Chapter 7

The man with the metal arm released his grip on her throat, and she fell to the floor coughing and trying to catch her breath. Monocle man was brushing himself off walking towards her.

"That was impressive Miss Stark, but, I think you will find it was fruitless." He said to her.

Liz scowled at him, as Metal Arm picked her up, and began dragging her out of the room. Outside of the room, there was a long white hallway, lined with doors just like the one she had been drug through. Each cell door had a guard stationed outside, rifles in hand. There we people in lab coats walking in all sorts of directions, some looking through files, others discussing with guards. She wondered which one Steve was in. She knew she wasn't going to be able to get to him with so many people.

Metal arm took her down the long white hallway, bringing her into an elevator. Monocle man came in behind them. The elevator had an optic scanner, and passcode. The doors closed after his optic scan, and Liz felt them beginning to go down. Panic set in, she knew what was about to happen wouldn't be good. The elevator stopped and Metal Arm took her out into a hallway. They took a few turns before Metal Arm stopped, and Monocle Man came up and did another optic scan. He opened a door, and Liz saw a reclinable chair. Metal Arm, took her to the chair and pushed her down.

Metal arm restraints came up out of the chair, looking around her wrists and lower biceps. Another set came up, looking around her ankles and just above her knee. Above her was a circular contraption that looked like it was supposed to go around her head. She took a deep breath. No fear she told herself. The contraption lowered around her head, and she felt electricity shoot through her body.

Liz screamed, her body felt like it was on fire. Images of her life flashed through her mind- memories of playing as a child, news footage from when Tony went missing, his announcement of being Iron Man, meeting Natasha, shopping with Pepper, her meeting with Agent Hill, the run with Steve. Liz continued to scream, before the burning stopped. The metal contraption was released from her head. Her breathing was heavy and strained. She glared as Monocle Man.

"They'll come for me!" She screamed at him.

"While I do believe that, Miss Stark, unfortunately, you will be too far gone for saving," He gave her a malicious smile, before signalling to Metal Arm, "Soldier."

Metal Arm nodded. He approached Liz, and she felt the throbbing of the punch making contact with her. Liz screamed again, coughing, as she choked on the blood in her mouth.

~0~

"I;m almost done," Bruce said.

Steve nodded his head, feeling the sting of the needle, "Thanks Bruce."

"Of course. You sure you're okay?"

"I just can't believe it happened."

"It's not your fault Steve," Natasha said, walking in with a clean shirt for Steve.

"How's Tony?" He asked.

"About as good as could be expected," She gave him a small smile trying to cheer him up. Steve just gave her a nod.

"Guys, we got something!" Clint called from one Tony's computer.

Steve looked back to Bruce for approval to leave. The doctor gave him a nod. Steve put on the shirt Natasha brought him, as the three walked out to brief with Tony and Clint.

"Alright, what do we got?" Steve asked.

"She's at some kind of warehouse down in DC. Looks like majority of the facility is underground. There's some higher level radiation spikes coming from the facility too," Clint says giving them the run down.

"Radiation?" Bruce asked, "like gamma?"

"No, it's electromagnetic."

"Hostiles?" Natasha questioned.

"Unsure. From surveillance it doesn't show many people coming in or out, but inside we're getting about a hundred heat signatures."

"Alright," Steve said, "Let's suit up. Nat, prep the jet, Stark, go take a look. Do not engage. Doctor, we need you there for medical, so pack up what you need. Wheels up in 20."

Steve stared at his suit, thinking about Liz. After their talk the other night and the run in the park he felt like they connected. He felt drawn to her. It was something he hadn't felt since 1945. The guilt of not getting to her in the park was coming back.

"You sure you don't want to sit this one out Cap?" Clint asked, "You're pretty beat up."

Steve was drawn away from his thought, "It's my fault we're in this mess in the first place. I'm coming."

"No one blames you."

"Stark does."

"Rogers she's a grown woman who can make her own decisions, she left the tower. You can only do so much. You did your best. Tony's just scared. Now put the Stars and Stripes on and let's get her back."

Steve gave a small laugh at the snark, and began suiting up, "I'll see you on the jet Barton."

As Steve walked into the quinjet, and Natasha took off, following Tony. Steve walked up to the front where she was.

"You ready for this?" He asked her.

"Always," She gave him a smirk. Steve gave a small smile, looking out at the setting sun.