Trapped with No Way Out – Day 40

Sorry this took so long to get out, I had it all written out, and then it didn't save! Had to rewrite all 2000 words from scratch. Either way, I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Almost 3000 words.

Location: Unknown

Time: 6:30am

Days trapped: 40

Peter woke up groggily blinking sleep from his sluggish eyelids. He moved his stiff neck from its position leaning on his shoulder. His wounds screamed in pain. The slashes in his side, and the cuts on his back. Not to mention the soreness from having to run and bench press every day he's been here. Part of the testing he guessed. The motive for it still wasn't clear, but he just assumed the two workers were just lunatics.

Looking across from him he could see Tony in a similar position head hanging down onto his chest instead of the side. Peter sighed, he'd dragged them into this mess, him and his stupid spidery powers. After 8 tries he couldn't even get them out. All 8 only resulted in being dragged back and each having the same bone broken. His arm throbbed at the thought and he winced. 8 times broken. Tony's was still swollen.

From outside the door, Peter could hear the faint sound of footsteps getting closer. Fear clenched in his heart, they'd had it drilled into their heads that they needed to be awake before Dr. Hias, and Norman walked into the cell. Peter sighed dragging himself up a bit, wincing in pain when it tugged on his wrists, which were closed around heavy cuffs rubbed raw

"Tony" He whisper-yelled trying in vain to draw the attention of the billionaire. How no one had come to save them yet astonished the both of them. Tony barely grunted, but stay fast asleep. Peter's heart pounded fear encompassing him.

The rules, they'd learned since the very beginning, were very, very, very important. They were set up in such that a way, that if you'd break one, you were probably breaking at least two more, if not three. It really just kept you all the more obedient. The first one they'd learned was that they had to be awake by the time their company got there.

The steps got louder, Peter's heart pounded faster, "tony!" His voice got louder. Thoughts of previous days flooded his mind. Fire, scalpels, electricity, water, pain, pain, pain.

"Tony!" This time it was more like a strangled yell. The footsteps were almost there now, halting outside the door as the lock clanged against the metal door, and then the sound of the iris scan. "Tony, please"

But the man stayed as still as ever, completely oblivious to Peter's rising panic, and the pain that was about to present itself. Osborn walked in. Prestigious as always, hair tidy, adorning his signature grey blazer.

"Peter" He greeted eyes sparkling with mischief. Against his will, Peter shrunk back into himself pulling at his vibranium cuffs as Osborn neared him. Bending down the older man looked into his eyes with a pitying look Peter fought the urge to yank on his chains and stayed still watching the stone floor. Osborn smiled when the room remained silent and walked over to the still, sleeping Tony.

With a wave of his hand, a mops bucket of water was brought in and set next to Osborns feet who surveyed it and then nodding to the guards who lifted it up and dumped it over the billionaire. Peter pushed back the outrage he was feeling. The man had been tortured mere hours prior. Tony deserved sleep. Peter brought his Tony again, the man jerking awake spluttering out profanities. He glared at Norman who only laughed in mockery at the shivering man.

Tony just glares, doesn't say anything just glares. Peter's afraid at first, that they'll be punished but Norman only laughs harder motioning to the door as Dr. Hias walks in. Her white doctor coat practically shines with cleanliness, and Peter feels immaculate with his dirty gray tank top and sweatpants with bloodstain patches.

Peter had learned a lot about Dr. Hias not just that she loved to talk while she worked. Her husband died, a gruesome death, because Spiderman, well, he caught him. Or at least that was she thought. In all honestly, Mr. Hias or Jonah Hias was a serial killer. To her, he was an accountant, with no other goal in life than to be her family, but he needed a witness for his 'innocent actions' and he had one. Maybe he was in love with her and maybe he wasn't when he died he left a woman in love with him, and a big ass mystery back on earth as to, was he a serial killer or was he not? Police still hadn't figured it out.

"What is the plan for today," Norman asks his assistant who gave him a sickly sweet smile. It wasn't long before Peter really realized that she wasn't as sweet as she looked. She was pristine, and perfect from her head to her toe, always gathered and put together, and always calm. It was a smart act. She got the reputation she wanted while avenging her husband's death. Win, win for everyone except Peter-and tony of course.

"More of the usual" The way she said usual made a chill run up Peter's spine, his hair stead on end, and fear made his stomach crawl. An inkling of fear was in Tony's eyes but he made no move to reject the words. It hadn't ended so well last time. Peter cringed at the memory. He could feel Tony's eyes on him as the cuffs were removed from the wall hooks and the guards gripped them. Peter had reason to believe that the guards were mutants. If the strength didn't already give it away, there was always the above-average muscles that they had.

The eyes continued until the door shut behind Peter and he was dragged into the training area, better known as his own personal torture hell.

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Location: The New and Improved Avengers Compound (TNAIA)

Time: 13:58

Days Attending: 33

Natasha groaned. It had been a little over a month and the team of rogues was still no closer to finding their friend-friends? They had no leads, and no supplies, still trapped in the category of 'criminals' the titles were everywhere, and it was a common occurrence to find their faces stuck on a piece of crumpled yellow paper hanging on trees and the sorts. Rhodey was currently trying to restore their reputations with the ever-so-cooperative-General Ross. Not.

"Nat?" Clint walked out of his room. At 2 pm no had eaten yet, to be frank, no had done anything self-care-ish since the fall-out of the Avengers. Always on edge, always on the run. Sometimes Natasha wished she could go back. Maybe have helped Team Ironman as they'd been dubbed, and then they'd surely been pardoned by now. The rogues would sign the accords and there would have been no lies exposed. Tony wouldn't have almost died.

"Hey Clint" She murmured reaching over to grab her book. They were seeking refuge in the Avengers Compound, it had been approved by Pepper as she had ownership over the private property. It also meant that nothing could go in and out with her permission lest it be breaking and entering.

She felt the couch she was in lower slightly on the side opposite of hers and she picked her head out of her hands glancing at Clint through tired eyes. He was sporting the same raccoon eyes. She almost laughed at it and would've if they weren't in this specific predicament. Everyone just wanted to find them and bring them home.

"Any leads?" He asked. She shook her head, no. Clint sighed, Natasha was sure this was incredibly difficult on him, perhaps even more than her. Especially after they'd found out that the so-called Spiderman was no older than 16. After all, he did have kids of his own, and there was a parental instinct that she would never know of.

"Steve is getting-"

"Agitated, yeah we all are" Natasha snapped. Her eyes shot back to the floor, guilt burning her cheeks a bright red. Steve had been not a good leader. Hadn't in a while, putting the blame on everyone else, making pitiful excuses for his own actions.

"Nat.." Clint said wrapping an arm around her in a rare physical assurance. She learned her head against her shoulder letting a few tears drip out of her eyes. They couldn't die, not when she hadn't made things right. The last memory they had of her shouldn't be a betrayal. It shouldn't be fighting.

"I just want to find them" She whispered wiping her tears and standing up watched her with concerned eyes. There was nothing more to say, they needed saving and she had to do it…for them…she had to make things right.

"I know," Clint said, "But maybe you should eat something first"

She nodded and let him guide her out and into the kitchen. She watched silently as he fixed some scrambled eggs and thought back to the memories the Avengers- Her family had in this very room.

3 years ago

(Timeline: civil war: 2 years ago Homecoming 1 year ago)

"Tony!" Steve whined, the Avengers were all snickering under their breaths. Tony had replaced all of Steve's cooking aprons with an "Everything Special About Me Came Out of A Kitchen" referencing the fact that Steve's most likable attribute was in fact his cooking.

Natasha tilted her head an amused smile resting on her lips, "It is kind of funny."

"And a good come back for the prank you pulled" Sam reminded which only made Steve groan more. All of the Avengers were currently in a prank war. Clint had hidden in the vents and dropped down when Steve was walking, very tiredly might I add, to the kitchen scaring the living daylights out of the old man. In response, said old man, added a clump of hot sauce to Clint's pasta, but Clint knowing about the supposed prank switched platters with Tony. Let's just say it ended with a very hot billionaire, and a very scared looking Steve.

"You know that was Clint's doing," Steve said pointedly to Tony who only shrugged.

"I know, he has something coming for him to"

Clint immediately tensed, eyes searching the floor but nothing stood out to him. Natasha just watched all the antics. She'd been asked by Tony what would make the perfect prank for Barton. She had said that it would bother him more if he thought something was comeing. An 'on-edge-Clint' was perhaps one of the most hilarious things she'd expected from the man. So Tony had gone with that, and of course hacking into super Mario carts, so that whenever Clint was playing he would always get the last place.

Of course, the Avengers had a falling out before the winner of the prank war had actually been declared and the pranks had been left at that. The few times she snuck into Stark industries however, she still saw Steve's apron hanging up along with the bottle of hot sauce sitting on the counter. It always sent a pang through her heart, when she caught him watching the objects longingly before scowling and going back to what he was doing.

~Present~

Clint placed the scrambled eggs in front of her leaning on the island with his forearms on it and his butt sticking out the opposite way. "Hey, did you see the apron that was still hanging up"

Natasha froze, her eyes slowly rising to meet Clint's. He shrugged unbeknownst to Nat's flooded feelings. The lecture was she was preparing to give about giving up on Tony so unsympathetically during Civil war when Pepper walked in with red-rimmed eyes.

"Pepper?" Natasha hurried to her once, best friend. Their closeness was now only a torn memory of betrayal. The usual bad-ass woman didn't seem to care because at this moment she needed a friend.

"I miss him," She said into Nat's chest who felt a rush of sympathy. If they'd been here maybe this wouldn't have happened. If they'd just sucked it up and signed the accords.

"I can already feel you playing the blame game" Pepper sighed who looked at Natasha fully now. "It's not your fault"

"But-"

"If every but were candy and nuts then every day would be Christmas" Pepper recited, and Natasha remembered the quote only from a different instance back when Tony was dying and she was sent as an unofficial shield operator to look after the two.

Natasha let out a soft chuckle. "Thanks, I needed that"

Pepper gave her another small hug, "Do we have any new leads"

"Not yet, we have the satellite open and active in case we see them but other than that-"

"guys!" Clint interrupted suddenly yelling over Natasha who gave him a disapproving scowl. He pointed behind to where the rest of the Rogues were. Steve stepped forward.

"Pepper, I'm so sorry," He said meaningfully, but now wasn't time for apologies, they needed to get their friends back. After all the apologies would be in vain if Tony didn't come home.

"Not now" Natasha hissed, Steve nodded. She could almost see Steve slip back into the leader role.

"We have a lead," he said his eyes drifting to all of his teammates.

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Location: Unknown

Time: 18:48

Days trapped: 45

Tony was still shivering from the waterboarding curled up as close as he could to the wall, his legs close to his chest. They wanted to know more about SI. Osborn asked meaningless questions, at least someone was having…fun. His eyes full of glee, and excitement would forever haunt his nightmares. On most days Peter was pulled away from the room for about roughly 12 hours. In which Tony became their punching bag. It hurt. The waterboarding, the cuts, the everything. Sometimes though, if they were feeling nice Osborn would let Tony and Peter sit together. This was one of those days. The guards hadn't reattached his cuffs, and about 30 minutes later tossed Peter into the room like a sack of potatoes.

"T'ny" Peter slurred eyes blinking fast. To hell with being cold, Tony practically lept from the beige cot and pulled Peter into his arms.

"I'm here" Tony said in a soft voice. One he'd only recently started using. He already thought of Peter as a son, and having been forced into the predicament, he decided Peter needed more than snippy one-liners and awkward hugs.

Peter curled up against Tony's chest eyes barely open. His lip was split and a large gash going down the side of his face in a diagonal line. Tony could barely think straight. In all 45 days that they'd been here, Dr. Hias hadn't hurt him this bad. Who would do this to a child?

"M' S'ry" Peter whimpered, tears leaking out from his now wide eyes, "I t'ied to be st'ong like 'ou"

Tony tried not to cry. Peter looked vulnerable, something he didn't usually show. Always trying to be the 'city's hero' all the time. "It's ok, Bambi," Tony said brushing his hand through Peter's long curls. "I'll get us out of here"

He said that a lot. He didn't always mean it. They were still nowhere close to even figuring out where they were. Osborn had taken them somewhere after sedating them in the basement. They could be in Canada for all tony knew. Norman came here at least every other day so it shouldn't be too hard to find them if Rhodey had just followed the man, but Norman was never a threat. A company competitor yes, but a threat to humanity no.

"What'd they do to you," Peter said sitting up, if only a bit. His slur was gone a bit, but his words were still garbled, and barely above a murmur.

"The usual" Tony quotes. Peter gave him a look. "You look like Pepper"

"Haha, very funny"

"But you sound like me" Peter rolled his eyes. Whenever they could be together Tony tried to get Peter to act more comfortable. He didn't want Peter to lose his spark despite what their tormentors said or did. They were still Tony Stark and Peter Parker the most renowned heroes of their time. At least in his eyes.

"Do you have a plan?" Peter asked his eyes darting around the room. Tony chalked it up to adrenaline. The want to escape never left Tony either, but it wasn't very realistic there was no way they could get out without help.

"No" Tony admitted, "But someone will come. Eventually"

He watched Peter's eyes close, taking shallow breaths thanks to the wounds before leaning up against the wall and falling asleep himself.

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Location: Unknown

Time: 12:09am

Days with people: 46

Norman arrived home late that night. Everyone had noticed the absence of Tony Stark by now, but he went about his normal business. Everyone assumed he was on vacation, given that he hadn't had one yet this year. He was at Tahiti, and what a magical place it was. He chuckled at the joke himself glancing over at his son.

Harry Osborn had tried to perform an experiment on himself 60 days ago, and it had gone horribly wrong. Now his precious son was trapped in the body of an alien-like creature. Green with texture all over his body. Constantly in pain. Norman didn't fail to notice Spiderman's amazing healing abilities. The way Spiderman would reportedly get stabbed or shot and be back to "saving the day" 1 or 2 days later. Why the lord gifted a new York nobody with these powers was beyond him, but he needed to powers to heal his son.

"Dad" Harry called from another room. He was sitting in a wheelchair facing the blackout curtains. He looked at his dad, and Norman fought the urge to cringe at the cat-like eyes. "How long am I going to be like this. I've waited days on end and still nothing. Are you even trying?"

"Of course I'm trying" Norman pleaded with his son, "But it's not that easy, I don't know where his healing powers come from and until we do you'll just have to wait."

Harry went back to scowling and Norman tracked upstairs to get some long-awaited shut-eye.