Chapter Seven: Rescue
Someone was shaking Steve awake, but he had no idea who it was. But whoever that person was they just wanted him to wake up. "Rogers," that voice kept saying as they continued shaking him awake, sounding more and more impatient. "Rogers, Captain Rogers wake up."
Steve opened his blue eyes and saw someone staring at him. He recognize the chocolate brown face and the worried looking brown eyes. T'Challa otherwise known as Black Panther. He took a deep breath as he sat up, but he immediately regretted it when he felt his muscles practically scream from pain. Tony really knew what he was doing.
"Easy, easy." T'Challa said as he helped Steve up. "You don't want to hurt yourself even more."
"I'm fine," Steve said as he looked at his wounded teammates, most of them looked exhausted and injured. Natasha was pressing a cool washcloth to Peter's swollen cheek and it took all of Steve's willpower not to send the kid back to Queens. He was regretting this already. Kids shouldn't be allowed in their fights.
"Where are we? Where's Tony?" Steve demanded.
T'Challa raised his hands in mock surrender. "Look I just came here, don't bite my head off. I felt bad that I wasn't doing anything and things back home are pretty calm, so I thought I would come here and help. I talked to Director Fury and he gave me your location. When I came all of you were all unconscienced. Miss Romanoff was the only one awake and trying to patch things up. What the hell happened, Steve?"
"Tony happened," Clint said as he rubbed his forearm. "It was like he was possessed or something. We were caught off guard that's why he kicked all of asses."
"Kicked?" Scott murmured. "I would say destroyed. Burned to the ground, crisp- "
Wanda rolled her eyes. "He gets it. What was wrong with him, anyway?"
Bucky was sitting down and his eyes were hard. "HYDRA got to him. They brainwashed him, just like they did to me. They are controlling him, just like they controlled me. Stark is their puppet now."
Vision looked concerned. "There must be a way to break it, surely. Mr. Stark can't be left like this surely."
Peter shook his head stubbornly. "Mr. Stark will get through this, he has too, he wouldn't let himself be defeated by some- "
"Enough," Natasha said interrupting Peter as she put down the bandage that she was holding. Her red hair looked messy and she looked tired. "Look first things first, we better head to headquarters, back to Fury he'll know what to do."
Steve's jaw clenched and it was clear that he wanted to stay here and search for Tony, but he was outnumbered. "Steve," Bruce said gently. "Some of us are hurt, we need to head back to Fury and find Tony. It's better that we don't run around in circles."
"Fine," Steve said, his jaw clenching tightly. "Let's go."
It took them a few hours to head back to headquarters and the entire ride was filled with the kind of stony silence that is destined to make people feel uncomfortable. At first both Scott and T'Challa tried to lightened the mood, but quickly have up when they realized that everyone was in a pissed off or tired mood.
Towards the end of the journey, Scott got a call from his daughter's mother. Apparently Cassie had been in a car accident. She was fine, just a couple of bruises, but Steve saw the way that Scott's jaw had clenched. Cassie was his life. "Scott," Steve said. "Go back home, go see your daughter."
Scott looked conflicted. "What? I can't, you guys need me and what about Tony? Are we really going to let him join that evil little gang of his?"
"We can handle, Stark," Sam said as the plane landed. "Right now you need to go home to Cassie, if we need help we will call you. Besides T'Challa is here now."
Scott breathed a sigh of relief. "Really? I hate to miss the fight, I mean help Stark, but family comes first."
"Stop looking at me like that Rogers," Fury scoffed. "Glaring at me won't change my answer. I said what I said. We are trying to do everything to locate Stark, but HYDRA has the bad habit of disappearing in case you haven't noticed and finding Stark won't be as easy as you think."
"I know," Steve was trying to keep his temper in of control. "But I need you to try harder, Fury. If what Bucky said is correct, Tony can head down the slippery slope and I can't allow that."
Fury looked at him with pity. "I know that Rogers, believe me there is nothing I wouldn't do to hear Stark's annoying voice again."
They stopped talking when Maria Hill came into the room. She had an anxious look on her face and she was looking at them both with anxiety. "Director, Captain Rogers come with me there is something that you need to see."
Both of them exchanged looks as they followed Maria down to the screening room where the rest of the team was there. They were all staring at the screen. A blond reported was shaking as she delivered the news. "My name is Anne Crawley from Channel 7 news, reporting from Bulgaria. There has been a massive attack in the city of Bulgaria this morning. Thousands of people are dead as well as this beloved city has been destroyed. The culprit? A Mr. Tony Stark otherwise known as Iron Man. At first the crowd was excited to see the familiar red suit, but the excitement quickly turned to fear when they saw Stark attacking the crowd. Bulgarian police tried to stop him, but they were unsuccessful and Mr. Stark got away. Mr. Stark is currently on the wanted list, more news at nine, back to you Charlie- "
"Suit up," Fury said his voice sounding horse. "Now. Before Stark kills any more people or before he ends up killing us."
"Very good job, Mr. Stark," Vincent said back in the HYDRA headquarters as he patted Tony on the back. They were reviewing Tony's work from this morning. The sounds of people screaming were music to his ears. "Just what we expected from you."
"Of course," Tony said. "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do Hail HYDRA."
Vincent smile. "Hail HYDRA indeed Mr. Stark. Now I have another little task I want you to work on along with those new tools that you promised us."
"Peter I said no," Steve growled at the pouting fifteen-year-old boy. "This is no longer a simple rescue mission. The Tony that you knew is gone, he's brainwashed and the stakes are higher than ever I won't let you become a part of this."
"Mr. Stark would have let me," he murmured. Steve looked at him annoyed. "Well, I'm not Mr. Stark, I'm sorry Peter I'm putting my foot down and everyone agrees with me, you're staying here with Fury. They could use someone with your computer skills." He turned away from the boy and back to his team. "Is everyone ready?"
-End of Chapter Seven-
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