Steve struggled weakly from lack of oxygen. A bulky arm was wrapped in a choke hold around his neck, crushing his airway. Whatever was in that shot was absolute hell, the substance inside was searing his veins, dragging pain wherever it went, and Steve found that it was far worse than the injections he endured for the super soldier program. He could barely hear the sound of squealing tires or feel the paid motion over the burning, blurring pain of the injection. Sweat dripped into his eyes and the blood could not reach his head at all.
"Watch it. It's starting." The wheezy man in the disgusting stained lab coat informed with maniacal delight.
The bulky man that was crushing his throat suddenly wasn't holding on quite so tightly. No, it wasn't because the strange man was gripping his neck with any less fury, but somehow Steve was able to breathe easier but this simple action was suddenly made all the more painful when the liquid fire flared in his throat and spread farther into his brain. The man behind him grabbed him by the scruff of his neck to hold the thinner body. Steve's feet no longer touched the floor but he barely noticed with the pain he was in. A howl tore from his throat and the blonde Avenger dimly noted that the sound was not normal, but took on a timbre, like an actual howl.
"His clothes seem to be changing with him." The wheezy voice noted. "Put that down as a side effect." He bawled at a previously unnoticed lackey.
Steve didn't even get the chance to think about that as his head exploded in pain. It felt like his face was melting off. By this point, no part of him was touching the floor and the drudge now had him suspended in the air by the scruff of his neck. The fire started slowly to ease off and it was obvious that things had changed.
"Good. All done." The madman purred. "Lock it up and we'll make our escape."
The soldier was thrown in a small cage that rested in a corner on the floor. Small? Steve wasn't small. He stood on all four feet. Four feet? He yelped and twisted around, trying to catch details of his body.
"What will the tragic heroes think of their big, bad Captain America when they discover that he is a harmless little puppy?" The wheezy man taunted in a snide tone.
"They'll fix this. I know it. When they get here you will face justice for what you have done to New York!" Steve yapped frantically. He was still saying words…he knew that much but they didn't seem to understand him.
The men looked at him and shrugged. "Whatever you say doggie, we don't speak Canine."
Steve lay down on his belly, feeling shaky after experiencing such a huge change. He had confidence in everyone, they would find him and Bruce or Tony would know what they did to him and would be able to fix it. Suddenly, the floor jolted beneath their feet. The golden dog yelped, crashing into the harsh wire of the cage. The wall indented fiercely in the shape of a robot and the ceiling crumbled. Darkness smothered Steve's vision as he bashed his head on the floor. Metal screamed and tore and the van crumpled under the huge amount of weight.
"Help!" Steve barked as the ceiling collapsed.
The people were crushed inside the van, dead, he could smell as much. He almost wished one of them was still alive. The top of the van was still being crumpled, and quickly closing in. His wire box crackled and bent. He closed his eyes and waited. The top of the van just stopped right where it was.
Steve cocked his head, listening.
"Hello?" He woofed softly.
When he received no reply, Steve nudged the door which had burst open as the cage was crushed slightly. It moved a bit. Steve wiggled back and launched himself off the back of the cage to break the door open. It swung free and the metal groaned in misery. The small golden puppy writhed through and struggled towards the light. His chest dropped out toward the ground but the sharpish points sticking out above grabbed at his back. It tore through his skin and he whimpered in pain. Steve scrambled at the ground trying to get traction to get the spines out but he couldn't reach the ground. He yelped and jerked and slid to the ground in a hot bloody mess of fur and paws.
"Ouch." The little dog looked up and around.
Everything was so big from his new perspective. He looked at the van. He could have sworn it was yellow when he was manhandled into it, now it was an off-grey white. He hurt everywhere and just wanted to curl up and sleep. He forced himself to stand up and untangle his limbs, including the strange feeling tail. Steve swept his tail and felt his balance shift as he did so.
Strange.
A familiar sound perked his interest, and he looked into the sky above.
"Tony!"
The mechanical man streaked past in a flash, being pursued by a good number of enemies. He was firing off blasters left and right. One of the bots dropped out of the air like a fireball and tumbled straight towards the little puppy. Steve yelped and sped out of the way. Some random civilians were crouched next to a car near him.
Steve ran over to them to help. "You all need to get underground; it's not safe up here. Come on." He said in his commanding Captain voice.
They all just stared at him blankly and even with concern.
That was when Steve realized how small he was compared to them and it hit him that they didn't understand him. The robotic inferno sparked and made a popping sound that had to be anything but good. Steve dashed forward and grabbed a woman's skirt in his small jaws.
"Stop it." She shrieked standing up abruptly.
"Miena!" The man stood up too along with the three teenagers who looked like they belonged to some sort of gang.
Steve apologized profusely in his mind as he dragged the woman who was now swatting at him to the entrance of a subway station. The man caught up to them and gave Steve a kick in the side, and he felt guilty for even pulling a woman at all.
He had no other way; he was just trying to help.
"Stupid dog." The man growled.
A burst of fire exploded behind the five people. The man hustled his wife down into the tunnel and the ragtag teens followed quickly. Steve panted in exhaustion. He crawled, the best he could, into a nearby alleyway and collapsed in a small heap.
Even the ear-splitting sounds of battle couldn't keep the little pup awake.