A breath...
The sensation of novelty in the air.
Bright lights tried to break through heavy and slightly swollen eyelids. He took another conscious breath, suppressing it as much as he could. They shouldn't know he woke up. Keeping his eyes closed, he reached out with all the other senses. Lying on his back. A steady shaking of a car. Voices in the background. He was left without a guard?
He was still in that van... Maybe? His body felt lighter just because they took away all the weapons and the armor. Even the three hidden blades and the last-resort spike in his boot. His body knew exactly what was missing on its surface. It almost cried.
Effects of drugs reduced to 25%. Limbs control minimal. Goddamit... Prosthetic arm... 45% mobility. He was unhappy. Destroying this vehicle and everyone in it was not an option. Infiltration was risky. After all, they were able to capture the Asset.
The Asset... is unstoppable.
"You are the last person they will see. If they see you! You are the first and the last thing to be feared of. HYDRA is your honor." He recalled.
A very faint glimpse of pain. He squinted involuntary.
Soldier, stay motionless. Listen.
"... and then he just grabbed my wrist! Like a fucking robot!" Excited voice of the smelly man.
"Are you a total idiot, Chris?!" Said a male voice, distorted by a radio transmission.
They're not trying to hide anything from you... Amateurs... "I wish I could've been there... I told you we are not playing with some high-tech toys this time... He's a REAL human, and a damn sneaky one. This is a very delicate thing... He is priceless. And we are very, verrry lucky... so far." Continued a person somewhere on the other end of the broadcast.
"I am not touching this freak with a stick until you use your magic on him..."
Potential threat detected.
"You're lucky he just didn't- Well, let's stay focused. Make sure again he's restrained well... Keep the drugs ready."
The soldier gasped quietly. He applied a minimal (and only available) tension to his writs and legs. Yes, he was restrained. Possibly metal. Metal clamps... Another clamp at his waist. All about inch wide. It felt so familiar. Something turned in his stomach.
"...and one more thing. Is he able to hear us right now?"
"Um... we are on the speaker, if it's what you're asking about..." Replied suddenly concerned voice.
"Maybe just free him and ask to have a fucking truth or dare now?! Fucking civilians!" The military man's voice spit out a mix of orders and curses.
The Asset almost smirked. Civilians...
"Over and out!"
Stay motionless.
One man approached him. The vehicle they were in made a sudden turn to the right. The cautious person seemed to be examining his state. He was standing close enough. He was holding a gun. A faint smell of sweat and metal pinching his nose. His mind.
Amazing, it felt amazing... Being blinded and sensing the world-
Stay conscious, soldier!
"Is he even alive?" Said the cigarette man loosely.
"He's breathing, that's for sure. The clamps are where they were... Hey, is he saying something?"
Proximity detected. Diversion ready.
"What should we even watch out for now? I mean, he's pale and stiff, drugged up to his eyeballs! Maybe he has a metal arm but have you ever believed Steven's stories about- AAAAAAAAARGHHH!"
The civilian man tried to wiggle out of the steel grab of Asset's teeth. The driver shouted and hit the breaks. The van halted abruptly. The soldier helped himself with the momentum and didn't let go until an ear tore, leaving a sweet gush of blood on his tongue.
The driver jumped close to him with a metal bat. A hit on his temple meant nothing. The taste of blood gave him pleasant chills. He could see all the fear and chaos of this action. A soldier on the radio trying to give them orders. The driver tried to stick a needle in his neck. Still holding a bat. The Asset avoided both and made a forward movement, bearing his teeth.
"Oh god.. Oh god!" Whimpered the guy squeezing bleeding side of his head.
The stinky man froze with terror on his face. Good.
The Asset spit more blood and jerked his left arm. Servomechanisms hummed with effort. He clenched his teeth and pulled up again. A dent. And again! Metal squeaked while cracking. It all happened in a second.
He reached for the neck of the non-civilian driver. The man was still holding the needle. The Asset sent him an indifferent look and threw onto the wall of the van. Vehicle's door opened when a limp body landed next to these two suckers. He broke the clamp on his right wrist and stretched to grab an Uzi dropped nearby. He should have thought about a weapon earlier. He was lucky!
Two military men showed up first, easy targets. After the first round, the movement stopped. He grabbed the restrain on his waist. It was harder. The prosthetic arm required more strength - the emergency battery gave him unpleasant prick in the nerve. He managed to lever the metal and finally it let go with a nice clang. He sent another short round towards the door and the windshield. Shouts and slight turmoil. A few vehicles around. But probably not many people with military training. Unusual. He started calculating his chances while breaking apart the last two clamps.
"D-don't kill me..." Muttered the cigarette man.
Level threat minimal.
"That wasn't my idea... I-I didn't know..." He was almost rolled in a ball, trying to hide inside the van's wall. "J-just don't... Please!"
The Asset sent him an emotionless look. Blood splattered across his chin and cheeks. His blue eyes like two mirrors. They flickered a bit when he realized that he was left in his underwear only. All the gear was taken. Bastards.
"You do all I say." He said calmly while landing quietly next to the terrified man. He clutched the shaky arm and lifted his hostage like a puppet.