Courting Death

There was no need for a Winter Soldier; a few ordinary Hydra soldiers were more than enough to end Aiden's life. They were leagues above Dale's bodyguards in terms of lethality.

A buzzing sound interrupted Aiden's thoughts. He instinctively tried to close his eyes, but the adhesive tape held his eyelids open. The extended exposure made his eyes burn painfully, and tears streamed down his face, unable to blink away the discomfort that was far worse than words could describe.

The glaring patterns on the screen in front of him made his head spin. At this moment, Aiden forgot all about the idea of "screensavers."

"Longing."

"Rusted."

"Seventeen."

Amidst the tears and agony, Aiden heard these familiar Russian words.

"Oh, please," he murmured helplessly, a whisper of near-collapse. He never imagined such a scene would actually unfold before him.

"Daybreak."

"Furnace."

"Nine." The Colonel, who recited the words like a robot, watched Aiden's reactions and continued,

"Benign."

"Homecoming."

"One."

Aiden stared dumbly at the large screen filled with moving patterns, the Russian phrases piercing his heart like needles.

"Freight car."

After the last phrase, the officer tucked the notebook under his arm and softly said, "Welcome back, soldier."

At this point, Aiden wasn't sure if he could keep up the act. His brain was buzzing, the screen before him a dizzying blur; he was beyond self-control.

The Colonel seemed pleased with the outcome, putting earplugs back in his pocket and nodding to the cameras in the corner.

A sharp, piercing sound caused Aiden's ears to ring. The urge to close his eyes or cover his ears was in vain. He could only slightly struggle against the metal rack, his body barely moving in his weakened state.

Should he use his mutant abilities? They valued him so much that there must be countermeasures in place, especially since his peculiar powers were one of the reasons Hydra held him in high regard. If he survived this ordeal, could he make it out of this confinement chamber? Was death awaiting him outside?

After three excruciating hours, Aiden truly understood pain. The organization, which seemed to value him greatly, kept hypnotizing him without complaint, repeating the same process over and over. After a new cycle began, the Colonel sat back in his chair, put in his earplugs, and gestured for the soldiers to take over. He assumed a comfortable position, ready to rest, as Aiden's brainwashing session seemed to stretch on indefinitely. Aiden's eyes were bloodshot, his body exhausted, in pain, and his head buzzing.

Aiden had once thought the tortures of the Qing Dynasty were the pinnacle of human cruelty. Now he knew that mental torment was far more unbearable than physical torture.

At around 11:45 PM, following another round of procedures, a soldier said, "Welcome back, soldier."

This time, Aiden, in a daze, gazed at the screen and muttered reflexively, "Awaiting orders."

In the distance, the Colonel shook his head, relaxed his shoulders, checked the time, and smiled faintly. He put on his red beret, approached Aiden, and affectionately tousled the boy's hair. "As a child, you indeed have qualities that make us proud."

He leaned down to Aiden's ear and whispered, "Hail Hydra."

Aiden opened his mouth, silent for a long moment, then whispered back, "Hail Hydra."

"Take him back, tell the 'Teacher' to let him rest well; no training for the next few days," the Colonel ordered, exiting the confinement room first.

Aiden, who had lost consciousness completely, awoke not as one typically does from sleep. In fact, he had been lying awake on the bed the whole time, staring at the ceiling, eyes empty.

A silenced gunshot fired a bullet directly into Aiden's thigh.

The vacant expression in Aiden's eyes was suddenly filled with life, the intense pain eliciting a scream.

From a distance, the tall figure of Jelena approached. She walked briskly to Aiden's window and stepped on his wounded thigh, causing him even greater agony as a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Keep screaming!" Jelena pressed her gun to Aiden's forehead and commanded coldly, "Thirty-two."

Aiden's screams stopped abruptly. Clenching his teeth in agony, he shut his mouth, his body convulsing as he suddenly looked up at Jelena with a cold stare.

Jelena paused, then laughed, "What now? You want to challenge me? Are you courting death?"

As she leaned down, grabbing Aiden's hair in contempt, she taunted, "Why didn't you endure the pain? Little monster?"

"Tell me, why didn't you notice my approach? Why did you scream when you were shot? Hmm? Are you trying to undermine my teachings? Are you trying to embarrass me in front of the Colonel?" Jelena roughly tousled Aiden's hair, a gesture that seemed harmless to others but was the very thing Aiden loathed most.

Jelena knew Aiden's weak points and was deliberately rubbing salt into the wounds. As always, she enjoyed seeing Aiden helpless, forced to endure.

With a swift motion, Aiden's hand moved, and Jelena was taken aback as her gun flew from her grasp. Things had taken a turn she hadn't expected; the child she had manipulated at will was now rebelling?

In the next instant, Jelena's foot pressed down harder on Aiden's thigh.

The gun flew above Aiden's head, aiming at Jelena's face. The dark barrel of the gun was indeed a frightening sight.

"What are you trying to do? I could interpret this as a provocation, right? You're courting death, aren't you?" Jelena remained unfazed, slapping Aiden, "Freak?"

But Aiden's face would never bear the imprint of her hand again, for a bullet had opened a hole in Jelena's forehead. Her body collapsed, the cruel light in her eyes replaced by shock and disbelief.

Aiden had no qualms about killing a Hydra agent. He kicked the warm body aside, tore the bedsheets to dress his wound, and, enduring the pain, got out of bed. He stepped over Jelena's corpse and opened the door.

Outside stood two soldiers on night duty. Though it was 4 AM, they were diligent.

"I want to see the 'Teacher,'" Aiden said.

One soldier nodded, both aware of Aiden's status. One spoke into his walkie-talkie, while the other, puzzled by Aiden's appearance, peeked into the room.

Ten minutes later, Aiden limped to the Teacher's bedroom. The Teacher, in pajamas and sleepy-eyed, asked, "What is it, child?"

"I accidentally killed Jelena."

"What? What did you say?" The Teacher was instantly wide awake, staring at Aiden in shock.

"She wanted to test me, but my head was in a mess, and I shot her reflexively. By the time I realized what happened, it was too late. I'm sorry," Aiden said, his head bowed in a sincere apology.

The Teacher believed Aiden's claim about his confused state of mind, especially after the day's brainwashing. After weighing the situation, the Teacher reassured him with a smile, "It's alright, child, don't blame yourself. Tests carry risks. I know what you've been through today, and I'm glad you made it. I told Jelena tonight to halt your training for a while—she was too hasty. See? That's what happens when you don't obey orders, child. You're a soldier; take this as a lesson. Where is she now?"

"In my bedroom."

"Alright, I'll have someone clean it up. Don't stress too much. I'll assign you a new teacher, and for now, go treat your wound and then rest in the lounge on the lower floor."

Aiden nodded and walked away with a limp.