The Soldier looked up at Tony out of huge brown eyes, like one of those beaten dogs in a commercial for animal charities, but he didn't move despite the order to. All of his handlers were the same, they all had the hair and the eyes and the words, this one didn't have any of those and he hadn't been given leave to follow him.

The young HYDRA operative rose frowned at Tony, half concerned that he might have actually found himself in the presence of a superior, and half indignant that his prize might be taken away from him. So he shook his head, taking a gamble on it, and replied in English since this goddamn demanding bastard actually spoke a civilised language.

"The Asset is under my command, I'm his handler, so any missions have to go through me first. What exactly is it that he's needed for? You know that he shouldn't be deployed for grunt work."