[This was one of the first harsh lessons he had learned with HYDRA. The others had been sweet and alluring, drawing them all in to the glory of what they would be become, to settle into the differences that set HYDRA apart now from what it had been before. It had remade itself, and they would be apart of something very special. Marginalized, abused and ignored, those around his age always came over easily enough. It was honest to God better than where they had come from.
Still, he watched as his younger self was turned in his shackles to face the traitor, their bodies bumping in mid-air. A reminder that they could easily share the same fate if he wasn't careful, but he was excellent about being careful most of the time.
All the same, his mentor gave a soft whistle of appreciation. His back was already littered with old scars, stark white lines in his naturally tanned flesh. A gentle hand was passed over his bare back, as if trying to comfort the old pains away, even though the source of it had long ago disappeared from his life.
"This is your family now, all of you," his mentor murmured, soft and sincere. "Your parents all failed you, but I will not. We will not. You belong with us, and like all parents should, you will be taught the important lessons. Do you all understand?" Four voices sounded in agreement, three of them watching transfixed with both a mix of wonder and horror as the red-hot wire was picked up.
The first swing of the wire was precise, from shoulder to hip and a red welt almost instantly rose. There was no blood and it hadn't been fast enough to leave a permanent burn. Their mentor was a precise man, and he made a show of it now, never hitting the same flesh once if he could help it. Young Rumlow gave little cries of pain, toes reaching for the floor that he couldn't find.
It went on for a time, the other three watching with no opposition. When the wire no longer was warm enough, it was returned to the fire and his mentor slapped a hand against the raised welts.
"Someday, Agent Rumlow, you will rise in the ranks. I see great things for you, but you must learn. Do you understand?" Another slap and a grunt from his younger self, almost a whimper. "We are your family. We accept you for who you are and who you are meant to be. Serve loyally and we will always be your family."
"...order in pain," came the soft call.
"Yes, that's right. Hail HYDRA," his mentor said, stroking his back.
"Hail HYDRA," a young Rumlow uttered softly then cried out when his mentor rammed fingers into a pressure point at the back of his thigh.
"Say that like it will save you, boy!"
"Hail HYDRA," the young man repeated with more conviction and was rewarded with a gentler pat.
He sagged in the shackles, even as the hot wire was brought out again, this timed offered to young Rollins who blinked but also knew better than to hesitate. However, it was clear that this was an unfamiliar weapon to the bigger man, and he glanced in askance to their mentor.
"Quick strokes, not to hard. It's hot so you need little force to receive the necessary outcome," their mentor instructed. "Go on."
So Rollins gave it a go, starting too hard and leaving an actual burn and then forced to modify the technique while the other two watched and young Rumlow endured. It went on again for a long time, his back a sea of red welts, some of which blistered.
When it was cooled again, his mentor took the wire and put it back in the fire. "Now, you two are together until one or both of you dies. Your success is his success; your failure is his failure and vice versa. And don't worry, Agent Rollins, I guarantee someday very soon, he will be the one allowing you to understand this lesson too."]
...that scar on Rollins' chin... that was me. [It wasn't difficult to admit. She had seen his big secret, and he wondered what she thought of it. HYDRA out in the open where he never spoke of it.]
no subject
Still, he watched as his younger self was turned in his shackles to face the traitor, their bodies bumping in mid-air. A reminder that they could easily share the same fate if he wasn't careful, but he was excellent about being careful most of the time.
All the same, his mentor gave a soft whistle of appreciation. His back was already littered with old scars, stark white lines in his naturally tanned flesh. A gentle hand was passed over his bare back, as if trying to comfort the old pains away, even though the source of it had long ago disappeared from his life.
"This is your family now, all of you," his mentor murmured, soft and sincere. "Your parents all failed you, but I will not. We will not. You belong with us, and like all parents should, you will be taught the important lessons. Do you all understand?" Four voices sounded in agreement, three of them watching transfixed with both a mix of wonder and horror as the red-hot wire was picked up.
The first swing of the wire was precise, from shoulder to hip and a red welt almost instantly rose. There was no blood and it hadn't been fast enough to leave a permanent burn. Their mentor was a precise man, and he made a show of it now, never hitting the same flesh once if he could help it. Young Rumlow gave little cries of pain, toes reaching for the floor that he couldn't find.
It went on for a time, the other three watching with no opposition. When the wire no longer was warm enough, it was returned to the fire and his mentor slapped a hand against the raised welts.
"Someday, Agent Rumlow, you will rise in the ranks. I see great things for you, but you must learn. Do you understand?" Another slap and a grunt from his younger self, almost a whimper. "We are your family. We accept you for who you are and who you are meant to be. Serve loyally and we will always be your family."
"...order in pain," came the soft call.
"Yes, that's right. Hail HYDRA," his mentor said, stroking his back.
"Hail HYDRA," a young Rumlow uttered softly then cried out when his mentor rammed fingers into a pressure point at the back of his thigh.
"Say that like it will save you, boy!"
"Hail HYDRA," the young man repeated with more conviction and was rewarded with a gentler pat.
He sagged in the shackles, even as the hot wire was brought out again, this timed offered to young Rollins who blinked but also knew better than to hesitate. However, it was clear that this was an unfamiliar weapon to the bigger man, and he glanced in askance to their mentor.
"Quick strokes, not to hard. It's hot so you need little force to receive the necessary outcome," their mentor instructed. "Go on."
So Rollins gave it a go, starting too hard and leaving an actual burn and then forced to modify the technique while the other two watched and young Rumlow endured. It went on again for a long time, his back a sea of red welts, some of which blistered.
When it was cooled again, his mentor took the wire and put it back in the fire. "Now, you two are together until one or both of you dies. Your success is his success; your failure is his failure and vice versa. And don't worry, Agent Rollins, I guarantee someday very soon, he will be the one allowing you to understand this lesson too."]
...that scar on Rollins' chin... that was me. [It wasn't difficult to admit. She had seen his big secret, and he wondered what she thought of it. HYDRA out in the open where he never spoke of it.]