He was also allowed to approach the glass divider, allowed to observe the one-armed man sitting calmly on the other side. He remained standing for a long moment as he regarded the stranger. Yet finally, moving almost unconsciously, he sank down into a sitting position, mirroring him, his gaze never wavering all the while.
He felt the guards approach, more than anything. He barely twitched at it, now, and it was more the instinctive flinch at being sneaked up on that all good soldiers learned. But he knew that they were his guards, his keepers, and that there was nothing he could do to stop anything they might do to him.
It was a minor relief, albeit a confusing one, when they only asked him a question.
What did he think of this weapon?
He mulled over the question for a long moment. Finally, a touch helplessly, he could only answer. "I don't understand. What does it matter what I think?" That was...unusual. Unfamiliar. That wasn't right.
Why, he was a weapon of HYDRA as well, after all. His poor, sporadic performance aside, they trusted him to understand one of his own kind. At a glance, what were his impressions about this one's capabilities? Was he worth the time and effort they were putting into him?
They expected the answer that came, of course. "Yes." But it was the reasons they really paid attention to. And as it turned out, they were good reasons that were given. Appropriate ones. The man on the other side of the glass had clearly suffered some significant damage in the past, above and beyond what had cost him his arm. Yet his gaze remained alert, his stance controlled, and while the missing arm was clearly an obstacle, it was one he had obviously learned to work around. With a replacement, he would doubtless be a valuable asset. It would be a waste to dispose of him, and in doing so recoup none of their efforts.
They nodded and made notes, and he allowed himself a moment to relax at the feeling of having passed some sort of test. But as was always the case with his life - what little he knew of it - the end of one test so often meant the beginning of another.
How much did he really believe in what he was saying? If asked to prove his belief in this weapon's potential efficiency, could he do it? How willing was he to work for HYDRA's glory and strength, piece by piece, starting with this man?
He stared at the stranger, and in the back of his mind he felt inexplicably drawn to him above and beyond what he should feel in regarding a subject. The answer he gave came from an unfamiliar place, shadowy and lost, yet he felt in his bones that no other answer was at all possible.
"Tell me what you want."
The guards on the other side of the glass were speaking to the other man. He couldn't hear what they were saying. It didn't matter.
no subject
He felt the guards approach, more than anything. He barely twitched at it, now, and it was more the instinctive flinch at being sneaked up on that all good soldiers learned. But he knew that they were his guards, his keepers, and that there was nothing he could do to stop anything they might do to him.
It was a minor relief, albeit a confusing one, when they only asked him a question.
What did he think of this weapon?
He mulled over the question for a long moment. Finally, a touch helplessly, he could only answer. "I don't understand. What does it matter what I think?" That was...unusual. Unfamiliar. That wasn't right.
Why, he was a weapon of HYDRA as well, after all. His poor, sporadic performance aside, they trusted him to understand one of his own kind. At a glance, what were his impressions about this one's capabilities? Was he worth the time and effort they were putting into him?
They expected the answer that came, of course. "Yes." But it was the reasons they really paid attention to. And as it turned out, they were good reasons that were given. Appropriate ones. The man on the other side of the glass had clearly suffered some significant damage in the past, above and beyond what had cost him his arm. Yet his gaze remained alert, his stance controlled, and while the missing arm was clearly an obstacle, it was one he had obviously learned to work around. With a replacement, he would doubtless be a valuable asset. It would be a waste to dispose of him, and in doing so recoup none of their efforts.
They nodded and made notes, and he allowed himself a moment to relax at the feeling of having passed some sort of test. But as was always the case with his life - what little he knew of it - the end of one test so often meant the beginning of another.
How much did he really believe in what he was saying? If asked to prove his belief in this weapon's potential efficiency, could he do it? How willing was he to work for HYDRA's glory and strength, piece by piece, starting with this man?
He stared at the stranger, and in the back of his mind he felt inexplicably drawn to him above and beyond what he should feel in regarding a subject. The answer he gave came from an unfamiliar place, shadowy and lost, yet he felt in his bones that no other answer was at all possible.
"Tell me what you want."
The guards on the other side of the glass were speaking to the other man. He couldn't hear what they were saying. It didn't matter.