Hi, guys! Thanks for all the reviews/favorites/follows.
Anyway, don't expect daily updates. A special surprise, because of the awful cliffhanger.
Warning: Torture is in this update! Have fun! (Pepper won't)
"Ah, Virginia Potts," someone said. Pepper spun around, looking anxiously at the man standing outside of her cell. Her stomach dropped.
"Hammer," she spat, "I loathe you. Why did you take me?"
"You'll see," he opened her cell, two guards coming in and walking her to a room. Hammer sat her down and the guards tied her to a chair. Pepper struggled, trying to free herself. Hammer pointed at someone and he smiled at the wall, "Hello, Tony Stark."
"You sick bastard," Pepper hissed. A guard hit the back of her head, making Pepper snap forward. She looked back at him, disgust in her eyes.
"As you see," Justin Hammer turned to walk towards Pepper, face bright, "I have Pepper. I need you to do me a favor, Stark." He grinned evilly. "Sign Stark Industries over to me, Tony."
Pepper's jaw dropped, "Are you nuts? No, Tony! Don't do it!" A guard slapped her cheek this time. She was able to reach out and kick him, sending the guard into a frenzy.
"Enough!" Hammer yelled, making it go quiet very quickly. "Obviously, your little girlfriend isn't going to comply. So I'll have to resort to...dangerous measures." Justin pulled out a suspicious black box, "Take her back to operation room one when we're through here. Level one. Do you understand? Level one." He looked back at Tony, "I'm giving you a month until...well...you'll have to see."
"Yes, sir," the guard said gruffly. Pepper struggled against her bonds, "Stupid bitch."
She peered at where she thought the camera would be, "Anthony Stark, you better listen to me, if you-"
"Silence!" Hammer screamed, turning back to the camera, "You have one month to deliver the papers to my secretary, Anna. Oh, she doesn't know about this. Don't have her arrested, please. It's hard to find good help like darling Pepper here," he stroked her cheek. Pepper bit his finger, making him swear, "Feisty. I like it. Any words to Stark?"
She merely peered at the camera, giving an impeccable shake of her head. He knew what she wanted. She was saying 'no.' "I- No. I don't. It wouldn't be enough time, would it, Justin?"
He checked his watch, "No, I'm afraid not. I'm sure she loves you, Stark. Remember, one month." He turned and growled once the camera was off, "You bitch! You probably ruined everything!"
"I won't-" Pepper's chair got kicked over, making her face hit the ground painfully. Her nose was broken for sure.
The guards untied her, "Take her to the first room. Got it?" Hammer ordered. They nodded and drug Pepper to a room which she presumed to be the first one. She noted her surroundings. Doors, stairs, windows. She was in a nicer room than hers and since they went down stairs, Pepper assumed she must be in a basement. However, this one wasn't high tech. She smiled sadly at the memory.
They literally threw her into the cell. "Hello, ma'am." She saw another burly man. Pepper stood, trying to seem brave. "And why were you sent here?" She stayed silent, holding her head high. "This is where he sends the girls to break them." Break them? Pepper blanched. Break them?! How were they going to break her? Rape? Torture? She hoped not. Personally, psychologically would be the worst for her. He motioned to a chair, "Sit there." He sighed when he saw her resistance, "I can kill you easily, Pepper."
"Fine," she snapped, sitting stiffly in the white chair. Cuffs came over her wrists, "You asshole!" she screamed, fighting them.
"It'll be over soon. Hm," he looked at a wall. Pepper realized all different types of torture instruments were there, "They have this recorded. Being sent to Stork or someone if you misbehave. That's all Hammer said. He said it'd be impossible to trace, too. Nice touch, huh?"
"Very nice. What's your name, sir?" Pepper asked, realizing she could use this to her advantage.
"Doctor Landmayn."
"How long have you been working for that bastard?"
He tapped his chin, thinking while picking a tool, "Ten months," he absent-mindedly said. Then, his head snapped towards her, "You clever girl. Giving Stork my information. However, they can edit it. Still, clever, clever, clever!" Doctor Landmayn chuckled, "Hammer wanted the footage broadcast directly to Stork, but I said no. I'd be surprised if he isn't watching it. He probably hacked the cameras or something. Hah." He selected a pair of scissors. Dried blood was all over the blades. "First," the demented doctor said, "We shall cut off all of your pretty hair."
Pepper rolled her eyes, "What good will that do?"
"You'll see," he made three quick slices, chopping off her hair unevenly. Pepper closed her eyes, mourning the loss. It was always her favorite part of her. It might sound vain, but Pepper loved her hair. She only had a very short amount now. A few inches dangling down, only as long as Natasha's. "You're the...third person I've had the pleasure to meet, so-" He whipped out a knife. A tear slid down Pepper's cheek as he carved a three into the back of her neck. And she could do nothing to stop him.
"Only your third? You must be sub-" she gasped in pain, "Subpar." Pepper didn't believe Tony would see this. She really didn't. But just incase he was, she would try to show was little pain as possible. This was a ridiculous form of torture. What other stupid methods did this crazy man have? She gripped the chair arm as he fumbled over the number, giggling the entire time he hurt her.
Next, the wretched man pulled out the black box Pepper had seen earlier. He taped a wire to her wrist. "Level one is the lowest form of electric shock we have here," he explained, "And it only goes on your wrist. Once you hit level four, then it goes on your temple."
"You're sick. What-" She stopped as a buzzing sound picked up. A moment later, she felt electricity running through her arm. She grunted in pain, fingernails curling into her palm, leaving a few drops of blood escape her skin. Anything so she didn't scream. Before she knew what was happening, the pain stopped. She breathed deeply, not realizing she hadn't been able to take in air during that hell. The doctor approached her and removed the metal piece, ripping the tape off of her tender skin. She winced, noting the open wound that the metal circle had produced. Dr. Landmayn carelessly tied some white gauze around her wrist and called someone through an intercom.
Pepper grunted as they threw her carelessly into her cell, smacking her head on the ground. She let out a small moan, body throbbing. She crawled to a corner, hugging her knees and tears streaming down her cheeks. She had been strong for Tony, but now she couldn't hold it back. So much pain. Pepper sobbed at the thought. The number carved into the back of her head made her feel like a jack-o-lantern, not to mention it was giving her a severe headache. Her wrist was bandaged, but sore. Pepper's entire being throbbed from that electricity. Holding back a scream was almost harder than waking Tony up from a hangover. But she couldn't let him see her in pain. Although she doubted he would even be sent the video, she didn't want to take the chance. Pepper sighed, wiping her tears. She would not let them see her in a weakened state like this. She couldn't.
AN: Bad cliffhanger. More to come! :) Reviews are awesome and give me drive to continue!
