Chapter 8

"Taylor."

I snort slightly as I roll over on my warm pillow and ignore whoever is trying to wake me up.

"Taylor."

"Zmmmgahh." I shake their hand off my shoulder.

"Taylor."

"Five more minutes…"

"Taylor! Wake up!"

I slowly let my mind return to the light of consciousness, and the first thing I realize is that my warm pillow is moving. Up, down, up down…

I lift my head slightly and glare at it, wondering if my dad had done late night science and then planted it in my room again.

But I quickly dismiss that thought because I don't think I was in my room. My room didn't have concrete flooring. Or smell like mold and sweat. And I had lights – wherever I was had me squinting to make out a rumpled cloth material that had previously held my head.

I dart into a sitting position, my hand immediately going for the knife in my waistband.

And coming back empty.

I blink a few times, both to settle the panic bubbling inside me and to adjust my eyes to the dimness around me.

My gaze immediately lands on my dad, who must have been the one to wake me up. He's kneeling by my feet, his hair lacking its usual gelled finesse and blood trickling down his temple.

"Dad, you are bleeding. What – what…" I trail off in confusion as I look around.

"How much do you consciously remember?"

I close my eyes and exhale as I reach into my mind. "S.H.I.E.L.D. wanting the robot, us hiding, Stillwell-" I shudder. "-the mysterious genius, and then…"

"And then what?"

"The suit and the battle with the Tesseract guns."

My dad nods and presses his lips into a thin line. "Did you see who took us?"

I breathe in sharply as the silver badge gleams in my mind. "The WSC, the Council."

"And we have a winner. Fury's bosses – more specifically, their goons - took us in and dumped us here." He gestures around what I can assume is a cell, judging by the bars barring one side. "They knocked us all out using normal sedatives. They tore off our suits, stripped us all of any and all weapons, tranquilized Steve," he nods towards a lump in the corner, "drugged Thor," he motions towards my makeshift pillow, "and injected Bruce to the gills." He points to where the doctor is crumpled loosely against a wall, faintly muttering about ninjas, unicorns, jellybeans, and rainbows.

Yup. Definitely drugged.

"Where are Clint and Nat?" I whisper, trying to leash the panic that roars forward when I don't see my boyfriend or best friend.

"Bird and Spider are tied up over there." He points a shadowy corner, where two figures are hog tied and unconscious.

"Really, tied up? That's it?"

My dad shrugs. "Well, they did take their weapons, so…"

I sigh and quickly pat myself down. He's right, I am completely and utterly weaponless.

I glance around the cell again, and my brain registers that some important people are not here.

"Where are the girls?"

My dad sighs and his shoulder slump a little. "I…don't know."

I open my mouth to respond, but I'm cut off by a groan.

My dad and I both look towards where Steve is pushing himself into a half upright position and rubbing at his head.

He groans again as he blinks at us again, the glaze melting from his eyes. "What…where…"

I visually check Steve over for wounds as my dad explains what has happened.

As my dad finishes, poor Steve looks so overwhelmed and confused. His face screams this is what happened to the world?!

I do not blame him.

I lean back against the wall and breathe in the stale air as I wonder the same thing.

A~A~A

Eventually everyone is awake, although Thor is still sluggish and Bruce is now mumbling abut leprechauns and monkeys.

Strategies are thrown around, but seeing as we are all currently locked in a cell, nothing truly sticks.

Footsteps send us all onto red alert; Natasha, Clint, and I and tense and grab at weapons that are not there.

Two people come into view: a tall man with his shoulders back and chin held high, wearing a black soldier's helmet, goggles propped on his head, and all black clothes covered by a black and silver cloak not unlike Fury's. The next person is a woman dressed in black business slacks, navy flats, and a long blue cloak that hides her upper body and shadows her face. They are surrounded by two guards each, and each of the guards carries a huge rifle slash rocket launcher that has Phase Two branded into the side.

I mentally gulp as we all stare at our new visitors which are probably also our captors. They stop in front of the bars as we all stare at each other for a moment before the guy opens his mouth.

"Ah, hello, heroes. I do hope you have enjoyed your stay so far, we have given you the best in the ways of comfort." He gestures towards our cell.

"Really?" I ask dubiously. "Then I would hate to see the 'worst comfort' package."

The guy ignores me and continues his monologue. "We hope we didn't cause anyone much pain of discomfort collecting you-," I sneer – what am I, a stamp? "-but you are merely pawns in this game. We needed the pawns off the board while S.H.I.E.L.D.'s king gets…eliminated."

Steve clears his throat. "Who's we? Who are you?"

The guy raises an eyebrow and smirks. "My name is Senior Council Member and Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Alexander Pierce."

My dad interjects. "The council? I am not truly surprised, honestly. But S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

The guy – Alexander – laughs. "Ah, I must have failed to mention my third title. I always do that. My third title is current leader of HYDRA."

We all fall into a shocked silence as I whirl to face Steve, gauging his reaction.

And he looks equal parts confused and furious.

His normally baby blue eyes have darkened almost to my eye color – more of a sapphire – and those eyes are directed at Pierce with fire dancing within them. His fists are clenched and shaking, and I can guarantee that if hid shield was here, Pierce would be missing an important appendage or two.

Clint's voice brings my thoughts back. "HYDRA? Weren't you loons defeated in World War Two, by Cap over there?"

"Mr. Barton, have you ever heard the myth of the Greek Hydra? Cut off one head, two more grow in its place."

Realization dawns over Clint.

"Ah, yes. Now you understand. Captain Rogers killed Johann Schmidt, yes, and therefore he caused two more to grow in his place. One of those heads is within S.H.I.E.L.D., growing silently in the dark spots where discontent lives. You, the Avengers, are simply going to be locked up until Director Fury is out of the picture, then you will be released into a new world, one where HYDRA rules all and you seven will be seen as the most dangerous criminals the world has ever known. Your tower shall serve as a nice New York headquarters, Mr. Stark."

My dad snarls and then gestures towards the hooded lady, who has stayed silent this entire time. "Who's your lady friend, Pierce?"

Pierce glances quickly at the lady before looking back at us. "Unimportant. You may call her Steel. Now, I hope you all enjoy your incarceration here, I have a world to take over."

I watch through the bars as Pierce and Steel strut away, surrounded by guards.

My dad lets out a short, bitter chuckle. I turn my head and stare at him, wondering what in the world he finds funny right now.

He sees my raised eyebrow and quickly explains. "First Loki, now HYDRA. Why do snakes hate us?"

I stare at him for another moment before walking over to the wall and sliding down next to him.

"I have no idea."

A/N

Hey! I'm alive, by the way. I'm really sorry for not updating in forever, but I literally have about three hours of internet on weekdays to read AND write all the fanfiction I can. I don't want my chapters to feel rushed and my muse hates me half the time. I'm using weekends to catch up on both this story and my Avengers Texting story.

Don't hate me, but please review!