Okay, this one is a little short, but I really wanted to get something out to you. Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to tell me what you think!
"God dammit, Tony," Sam grumbled under his breath, hearing everything. "Guys, what do we do?"
"You stay in position, Sam," Natasha ordered. "We're going to get in there somehow. Try to find us an opening."
"On it. I'll let you know what I can find out," Sam promised. "May need to get Clint in here, since I just lost my backup."
"Just say the word, Sam," Clint piped up. "I'm geared up."
"I'll find you a window," Sam assured him. "Gonna need help searching this place."
Clint didn't respond, instead deciding to stay silent so they could listen to what was going on with Tony.
Upstairs, Tony hadn't lowered his gun, still aiming at Lobo, his eyes shifting around the mass of guards that had surrounded him.
"Dammit, Stark," Steve gasped, shaking his head. "You shouldn't have done that...I told you to stay quiet..."
"Yeah, well, I wasn't about to let him keep electrocuting you," Tony sighed.
"What? You mean like this?" Lobo smirked and jabbed the baton into Steve's side, prompting the super soldier to scream again in pain. Tony took a step towards Lobo threateningly, not caring when the guards around him mimicked his movements.
"I told you to get that away from him!" Tony snapped. Lobo laughed as he pulled the baton back, allowing Steve to breathe again. On the table, the super soldier coughed and gasped, his expression showing his discomfort.
"You may as well put the gun down, Mr. Stark," he sneered. "You have no play, here. In case you didn't notice, you're surrounded. You shoot me, and you and Captain Rogers will be killed. Put the gun down."
Tony hesitated, shifting his eyes to Steve. His friend was looking up at him, his eyes a mix of emotions, the most prominent of which being defeat. Tony pressed his lips together under the mask, then reluctantly lowered the gun and let it hang from its strap in front of his body, lifting his hands up by his head. The guards around him took their cue, quickly relieving him of the weapon and cuffing his hands behind his back before ripping the mask off his head.
"You know, I should thank you, Mr. Stark," Lobo said with a grin, clearly feeling like he already won. "You made this so much easier for me. You came right to me. I thought I was going to have to search you out, but here you are. Thank you."
Tony just glared at the man across the table from him, and Lobo laughed at him. After a moment, he quieted himself, though his eyes still gleamed triumphantly.
"Now, just one more matter to take care of before we get down to business," he announced. Steve felt his stomach drop when the doctor turned and looked over at Amira, pointing at her with the baton. "You lied to me, my dear."
"No, no, no," the exhausted super soldier interrupted before Lobo could say anything else. "We threatened her; it wasn't her fault."
"You really expect me to believe that Iron Man and Captain America threatened a child?" Lobo raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly, clearly not buying it.
"We didn't have a choice," Steve shook his head. "We were never actually going to hurt her, obviously, but she didn't know that, and if we didn't make sure she didn't say anything, we were screwed. This wasn't her fault, understand? She didn't do anything wrong."
Lobo hesitated, deciding whether or not he should humor Steve and accept his story, even though he didn't, for a moment, believe it. Finally, he shrugged.
"Whatever you say," he allowed at last, allowing Steve to let out a breath. "Well, Captain, I think we'll leave you in peace for now."
With this, the doctor turned up the flow of sedatives, wanting to make sure that his subject would not be awake while he was gone. Tony saw Steve visibly fighting the drug's pull, but before long, the super soldier had no choice but to surrender to the awaiting blackness. As soon as Steve was out of the way, Lobo turned to Tony and smiled viciously.
"Come with me, Mr. Stark," he ordered. As the guards not restraining the billionaire filed out and Lobo headed for the door, he called over his shoulder, "Zero-nine-seven, walk with us."
Amira jumped at his voice, but after a moment, scurried after him as he left the room. Tony was pushed out after her, and together, they made their way through the compound. As they walked, Tony made a point to memorize the route, wanting to be able to get back to Steve at his first opportunity. The group made its way down two flights of stairs, down a hallway, and through a set of double doors. Inside was a lab, with scientists busily working away, running various tests and discussing the results with each other. On the left-hand wall, there were three large television screens. The one in the middle displayed a live feed of Steve, passed out on the table, along with his vitals. On the left, Tony saw a young woman in her twenties with long black hair. She was curled up on a cot in a white room, soaked in sweat and shivering. Her vitals were also displayed on the screen, including her temperature, which was hovering around thirty-nine degrees Celsius, or a hundred and two degrees Fahrenheit. On the right, the screen displayed a young man, no older than twenty-one, lying unconscious on a cot in an identical white room, also sweating and running a fever of thirty-eight degrees Celsius—about a hundred degrees Fahrenheit. There was a square of gauze taped on the back of the young man's head, spotted with blood, and Tony felt his stomach lurch.
"What exactly is it you want from me?" Tony demanded after taking in his surroundings.
Lobo hesitated, studying him for a moment, before smirking slightly. "Your mind," he replied at last. "I want you to figure out a way to make my serum stabilize in the human body. Your father helped create Captain Rogers; like father, like son."
"Biology...not really my thing," Tony shook his head.
"Of course, of course," Lobo nodded. "But you being as smart as you are, Mr. Stark...I'm sure you can figure it out. And you better—if you don't, those two up there?" He pointed to the two monitors on either side of the one showing Steve. "They're going to die. And if you try anything, well...I won't kill your friend, Mr. Stark, but I will hurt him. I will make life a lot harder for him. Understand?"
Tony was quiet for a moment, his jaw twitching in anger and frustration, but eventually, he looked down and nodded. Lobo smiled, still feeling very secure in his victory.
"Good," the doctor approved, motioning for the guards to remove the cuffs from his wrists. "Now, since I know what you managed to do the last time you were left to your own devices, these guards are your new best friends. And, say hello to John and Devon."
At this, two of the scientists came over. One was about Steve's height, with dark brown hair and matching eyes, and the other was a little shorter with dark red hair and green eyes.
"They will be supervising you and bringing you up to speed. I trust you won't give them any trouble."
Tony scoffed at the idea, but Lobo just smiled and turned to the two scientists, whispering something that the billionaire couldn't hear. The scientists smirked and nodded before looking over at Tony, each wearing a knowing grin. Tony shifted uncomfortably as Lobo turned back around to face him.
And, last but not least..." Lobo turned to Amira, who was standing back awkwardly, her right hand holding her left forearm. Without warning, Lobo brought his arm across his body and backhanded the young girl so hard that she fell to the floor. Tony tried to go to her, but his guards stopped him, and Amira cowered on the hard tile floor, tears falling from her eyes silently as she fought back her sobs. Tony had no choice but to watch helplessly as Lobo crouched down beside Amira and grabbed her jaw, turning her head to face him.
"Lie to me again, my dear, and I will kill you myself," Lobo growled, his eyes darkening. "Do you understand me?"
Amira nodded fearfully, and Lobo smiled his crooked smile.
"Good," he approved. "Then go back to your room; I won't be needing you for the rest of the day."
Amira nodded again and got to her feet after he released her, casting a quick glance in Tony's direction before hurrying off. Tony watched her go with concern on his face, and glared hatefully at Lobo when the doctor turned back to him. Lobo laughed softly, then waved a hand, dismissing Tony's concern and walking towards the exit.
"Get to work, Mr. Stark."