I am deep apologetic for not closing this piece out. But I have made it my goal to participate in self-care so I am going to post every chapter from this story for you all to read. I hope you enjoy it.

Music

Reunion of enemies - Prologue from Thor

Chapter Seven: Leverage

Unknown

The sack that was covering her face was causing Abby to gag as she was led by two armed brutes from a landing pad.

She was trying to figure out where she was so she could hopefully relay it to her husband. He would be able to find her; especially with her bracelet GPS charm.

But that was information for her mind and ears only.

She smelt salt water and heard the ocean splashing so she was at a base of some sort. The jet they had taken landed on a landing pad so there were no cars.

An island perhaps.

Then she was taken inside a structure and judging by the smell, it was moist and had to be made of stone.

"Get moving," one of the thugs ordered.

Abby was breathing heavily as she was taken down a long hallway.

A door opened as they approached.

Automatic sensors, she thought. So they had advanced technology.

She could hear people around that were working and clicking on computers, but she was dragged around and forced to sit down on a chair.

Straps were used to tie her wrists to armrests and one was placed around her forehead; after the bag was removed.

She took in a huge breath.

Now she was a prisoner, but she at least could see.

It was a control room that overlooked the ocean and it appeared to be a old fortress of some design that had been retrofitted to be used.

"Where in the hell am I?" she shouted.

"Please, such language for a lady, Lady Stark," the voice spoke to her.

It was a voice that chilled her to her core, and not much could scare her.

The man stood there looking over the balcony that overlooked where their minions were at work.

He wore a long leather jacket and his hair braided at the nape.

"Mandarin," she whispered his name.

Her rival turned and faced her.

"A pleasure to see you again my dear," he spoke. "So you survived to marry your hero and become yet a larger target than you once were."

"Well, when you're in love," she spoke sarcastically. "You broke out on my wedding day. Haven't had enough of my husband kicking your ass, have you?"

"On the contrary my dear," he said, "I may be here as you are, but I am not responsible for this part of our plan. No, I am afraid that honor belongs to my colleague."

"You...taking orders from someone else," she snickered. "That just seems pathetic."

"Well, when you are right, you are right Lady Stark," another voice joined the conversation.

From behind the chair she was confined too, another emerged. He wore a long cloak of emerald leather with a hood. It dragged behind him as he passed her.

"Well done Mandarin," the person said as he slowly turned to face her. The mask that covered his face and the talons of metal on his hands clicked together as his fingers pressed against themselves. "Oh how can I be so rude. Viktor VonDoom at your beck and call, but I must say," he spoke, "what a mighty prize you will be."

"Already spoken for," Abby snapped, "but if you want to spin the bonus wheel and try for another prize, I am sure you will find someone better."

"Oh, but you are so much more than a prize Lady Stark," VonDoom kept talking. "You are what we like to call in our line of work leverage."

"So that's your angle," she replied. "You think taking me will keep my husband and the Avengers from coming after you out of an abundance of caution of harming me?"

"She's a lot smarter than you give her credit," Doom spoke to Mandarin.

"Sorry to say boys, but by taking me, you have just sicked the entire Avengers and SHIELD on you so if I were you, you might just want to return me to New York, post haste," she snapped back.

Von Doom started laughing.

"You are amusing as you are stunning," he replied. "The way we see it, your husband has no idea where you are. Our fortress is in the middle of..."

"Doom," Mandarin interrupted.

"Relax Mandarin," he played with them all. "We are in the middle of an ocean covered in a GPS blocking field. Unless you are in one of our crafts, you would not find this place."

A GPS blocking field, she thought. So Tony wasn't going to be able to find her.

"You, quite frankly, Lady Stark, have truly disappeared off the face of the Earth," Doom finished rambling. "However, once your companion has finished with my little project, you might just get to see your husband once more. So, for now," he said as he came and wrapped his clawed hand under her facial profile, "be a good girl."

"Go to hell," she mumbled.

He nodded once.

The bag was put back over her head and she was untied from her restraints.

"Enjoy your stay Lady Stark," he said while she was being dragged down the hall to her prison.

VonDoom enjoyed his time playing with the emotions of Lady Abygail Stark. Hopefully she would cooperate and not cause a fuss.

More of his compatriots entered the bridge once they had returned from their missions.

"Ah, Bullseye, any luck?" he asked as he went to check on the camera feed to the bedroom where Abygail Stark and Jane Foster would be sharing a space.

"None," the Irish assassin spoke. "Elektra Natchios's house was burned to the ground and sterilized before I arrived. I just missed her."

"You, missing your target," VonDoom spoke. "Now that is not like you." "Listen up your filthy bloke, I don't miss," Bullseye snapped. "She's sheisty. You cannot sneak up on a Hand assassin without them knowin about it. She made sure that she was not followed."

"Doom, the targets are running out," the Mandarin stated the obvious. "Soon, there will be no one left to acquire."

"Lady Stark is good enough for now," he replied. "She keeps Iron Man off our backs and with Jane Foster, Thor will not be a concern of ours. Once we have the power to travel to other realms gentlemen," he spoke to his group of villains, "we will have weapons and people to join our cause. The Earth will not be able to withstand our mighty power. We are nearing the final stages. We will soon have all that we desire."

"And then what do we do with the girls?" Adrian Toomes spoke.

"Well," Doom said, "we'll see how they behave and how useful they can be once the task is done."

Somewhere else

Abby Stark was lead forcefully down the halls and passages and was forced to stop.

Through the burlap bag, she saw that there was a card reader on the wall next to the ornate wooden doors.

The guard had a keycard that he slid through the reader and the door opened.

"Get in there," the guard ordered.

"Yeah, rude much," she snapped.

She saw another person move in the room. This person got down on their knees from what she could see through the holes.

"Get down," her holder growled and a large pain was felt in the back of her knee after she was struck with an object.

Abby collapsed to the ground; carpet she was able to identify.

Suddenly, there was a loud commotion and a lot of heat. The man that was behind her before she hit the floor was screaming.

The bag was removed by the person she had partially seen. It was another woman with brunette hair and two distinct birthmarks on her cheeks and mouth.

Abby looked up and saw that one of the guards was on fire and the flames were being controlled and surrounded in ice.

The man burned to ash.

Once the ash was frozen and it melted into the floor, she looked up.

"Let that be a lesson to you," the Mandarin spoke as his rings returned to normal, "treat our guests with respect or you will find that your fate will be the same."

"Yes sir," the guard spoke.

The Mandarin looked down upon them both.

"My apologies Lady Stark," her rival spoke. He stared down upon her and focused.

Suddenly her bonds disintegrated and were no more. She was free.

"For our guard's poor actions, perhaps if you will, have dinner with me this evening," he asked.

She wanted to throw up, but she needed to get some intel.

"Why not?" she said. "Let's catch up. It's only been seven months since you tried to kill me last."

"Till we meet once more," he spoke and the door was closed and locked behind him.

"OK," Abby spoke, "who are you? Who are you connected with?"

"My name is Jane Foster," the brunette with her said. "I was abducted about three days ago."

"Yeah, my husband was dispatched to save you," she replied, "wait, three days ago."

"Yeah. Three days ago. I'm an astrophysicist so I know how to tell time without a watch," Foster said.

"I couldn't have been out that long," she spoke. "I need to take medication everyday." Wait, maybe she was still having some effects from the injector medication.

But she didn't have anymore so now she was dependent on her pill packs.

"So is this your bag," Jane said, as she turned and locked eyes with her purse on the hope chest. "They brought it in here after they searched and purged it, but I saw they left medication in there. Was hoping they, err, you, had something we could use to escape."

"No. These are just my autoimmune suppressants for my heart transplant," she said and quickly swallowed one of the pill packets that she had picked up from the clinic before she had been taken. It would kick in quickly.

"So why are you here?" Jane asked. "Do you have something they want?"

"Why?"

"Well, that's why I am here," she kept talking. "I have been working on portal travel technology. VonDoom thinks I can open a portal to another realm and they can get weapons and tools of mass destruction once I finish my generator."

"Well, the only reason I am here is to keep a whole lot of people away; including my husband and the Avengers," Abby spoke. It was still perplexing her how she could have gone three days without her meds.

Unless...

"Jane are you sure you were captured three days ago?"

"Pretty sure. Why?"

"Because I need these meds everyday and if my husband went the evening before I was grabbed, then I would not have received my drugs over the last two days. It's not possible. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"You were abducted three days ago and the alarm was only sounded yesterday," Abby deduced. "Did you get to an alarm?"

"No," her fellow captive answered. "I was almost to it when I was struck with a tranquilizer dart."

They set Tony up to leave so they could acquire her after their failed attempt when she was at the law office, Abby deduced in her mind. These villains really did want them all.

And if Tony was going to be unable to find them, they were in real danger.

VonDoom with his mask off his face was sitting in his private chamber listening to Abygail Stark process out how long she had been in captivity (which was only a half a day) and the trap that his minions had set to lure Iron Man away.

She was rather intelligent. Really gave Susan Richards a run for his money, but nevertheless, she was as smart as she was attractive.

He had watched as the Mandarin had saved her from being beaten by one of the many soldiers around the base and then invite her to dinner.

Why would he want to dine with her? What obsession did Mandarin have with her?

That would be a dinner date that the would have to drop in on. Lady Stark would stay in her chambers with Jane Foster; for now.

But that would not stop him from observing her and her vain attempts at escape.

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