Carter groaned as she woke up. It took her a minute to realize where she was and then she remembered what had happened the day previous.
After Hammer had taken her and Laynie back to wherever he was keeping them, he and Parks had left them alone for the most part.
Carter winced as she moved her head suddenly. Sleeping against the wall had apparently done a number on her back and neck.
She looked over at Laynie and saw the awkward position her head was in as she slept.
"She's gonna be in a bit of pain when she wakes up..." she whispered.
Carter jumped as a door creaked, and shut quietly. The noise was enough to scare her, but not enough to wake Laynie.
After a silent few moments, Arthur parks trudged into view.
"Hello Carter," he said quietly. He was completely emotionless, it seemed.
"What do you want?" Carter asked anxiously.
Parks looked away, pacing a few feet out of the girls' reach. "Stark was able to pull together enough of the supplies that I'm able to being assembling my... Invention. I was impressed."
"You set him up," Carter seethed. "You knew it was impossible to get it all in so little time."
Parks shrugged. "It was Hammer's idea. Our partnership is based on a desire for revenge; Stark had it coming anyway."
"Why? Because he wouldn't fund your stupid project?" Carter growled.
"Because he humiliated me! He mocked my genius!" Parks looked up at the ceiling for a moment, then began pacing again as if the outburst had never happened.
Laynie sat up slowly, rubbing her neck.
"That's all beside the point. The point, young Banner, is that I need a test subject."
Carter paled.
"Over my dead freaking body, Parks," Laynie said. Her voice was dangerously low.
He scoffed, looking down on Laynie. She was small, and hurt. "You're the valuable one, Laynie. Carter is disposable. We only need one of you to get what I want."
Carter suddenly wished she had paid more attention all those nights ago at the gala. That night seemed like it had happened years ago. "You're insane if you think I'm going to let you make me your guinea pig," she spat.
He shook his head. "I'll be back later Carter. There is nothing you can do to stop me."
Carter let her brave face fall when he left the room. Immediately she turned to Laynie, "Laynie, what is he going to do to me?"
Laynie looked just as astounded as Carter felt. She scooted closer and hugged Carter. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I'll do my best to stop him."
Carter sighed, "I appreciate the thought, but I honestly don't think either of us will be able to stop him."
Laynie sat back, rubbing at her shackled wrist. "I wish we weren't here. At least you. You shouldn't be here."
"Neither should you." Carter pointed out, "We're gonna make it out of this. Tony, Bruce, and everyone else will get us out of here," she said firmly.
She put her head in her hands. "This is just so screwed up. Why are we so disaster prone?" She yanked at the shackle and it bit into her wrist, causing it to bleed.
"I don't think it's so much us being disaster prone, as it is our wonderful family being the Avengers. In hindsight, we probably should have expected something like this to happen." Carter shrugged. There was no hope in the gesture.
Laynie kept tugging at the shackle, despite the fact that it was getting her nowhere.
"Stop that," Carter scolded, "You're only going to make it worse."
Carter frowned when she saw the smears of blood on her friend's arm and everything around it. How hard had she been pulling at her wrist?
Laynie dropped her wrist in her lap, leaving a red stain on her otherwise filthy jeans. "I really hope someone blows Hammer up."