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“Who do you work for?” The Russian asked firmly, one of the many times he had. Then, also in reflection of the previous times, the other imposing Russian sent a punch directly into Steve’s stomach in response to his momentary silence. This had been repeated many times over and by now Steve was littered in bruises and his own blood. Even in such a precarious position, he was reluctant to use his powers, and with his hands tied tightly behind his back it wouldn’t have been easy if he’d wanted to.
“I’ve told you!” Steve coughed harshly while sucking in ragged breaths. “Scoops Ahoy!” He had very well said as much multiple times, but as he was one of the first people to infiltrate a supposedly well guarded USSR base, the Russians were inclined to believe otherwise.
They had been at it for what felt like an hour, and Steve didn’t know whether to be happy or cautious of the sudden change in question.
“You are with the American government, ya?” Commander Ozerov asked brightly, a complete opposite disposition to his previous mood. Steve, of course, shook his head no haphazardly, but he knew it was pointless when the man's eyes dropped down to his exposed wrist that was held tightly against his side. “Number Seven,” he drawled, “you are a rarity. I wonder what they did to you.” He seemed to laugh to himself as he leered down at Steve, and if his face wasn’t so swollen Steve knew his eyes would have widened in trepidation. However, since he was so focused on the pain, he was able to keep his composure in check, only minimally reacting to the idle prodding.
“I told you man, I was born in the seventh month.” He managed to croak out. “It’s a birthday tattoo.” It was a very shoddy excuse, and Steve was well aware of that, but with limited time and pain wracking his body he had blurted out the first thing that came to mind; he had to at least try keeping his identity secret no matter how steep the odds.
Ozerov only smiled tightly in response, full of skepticism, and retreated to a corner with his henchman to talk in quick Russian. They had no reason to be quiet about what they discussed, and it was too bad Steve didn’t know a lick of the language. It was not long before he was hauled up by the stronger man and was dragged out of the room to follow the Commander. This became very literal as it took a meagre number of steps before his legs failed him and he was held up painfully by his right shoulder. As he was dragged to the new mystery location, he spared a thought for Robin who had also gotten herself caught alongside him. No offense to her, but Steve knew she would crack under the pressure almost immediately, especially if she was under similar treatment to him; he would be impressed if she held out.
Eventually, they stopped at the end of the hall before a door—Steve could only barely see this as his head was hanging heavily and eyes stuck to the concrete flooring—and once brought inside, he was shoved into a chair placed at the centre of the room. He groaned as the treatment agitated his already sore body. It was then that Robin's slightly shaky voice alerted him to the fact that she was also present, in a chair and at his back. He hadn’t heard what she’d said, but he mumbled reassuring words as he leaned his head back to rest on her shoulder, he wouldn’t tell her that he was surprised to find himself still conscious despite his injuries.
With the slightly more comfortable position, Steve took the opportunity to ease some of her worry using his powers; not so much to dim her completely, he simply wanted her to have a more level head in their bleak position. Even though he was significantly weakened, he had the energy for this much, and any resulting blood from his nose would go unnoticed among the various other bodily fluids.
“I think your friend need a doctor.” Commander Ozerov said in an amused tone. “Answer and he will be provided with one. How did you find us?” He asked, though this time it was directed at Robin who was in a much better state for answering questions.
“Fuck you!” Robin squawked, but the Russian didn’t even flinch at the reply and only motioned the lingering doctor forward. Dr. Zarkov, maybe it was because Steve was so out of it, but he hadn’t even noticed the man in the corner before then.
The doctor strode forward, plucking a tool Steve had never seen off the table on the way. It was only when Zarkov had wrenched his left out as far from his body as it could go that he realized what the device was for. The awkward angle brought the plier-like tool next to his hand, perfectly poised to rip his fingernails clean off. Steve lifted his head from its perch even though he was unsure he actually wanted to see what was about to happen. His heart rate spiked, and he knew the wave of fear he caught from Robin meant she could see exactly what was about to happen. Hence, it was even before the doctor began that Robin broke.
“Wait!” She struggled enough to shift the two tied together chairs away from the doctor. “Your stupid Russian code. We heard it and cracked it in a day. You broadcast your dumb spy code for everyone to hear.” Robin said it mockingly, and it was no surprise when she was swiftly silenced by a violent slap against her cheek that sent her head reeling. As Steve was still trying to keep her emotions mellowed, he felt the fear mingling with her stern determination.
“Do not speak like that, little lady.” Ozerov wagged his finger in front of her nose, mocking her in turn. Dr. Zharkov had been quick to retake his previous position, and he looked as if he were hoping for the opportunity to rip out Steve’s finger nails; it sent a shiver down his back. “Tell me what powers your friend here has.” The commander demanded, but Robin only stared at him blankly. However, when Steve felt a pulsing of pain at his finger tips and cried out, she was quick to fill the silence with an answer.
“Uh, he’s great at repelling girls!” She blurted, and through the pain Steve still had the time to feel mildly offended. But it was cut short, when Steve realized the pain was not momentary, and instead the pulling on his nail continued. It was once more motivation for Robin. “Stop! Stop! I have no idea what powers you’re talking about!” At another useless answer, Ozerov’s face seemed to drop in annoyance, and he didn’t even glance at the doctor as he spoke.
“Administer the serum.” He said coolly. It was all the warning Steve got before his head was being yanked to the side, exposing his neck. He winced at the pain to his scalp that only worsened his burning migraine, but he still found the energy to struggle in the face of the intimidatingly large needle. Steve was not regularly afraid of such little things—having become accustomed to the sort during his time in the lab—but this one was by no means little.
“Wait, wait, WAIT!” He yelled frantically, eyes as wide as they could go under the swelling. Of course, his desperate pleas went ignored, and he felt a searing pain running through his veins before it dissolved into a light tingle. He had fallen into a state of sweet calmness scarily fast. It was only after both Steve and Robin had been administered a dose of the drug that the questioning picked up again.
“Who do you work for?” Commander Ozerov asked once more, and Steve couldn’t muster up his previous annoyance. He felt like melting ice-cream, and even the entire room around him seemed to be shifting like a semi-solid liquid.
“Scoops Ahoy!” Robin said drowsily, and Steve followed suit, echoing her.
“There is more to it.” He grit out. “Tell me more.”
“Why are you so mad? Be happy dude.” Steve asked, sensing his flaring fury in the air easily. “I can help you.” He continued, with slurred words that stuck together awkwardly, and smiled widely at Ozerov as if to provide an example. The Russian only then replied with a twitch of his brow, staring at his face stiffly.
“Whatcha gonna do Stevie?” Robin giggled, and craned her head to see him. “Hug Him?”
“Hah! Nooo, I’m way more effective than that.” His mind was fuzzy, unthinking of the consequences of his actions. So, he wasted no time in reaching out properly into Ozerov’s mind to slap his own high emotions into his head. “Happy!” He said proudly, and the man smiled—a stark difference to moments ago.
“How’d you do that?” Robin bloomed with giddy shock.
“Magic.” Steve replied mysteriously, and the two laughed while the doctor watched with narrowed eyes. Feeling extra triumphant over the rare use of his powers, Steve began to play around more. “Sad.” The Commander and Steve frowned, though Steve’s grin was fighting to smile again. “Happy! Sad.” He continued, room evolving into giggles at Ozerov’s cost. Disappointingly for the two prisoners, it was cut short all too soon, as the subject of their fun darted forward to clamp a hand over Steve’s eyes. It seemed he was observing them quite closely, and had figured out Steve’s Achilles heel quickly. Steve was unable to touch a person’s emotions if he couldn’t see them, at the moment he could only sense the intrigue from the Russians floating around him like perfume. The artificial emotions bled out of the man quickly with the severed connection, but Steve and Robin laughed regardless.
“What a trick, boy.” He joined them in laughing, more genuine this time. “You must be America’s special weapon.” Like a sponge, Steve soaked up the permeating excitement, and if he was of proper mind, he would have felt his heart plummet into his gut. Unfortunately, all he could feel was the delirious high a dulled pain, he barely registered being dragged out of the room. Though, this time, he was blindfolded and bound to a chair tighter than previously.
The only positive he might have found in the situation, was that he couldn’t panic and didn’t have to feel the brunt of his pain.
It was a while after he’d been left alone that alarms began to scream throughout the base, though he couldn’t tell if it had been hours or a few minutes. The sound pierced his ears, worsening the headache he could not feel in full since the drug had worn off. He’d vomited over the side of his chair and had managed not to get any on himself despite his blindness. Since there was no other reaction apart from his own that he could feel, Steve guessed he had been left alone for the time being; though he didn’t know how much that would help him in escaping.
Everything had gone wrong during the impromptu spy mission. The Russians had discovered his powers and very obviously wanted to make him into a weapon. Again, he’s been separated from Robin and he can only hope for the best for her, not to mention that he’s not even actually sure Sinclair and Henderson had escaped through the vent earlier. But maybe he could take comfort in the fact that even the Russians wouldn’t kill a potential weapon, though he was unsure whether or not he would prefer the undoubtedly extreme treatment that was to come.
Even more pressing, was the blaring pain that engulfed his body, somehow louder than the alarm. His body felt like pins and needles, throbbing aggressively in different areas, and he was sure he would be covered in bruises for the foreseeable future if he didn’t escape.
Steve considered jumping into his mind space to search for the others, the circumstances were not ideal but should suffice for a quick check. What he was more worried about was mustering up the energy for it and focusing enough to actually find anyone.
He’d just dropped his chin to rest on his chest in defeat and exhaustion when he heard it. A loud banging muffled by the ever screeching siren, footsteps too. Though he expected it, Steve was still startled to hear the door to his room being thrown open, and he felt a shroud of emotions crowding into the space. He’d lifted his head in response then, staring at where he thought people were, but he kept his mouth clamped shut.
It took a moment, but when the blindfold was finally removed he had to blink frantically and squint against the harsh lighting. More fuel to the fire in his head. Eventually, he managed to eye the plump man before him, feeling a sense of familiarity that only spelled disaster.
“Seven?” He spoke with a slack jaw, and his eyes seemed to flit between his face and exposed wrist. “We thought you had died.” It was confirmed, this man was from the lab, and everything Steve had done previously to prevent this exact event from happening had all been in vain. He was out of it, and extremely reluctant.
“Don’t take me back.” He mumbled weakly, voice cracking for the first time that day.
“You’re injured, and we both know the hospital won’t provide the best care. Count yourself fortunate.” He replied lightly, but Steve did not feel lucky at all. Dimly, he felt a wetness sliding down his face, but he couldn’t tell if they were tears or more blood.
He was carried out of the room, and even untied he had no strength to fight back anymore. He passed out before he’d even made it down the hall.