"Weapons ready."
Inside the hideout, Hydra's agents had finished their backup preparations.
"Target information."
A printed color photograph and a few brief lines of text were handed to the Winter Soldier.
"Winter Soldier, remember this face. This is your elimination target. Mission requirements: eliminate her completely and retrieve the USB drive she carries."
The Winter Soldier stared at the photograph without moving. Once the squad leader thought he had memorized the target's appearance, he prepared to destroy the information. He had barely turned away when a hoarse voice sounded behind him.
"Who is she?"
"What?" The squad leader turned in surprise. This was the second question the Winter Soldier had asked that day.
"The target I'm supposed to eliminate... what did she do... she and the girl beside her... who am I..."
The squad leader frowned. "Looks like it's time to brainwash him again. Prepare the equipment. Don't waste any more time than necessary."
The Winter Soldier's muscles instantly tensed, his pupils contracting. Clearly, even though he had lost all his memories, his body still harbored a bone-deep terror of the word "brainwashing."
Yet even so, he had asked. Like the lonely soul that, beneath seventy years of iron and blood, had never entirely surrendered.
"Sit down."
At the squad leader's command, even though the Winter Soldier knew perfectly well what agony awaited him, he could only obediently sit in the brainwashing chair and let the man force a mouthguard between his teeth.
He was merely a weapon. Whoever possessed his trigger words could command him.
And he had no choice.
Just as the brainwashing machine was about to start, Miaomiao's eyes snapped open.
Power strong enough to roam the ocean depths erupted from her. Before the Hydra agents could react, the specially designed restraints binding her snapped apart.
"What?!