Chapter 29: Wavering

SIXTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO

After Yumhee and Dr. Erskine were kidnapped, Yumhee went through a lot of tests and check-ups for the Hydra scientists to build a substantial amount of information about Project Rebirth.

After a week of not being able to see and talk to each other, and not knowing when they would see each other again, Yumhee grabbed this opportunity to persuade Dr. Erskine not to disclose how he was able to make the serum.

"Father...I know you're greatly burdened by my situation. But you don't have to be. Our main priority right now is to make sure that they won't be able to produce super soldiers." Yumhee held Dr. Erskine's hands conversing through Morse code. "I'm a soldier. I'm prepared for these kinds of situations...besides...I don't want my child to live and grow in this kind of environment enduring God knows what." Silent tears started to fall on both their faces.

"I know...I know my child." Dr. Erskine wiped the tears off her face. "I understand what you're feeling right now...but you also have to understand that my priority right now is your well-being, so is your unborn child's."

After a few days, Yumhee was escorted in a room and was strapped in a cold metal table. She can hear machines operating all around her with inaudible conversations of Dr. Zola's subordinates she imagined while they attached many things in her body. She was beyond terrified of what they were planning to do to her especially since she's currently pregnant.

She heard a door open then a set of footsteps followed. "She's ready Dr. Zola." one of the assistants reported.

"Then start with the experiment." Dr. Zola ordered coldly.

That was the beginning of Yumhee's torturous days. Muffled screams echoed around the room, tears staining her face and her body trying it's best to constantly heal the internal damages caused by the series of electricity shocks.

"What's the condition of the unborn child?" Dr. Zola asked when he returned after half an hour.

One of his subordinates answered, astonished by the results. "At first there was a negative reaction so we decided to send shorter and lower voltage electric shocks than the planned one after 10mins of resting for the subject . For now we are still on the same level to make the subject accustomed to it before increasing the length of time electric shocks are sent."

"If the subject is able to endure it continuously for five minutes then we'll up the voltage." Another subordinate added.

Dr. Zola looked at Yumhee and reminded his subordinates. "Make sure this subject doesn't die. Schmidt still needs her." After a pause, he added. "And this is the only one I have right now so be careful with the experiments." After saying those words, he left to continue with the other task he was ordered which is creating weapons.

Yumhee was sent to her cell after an hour and Dr. Erskine followed after a while to take care of her. He did his best to treat the small burn marks scattered around her body. When she came to, he asked the person guarding the cell for a light meal for her.

"How are you feeling right now?" Dr. Erskine asked gently.

Yumhee didn't look his way. She just continued to lay there unresponsive. Dr. Erskine was devastated and feeling helpless. But after a few minutes of silence, Yumhee grabbed his father's hand and started tapping.

"I don't know what to do anymore father. Every minute I was in there...the idea of death seems more and more appealing. Subjecting my unborn child to such torment every single day for who knows how long..." She squeezed his father's hand while letting out painful sobs for her child. "To not be able to take care of my child to this extent and still letting people do whatever they want with my child..." Dr. Erskine held her hand tightly, feeling the same emotions as her daughter. "Being a useless parent as early as this, it's the most painful thing I have ever endured in my life." Yumhee was beyond heartbroken.

Dr. Erskine, though hurting inside as well, tried hard to be positive for his daughter. "Don't think like that. We both know, this.." he points around them. "This isn't anyone's fault but the Hydra." He gently pats her hand and kissed it. "Don't lose hope my child. The day you stop, is the day you sentenced yourself and your child unworthy deaths." He guided her face so that she's looking at him. "They may break your body, but never let them break your will."

After a three full days of recovery, Hydra decided to continue with the experiment. After a month, Dr. Zola injected a glowing blue serum to Yumhee's arm before the electric shocks started. Some time during the experiment, she started to vibrate. Parts of her body getting invisible for a second due to the intensity of the vibration. That was what the scientists believed.

But Yumhee knew exactly what's happening to her body. The excruciating pain she feels when a part of her body went missing for a second and then goes back to her, sent her to utter terror of the possibility of her child teleporting and returning dead to her. Amidst the pain she's feeling, she tried hard to concentrate on controlling the one part of her body not to teleport.

When more than ten minutes went by and she's still unstable, they injected her a sedative to stop her from vibrating. After checking the vitals thoroughly the subject was sent to her cell for recovery. A standby doctor monitoring her around the clock.

When Dr. Zola went inside the cell, Dr. Erskine immediately went to him and grab his coat. "Stop this right now or you're going to kill them!"

The guard restrained Dr. Erskine while Dr. Zola fixed his clothes. "Don't worry, your daughter is an important subject for me especially the unborn child. I won't let both of them die until I'm finished with them." As he was leaving the cell, Dr. Erskine tried to grab him again but was stopped by the guard again.

It took a week before Yumhee regained consciousness. After another full day of rest, the experiment continued but with a different means. She's still strapped but now in a standing position against a cold metal surface.

A Hydra soldier entered the room together with the scientists wheeling metallic trays. Due to the distance, she wasn't able to see what they contain.

One of the scientists lifted a pistol and handed it to the soldier while giving instructions to not shoot any vital organs. "For now you can concentrate to the arms and legs. Avoid any major artery if you can." Before completely leaving the room she added "Wait for our signals before shooting her."

Safe and secured at the other side of the glass wall, the same woman from before gave the signal to the soldier to start. The loud gunshot echoed and the bullet penetrated through Yumhee's hand. A muffled scream following it.

As hard as Yumhee tried to stay conscious after the third bullet had hit her, her mind couldn't handle the pain and blood loss anymore. A doctor and two assistants entered the room after she fainted. They removed the two bullets inside her and closed her wounds. After a blood transfusion she was wheeled to her cell for recovery.

This torturous cycle continued until her last trimester. But after just a week of giving birth, the cycle continued again for her.