Chapter 10: R
As I said in dreams… I have been gone for way too long and I apologize for that! So I don't want to hold y'all from reading, so here it goes!
Disclaimer: Yeah… I get it… I don't own it.
"Rhodey. Dearest? Why don't you go get some of those sharp needles on that table? I want to see Tony squirm." Rhodey smiled, he was hiding the fear in his face well. Rhodey walked over to the long black table next to Tony. He avoided making any eye contact with Tony.
"Rhodey?" Tony was wrapping his arms across his torn shirt. Rhodey could see the pain in his eyes. The hurt and betrayal made Rhodey's heart heavy with guilt, but he couldn't stop his acting right now. Tony reached out, but Rhodey quickly slapped the longing arm aside. Tony winced.
"Whitney?" Rhodey called, his eyes were still on Tony. "Which needle do you want?" Whitney was now tying large chains onto Tony's wrists. She attached the chains to the back of the wall where a large metal hook was sticking out. Tony yelled out, as his arms were pulled back. He was brought to his knees, and was facing Pepper.
Rhodey picked up the smallest needle possible. He felt his heart grow cold. He knew what Whitney wanted. "No. Hon, I need a bigger needle than that." Whitney said with a smirk. She slipped her rubber band off her wrist and tied up her blonde curly hair up in a high ponytail. She gestured for the large needle on the table.
"You want this one?" Rhodey asked swallowing hard. He picked up the thick needle and handed it to Whitney. He watched as her eyes glittered with excitement. If Rhodey stopped Whitney, she would know that he was resisting her and that would be it for the plan. He needed to keep playing along.
"What will happen now?" Rhodey asked. But he was just afraid for the answer. He knew what she wanted.
"Tie something around her mouth, Rhodey. It is about to get loud in this room." Rhodey shuddered but grabbed some loose cloth at the table and bounded it tightly around Pepper's mouth. He flashed her an apology and Pepper responded with closing her eyes and nodding slightly.
"Let's play."
…
Tony had enough pain for one day. He didn't want anymore of this lousy electrocution, cuts, scratches, and more of the rest. But judging by the way he was chained to the wall, and the way Whitney was eyeing Pepper with the needle, it sent a painful shiver up his spine.
"Whitney? What do you think you're doing?" Tony asked, careful to watch his tone. He'd rather not make Whitney madder than she was already. Whitney looked back at him, tossed the needle in the air, and the moment it was in her hands again, she drove it deep into Pepper's hand. The scream was so terrible that even Tony had to scream.
"NO! PEPPER!" Whitney put her hands on her hips and laughed. The blood from the stab wound flowed freely down Pepper's hands. She was flexing her fingers hoping to stop the pain. The needle had passed right through her hand, and it protruded out her small pale palm.
Tony nearly pulled his shoulders from their sockets from the effort of pulling himself free. The chains dug into her wrists, surely breaking some skin as well. It didn't matter to him that his warm blood flowed down his fingers; he needed Pepper to be okay. He needed Pepper to be as safe as a snake in a cage. He didn't want Whitney ruining Pepper's soul. Whitney was close enough to breaking his very mind, if Pepper broke, Tony didn't know what he would do.
Suddenly his mind k2was full of rage. His blood rushed in his ears, stopping any sense of right and wrong. It was Rhodey's fault, all Rhodey's fault. "RHODEY!" He cried. Tony turned his attention on his betrayed brother. He dug his heels into the floor and pushed all the emotion into his voice. "RHODEY! STOP HER! PEPPER!" Whitney had dug another sharper, thicker, needle into Pepper's other hand. Another scream.
"What do you freaking WANT WHITNEY?" Whitney stopped midway. She was about to stick another needle into Pepper's foot. She turned around and walked towards Tony. She tossed the needle to the side and took Tony's face in her hand.
"I want you to admit that you put my father in coma on purpose! I WANT YOU TO ADMIT IT!" Whitney screeched.
"Is that it Whitney? You want me to admit to that? Will you let us go?" Tony whispered. He could hear Pepper sobbing across from him. Her head was resting on the head of the chair and her face was pointed towards the ceiling. Anymore tears, there would be a lake at her feet.
"I will let all you go. I swear on my father." She was being serious. Something he could see in her eyes. Tony gulped. He tore his eyes from her face and closed his eyes.
"I put your father in coma on purpose. It was all—all my fault. I… I don't know what got into me. I-" He stopped. This was too much. He was admitting to something he didn't do. He looked at Rhodey, noticing something shining in his eyes. There was guilt, it was the first thing written on Rhodey's face since the time he kissed Whitney. Was Rhodey playing them?
"Continue! You had better Antony Edward Stark, or else your little redhead friend will have to pay the price. You'll know how it feels to have a loved one in coma." Whitney stood, all emotion drained from her face.
"You wouldn't do that Whitney. You aren't that low. You aren't that desperate. I—you wouldn't do that." Tony knew she would. He knew it when he heard his own pathetic voice echo out to her. Whitney knew everything about Tony, after all, she was his childhood friend. If there was anyone else who knew him better than his dad, Rhodey, or Roberta, it was Whitney. And since Rhodey was unavailable for help, he knew he had to keep it calm and play his cards carefully. One slip up, Pepper could remain in a hospital bed for life.
"I would Tony. Y-you th-think I won't?!" She staggered towards Pepper, her voice deadly calm. Whitney grabbed a fistful of Pepper's hair and yanked the girl's head up. Pepper cried out.
"Whitney, don't." Tony kept his voice calm as well. The best thing he could do was cool the fire. He just needed to add more water to extinguish the flames.
Whitney didn't listen. She laughed hysterically, and whipped out a knife. She shoved the blade under Pepper's neck and pushed the cool blade against it. "I'll do it Tony! I'LL KILL HER!" To prove her point, Whitney dug the blade only to cut the skin. Blood seeped from the wound and trickled down Pepper's neck. Pepper whimpered.
"I HATED YOUR FATHER! IT WAS ME! IT WAS ALL ME!" Tony burst out. He had to save Pepper, even if it meant that he was ruining his reputation, he had to get Rhodey and Pepper out of here. Rhodey might have betrayed them both, but he still needed to get his brother out of here, one way or another.
"Now, please let them go." Tony let his arms grow slack behind his back and dropped his head to his chest. He felt sweat prickle on his neck and drop down his back. He let out a breath and sighed. He heard the clicks of heels as Whitney walked up to him, but instead she went to Rhodey.
He lifted his head only to see Whitney place a sloppy kiss on Rhodey's lips. Rhodey had his eyes open, mainly from shock, but when she pulled away, his face went blank again. "What do you think Rhodey? Is Tony telling the truth?" Whitney placed a hand on his chest and seductively peered into Rhodey's eyes.
"I think so. He has nothing else to lose. You stabbed Pepper's hands, nearly slit her throat, and tortured him to the bone. I'm thinking he's telling the truth. What do you think Whitney? It is after all your choice." Whitney smiled and laughed.
"Oh! Hon! You understand me like no other! I love you so much! And well, I think he isn't telling the truth at all. You can't trust this playboy. He's life is bent around playing with girls. All he does is mess with us, don't you see? I don't believe him one bit. I think we should teach him a lesson." Rhodey smiled.
"I agree."
…
Tony watched as Rhodey came up to him, a whip in his hand. Involuntarily, his body began to shudder, already anticipating the painful whips. "Turn him around." Rhodey said to Whitney. Whitney giggled and ran over to Tony. She twisted him around, painfully of course, so that his back was facing towards Rhodey. He inhaled deeply and let it out.
"Just do it." Tony said. It came out harshly. Rhodey flinched from the tone but otherwise didn't care about it. He recoiled the whip and slapped it against the ground. Pepper cried out, and Tony flinched waiting for the blow. It was a test whip.
Rhodey recoiled the whip again, and this time shot the whip over his shoulder and down onto Tony's back. "AHH!" Tony screamed as he felt his flesh tear from the intensity. His arms went slack and his mind fogged up, clouded by the pain on his back.
Rhodey recoiled once more. But this time just before it hit Tony's back, he flicked his wrist and watched as the coil caught Whitney on the head. She screamed and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Rhodey!" Tony yelped excitedly. He tugged on the chains hoping that Rhodey understood, and luckily he did. Rhodey grabbed the keys around Whitney's waist. He stuck the key into the keyhole and turned. The chains fell off and Tony rose shakily, to his feet.
"Tony, you okay?" Rhodey touched his back but when Tony hissed he pulled away. "Right. I'm sorry man, I had to wait for…" Tony put his hand up.
"Don't. I understand. And thanks to you, we are free." Tony said with a smile. He clapped Rhodey in the shoulder and stretched his stiff legs. "Oh that feels amazing."
"Tony…" Tony completely forgot about Pepper. With his heart pounding in his ears, he ran to his favorite redhead and took her shoulders.
"Pepper? Pepper are you okay?" eh wished he could've taken that back. How was she okay? There were needles straight through her hand. She isn't okay, in fact, if she wasn't insane Tony would be surprised, and he was.
"Get these off me." She said gesturing to the needles. But Tony shook his head.
"I don't want it in, but I can't take it out. The moment I do, I can cause more harm than good. Hang on for…" Tony gagged. He pushed his hand on his heart and pushed against it, hoping to stop the pressure.
"Tony?" Pepper asked. "Rhodey! Help him!" But when Rhodey came over, Tony held his hand out.
"No. I'm okay. Let's get Pepper out of here. Before Whitney wakes up." As if by coincidence, Whitney stirred moaning and holding her head. "We have to hurry." Within moments, Pepper was free and was being carried by Tony. He grasped her close to his chest, determined not to loose her. Pepper kept her hand on her stomach. Her palms were facing down, hoping that the needle won't go lower into her palm.
"Rhodey…!" Whitney rose to her feet. She staggered a bit, but managed to keep her footing. She ran to him, her arms outstretched and hands bared. "GIVE ME TONY! GIVE HIM BACK!" Rhodey pushed Tony out the door, and quickly slapped the door behind him. Rhodey heard Whitney scratch the door.
"BYE WHITNEY!" He shouted with a smile. Whitney pounded the door and yelled out tons of colorful language.
After nearly a week of being cooped in a basement, Tony was ready to finally feel the sun on his face again.
Once again! I apologize for the really late update. Don't hate me please! Anyhoo, yay! He has escaped! Lets see what happens in the next chapter shall we? Okay please please review guys! I'm always so ready to get y'alls reviews!