The Captain gets a strange flash of… something, a snake, a — cobra, that's the word — stalking its prey. Every step the Soldier takes is calm, calculated, but opaque; it almost makes the Captain restless even as he stands his ground, lets his opponent come to him. It's not a tactic he favors, but it's one the handlers have been trying to work on with him, when the sessions in the chair seem to be going well, when the combinations of drugs make him particularly receptive, when he can be trained and worked for hours at a time. They're teaching him patience, because an asset to HYDRA is only valuable if it can use every tactic at its disposal.
That patience is finally rewarded. The last kick was strong, but telegraphed enough that there was no way the Captain couldn't see it coming. This kick is has its tells, too, but this time, it's faster than anything the Captain's seen before. It's impressive. This, he finally thinks, is finally an opponent worth fighting. Anyone they could put in the room with him before… it's hard to remember befores, it gets hazy, but he's sure it's happened before. He's sure it was never like this.
He's sure he's supposed to end this as quickly and efficiently as possible. But there's something in him that doesn't want to end it. Doesn't want to know what will happen then. Will they punish the Soldier for losing? Will they terminate him?
It's that thought that makes the Captain hesitate — he's distracted for a fraction of a second, and it's enough that the kick connects. The pain flares and the Captain grits his teeth; the Soldier is close again and the Captain grabs for his leg, tries to catch it and drag him forward, keep him close, bracing himself on his good leg while the other shoots sharp needles of pain. He's not sure how badly injured it is, but he also knows that won't matter to a handler. Pain is not an excuse. Pain is what brings order, and order is what he's made to enforce.
That's what they keep telling him, anyway.
The soft, skintight pants don't give him much of a handhold, but there's just enough that he can disrupt the other asset's momentum. He tries to use it to his advantage, to get the Soldier off balance, slam him to the floor and follow with his bigger bulk. It's a street brawler's move, nothing near as efficient as a carefully-aimed kick or hit. But the Captain does have sheer size and strength going for him.
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That patience is finally rewarded. The last kick was strong, but telegraphed enough that there was no way the Captain couldn't see it coming. This kick is has its tells, too, but this time, it's faster than anything the Captain's seen before. It's impressive. This, he finally thinks, is finally an opponent worth fighting. Anyone they could put in the room with him before… it's hard to remember befores, it gets hazy, but he's sure it's happened before. He's sure it was never like this.
He's sure he's supposed to end this as quickly and efficiently as possible. But there's something in him that doesn't want to end it. Doesn't want to know what will happen then. Will they punish the Soldier for losing? Will they terminate him?
It's that thought that makes the Captain hesitate — he's distracted for a fraction of a second, and it's enough that the kick connects. The pain flares and the Captain grits his teeth; the Soldier is close again and the Captain grabs for his leg, tries to catch it and drag him forward, keep him close, bracing himself on his good leg while the other shoots sharp needles of pain. He's not sure how badly injured it is, but he also knows that won't matter to a handler. Pain is not an excuse. Pain is what brings order, and order is what he's made to enforce.
That's what they keep telling him, anyway.
The soft, skintight pants don't give him much of a handhold, but there's just enough that he can disrupt the other asset's momentum. He tries to use it to his advantage, to get the Soldier off balance, slam him to the floor and follow with his bigger bulk. It's a street brawler's move, nothing near as efficient as a carefully-aimed kick or hit. But the Captain does have sheer size and strength going for him.