HYDRA operatives, from all Steve had learned, were either loyal or cowardly. That’s how the Allies felt about the Axis too. It was in all of their propaganda. Evil was evil by default. It was in their nature. But this man, this Russian, he seemed to have been born and bred into HYDRA. Maybe everyone in this world was and Steve didn’t have a chance. Then again, look at him. Loyal to a fault. He’d never failed a mission.

But here he was, proving himself to be a decent man, rescuing him.

There was a chance that the whole world was like this, or enough that Steve could maybe affect change. He had to steel himself, stay focused.

“Listen pal, I don’t know. Maybe when you found me and figured out who I was, you decided that the symbol of good was worth going against orders. We can try to fix all of this, together. We just have to trust each other. Or try to. I’m guessing history wrote me in as some sort of monster.”

He couldn’t help but smirk. He kind of was a monster in a way. Like Frankenstein’s creature.

“You’re doing the right thing, son.”