WINTER SOLDIER

_

My eyes fluttered open.

I was in a dark room, and I could see shadows ligering in various spots on my 180° visuals. From what I could detect, there were 2 chairs, 1 pull out bed, and what looked like a bookshelf.

It was a 98% chance that I was in a small apartment somewhere, and the faint sound of cars was evidence that I was still in New York.

"Oh," a voice said, "you're finally awake."

I blinked, watching as a figure slipped around the shadows. I couldn't get a clear visual.

"Sorry for trapping you in that gate earlier," they said, "I had to be sure you wouldn't escape."

I didn't remember any gate. I was only here, in the apartment. There was no record of existing before this moment.

"I have a mission for you," the shadow continued, "it requires complete secrecy, and no witnesses."

I nodded my head.

"You will do only as I say, when I say."

I nodded my head again.

"Good," they sneered, "very good."

He took a step closer. This time he wasn't covered in darkness.

Slick black hair, narrow facial features, amused expression. All unfamiliar. He was wearing a green cape, a leather bodysuit, and had a dagger sheathed in a holster on his right hip.

From this I gathered that he was professionally trained in swordplay, based on the way the holster was angled. Or he had a fascination with daggers.

"I'm Loki," he said, bending down to grin at me, "of Asgard."

He was close to my face. I hated that.

I whipped out my metal arm, pushing it in front of my face. He seemed to get the message, and took a step back. I watched as his eyes traveled to my arm, and towards my symbol.

"I don't remember you having a snowflake on your arm," Loki said, "is it new?"

I turned my gaze to see what he was staring at.

The red star was gone.

Instead was a sickening blob of blue and white, and I wanted nothing more than to tear it off. It was humiliating.

"Anyways, I need you to help me steal something," the man continued, "preferably before my brother finds out."

I narrowed my eyes in distaste. He was taking too long to explain the mission, and he was over-dramatizing it. None of that was protocol.

It took him two minutes and three-quarter seconds to finish explaining it. Basic Class-A mission. Get in, get the job done, and get out. Kill anyone if necessary. The mission was to steal the Tesseract from Stark Tower, before Loki's brother Thor came to take it back to asgard. Important information:

Be seen by no one, talk to no one, and take no action unless instructed by Loki himself. He gave me an ear piece to hook on, just so I could hear him talking to me.

"Understand?" he said, crossing his arms across his chest.

I nodded my head.

"I wouldn't usually seek help from humans, but if I get caught in New York, I might as well be dead," Loki said, "so that's why I need you."

I nodded my head again.

Loki paced again, scratching his chin with the top of his pointer finger. Those were signs of agitation. He was nervous this plan wouldn't work, and that reflected on me. I never failed a mission.

"Let's get to work then," he said, clapping his hands together finally, "the first thing we're going to do is get into that tower."

Loki may have had the skills to bring me here, but he was not well-mandated when it came to my system. He brought no file, no weapons, and no plans. He was only a person with an idea he wanted executed.

I didn't need someone like that telling me what to do.

"Very well then," he said finally, "are you ready, Soldier?"

Despite my deposition to him, I had one thing burned into my brain. Always. Follow. Protocol.

Standing up from my chair, I narrowed my eyes, "ready to comply."

_

I wanted to finish my mission, but Loki told me to wait.

I hated waiting.

Pacing around the apartment, my eyes scanned the city streets below. No one showed signs of suspicious behavior, which led me to believe no one knew I was here.

"Did you do that yourself?" Loki asked, leaning back into his chair.

He had his legs propped up on the table beside him, his arms crossed in boredom. He had been silently watching me this whole time. I followed his gaze to my metal arm, where the snowflake was.

I forgot about it.

Grunting, I shook my head. I wouldn't ever deface my symbol with something so tawdry and useless. The red star was my insignia of compliance, and had to be shown at all times.

Clenching my bare hand, I turned to the paint and started to scratch it off, piece by piece. Once the star was visible again, I dusted the remnants off and turned back to the window.

I had one mission to complete, and I couldn't wait to do it.