Restrained, debriefed and wiped ... Bucky was stripped away, but not after receiving an adequate punishment. Beating, humiliation ... He didn't see the point in it really. Not as it happened, as he was conscious and sort of knew who he was. He knew what was coming next. They'd put him in that chair, say the words and all the beating and humiliation and memories would be yanked out of him. They saved that torture for last and it was the worst one of all. 

He could take the physical punishments, he could even handle getting spat on by the useless little lackeys with a defiant, stubborn set of his chin. Defiance. He'd defied HYDRA and vanished and now, as he took his punishment, restrained there, he defied them again. He resisted even though he knew it was in vain, in the hope that maybe someday ... it would end. 

It didn't. 

Karpov dismissed the men, even his personal bodyguards who were reluctant to leave but obeyed regardless. 
[b]"You remember her."[/b] he said, a smug grin on his face. 
[b]"You'll be the one who kills her. It won't just be a distant shot. No. After this stunt of yours, I won't give you the pleasure of making it easy. You'll choke the life out of her. Look into her eyes till she recognises you."[/b] Karpov leered. He was just trying to rile Bucky, the Winter Soldier wouldn't remember this, he'd be wiped clean, compliant, ruthless- ... But Bucky knew that someday he'd break free again, however briefly, and he'd remember all of this. Eventually ... And by then it would be too late ... If he succeeded in killing Cap ... It was the worst torture Karpov could conjure, because he knew that even if Bucky forgot, someday, the fragments would bubble up again and he'd remember this,he'd remember choking Steph to death and all his other sins. Once he remembered himself- The anguish would be immense. 

For someome as impatient as Karpov .. the bastard could be surprisingly patient when it came to inflicting pain on the Soldier. 
[b]"I won't give you the pleasure of a clean kill Soldier."[/b] 
Bucky looked defiantly at Karpov and finally broke his stoic, stubborn silence. 
[b]"I don't know pleasure."[/b] he hissed.
How could Karpov call a distant kill a pleasure when Bucky didn't know pleasure to begin with. He hadn't known pleasure since he fell from that train and he felt he never would again. 
Karpov's face twisted, a horrifying smile peeled through, [b]"[i]This[/is] is pleasure Soldier."[/b] he splayed his arms wide, [b]"In a few moments, you won't remember a thing, all the lives you've taken that you regret. I'll take that all away. I'll fix it for you."[/b]
He laughed, a gut-churning laugh. 

[i]Yeah[/i] Bucky thought, [i]You'll fix me ... back into a ruthless killer again, only giving me more things to regret ... and Steph-[/i]
God he had to find a way to warn her, to help her. He only knew despair.
[b]"[i]Longing...[/i]"[/b]

Nine words later ... he was ready to comply. The pain of knowing he'd be the one to kill Stephanie, wherever, whenever and however Karpov wished, vanished. His memories of her, the tiniest fragments he'd unearthed ... Gone. He'd had so little and it was snatched away again so damn easily. 



[b]"Herr Skull. It is done. Shall we proceed with your plan?"[/b] Karpov asked. The Asset was prepped and ready.