*Warning for attempted rape and sexual assault in this chapter*
Vaguely, Wanda noticed, Rob had stopped massaging her head as they looked at the smoke rising where Rhody fell. Vision had glided over as soon as Rhody slammed into the ground and appeared to be talking to Stark. She glances at Rob and noticed that he had begun to get his gauntlets back on and stand. She followed his lead and the two of them walked over to where everyone was gathering. Everyone seemed to be joining up with Scott Lang who was still nursing a headache on the floor. She also noticed the other newcomer walk up to them holding his side, mask still on.
"So, what do we do now?" The boy, his voice was too high to be anything else, asked.
"Well, Spider-Man," Rob sighed, "We wait for Stark to tell us our next move." He shrugged. "He probably has a way to track that jet and since we still have some time, we will probably go after them."
A chuckle caused everyone to turn. Clint, who was currently sitting down on some debris, was the one chuckling. "You kids, really don't know how the quinjet works, do you?" Spider-man and Rob looked at each other before looking back at Clint, clearly waiting for an explanation.
He shook his head. "Stark can't possibly track the quinjet. It's untraceable, that's how Bruce, the hulk, disappeared." Clint smiled victoriously. "Sorry kids, but Cap won."
As he listened Rob slowly felt his anger rise as he realized that the Winter soldier might have actually escaped his grasp. He glared at Hawkeye but restrained himself from yelling at the moment, trying to convince himself that the man was lying.
Wanda watched his with some concern as she felt his rage boiling. She wasn't even using her powers and she felt his rage. What could have possibly caused him to hate another being so completely she wondered. She relaxed slightly when it simmered down but was left wondering why he would be so upset. The group stayed quiet after that, waiting for the rest to come back. Rob noticed that the black widow kept her eyes down and stayed off to the side. His eyes narrowed at her odd behavior. He would have thought she would be strutting around all confident. Not off to the side acting like she did something wrong.
It was 20 minutes before Tony returned and by that point a few emergency vehicles were around Rhody's crash site. As Stark approached them, military vehicles screeched in and deployed a sizable group of soldiers. Everyone looked around in confusion as they quickly detained the members of Cap's team. Rob actually flinched in shock at how brutal they were all treating them.
A cry of pain sounded behind him. Turning, he saw Wanda on the ground, with a shock collar on her neck. The collar was connected to a rod held by a smirking man as he continuously shocked her. Many of the others were crying out in protest as another person walked up. Another collar was soon placed on her and she seemed to lose all her strength. Rob by this point had enough and advanced on them. Wanda who was barely conscious at this point due to the shock collar and the mutation dampener collar watched as Rob ripped the rod from the man and shouted at him. Tony who was arguing with what must have been their commanding officer ran over and dragged Rob away. As her vision went black, she couldn't help the small smile that came to her face at his actions.
Rob seethed as the soldiers loaded up their prisoners. How these men could treat these people like that was beyond him and he was certain that shock collars were illegal.
"Kid, I need you to calm down." He heard Stark tell him as he paced around. His hands were itching to take his rifle and put a stop to this treatment. He stopped pacing when Stark grabbed his arm. "Kid, are you listening?"
Rob glared at him as his mask opened up. "I can hear you just fine Stark. But how can you be so calm about how they are treating your teammates?" Rob waved his hand toward the armored truck meant to take them to another location for transport.
Stark looked him dead in the eye. "They made their choice." Rob's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Now I need you to go with them and try and get the location that cap and Barnes are off to. Got it?" Stark shook him when he didn't reply right away. "Got it?" Rob fixed stark with his best glare before nodding his head. "I promise, the second I get a location, you and I will go after them and take down the winter soldier." Tony promised before moving away.
Rob watched him go with a heavy sigh. He was definitely pissed about not getting the Winter Soldier. Honestly, he had half a mind to say fuck it and go off looking for him now, especially with the tech Stark had given him. But it was also this gift that stopped him. He had no way of knowing what countermeasures had been put into the suit and so stayed his hand. Grumbling to himself he moved towards the armored truck that houses Cap's team and sat in the back making sure he had everyone in his sight.
Wanda was seated next to him and still unconscious. Hawkeye was next to her fussing over her. Falcon had been dragged over and was sitting next to Ant man on the other side. Next to those two was another soldier who was eyeing up Wanda. Rob nudged him with a boot and growled at the man. The guy looked startled before rolling his eyes and looking elsewhere. Clint, who had noticed the exchange, sent Rob a thankful look.
Falcon looked up when the doors were closed behind Rob and decided that there was no need to keep quiet. "So, what, are you our escort to make sure we don't break out of here?" the snarky tone agitated Rob even more than he already was. Taking a deep breath to keep from snapping he instead ignored the wingless man. Of course, Falcon wasn't having it. "Hey kid, I'm talking to you. What are you deaf?" Scott grumbled, apparently, he was still nursing a headache. Wanda groaned and shifted a little. Rob glanced towards Wanda hoping she would be fine. He could already see a ring of red forming around her neck. "Don't pretend to be concerned for her Mr. I'm too cool to talk." Falcon scoffed. "You were all too eager to put a bullet in our backs not too long ago."
Rob grinded his teeth and decided enough was enough. "Are you a professional asshole or just a douchebag?" Clint snickered and Wanda cracked her eyes open to take in her surroundings as she woke up. Hearing his last comment, she couldn't help but let out a strangled laugh. Clint sighed in relief as he turned all his attention on her. Rob turned towards her and opened his mask to get a better look.
Sam went to open his mouth again but Clint beat him to it. "Sam, just back off and stop antagonizing him." Rob nodded his thanks to Clint before focusing back on Wanda who grumbled from all the noise.
"Hey." Rob says softly cupping her head and turning it towards him. Looking into her eyes he tries to see if she will be ok. She smiles appreciatively and nods her head in answer to the unasked question.
"Hey." She says softly back. She leans over towards him and offers the back of her head, silently asking for his fingers. Chuckling softly, he starts rubbing her head and she sighs in delight as her headache subsides. Clint is watching the interaction in interest and the other two choose to ignore them.
It's the soldier across from him that seems to have a problem. "You aren't supposed to be engaging with that thing." Rob feels Wanda stiffen and turns toward the soldier. "It's dangerous and could break free at any moment."
Looking the man up and down Rob finally speaks to him. "Excuse me? Did you just call her a thing?" He noticed Clint stiffen in the corner of his eye.
The unknown soldier scoffs. "She's at best a weapon and at worst a freak. Don't waste your time." The man replies.
Rob snarls. "SHE, is a young woman who was just treated like an animal, which I will remind you violates all kinds of human rights." The man went to open his mouth but Rob powered on. "And before you say she isn't a human, let me assure you she most definitely is. So why don't you just shut your ass up and stay silent." They glared at one another before the soldier looked away. Rob smirked in victory before turning his attention back to Wanda.
Wanda would be the first to admit she never thought anyone would stand up for her. Sure, her brother had but he was a mutant too and family to boot. He was expected to support her and she him. The Avengers stood up for her but they weren't regular people by any stretch of the word. All of them had their own thing that made them different from the average person. But here, sitting right next to her, was a man who barely knew her. Had no mutations that she knew of and was adamantly defending her to a soldier who technically was on his side in this whole civil war. Shocked wasn't enough to describe what she felt. Giving him her best smile, she shuffled to snuggle into his side trying to impart how grateful she was for his support.
Rob stiffened in surprise before easing into it. Putting an arm around her shoulders he squeezed softly. Around the vehicle the other avengers were looking on in fondness and gratitude even if Sam's was more begrudging than the others.
They spent the next two hours of the ride like that before their truck jerked to the side and seemingly lost control for a few moments as something rammed into it. Since everyone wasn't strapped in, they all were thrown around. As the truck righted itself everyone picked themselves up. Rob redeployed his helmet and used its advanced tech to scan the outside world. His visor showed two men on motorcycles carrying submachine guns and a van filled with 4 men, 3 of which had assault rifles, following them.
Rob turned to the others who were all trying to situate themselves in their seats. The soldier with them was panicking and kept glancing around yelling about what was going on. Rob rolled his eyes before punching him in the face and knocking him out.
Turning to the others Rob shrugged. "He was like that since they rammed us, right?" Everyone nodded enthusiastically. "Perfect, now please get down. I'm opening the door to deal with these guys." Clint quickly used his body to shield Wanda as they got on the floor. He took a stance on one knee and prepped his rifle. Raising his left hand, he shot a repulsor bolt knocking the door off while simultaneously firing. Once the door hit the road, a splatter of blood covered the vans windshield and they swerved off the road and into traffic. Satisfied that they weren't a problem anymore, Rob turned his attention on the two bikers who sped up to be next to their vehicle. Rob groaned in annoyance as pangs rang off the side of their vehicle. He eyed the other door and asked his V.I. if they could perhaps magnetize his boots to stick to it. When he got the confirmation, he smiled. If he pulled this off, it would be awesome.
He fired his grapple on the bed of the truck before jumping on the remaining door. His boots stuck to it as it fell off. He kept a firm grip on the wire of his grapple as he got his balance as he surfed on the road. Rifle in hand he lined up a shot to the biker on the left and quickly loosed a shot. The mans head jerking as he tumbled off the bike. The one on the right heard and saw Rob and he raced ahead. Rob tried to angle the door to give him a shot but was too late as the man turned around and came from the other side. Shooting rounds that bounced off his armor, the man was ill prepared for the round that pierced his chest. Flying off the bike the mand skidded to a halt, blood trailing behind his lifeless corpse.
Soon enough their truck slowed to a stop and Rob got back in the back. Clint and Wanda were amazed by what they just saw. The other two couldn't' see as they were behind everyone else. Rob helped everyone out of the truck, giving special care to Wanda, making sure she was as comfortable as possible, while dragging the still unconscious soldier out and dumping him off to the side.
Soon enough police and military vehicles pulled up and the group was once again in an armored truck driving to the closest helipad for transport. They even got a new soldier who stayed quiet and kept to himself the whole time, allowing Wanda and Rob to talk. Along the way Rob and Wanda discussed many things but they mostly went over Wanda's home country of Sokovia. Wanda was very much a patriot when it came to her place of birth. Part of her reasons for picking Cap's side was how in her eyes Tony wasn't doing nearly enough to help her home. Every cent she got for being an Avenger went to charities in support of her home.
Rob sat there and gave her all his attention, enraptured by her stories. Soaking up all the knowledge he could get about her. All this only proved that she didn't deserve to be labelled a criminal. Sadly he couldn't do much since he was new to the scene and held no sway with any power players. It also made it harder to watch them get dragged off the chopper and onto the raft. A floating prison in the ocean that housed the worlds deadliest, most powerful criminals. Rob quickly followed them inside where they came face to face with Secretary Ross. He looked each of the Avengers in the eye before turning to the soldiers behind him.
"Send them through processing then escort these criminals to their cells." The men rushed forward and roughly pulled them away. Wanda, Rob noticed, had the most people around her and all her men who seemed to relish the thought of a woman before them. Silently seething he moved to follow and make sure they kept their hands to themselves when Ross stopped him. "You, Stark sent you right?" Rob nodded and kept his gaze on the doorway they took Wanda through. "Good job son, you have made the world a safer place by making sure they got here." Rob finally glanced at him, his mask covering his face and thus hiding his disdain for the man.
"What happens to them now?" He asked. Ross stepped up next to him.
"They get locked away and the girl will be kept in a contained environment where she can't hurt anyone else." Rob seethed and had his V.I. increase audio from down the corridor they all went. What he heard chilled him to the bones. Wanda was screaming in pain while the other Avengers were shouting at what he assumed were the men who had taken her.
Ignoring Ross's yell, he ran forward bashing the door open. Running down the hall, he pulled his rifle out and switched to stun rounds. Rounding a final bend, he came face to face with the group of men groping and molesting Wanda who was now barely covered. Her cloths ripped off and a straight jacket nearby. One of them men started unbuckling his pants while the others held her down and opened her legs. The collars on her neck were going off, keeping her powers contained and her in constant pain. HE glimpsed her eyes once they landed on him. The silent plea for help and the hope that seemed to fill her panicked eyes tore at him. Raising his rifle, he fired five shots. Five men fell over either screaming or unconscious. The last two men quickly scrambled away but he was beyond caring. Rob put two shot in them too. Moving to Wanda, who feebly tried to cover herself with what was left of her cloths, he picked up the jacket and laid it over her. Finally covered she refused to meet his eyes as tears ran down her face. It was at this moment that Ross ran in with two more guards. Looking around, it wasn't hard to find out what happened. Quickly ordering he men that Rob had taken down to be arrested and those watching the cameras to be brought in for questioning, Ross tried to assure Rob that this wasn't supposed to happen.
Rob wasn't listening as he slowly wrapped Wanda in his arms. Making sure she could see everything he did. He didn't have any experience dealing with sexual assault victims but he could imagine it would be frightening for the woman if any man tried touching them after the incident. Wanda surprised him by leaning into his touch and crying even more. Carefully picking her up, he carried her away and asked his V.I., making a mental note to name it later, where the closest bathroom was.
Once getting in, he gently put her down and took off his armor. Stepping into one of the stalls, he removed his pants and shirt before sliding the out to Wanda. "Put these on." He ordered calmly. Hearing Wad shift and presumably pick up his clothing he continued softly. "I'm so sorry that happened to you." His voice was low as he tried to come up with something else to say trying desperately to make her feel safe and secure. "I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner. You deserve so much more than this."
He knew he probably wasn't helping but he had no idea what to say or do. He couldn't even imagine how she felt. How vulnerable and scared she probably was.
He heard Wanda take a deep shuddering breath. "Thank you for saving me. Again." Her voice cracked as more tears streamed down her face. "It wasn't your fault," His heart broke as she tried to hide back a sob. "Please don't leave me?"
Rob put his hand against the door of the stall. "I promise I wont leave until you want me to." Unknown to him Wanda had a small smile on her face.
"You can come out now." She turned to give him some privacy as he walked out in boxers and socks. She only turned around when she heard his armor clamp on. Slowly moving towards him, she snuggled up and released another shaky breath. Rob started wrapping his arms around her but stopped when she flinched and held her breath. He didn't move until she nudged him a bit. Slowly she wrapped her arms around him and cried as they held each other.
Safety wasn't something Wanda felt often. She only truly felt safe when she was with her twin Pietro, or at Clint's farm with his family. Now she added Rob to that short list of people who made her feel safe and protected. In his arms she felt the world wasn't such a terrible place, even as she tried to suppress what had just happened to her.
So, this took a while to get out but it is definitely longer than originally planned. I am trying a new way of writing to hopefully cut down on mistakes. I guess we shall see how successful I was. Anyway, this chapter should explain Wanda's actions in the next chapter of Rise of the Rogues. It isn't out yet. Probably not till next week. I am seriously considering making a to help with my money issues. I just kind of want to see how many people would be willing to support me on it if I do.
Now as for the scene where Wanda gets sexually assaulted and almost raped. Please note this will have lasting affects throughout this story as this isn't something you can just forget and ignore. Personally as far as I know, I have never met a victim of rape or sexual assault. I don't know what goes through their heads during or after. I tried to depict what I think would be going through a woman's head. I don't know how successful I was but I probably failed. I hope I didn't bring up any bad memories for anyone or hurt them in any way. All I can do is urge you tell the authorities and put the asshole/assholes who committed such atrocities in jail. Rape is by far the worst thing that can happen to another human being and is no joke!