Archive of Our Own

“Til the end of the line”

The Asset recognizes code words when it hears them, but these ones are old. So it pauses, while the words process.

The Asset realizes three things as the ship falls apart.

The man in the blue suit was a handler.
He had the original code words.
He was drowning.

The Asset pulls the handler from the water, watching as he spits out water.

“Bucky?” His hoarse voice calls out.

The Asset tilts its head. It had beaten a handler. But the other handler told him to. Surely it wouldn’t be punished for following conflicting orders. Steve, Steve, he said he was Steve why does that name feel warm? and assesses the injuries. He has proven to be strong, like the Asset, so he could probably walk with assistance.

“Bucky—“ (The Asset realizes that the handler is referring to it, and understands that it is an old code name, so it must respond.)

“Mission report,” the Asset says.

The handler blinks. “Bucky you have to get to safety. For now.”

The Asset blinks. “You are injured.”

The handler waves him off. “You know I’ll live. Stay hidden. If—you can trust the Avengers—call them if you have to—“

“I will find you. To report.”

The handler nods. “Please. Stay safe.”

The words are different-no one says please to the Asset. It receives orders, not requests.

“Confirmed.”

The Asset turns, and walks away. In the back of its brain, all it hears is buzzing, and noise. It would have been caught had there not been so much distraction already. The Asset makes note to add this to the report when the handler finds it (or it finds the handler,) and continues to the origin point.

It finds the hidden door, and enters the code. There is no one waiting for it. This is not procedure. New handler, new procedure, its brain supplies as he descends the empty stairwell.

There are two people in the vault, digging through boxes in the center of the room. They freeze when they enter the room.The Asset watches them. There have been no orders concerning these people. Only orders to stay safe and hidden. These people kept him hidden before.

“Orders are to stay safe and hidden,” the asset says.

One of the people laughs. “Hidden? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Everything is on the Internet right now. Who gave those orders?”

“My handler.”

“If they aren’t dead now, they will be.”

“Jake-“ the other person interrupts, “It doesn’t know any better. You’ve seen it. Let me get the manual.”

“Whatever Fred, I’m gonna burn all this except the money and find somewhere without extradition.”

The Asset assigns the names to the people: Jake continues digging through boxes while Fred grabs a familiar binder.

“Alright, here we go. My Russians a little rusty, but these words are stuck in my brain from training,” Fred says.

The Asset stares as Fred goes through the five code words to assign a new handler. He feels the familiar pull to obey.

Except.

Til the end of the line

The Asset begins to breathe harder. The original code words were an override. The handler (Steve) knew overrides. That made him prime handler. For a moment, the Asset is silent, because the prime handler from before had blue eyes too. Were they the same?

No. his brain supplied New (original?) handler was younger (older?).

Fred nodded. “Ok, what you are going to do now is help us find the money. Money and a new safe house. That’s an order.”

The Asset looks at the man with the binder. “Orders are to stay safe and hidden. To find the handler after a week.”

“Jesus, Fred, you said them wrong,” Jake says.

“No. They beat us until we had the pronunciations perfect and you know it. Something’s scrambled his system. Gotta use shutdown procedures. Do a reset.”

“No,” The Asset says, and it reels because it can’t say no, it isn’t supposed to say no.

“Fuck this Fred, I’m out.” Jake drops the box in his hands and heads towards the vault door.

The Asset grabs his arm. “Orders are to stay safe and hidden. This vault is inaccessible without the proper codes. Codes are given verbally only. It is safe. And hidden.”

“Fred—“Jake’s eyes are panicky.

Fred is flipping pages in the binder. “Give me a minute, asshole. Here it is!”

Fred looks at the Asset. “Sputnik”

The Asset’s body actually twitches. It falls to its knees, head in pain as the words fight against each other.

Sputnik. Til the end of the line. Sputnik. Til the end of the line. Shut down. obey the handler. Don’t say no. Respond only when spoken to. Kill. Shoot. Obey. Sputnik. Shut down. Til the end of the line. Steve. Warm. Smiles. Obey. Shut down. Shut down Shut down shut down shut shut shut

“No.” The Asset says to an empty room. It isn’t sure how much time has passed. It is still on it’s knees, breathing heavily.

“Stay safe. Stay hidden,” it says as it resets all the codes. It assesses supplies. The Asset nods, and gets to work.

Stay safe. Stay hidden.

*

Tony has done a lot of damage in his career as Iron Man. When he arrives at the Potomac, ten hours after the Incident, he whistles to himself.

“Cap, what have you done? JARVIS, talk to me.”

“Local authorities are coordinating with the National Guard to block off the main area around the Triskelion. Romanoff is working with Hill on decoding the information they leaked to the public. I have been analyzing as well.”

“Okay, where do we go first?”

“Well, sir, there was a communication from First Municipal Bank on Hilliard Avenue for you that you should be interested in.”

“For me? Okay, I’m interested.”

A dead man appears on screen. “I am attempting to contact Tony Stark, code name Iron Man. I have orders from Captain Rogers to stay safe and hidden. However, there was a malfunction and I need to report, I need—I was told I could contact the Avengers. I am located at the First Municipal Bank on Hilliard Avenue in Washington D.C. I am sending this on a coded line. I will report upon arrival.”

The dead man disappears.

“Was that who I thought it was?”

“Yes, sir,” JARVIS supplies. “Part of the data we have found supplies that Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes is also known as the Winter Soldier. Per reports he was seen leaving the Potomac area around the same time Captain Rogers was found, barely alive.”

“Think Barnes had something to do with it?”

“Unknown. He is considered dangerous, and authorities have a warrant out for his arrest at this time. They do not name him as Barnes, but only the Soldier.”

“Don’t want to ruin an American hero. He said Rogers told him to call me, but it could be a trap. Let’s go find out.”

Tony flies away from the damage.

*

Steve leaves the hospital on the fourth day. He’s not completely healed, but most everything is deep bruising at this point. Sam shakes his head at Steve, but that doesn’t stop him from checking out.

“What do we know?” Steve says as he (slowly) drags on his shirt.

“Stark’s on clean up for the most part,” Sam said. “He came in while you were out, frowned at you, and then said he was going to do what he does best.”

Steve smiles. “He threw money at the problem, right?”

“That and Iron Man. Clint showed up yesterday to yell at Natasha for not calling him, and they’ve been handling the government. Hill is organizing things on the ground, and Fury is still ‘dead’ as far as anyone knows. No sign of your friend.”

Steve nods. “I told him to go to ground. He won’t be found. Let’s go find Stark and see what he’s found.”

They find Tony outside a bank.

“‘Bout time you got here. Should have called before you decided to destroy the government. I would have loved helping.”

Steve shrugs “Sorry, it was—“

“Red Scare told me. Funnily enough, I got a call from this bank right after I arrived in D.C. I’ve been talking with your man on the inside, but he won’t let me in.”

“He called you?”

“Said you told him to.”

“I told him to trust you.”

Tony looks surprised. “Cap, you shouldn’t have.”

Steve smiles tightly. “I have to tell you—“

“Hydra killed my parents? JARVIS already got to that. You think it was the Soldier?”

Steve looks at Tony, mouth tightening. “Could have been. I don’t know.”

“He gave me a mission report you know. “Slight malfunction when entering the safe house, but have secured facility until further orders. Stay safe, stay hidden.”

Steve shakes his head, eyes welling up. “I told him—he—he pulled me out of the river Tony. But he also fought me.”

“Yeah your old war buddy has been brainwashed and tortured. Figured that much. Sergeant Barnes didn’t kill my parents, Cap. The Soldier might have, but not him.”

Steve blinks. “That’s an interesting distinction.”

“Blame Pep for sending me to therapy. I can show you video of inside. I was able to hack that much.”

Steve nods. “Okay..”

There’s an empty vault, with piles of boxes and hard drives in a large empty space in front of some sort of machine. It looks large, with a chair with enforced strap, and what looks like a head piece.

“What—“ Steve starts.

“There’s more,” Tony says, his mouth tightening.

The view changes to a smaller room. There is a vertical chamber, and another chair with restraints, along with some medical equipment. At first the room looks empty, but in one far corner, behind a desk, there is a glint of a metal finger hanging out.

“Bucky,” Steve breathes. “Tony—“

“I can patch you in. He’s been making daily reports. ‘Still functioning. Safe. Hidden.’ You think he’ll open it up for you?”

“Maybe, since I’m the one who told him to stay safe and hidden.”

Tony nods. “JARVIS, I’m giving Steve an earpiece. Go ahead and patch us in.”

Tony looks at Steve, and then finally registers Sam. “Can’t believe you replaced me with a bird, Mr. America.”

Steve shakes his head as he puts in the earpiece. “Sam, this is Tony Stark. Tony, this is Sam, who saved both mine and Natasha’s lives, and helped save the world. Play nice.”

“Hello, Captain Rogers,” JARVIS says. “Just speak directly, and Sergeant Barnes will hear you.”

“Bucky? It’s Steve.”

There is silence. Steve let’s out a breath. “I found you, just like I said. Will you let me in?”

Nothing. Steve frowns.

“You said you told him to stay safe and hidden,” right?” Sam says.

“Yeah—after he pulled me from the river…he, he was waiting for orders.”

“So he thinks your in charge? Why? What happened on the helicarrier?”

“We were fighting. He said I was his mission—I—“ Steve swallowed. “I stopped fighting.”

“What did you say to him? Or did you fall then”

Steve breathes in. “Bucky. I’m with you. Remember? ’Til the end of the line.”

The glimpse of hand on the video disappears. Bucky stands.

“Mission report.”

“You gotta let me in Bucky, let us in.”

Bucky stumbles to a panel near the desk, punches in a code.

“The doors are unlocked Captain Rogers.”

“Thank you JARVIS.”

Sam catches Steve’s arm, “We gotta do this carefully. He thinks you’re his commander. Not his friend.”

Steve nods. “He doesn’t know me.” His breath hitches. “I understand.”

Sam and Tony share a look, but Steve turns away, and heads inside the building.

*

The Asset stands at attention, in front of the chair. Once he reports, they’ll reset it and put him in cryo. This will fix everything. There are…errors. It’s hands shake behind the back. He has been rationing both the nutrition packs and the supplements that go on the inside panel of his arm.

The handler enters the vault slowly, shield at his side. There are two behind him: the one from earlier that had the wings, and a man in red and gold armor who—

Stark. I knew a-I don’t know anyone. But I know him because he knows Steve-the handler. Right?

The asset gets a flash of a face that looks almost the same, but it isn’t sure. The fact it isn’t sure concerns the Asset, because all of it’s memories are of unwavering movement, absolute certainty in the mission. The mission.

The handler had been a mission. But he was also a handler. How could this be? Why were there so many questions? There should only be orders.

“Bucky?”

“Mission Report.”

The handler nods. “Mission report.”

The Asset sighs in relief. This he understands. “After orders given, I reported to the safe house. There were two agents here. They attempted to override the code words, but did not succeed. However, a malfunction in the words allowed the agents to escape. Uncertain if they have reported my location. I updated codes to ensure safety. I have rationed both nutrients and supplements, but will be out within 48 hours.”

The handler blinks. “Code words-“

“You gave the original code words. They overrode what the agents had.”

“Original code words?” the man in armor said. “Steve?”

The handler/Steve turned to him. “We—when we were younger, Bucky and I always said we were together, til the end of the line. I think that’s what he means. Right Buck?”

“Correct. Those are your code words. They—reset. You stopped being a mission. You are now my handler.”

“I see,” the handler/Steve says. “Bucky, these are—“

“We report to Steve,” the flyer says. “I’m Sam, that’s Tony. We’re—agents.”

The handler/Steve nods. “Right. It’s been awhile since I’ve, uh, been your handler, Buck, so you’re gonna have to help me. What happens next?”

The Asset nods. He picks up the binder in the chair and holds it out to Steve (the handler.)

“Asset handling?” Steve reads. He flips through the pages, his jaw clenching. He hands Sam (the flyer) the binder and turns to Tony (the armor.)

“They—Tony—“

“Breathe Cap,” Tony says. “Whatever is in there, it—it’ll help.”

The Asset watches, his hands still shaking. The malfunction is getting worse, because it is dizzy, and cold. And there are so many thoughts in the brain, and none of them make any sense.

“Okay, Bucky, we’re gonna figure this out. Tell me what’s next.”

The Asset nods. “I am cleaned. And prepared. For reset. And cryo. Where I await the next mission.”

“Reset?”

The Asset nods, and gestures to the chair. “To fix the malfunctions.”

Steve (the handler) takes a breath. Sam (the flyer) puts a hand on his shoulder.

“What are your malfunctions?”

“Because I am rationing nutrition and supplements, I am experiencing—the hands-“ The asset held out a hand, shaking.

“Withdrawal,” Tony murmurs.

The Asset continues. “There is more. I—I said no. I said no to the agents and I hit a handler and there is no mission and why do I know the Tony when I don’t know the Sam?”

The Asset breaths, and kneels, bending it’s head. “I am asking questions. I don’t—please—just reset me.”

There is movement, and finally, the punishment and reset will come, and everything will be fixed. But then there is a hand on it’s head.

“Buck. Look at me.”

The Asset looks up. The handler is touching it’s cheek now. The handler touches. Only the handler.

“We’ll fix this. I promise.”

“I-“ the Asset’s hands begin to shake harder, and it can’t speak, because there is nothing but the handler shouting for help, and then black.

*

It takes three hours, fifteen minutes, and 20 seconds to get Bucky to a Quinjet and in the air. They are going to the Tower. Sam should be excited to go to Avengers Tower, but he’s busy monitoring vital signs and ensuring Steve doesn’t freak out.

They’d grabbed what they could, including the box carefully labelled nutrition and supplements. They’d found an IV port under Bucky’s arm for the nutrition. Tony took half the plane ride to read through the manual for the supplements. Hill and Romanoff were at the bank, carefully gathering evidence. Barton was flying them to New York.

“I’m analyzing whatever is in these and should no more when we get to the Tower. The nutrients are probably similar to what they first gave you when you first melted, Steve,” Tony says. “The supplements—“

“You said withdrawal,” Steve said. “Drugs.”

“Yeah, probably to regulate him between frozen times.”

“Drugged, brainwashed, and tortured. I should—“

Sam put out his hand to Steve “No. We are not going there. I can’t stop you from feeling guilty, but I’m going to stop you from spiraling. If you had followed him off of that train where would we be?”

Steve shuts his mouth. He doesn’t look happy, but he nods anyway. His breathing is suspiciously even and controlled.

“That chair—that machine—“ he says.

“I don’t know. Looked like it was hooked up to electricity, so, probably that times a million. Why he doesn’t remember anything,” Tony says. “I have a doctor with a pretty big NDA plus Bruce who can look at brain scans to be sure.”

“Okay. Then what? He thinks—he—“

Steve looks at Sam. Sam is not an expert, but he’s who Steve knows.

“Whatever you do, he thinks you are his handler- from what we found so far, that was probably Pierce overall. Since he’s dead, we don’t know anything about his treatment.”

“Sam—“

“We have to initially get him on an even keel before we can even start to think about treatment. That means we have to be careful, and play along. It’s going to hurt. A lot. But it’s what he will need.”

Steve nods. “I used to—I was so sick all of the time. He stopped everything to take care of me. Everything. How can I do any less?”

Sam nods. “One more thing. And I don’t think you’ll like it.”

“All right.”

“Until we get him stable, and under the care of several doctors, no one should be alone with him."

Steve turns red, then as pale as a ghost. “You think—“

“I don’t know,” Sam says. “But if there are two people with him, even if it’s JARVIS watching, we will always know for sure.”

Steve nods. “Okay. When we get back—Tony will find medical doctors, but—“

“I can with in as much as I can on the other side. I’ll make a few calls. We’ll take care of him.”

*

The Asset wakes on the plane.

It can see the handler, so it does not panic. It sees the IV, and its hands feel steady.

“Hey, Buck,” the handler (Steve) says. “We, uh, figured out some of the malfunction. We’re gonna take you somewhere safe to see if we can fix it permanently.”

The Asset shakes his head. “This is not protocol.”

Steve (the handler) looks to Sam, who is on the Asset’s right.

“I understand, but we are instituting new protocol,” Steve/the handler says, and pulls out a sheet of paper.

The Asset nods. “Готов выполнить.”

“I—“ the handler pauses. “I caught that one, but let’s keep this in English.”

“Ready to comply,” the Asset repeats.

“Good. First: we are discontinuing resets and cryo, indefinitely. Second: when we arrive at the Tower, we will establish your new mission. There will be reports to many people, including myself. Third: if you are experiencing any malfunctions, those will be reported immediately.”

The Asset blinks.

Steve (the handler) breathes in, then out, “Fourth: If you need to know something, you will ask without prompting. Those are new protocols.”

The Asset swallows. It does not understand. These don’t make sense. Asking questions? No resets? No cryo? But what if—

“Question.” The Asset barely says it, because it isn’t possible that he should be able to.

“Go ahead,” the handler/Steve says.

“Do…do older protocols apply?”

“We’re getting ready to land,” a unfamiliar voice calls from the cockpit.

“Okay,” Steve/handler says. “We haven’t had a chance to look at older protocols yet, so for now, let’s say yes until we can review them. Unless they conflict with a new protocol. Then you follow the new one.”

The Asset considers. “Confirmed.”

The plane lands. The pilot and Tony emerge from the cockpit.

“This is Clint,” Steve says. “He and Sam are going to take you towards the showers so we can get you cleaned up. I’ll be right there.”

The Asset nods. As he is led down the ramp, he can hear the Tony saying something-

“Supplements, Cap. Anti-depressents, Xanax, Triptoreln—“

Soon enough they are too far to hear. The Asset follows Sam the flyer and Clint the pilot to a large bathroom.

The Asset stands at attention.

“Steve didn’t tell him to actually get clean, did he,” the pilot says.

“No. Don’t suppose we could get started?” Sam asks.

The Asset considers. This is not an order, this phrase, so it could say no. But not saying no, obeying orders is one of the oldest orders. Almost as old as—

Til the end of the line.

The Asset does not understand. The original code words were a reset, but it did not reset protocols. What else did it not reset?

“I can only follow the orders of a handler. You are only agents.”

“It’s alright, I am here.”

There was something about Steve (the handler) in his face. The Asset thought it was anger.

This handler does not hurt. This handler-all handlers hurt, it is the only way the Asset functions-but there are new protocols—

“Okay, Bucky, do you know how to get clean?”

The Asset looks at Steve. Maybe the Steve handler doesn’t know. If the Asset doesn’t tell him—he has to tell him.

“Protocol advises that handlers check the Asset after each mission, confirm lack of injury.”

Steve sighs. “Of course. Clint, why don’t you let Tasha know we’re here. Sam and I have got this."

Clint nods, and leaves.

“All right, Bucky, why don’t you strip, and show us.”

There’s a strain in Steve’s voice, not like with Handler Pierce, or Handler Rumlow. They had just ordered. The Asset does not understand, but he is not meant to.

He strips. When he is finished, Steve is staring at his chest.

“Buck—“ the word barely comes out. Sam puts a hand on Steve’s shoulder.

“Why don’t you tell us about that harness you’re wearing,” Sam asks.

The Asset looks down. It always wears this. Just in case.

“It is protocol.”

“Can you tell us about it?”

This is not an order. The Asset breathes. He doesn’t have to say. He should have-but it is an old protocol and Stevehandler told him to follow—but then—it has to be said.

“New protocols, instated by Handler Pierce. As the Asset is an asset, it will be treated like other assets. It will be handled only by those certified. The Asset must obey, even if it is outside mission parameters. The mission will be completed or there will be punishment. The Asset must not be touched. It is a tool and to be used for missions. If I am to continue these protocols, I must wear this.”

“I don’t—“

The Asset interrupts, because if it stops, it will not finish. “The jacket also has straps. To hold, to direct it.”

“It?” The handler Steve looks angry. The Asset is ready for this. It has been coming. Before the handler punishes him, the flying man (Sam) gestures for the Asset to continue.

“All of the technicians wear gloves. I can’t wear it in cryo, but as soon as I am ready—“

“No touching,” Steve (handler) says.

“Steve,” Sam says. “I don’t think—“

“When the Asset does not complete a mission, or does not follow protocol, it must be corrected. I can list the disciplines given.”

Steve/handler shakes his head. “But no touching.”

“Not directly. There were gloves for hands. Shoes for feet. Protection for disease.”

“What?”

The Asset points between his legs. "The agents. The handlers, they wear gloves, I do not know any other name, on this, during some disciplines. For disease.”

The handler’s breath hitches, and his face is pale, his eyes are furious.

“Are you malfunctioning?”

The flyerSam shakes his head and puts himself in between Bucky and the handler.

“Gotta breathe, Steve. Gotta finish this. Remember? Take care of him?”

“Yeah,” Steve rasps. “I remember. Okay. Why don’t you show us what you need to so we can get you cleaned up.”

“Confirmed,” The Asset says, complying with its orders.

*

“Mr. Stark, I think you should go down to assist Captain Rogers and Sergeants Wilson and Barnes.”

Tony looks up from the lab reports. “What?”

“I believe Captain Rogers is having a panic attack. Sergeant Wilson can’t seem to talk him out of it.”

“Barnes?”

“Showering.”

Tony nods. and heads to the elevator. On his way, he grabs a cold bottle of water from a fridge.

He can hear Sam quietly talking to Steve, and as he turns the corner, the Captain is huddled in a corner as if he were much shorter than he actually is, breathing uneven, and face red with tears.

“Steve, you have to breathe,” Sam says. “If you don’t—“

Tony walks in, and dumps the water on Cap’s head. Steve sputters, but his face starts to go back to a more normal color.

“Sometimes a different shock helps. At least for my panic attacks,” Tony says. “JARVIS called me, so it must’ve been bad."

Steve’s breath hitches again. “They—“

He stands and breathes in, then out. His face settles into a familiar clench of the jaw. He looks at Tony, anger, guilt, sadness, multiple emotions in his eyes.

“They tortured him. Brainwashed him. Treated him like an object. Drugged him. Raped him and beat him when he didn’t do things right. Made him—made him kill people. Because I didn’t catch him—“

“Steve—“ Sam says.

“No. If I had been faster, or stronger or—“ Steve sat in a chair, putting his head between his knees.

Tony looks at Sam, who begins to walk that way. Tony shakes his head. “Let him finish.”

Steve looks up. “You looking for a speech?”

“No, but I don’t think you’re done yet.”

Steve laughs, and it’s watery and bitter. “I’ve loved Bucky Barnes since I was thirteen years old, and he doesn’t even fucking know me. I haven’t even begun.”

Tony nods. “Thought it might be like that. Wasn’t sure though.”

The shower stops.

“He’s gonna be out in a minute,” Sam says.

“Guess I have to put it away, huh?”

“For a little bit, yeah.”

Tony watches as Steve closes in on himself, becoming familiarly stoic and distant.

“Hey Cap,” he says.

“Yeah Tony?”

“When you get him settled, why don’t we try and get you drunk. I’ve got something I’ve been working on for you.”

Steve smiles. “All right. I’ll tell you embarrassing stories about Howard.”

“Sounds great.”

Steve squares his shoulders. “All right, Sam, let’s go.”

Tony watches them walk into the bathroom.

*

The Asset is dressed in soft clothing, what the handler-Steve-has called pajamas.

“This is where we will be staying. It’s been a long day. How long do you normally rest on missions?”

The Asset thinks. “Depending on the mission. I can rest on as little as half an hour of sleep.”

“What about eight hours?”

The Asset stares at the agent Sam. “I have never slept more than four hours on a mission.”

“But you could?”

“Confirmed.”

The handler gestures at a door. “This will be your room. You will sleep for eight hours. In the morning, you will report to JARVIS, the voice you heard earlier. It’s a computer that will monitor you while we all rest. Do you understand?”

“Ready to comply.”

The Asset still does not understand why it will not be reset. Or put in cryo.

“Bucky—“ Steve—the Asset freezes as the handler takes its hand.

“Sir?”

Steve smiles, and squeezes his hand. “I’m glad you're here. Go sleep. We have—we have time to figure it out.”

The Asset does not know what he means. But it understands the order, and complies.

When the door is shut, The Asset looks at the hand that Steve took.

Handlers—no one—

A flash of memory, of Steve, from before, his shoulders under the Asset’s arm, laughing into its chest.

The Asset breathes. Understands.

Old protocols. Steve handler protocols.

The Asset nods. There is a lot to relearn, but like the handler had said. There was time.