A/N – The tone of this story is about to get a little darker, just so my wonderful readers are warned. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
The atmosphere could have been cut with a knife. No-one uttered a word, all eyes fixed on the door, hardly daring to breathe. Betty was sat directly across, her mask of grim determination mirrored on both Jane and Pepper. Since she arrived yesterday, they had begun plotting and planning, immersed in whispers for many hours. They knew that Betty's turn to do a video message would come soon enough, a slim window of opportunity that they needed to act on before their situation became even worse.
Once Betty had arrived, Pepper had been insanely relieved to realise that they were still in America since the newer arrival had been hijacked in her apartment in Virginia. If her van ride had only been a few hours, they were still closer to New York than she could ever hope.
Pepper pressed her back against the wet walls, her head aching as fatigue drained her energy. She hadn't slept since the van ride, but that was no excuse. There were times where she could avoid slumber for days on end, surviving on coffee. Stifling a yawn, she pressed a sweaty palm on her flushed brow. Her heart was pounding wildly, her muscles tense with fear and anticipation.
The door shifted open.
Immediately, Pepper drove a fist into the man's masked face. She barely hesitated before adding a swift uppercut, again and again until she heard the crack of his jaw shattering. Jane was less skilled in her technique, but nevertheless did a good job on her target. With a monkey-like ability, she hurled herself on top of the second guard, kicking and punching wildly. Hopping over the bodies, Betty checked the coast whilst the other women kept a cautious eye on their victims.
"It's clear." They didn't need any other words. Dashing out the cell, Pepper felt her heart pound in time with her feet, flying over the concrete floor. She could barely breathe and what air she could take in coming in short, ragged gasps. Her eyes barely took in her surroundings, passing by the doors to other cells without a second glance. There was no time to falter. Every turn and twist was an impulse, Pepper simply hoping that her friends were still following. Her bones jarred with every step, muscles throbbing and heavy from lack of nutrition.
"Runners!" The call came from above on the upper floors. Pepper ignored it, focusing on the search for an exit. Every door was the same, but there had to be a dead end somewhere… Shouts and roars followed the call, guards snapping to action as they pursued the escapees. Breathless and panting, Pepper turned another corner.
There. A dead end. A door.
Unable to speak, her feet took on a life of their own. Her body was utterly numb now, feeding off her non-existent store of energy. Sweat stung her eyes, trickling down her neck and back in sticky trails. She barely slowed as she reached the end, body crashing into the door. It didn't budge. Jane and Betty followed suit, slamming their shoulders into the slab of metal as Pepper searched for a lock. Nothing. No handle, no bolt. Just a tiny hole that looked out into blackness. Desperately, she hurled her fists again and again on the rusting surface. There were screams now, whether they were ripped from her throat or the others she couldn't tell. Her flesh began to split, weeping with blood as she pounded on the door.
"I have to admire you girls." It was that amused voice. So close, it was as though the speaker had murmured it in her ear. Pepper turned, only to gaze down the barrels of a dozen guns. "You're very determined."
Jane was sobbing, her palms pressed against her lips as her body shuddered. It wasn't real. It couldn't be. They had been so close.
"Follow." A man grunted, his comrades not wavering. They were an assortment of weapons, from rifles to shotguns that all gleamed.
"No." Betty croaked, chest heaving. There wasn't even a pause. Pepper didn't have time to bat an eye before they converged on the women. Fists rained down on her. She retaliated instinctively, hands claws. Her nails scraped at the men's eyes, the only part not hidden under cotton. The air was mingled with cries and screams of pain. She tried to fight her way through the crowd to stand by her companions' sides. A body slammed against hers and she tumbled to the ground. Feet flew into her stomach and back. Agony set her skin aflame.
Silence.
Pepper was hauled over a man's shoulder, barely hanging onto the edges of consciousness. She kicked feebly, vaguely aware of Betty and Jane being carried alone beside her. Just as they reached their cell again, one of the men suddenly parted, heading into the cell next door. Pepper only just caught a glimpse of light brown hair before she was thrown into her own cell, Betty collapsing next to her. Her heart gave a few more, weak beats as she tried to drag herself to the present. Then the realisation hit her and she flew at the door.
"Jane!" She shrieked, clawing at the metal. Flakes of rust were stinging the open flesh, mingling with the crimson streams that ran down her pale arms. "Give her back! JANE!"
All that answered was a scream.
Whoo, that was intense o.o I don't own Iron Man, feel free to review! Thanks for reading.