wednesday
The next morning he calls in at the cryo suite just after ten. Everyone in there is busy. They have awoken The Constant and at the moment she is sat on the edge of the bed throwing up into a bucket. To hear about cryo-freezing would make it sound like a science fiction plot: lots of white clean areas, automatons carrying out the work, but the real thing is more human. The Winter Soldier rarely has nausea this bad when he is woken, but Freya always does. She looks awful and he knows she will spend the rest of the day sleeping in her quarters. Eric Jakobs once told him to liken it to car travel. Some people are made sick by it some people are not. Trust the Winter Soldier to be one of the ones not affected.
Marinov talks to Stefan to see if everything is on track and Stefan confirms it is. He takes one more look at Freya before he leaves, and she lifts a hand to say a weak hello and then he leaves.
The rest of the day is spent again with paperwork and dealing with issues that need his attention. Then, at around 6pm, he receives a call from Caldwell to say he has finally arrived back. He is checking that there is nothing that requires his urgent attention. He has already spoken to the cryo team and they will be bringing the Winter Soldier out the next morning. Whilst that is being done he has called an early meeting for tomorrow morning that Marinov and all the heads of departments will attend, a normal occurrence for the camp.

Thursday
Caldwell has called the meeting for 8am; he is an early riser and has already taken care of a number of other things already. Jakobs is grumbling pleasantly about the time and Marinov reminds him that neither of them are in their early thirties any more.
“Even when I was, I didn't get up at dawn. Just lead me to the coffee first...” Jakobs pours himself a drink and adds plenty of milk and then holds the jug up for Marinov, who raises his eyebrows. He doesn't take milk, prefers his coffee black. “Oh yes. Keep forgetting you're a heathen,” Jakobs grumbles again.
It is their usual discourse. The two share a strong friendship.
Caldwell goes through the normal routine. He explains that The Winter Soldier is required for a mission and is in the process of being brought out of cryo. He checks with Stefan that everything is running to plan, and is told it is. He confirms to Elise, Peter and Timor that he will be seeing them later with the programming script.
He then moves on to Adam. At these meetings Caldwell never gives out details of the missions; they are more a sounding out of his people, ensuring everything is running smoothly. He then sees them later on their own to discuss what needs doing. He confirms now to Adam that he will need all three of Adam's team to accompany the Winter Soldier. When they are not on mission with the Winter Soldier all three of them - Adam Morton, Rodion Bessonov, and Viktor Kozar - are part of the training group for the up and coming STRIKE teams.
Caldwell's attention then turns to Marinov. He asks if there are any security matters that need discussing. Marinov mentions a few things happening around the camp, explains they need a new ruling for the sentence if someone is found with alcohol. The matter is discussed back and forth. Caldwell is extremely good in knowing how to speak to his staff; he asks the right questions and nothing escapes him.
The last person he speaks to is Eric Jakobs. Jakobs has become the project's main general doctor and he asks if there have been any problems. As usual he asks if the staff are well and he advises Jakobs that if there is anything he can ever do for Jakobs to let him know. He has already furnished a surgery for the doctor and has given him permission to consult the camp's doctor if he needs to at any time.
Then the meeting is over and Marinov carries on with his duties.
*
At 1pm he makes his way with four guards to the Main Room. He leaves two standing guard outside the room and enters with the other two. The operation is bustling with voices and people. The Winter Soldier has already been brought in and put in the Master Chair. Freya is sat next to him, reading some papers, and he goes up to her. When they bring the Winter Soldier out of cryo stasis and into the main room he is always kept unconscious. Marinov had already sent two guards to the cryo rooms but at that point of the procedure they have never been needed. Marinov though would rather be over cautious than under – he has learnt over the years how dangerous this man can be.
“How are you feeling?” he asks Freya who smiles and nods.
“A lot better than yesterday,” she says drily, aware that he saw her being sick.
He looks around the room and then back at her. “Any problems?”
She shakes her head. “No everything seems fine. Should just be a normal wake-up,” and she glances at the Winter Soldier. Without thinking, she reaches across to sweep his hair away from his brow. The seat is in the bed position and he looks peaceful.
They both know how fast that can change.
One of the technicians calls over to say they are ready and another comes over with a hypodermic needle. Marinov steps back and watches as the bed of the chair begins to move into the upright position. Freya leans forward and takes the soldier's hand, her focus totally on him now.
Marinov notices how people still draw back from the chair as the countdown begins. Most of them are not even aware that they do it. He is glad to note though that his guards do not step away but he does see the whites of their knuckles as they hold their hypo guns tighter.
He watches as the solider begins to stir and then opens his eyes; listens to Freya talk to him, telling him where he is and what has happened to him. The Winter Soldier's eyes flick around the room and Marinov knows he has taken everything in. Even his own heart gives a little pull when he sees the soldier's eyes sweep over him. Cold, calculating. The strength of the man shows not just in his body but in his presence. He is wearing just trousers and boots. He sits in the chair and it is possible to see at the moment he is still not relaxed enough, his fists are curled which makes the muscles on his forearm stand out. His metal arm is deadly, the metal rings coiling around and giving him a greater strength, the red star emblazoned at the top. His gaze is still taking everything in. Freya has tucked his long hair behind his ears so they can watch his face and now the blue eyes are focused on her, on what she is saying. Marinov can now see his body beginning to relax and the Winter Soldier nods just once and sits back.
Freya stands up to get him a drink of water, and Marinov catches a glimpse of humanity in the soldier's gaze when he watches her. Such a shame that they will take that away from him in the next few hours. Marinov does not know what the programming scripts say but he has been there so many times when the Winter Soldier comes out.
Seen when he has got back to his quarters and shown a disgust for Freya that hadn't been there before.
He realises he has grown distracted and pulls himself out of his reverie. Freya is leaving and he knows that everything should be quiet for the next fifteen minutes or so. The doctors will check the Winter Soldier over and then, when he is ready, one of the programming team will come to take him down. He makes sure his guards know to walk with him and the two outside will accompany them, remaining outside of the programming suite until they are ready to return the soldier to his quarters.
Recently a new set of walkie-talkie units have been issued. He double checks they are on the same channel as he is and tells them to call him if there is any sign of trouble.
He hears word later on that all is well. The Winter Soldier is returned to his quarters at 9pm which means a long time in programming, but also means he will be quiet tonight. It doesn't stop Marinov from calling by the Winter Soldier's quarters and talking to the guards outside. They will remain there for at least six hours to make sure nothing untoward happens.
Then Marinov retires to his own room.

Friday
It was a quiet night. But he receives a call at 7.20am to go to the Winter Soldier's quarters. He arrives at the same time as Jakobs to find one guard nursing a broken nose and another one in the room talking to Freya. He looks around the space and guesses what has happened. There is blood on the sheets and down Freya's nightwear, she has put on a dressing gown over it. She will have a black eye by this afternoon. He can hear the shower running and the door to the bathroom is firmly shut.
There is nothing Jakobs can do for Freya except pat her on the shoulder. Her black eye is in fact for once an accident. He goes to tend the guard with the broken nose.
“I'm sorry about your guard,” she says to him. “I was the one who bloodied his nose. I fell backward and caught him straight in the face with the back of my head. Poor soul!” She knows how painful a broken nose can be.
“The blood?” he indicates the bed.
She nods towards the bathroom “Courtesy of the programmers. He was getting up and felt woozy, staggered and next thing I knew his nose was bleeding.” She walks over to the bed and starts to strip it down.
“And my guard?”
She turns her head to answer but he has come over to give her a hand. She smiles ruefully. “Poor lad was helping Sophia to bring in the breakfast and thought he could assist. He came up to help steady him just as he pushed me away and well, the rest you know.”
Marinov does not reply. It is not a rare occurrence.
“How is he?” he asks quietly, wanting to get an early gauge on how moody the Winter Soldier will be.
“It was a long session. Painful. He's...not good. I would stay out of his way.”
Marinov and Freya have known each other for a long time and she knows she can be truthful with him. The Winter Soldier has different levels of temperament. Sometimes he is distant but polite; other times cold and aloof, snappy, irritable. And sometimes, like today, he can be angry, distrustful, ready to lash out.
Marinov helps her finish up but hears the shower being switched off. It is best that he not be here when the Winter Soldier comes out; not for his sake but for Freya's. If he is as Freya says he is, then he will also be jealous and paranoid and although he has never come to blows with Marinov it is best not to take that chance.
He leaves her and heads back to his office. He has asked the other guard to check on the one with the broken nose. There is no longer any need for a guard to remain outside the Winter Soldier's quarters. The programming has taken.
At lunchtime he heads for the canteen. He often eats there, surrounded by the other guards and soldiers and listens to the general chatter, talks to people. Caldwell says he is a great believer in being open and trustful with his staff and he encourages that in his heads of department. It is something Eduard would do anyway. He prefers company to being alone.
He spends the afternoon with Zolnerowich, checking a problem out at the perimeter on the south side of the camp. Each side is checked at least once a month by a team of engineers. It is a huge undertaking due to the size and expanse of the military quarters. When Marinov looks up at the barrier he cannot help be impressed by the amazing feat of engineering. He feels it is like a fortress: utterly impenetrable.
The camp has a twenty foot outside fence which stands in a clearance of fifteen feet: no trees, no bushes or undergrowth, nothing can hide in the clearance. Huge lights keep it lit all night. There are six corners to the camp which have fifty foot tall watch towers, always manned, always bristling with firepower. Within the fence is a space of twelve feet bristling with barbed wire and mines. Then the inside fence, which tops fifteen feet and is made up of strong wire mesh and barbed wire. It is kept electrified. A smaller six foot fence runs inside to prevent anyone from accidentally going up against the electrified fence and being hurt. It doesn't always work - as Marinov read in the accident report on Tuesday. The checking takes hours of their time but Marinov and Caldwell prefer to know that their defences are secure. If any problems are found or crop up then the team of engineers see to it immediately.
The only problem they find today is where a family of foxes have decided at some time to lengthen their burrow to take in the ground under the fence, which has now started to collapse. He cannot help but be grateful it was not near any of the mines. He sends a team out to the other side but they cannot trace any sign of the foxes and it appears the series of burrows is an ancient one. Rain and roots from older trees have undermined and weakened the soil. He schedules the work to be done for the complete burrow to be filled in and the fence checked for any problems. The fences are sunk ten feet into the ground and within the space between them plans have to be consulted to show where the mines have been laid. The last thing Marinov needs is to lose any lives to simple repair work.
He has another quiet evening. They are not permitted to have radios but they are allowed to listen to music and he has this softly playing in the background. Personnel are allowed to send letters home but they are tightly censored; as are all letters sent out or received into the camp. He finds it difficult sometimes to know what to write, especially knowing other people will be reading it. The letter is to his wife. He asks after their daughters, both now grown and with young families of their own. He writes to her about the weather and how soon the autumn days are turning the trees to their autumn colours. He tells her he misses her and he always signs it with Your loving Eduard. Putting it in the envelope which he has to leave open, he wonders how much of it will be redacted.

Saturday
The Winter Soldier is being sent out on mission today. Marinov helps Adam load up the car. Although the Winter Soldier has excellent driving skills, it is usually Viktor who drives them to the rendezvous point. They will not be flying out from the camp for this mission.
Marino looks up and around the area and then swears quietly. “I don't know how they find out,” he says to Adam, who looks over to where Marinov has nodded.
He grins. “It's their excitement for the day,” he says.
There are more off duty soldiers around their part of the compound than normal. Most are new recruits who have come to see if the stories about the Winter Soldier are true or not. Is he as tall as they say? Is he as aggressive? Is he as frightening as they have been warned?
“Let them be, gives 'em a thrill.” Adam cannot see the harm. Before Marinov can comment, he sees the Winter Soldier exiting the building and running down the front steps. There is that moment of fear, just a shiver down Marinov's back. It's as if you are coming face to face with an deadly opponent that can tear you limb from limb if it should so wish. He is dressed in black but you can see the glints of silver which make up his left arm, the red star atop it.
The soldier is tall. He wears his hair long and today with a bit of a breeze in the air it ruffles through it. He is wearing a leather buckled jacket, combat trousers, and big thick heavy black boots. His lower face is covered by the mask they prefer him to wear; Marinov thinks it muzzles him like a dog but he has never been stupid enough to say that to anyone. He carries goggles in his left hand and a bag in his right. As he walks to the car he scans the area and they know he has taken in every one of the bystanders.
Taken them in and dismissed them.
He goes to the back of the car, throws his bag in the open boot, and Adam slams it shut. Then the Winter Soldier climbs into the back of the car and Adam follows. As soon as the doors are closed Marinov taps on the top of the car to tell them they are good to go.
As the car drives off Marinov hears several voices. “Hail Hydra!” and he looks back at the people, some of who are now beginning to drift off. Others will watch until the very last minute.
“Jesus,” he murmurs to himself. They may as well have said Heil Hitler! and be members of the SS. Here they are in the enlightened 1960's, and they just may as well have not moved on at all.
*
He checks to ensure the work is being done on the south side of the fencing and then heads back to his office, but on the way he gets diverted.
Marinov has a weakness for dogs. He admits it. They have a forty strong work force of working animals who guard the perimeter and who are also trained as tracker dogs.
Accidents will happen. Pregnancies, mostly. But the pregnancy is always allowed to go to term and provides a new generation of dogs to take the place of the older ones.
One of the bitches is giving birth and there are complications. There is no vet on site which is something he wants to address with Caldwell. After seeing the problem for himself he heads off instead to look for Jakobs. Whilst Jakobs is a doctor for humans surely, Marinov thinks, it can't be that much of a difference.
Instead he finds Freya.
“One of my bitches is in trouble!”
“Really?” Freya is amused by his wording and he tuts.
“One of my guard dogs, have you seen Jakobs?”
She shakes her head “I don't think he's around. I think he may have gone off camp. I know he was talking about some supplies he needed to get a hold of so I think he was going foraging with the camp doctor.”
“Dammit!” And before Freya can say any more, he looks at her. “Well you'll have to do then.”
She tries to explain that giving birth to a baby and giving birth to puppies are totally different things but by the time she finishes, they are at the kennels and she can see the trouble the dog is having. Her heart goes out to the beast.
They kneel either side of the panting dog. It is obvious she is in a lot of pain. Freya talks calmly to her whilst trying to examine her abdomen. Then she sits back on her heels with Marinov and three guards looking at her. She looks up at their faces and wants to say she cannot help, wants to explain she would just be guessing...but one of the guards blurts out: “If you can't help, nobody can.” He is upset. It is his dog.
She blows air through her bangs and glances at the man. Pulling all her knowledge from nursing school to the front of her mind she asks them to get rope, buckets of hot water and towels and if they can find it straw. “Plenty of towels,” she reiterates.
“Do you know what you are doing?” Marinov asks quietly.
“Nope,” she admits.
“I can understand the water and towels, but why do you want rope and straw?” he asks.
She shrugs. “To be honest I don't but it gives them something to do and gets them out of my hair for a few minutes,” she says, gently moving the dog and then rolling up her sleeves.
“Well, if someone could let me know how things go,” Marinov goes to get up to move away but she tugs his arm, pulling him back down.
“Oh no you don't! You're going to help!” She is adamant. “But first, ask one your men to fetch my medical bag from the bottom of my wardrobe.”
The problem turns out to be caused by the first puppy being a breech birth, and although Freya realises what the problem is she has to decide whether to try and turn the puppy or pull it out legs first. Taking a deep breath, she begins examining the mother to see which action to take.
This is going to take a while.
Three and a half hours later and after going through a lot of towels and hot water, they have five newborn puppies and one sore but otherwise unharmed mother. The rope lies undisturbed.
Freya has had to put in stitches and they need to help the mother get up, pee, and drink but otherwise she is soon sniffing her pups and letting them feed. Each pup that was delivered was so small, so vulnerable. Marinov helped the mother clean them, using the straw, and made sure their airways were clear.
Freya had to help the mother with two of the umbilical cords, and for safety she has tied a suture around the ends. It is all guess work and she hopes she has done the right thing. The fact that the mother eats the food she is offered afterwards they take as a good sign.
Walking back to the main building with Freya, Marinov tells her that even in such a place as this camp there was beauty. He asked her if she had ever seen anything so small as the puppies paws and then went on to tell her about the birth of his first daughter and how tiny she had been; how small her hands had been. Freya smiles and ducks her head. She isn't used to Marinov being such a sentimental person and he blushes when he realises.
Just before they part she touches his arm and when he turns to her she looks at him. “You are a good hearted man, Lieutenant. Do not ever let this place change you.” And he knows exactly what she is saying.
That night he writes another letter home to tell his wife about the puppies. It is not often he has a story to tell her with a happy ending.

Sunday
Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. There is no church on the camp, no religious groups. If religion is discussed here it is done so quietly. In private.
Zolnerowich once told him you could always tell a Sunday even if you were on a desert island, and Marinov knows exactly what he means. Everything seems hushed, no one seems to be in a hurry. Jakobs is back and laughs when he finds out about the narrow escape he had in delivering the puppies. He admits he would not have had a clue what to do.
The day is long but as Eduard walks around the camp he can feel the slight chill in the air. Autumn has definitely arrived. He can't help but wonder what his wife and daughters are doing back in the normal world.
In the early evening he sits out at one of the benches dotted around the barracks. From this position he can see the parade grounds. They are quiet now but during the day they are pounded by thousands of feet. The tanks and artillery are safely stored away in the huge depots. He can actually hear birds singing their last sgons of the day. He hears an engine revving and then it shuts off; someone having a problem or two with maintenance. The air is cooler and as it gets darker he looks up into the sky knowing the same stars that are coming out are shining out over his family. Such a beautiful clear night.
He hears someone coming up and sees Jakobs, who sits next to him. Out here there is no listening equipment and although there is currently a basic camera security section it does not cover this area – yet. That is something that will change. He has a meeting scheduled with Caldwell in two weeks time to discuss a new security system that is to be introduced. Technology is moving on and Caldwell does not want the camp to get left behind.
He and Jakobs talk quietly about what is happening. Both men are responsible for a small and secret group of dissidents. People who have everyday lives within the camp but are beginning to realise that the Hydra promise is not one of freedom or a clear and better world. There is not a lot they can do to fight against it so instead they are trying to leave a written record behind of what has happened within Hydra. Files are hidden when they should be shredded and burnt; they tell the history of the terrible experiments and torture that has taken place on Project Winter Soldier and anything else that crosses their path.
One day Hydra will pay, but both believe it will not be in their life time.

Monday
Caldwell is still on camp and Marinov has updated him on security issues. He has also broached the subject of having a vet on site. He could see surprise on Caldwell's face, and the answer is no. He doesn't even think there are any vets within Hydra he jokes.
“Has it ever occurred to you, Eduard, that for a top secret organisation with world domination on its agenda you and I have some very unusual conversations?” Caldwell asks him. Eduard does not know what to say in reply.
“How about we meet in the middle? How many people do you have on the guard dog patrol?” Caldwell knows that each man and woman is responsible for their own animal, and when Marinov answers he tells him he will set up training for them on the care and health of their charges. Let people win the small victories. “We'll see how that works out.” And with that he dismisses Marinov.
He scribbles a memo to his secretary asking her to arrange it, and puts in in his Out tray.
That will give her something to think about.
*
The Winter Soldier is due back and so the camp has been put on alert.
Marinov is advised the mission went well. He is to see the soldier back and ensure he is taken straight to mission report.
As he walks next to him he can still feel a pent up anger and strength in him. Marinov is not that much shorter but still has to keep up with him as he strides back into the building. They do not talk, Marinov gave up long ago trying to speak to him when he first comes back.
The report is slightly longer than usual and afterwards he delivers the soldier back to his quarters. He notices his coordination is slightly out of sync. He has no injuries and Caldwell will allow the Winter Soldier to stay out tomorrow, but then on Wednesday both he and Freya will be put back in cryo.
Believing that is the end of it for today he returns to his usual work and is out on the south perimeter when a call comes in for him over the radio. He is to report to the Winter Soldier's quarters. There is trouble, but the guard will not say what it is over the radio. Zolnerowich drives him back and he is soon hurrying down the corridor as a guard gives him a report on what has happened.
They are not sure what started the trouble but it began shortly after one of the guards returned Freya's medical bag to her. She had left it at the kennels in case it was needed. The guard had given it to her telling her she had left it at the guard house, he wasn't thinking. The Winter Soldier had heard every word of the innocent conversation.
Soon after they heard raised voices - no, one raised voice. The Winter Soldier's. They are never allowed to interfere and had to wait until after he had left.
“Did you hear what it was about?” Marinov asks.
“Yes sir, it was...he was accusing her of...” the guard goes quiet.
“Just say it.”
“He said she must have been fucking one of us and he repeatedly kept telling her that she is his. You know how he gets. He just went mental.”
No one would have told the Winter Soldier of Freya's involvement helping out at the kennels. He does not allow her to associate with the guards or anyone else on the camp. His jealousy and paranoia are still high, and he hasn't started remembering enough yet to trust her.
How stupid can people be? Has Marinov not told them often enough never to talk about her, never to let the soldier know if she has any involvement with them no matter how innocent it is? “Is she hurt badly?”
“I don't think so. I called Doctor Jakobs, he's with her now.”
“And...him?”
“He left. Jovanovich said he saw him head over to the track. I guess he's running.”
Marinov turns into the room which is a mess; furniture overturned, Freya sits in one of the chairs and Jakobs is knelt beside her cradling one of her arms and trying to see how much flex is in it. Her face is bruised, her clothing torn.
He looks back at the guard. “Tidy some of this up, will you.”
Jakobs is talking quietly to Freya who is crying; she doesn't make a sound, tears just run down her cheek. Marinov picks up the other chair that is overturned.
He knows what will happen. The Winter Soldier will spend hours pounding around the track. Jakobs will patch Freya up and the soldier will come back and maybe some of his memories of her will have started to re-emerge. Hopefully he will begin to realise she is not what he seems to think.
He remembers a conversation he had with one of the newer guards the last time this happened and the guard asked Marinov why people had any sympathy for the soldier when he did something like this to a woman who obviously cared for him.
He didn't know how to answer. How do you defend someone who takes apart another person? Who finds joy in causing pain? Normally you would not, there is no defence.
If Marinov had not known James Barnes he would have asked the same question. But whenever he feels angry at the soldier, whenever he feels fear of him, he remembers what they did to him. They took his soul and tore it to shreds. They took his life from him and made him into a living nightmare. They invade his mind, tear it apart, tear him apart. Then they strip him of his humanity and banish him to the dark when they have no further use for him.
How could someone who goes through that not turn into a monster?
And if you have no compassion for that monster, what does that make you? Marinov does not have the answer. He does not believe anyone has.
Making his mind up, he heads for the running track and sure enough there is the Winter Soldier pounding around the track. He can see the rage in the tightness of the muscles and as the Winter Soldier runs past him sweat is glistening on his body and his shirt is soaking wet. On the next run around the track he slows and by the time he comes level to Marinov he is walking. He stops just before reaching the Lieutenant. He does not look at him, just pulls up the bottom of his shirt to wipe his face and Marinov takes a deep breath. How does he approach this? If he says the wrong thing he could make it worse.
“We had a problem whilst you were away.” He moves to stand in front of the solider. The Winter Soldier looks at him but does not say anything. He is hard to read because although Marinov can see the tightness of his body, his face is impassive. “And I asked Freya to come over to the kennels. She didn't go to the guard quarters. One of the dogs had a problem and I thought she could help. That is the only reason she was over that side of the camp.”
Nothing, no answer just that same stare.
“I thought you should know. I did not mean to cause a problem. You don't need to take it out on her, she did nothing wrong. She was just trying to help.”
“What was the problem?” his voice is level, not serious, just requesting information. Is that a good sign?
“One of the kennel bitches was having trouble delivering her pups. Freya was the only person I could think of that might be able to help and she did. We delivered all five of them.”
The soldier looks away, looks around the track. Then he nods and Marinov can see he has said enough. The Winter Soldier trots back to the track and starts to jog again. Marinov would like to think he looks more relaxed, his muscles looser, but he just doesn't know.
*
When he goes to bed that night he tries not to think of the rest of his life here in this camp. It is six weeks to his next furlough but he does not know how much longer he can take it. He has been back at Hydra for a week and he already feels the heaviness in his heart. Where will it all end? He should be used to it by now - just another week in his life on camp. No different to usual. He wonders if he makes any difference at all? If what he Jakobs and Stefan are doing will bear any fruit or one day will the world be ruled by Hydra?
He just doesn't know. He lies back on the pillow and prays for sleep to come.
At least I am not here forever like that poor bloody fucked up soldier, is his last thought before sleep finally claims him.
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A Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier Fic - The Constant