Chapter Text
-o-o-o-o-
Ze's been in this room for far, far too long.
He thinks, now, that he should’ve tried harder to keep count of the minutes. Because he’s almost sure it’s been at least half an hour by now. However, with a bag over his head and a quickly impending adrenaline crash hanging over his head, it’s a little hard to tell.
He’d just been walking home from work. He always makes sure to walk on well-lit roads, to keep his head down and his eyes up. He makes sure to look at people's hands instead of their eyes, to cross the street when he sees someone walking toward him. Not to avoid getting kidnapped but to avoid getting jumped or murdered. Ze never thought getting kidnapped was on the table. He isn’t exactly overly desirable.
Tonight, however, his first mistake was stopping for the man who grabbed his shoulder and turned him around instead of punching the guy in the face and moving along to his apartment.
The man came up to him for directions but ended up stepping a little too close and stabbing Ze’s neck with a needle. Ze fell asleep after that, he says he fell asleep because he‘d rather say that than say passed out.
The next time he woke up, he was in the trunk of a car with duct tape wrapped around his mouth and the name of his neck, a bag over his head, and hands tied behind his back.
So, as any other person, he started to struggle. He kicked at the corner, to kick out the rear brake light because he’d seen it in a kidnapping PSA they showed at his school once. It was hard to do because he couldn’t fucking see. He did manage to kick out the light, he couldn’t see much. He guessed that they were on a highway because of the speed they were going.
Kicking out the light only got him a nice fist to the face after the driver pulled over and opened the trunk.
After that, he vaguely remembers being dragged out of the car after driving for another uncertain amount of time. Two people carried him by his shoulders, they let his feet and knees slide against the ground. He tries to remember things he saw, just in case he somehow eventually gets to the police. He tries to remember how many right turns they took, how many voices he heard, how many doors he heard open and close. But whatever was in that needle fucked up all hope of having coherent thoughts.
At one point, they stopped walking. Keys were jingled and another door opened. Then Ze was thrown forward and onto the ground and his head collided painfully with the concrete floor. Something else was put into the room, he heard the light scratch as it was positioned and readied. Ze, with his vision impaired and head now throbbing, couldn’t concentrate on trying to guess what that sound really was.
Eventually, more hands grabbed him, he felt sluggish but tried to yank his limbs back out of these peoples grips. He was unsuccessful and that’s how he got handcuffed to a hard, metal chair. The hands unzipped his jacket and ripped it off his body, uncaring as he really struggled.
The chair has an arm, which his own arms were handcuffed to while his ankles were cuffed to the legs. The restraints were tightened so much that he is almost worried about blood circulation.
Ze tried to keep himself awake, his eyelids had gotten so heavy and he just...didn’t care what they did to him at that point. Breathing through only his nose was difficult and he might’ve been on the brink of hyperventilating if he was in his right mind.
But...he wasn’t in his right mind.
He had let his head roll to the side to rest on his shoulder, eyes starting to close as he felt the hands shove another pair of handcuffs onto his biceps, keeping his arms in place.
He feels another prick in the crook of both his elbows, he doesn’t flinch this time, he knows it’s another needle. The people don’t take it out this time, they leave it in. Even when the people leave, and the door slammed shut again, they left it in. In the silence and the darkness from the thick bag over his head, he didn’t even know if his eyes were still open or not.
-o-o-o-o-
So now after sitting in the same place in silence, he knows this is all his fault. He should've known the guy was gonna jump him. It was four in the morning. Who the hell asks for directions at four in the morning?
Shaking his head, he rests his chin on his chest. No one's going to even notice. Actually, someone will notice he’s gone, but they won’t care, that’s the catch. His bosses probably will, but they'll just be annoyed with the fact that he suddenly stopped showing up and have to hire someone else. His landlord will notice, but only for the fact that he’ll have to scrap everything in his apartment and rent it out to another desperate person looking for a place to live.
He sighs just before the door opens again. It’s unlocked and pushed open, colliding with the wall, causing Ze to flinch. He holds her breath and keeps his head down when he hears footsteps enter. Whoever it is, they don't say anything until the door is closed with another loud clang.
"You're not asleep, don’t pretend like you are." They announce. Male, authoritative, cold, American. Ze's trying to take away as much as he can in case he does make it out alive. But you can't get a lot from a fucking voice.
"What in the hell," is what accidentally slips out of Ze's mouth, his eyes are wide open, his body is frozen in fear. His voice seemed quiet, almost like a whisper.
The voice ignores Ze, "As you didn't have any ID on you when we obtained you, would you mind telling me who you are?"
As this man speaks, he moves closer, now at Ze's left side. He notes the man said we. Was he the man that stuck the needle in his neck? Ze screws his eyes and tries to go through the faces he saw but he can't remember now—
A hand circles around his wrist and it's Ze's instinct to pull away but the restraints keep him firmly in place. Two figures press down, he's taking Ze's pulse.
"What are you doing," Ze's heart rate is now beginning to sky rocket. His body started to tingle at his fingertips. Nothing he'd felt before, which makes him all the more anxious.
"Just checking up on things. Anyway, get comfortable. You'll be here for a while." The man says confidentially. Ze doesn't like his voice at all. The hands on his sends chills up his spine.
Ze does not want to be here forever. Fuck this guy.
"No," he muttered and started pulling at his bindings but the man now has a firm grip on Ze's shoulder and swiftly slaps his face with an open palm. Not being able to see it coming made it hurt worse somehow.
His shoulder is released and he hears the man walk away from him. The man opens the door, then closes it, and Ze is, again, alone.
-o-o-o-o-
The man was right. Unfortunately. Ze stayed right where he was for a long time. Remaining tied down and blindfolded for again, far too damn long. He really doesn't know for how long. It’s been since the man had left. He’s fallen asleep a couple times, unsure for how long each time.
At one point, he feels a tingle in his shoulders.
The man comes back.
He takes Ze’s pulse again. He uses a stethoscope on his chest which only makes his heart rate go faster and his whole hands tingle. Please stop, please stop, please stop. Is all he is able to think until the man slowly retracts his hand.
He leaves after that, comes back twice and does the same thing. The tingles travel up his arms and begin to start in his shoulders
It happens very suddenly. The tingling quickly turns to stinging, and then to what feels like fire. Fire in his veins, trying to burn him from the inside out and he can’t help but scream.
This is worse than anything he’s ever felt before, any pain, any mental anguish he’s ever suffered through. This has to take the cake.
It feels like his skin is splitting open and being cut and can only just keep screaming because fuck all he can feel is pain.
Very quickly, the burning starts to reach a level that’s just too much and he feels it throughout his entire body, like he’s about to explode-
All the energy that just built up inside of him bursted out of his body and into the air. Even through the bag over his head, Ze saw lights flash and heard a boom. With all that energy leaving so quickly, he groans softly and lets his head fall back to rest on the back of the chair. He’s panting and his skin feels hot and like air is going into his body through his skin but...he’s still awake. He really thought he was gonna pass out during that.
He manages the get his breath back when the door slams open again.
“Amazing!”
Ze exhales, this fucker’s back.
He doesn’t move as multiple people enter the room. He’s too tired, his limbs feel like they aren’t his own. The closest thing he can compare this to was the time when he was on the brink of hypothermia that one winter a couple years ago. When he was so numb that he couldn’t even feel the cold, it felt like he was floating even though he couldn’t move.
“I didn’t think the first demonstration would be so successful.” Someone else talks, another man. Ze can’t bring himself to focus on anything other than keeping calm.
“I’ll get the sample, if everything checks out…”
“We can finally send it out.”
The men start talking amongst themselves, Ze should’ve been listening but, his brain was getting foggy. He feels a hand land on his shoulder. Squeezing and rubbing the area. Ze can’t find it in himself to squirm away from the contact. He doesn’t even notice his blood getting drawn. Doesn’t hear them laughing. His whole body aches as he falls asleep.
-o-o-o-o-
The waiting game is taking too long Ze decides.
He's almost beginning to think he might be going crazy. He woke up after that episode, body aching and head spinning.
Am I really here right now? he thinks, Is this all a dream? A nightmare? He can hear things, small things that he doesn't know how to categorize, and doesn't know if they're even real. It seems like a lifetime before he even got a sign that actual people are still here. He thinks it might've gotten to the next day, that they'd gone home and are now just returning.
At first, there's a thud. It's pretty loud. Ze would say it sounded like a door that slammed against the wall behind it. It catches his attention because that sound seemed more real than the others.
But then someone yells-- no, they scream. And once he hears the gunshots, that's when he gets nervous again.
He's gonna die. This is how he is going to die. With his face covered and life unfulfilled. He'd been through so many other situations when he thought he was about to die but it seems like he really might this time.
More shots and other shouts ring out. He can't tell the difference between each voice. It just sounds like constant chaos. But then it started to get closer. And closer. And then there's a loud thump on the door of the room Ze was in.
Someone just fucking ran into it.
Another loud thump against the door, someone keeps fucking running into it. Are they trying to get it?
"Oh, Jesus." The words tumble out of Ze’s mouth. He’s still a little loopy from earlier but this is waking him up very quickly.
This sounds like a goddamn monster is ramming the door. Ze helplessly pulls on his bindings as the person rams the door two more times before they manage to bust it down. From it slamming open -on the floor or the wall, Ze doesn't know- the wind blows at Ze's front. He's facing another attacker that he can't even see again.
Ze stays stock still, the monster pants and steps closer to Ze until it stops right in front of the chair.
And then he feels hands on him.
Two hands that run from his shoulders to his wrists, and each time they move they hit his arm and he can’t help but yowl at the contact.
"Get the hell off me." Ze grounds out, anger overcoming him as he thrashes just enough to get the message across.
The hands are off immediately but Ze still pulls violently at the ties.
"Sorry, sorry," The monster says. Another male. He still sounds winded, but firm as he says, "I'm gonna take off the bag first okay? Then the rest."
He says this like Ze actually has a choice in the matter, when in all reality, he is at this man's mercy.
Ze stops moving and waits, tense.
The bag comes off quickly letting light flood back into Ze's eyes. Blind, but still angry, he blinks painfully at the man in front of him. His anger fades slightly and is replaced with confusion.
...What?
The man is built and intimidating but has a deeply concerned and borderline scared expression. He wears a deep blue suit with a huge, grey star in the middle. Not a monster then. That’s Captain-Fucking-America.
The man is looking wearily at Ze, "We're here to help you, son. Let me take the rest of this off and you'll be out of here as soon as possible."
Captain-Fucking-America talks low, quick and precise. Ze appreciates it, he really does. His limbs twitch in anticipation out being let out as the man picks at the knot holding his left hand.
Then he sees his arms.
The small gasp from Ze is enough to make the man on high alert. Captain America’s head whips up at him, a question gaze but he follows to where Ze’s eyes are looking.
“My…” Ze can't even say it.
His arms are bleeding from wide cuts that look like lightning strikes. They spread all of his arms, past the sleeves of his shirt, too. Captain America lifts Ze’s right sleeve and they can both see that the cuts stop just past his shoulders.
They still hurt and looking at them makes it even worse. They didn’t even clean him up? The blood has dried and is hard, the wounds are still open and cold at this point.
“Fuck.” Ze throws his head back. He feels light headed - seeing all that blood. He’s just glad there’s no fucking tingling at this point. “Please get me out.” To think, after everything he’s ever been through that lead up to this point, he’s saying please to Captain-Fucking-America.
“Of course.”
He takes a quick once over of the room he's been in for god knows how long. There's literally nothing in it besides himself, the chair, the things that are hooked up to both his arms. In both of his elbows looks like IV’s from hospitals, what are they pumping him with?
"What's your name, son?" Captain America’s voice filters back into Ze’s ears. The man pulls on the chain of the handcuff around his wrist and the metal breaks like it was plastic.
Ze doesn't really have time to answer the man’s question.
"Cap!" Another voice calls, then another person shows up. At first, Ze’s brain tells him that’s a robot! but he sees the metal suit with red and gold and realizes no, that’s the goddamn Iron Man.
What the fuck is Ze caught up in?
Ze presses himself back into the chair as he becomes even more scared.
"Are you done in here?" The robotic man asks, there were still noises from somewhere outside of the room but Ze was more focused on the people with him now.
"Could you get his legs?" Captain America asks the other, successfully untying Ze's right hand. moves to the left side and with a free limb, Ze rips the IV out of his elbows. Probably not the best choice but come on can you blame him?
Iron Man gave out a groan after the Captain asked him to do the task. He raises his hand and points at his feet, another light circle in the palm. The circle started to get brighter and make noises, same as some Ze heard outside.
That's a weapon, Ze’s hazey filled mind helpfully supplies, he's gonna shoot you. Ze starts to pull at the ties again, disrupting Captain America to his side.
"Dude, wait!" Ze didn't mean to yell but it seems like he’s about to get fucking obliterated. Both men stop what they're doing, the Iron Man drops his hand and just from the tone of voice he probably thinks Ze is a fucking idiot.
"I'm not going to shoot you- Christ, kid.” He straightens himself out and his face just- lifts up. Without the mask, Ze sees that- oh yeah, that’s right. Someone’s inside. Not a robot.
As the goddamn Iron Man walks forward, Ze tenses more with each step.
“I’m gonna be respectful because this is a traumatic experience that you’re having-” Iron Man says. It takes Ze a couple seconds to realize that he’s talking to Ze, not Captain America, “But did you actually think I was going to shoot you?”
Iron Man lifts his hand again and before Ze can object, a thin, bright light shoots out from the man and slices through the restraints.
“You had your goddamn laser hand pointed right at me, man, what’d you think I was gonna do?”
Iron Man throws his hands up, “I don’t know, thank me? For helping?”
“Tony-” Captain-Fucking-America interrupts.
Ze ignored both of the men because now all of his limbs are freed. He stumbles up to his feet and tries to out distance between himself and them but is stumbling and swaying on his feet.
Captain America holds his arm out to steady Ze.
"What’s your name?" The Captain asks again, softer, letting Ze move.
“Cap, let’s do the introductions outside.” Iron Man lowers his helmet, gesturing to the door.
Then there’s a loud boom that nearly makes Ze drop to the floor. Iron Man grunts out some cruses, “Alright we’re leaving.”
He leaves the room and Captain America pushes Ze out the door right after him, keeping a tight grip on his shoulder, “Stay close,” he says, in the calm and firm tone.
Like he has any other choice.
They run down the halls, red lights flash and things crash and people yell throughout the building and Ze is pretty frazzled. Captain America isn’t quite dragging Ze but it’s a pretty close thing. Captain America has a hand held up to his ear and Iron Man is moving his head and arms like he’s talking but he’s silent.
It hits Ze that they’re talking and listening to communicators. And then it hits Ze that he is most definitely caught up in something much, much bigger than himself.
“Excuse me!”
There’s a voice behind them and Ze can’t help but flinch and cower because that’s the voice. The man from the room. Ze uses Captain America’s enormous height to hide his body because he’s pathetic and scared - but these guys are superheroes. It’s their job to help pathetic and scared people.
“Maynard!” Iron Man announces, stepping up next to Captain America, “Just the fucker we wanted to see!”
“Language.” Captain America mutters and Ze has to hold back an affronted laugh.
“Stark,” The man, Maynard, greets. “You’re taking my specimen.”
His voice holds a friendly tone, like he’s talking to his buddies that he hasn’t seen in a while but it holds a sharper tone. Like if anyone says something out of turn, he won’t be so friendly.
Iron Man shakes his head, the movement sounds mechanical and calculated, Ze faintly wonders if he might actually be a cyborg, “Buddy, we’ve talked about this- people aren’t science experiments.”
Maynard chuckles, “This one is rather important. I doubt your team could handle it."
Ze lowers his head and fists his hands in his shirt. His arms are sore, along with the rest of his body.
Ze hears Captain America’s comm crackling to life, interrupting the exchange. It was a woman's voice but Ze can’t make out what she said.
“I think you’re about to be a bit more preoccupied-” The man says.
The woman's voices comes back and suddenly it’s all action. Captain America says something, Maynard does something, and then Iron Man points his hand up to him and actually shoots this time, and then Ze is being picked up under the armpits by Captain America. They’re running again.
Ze is on the brink of passing out again but he’s not sure why. His head lolls forward and falls onto Captain America’s shoulder.
They are talking with each other- well, more like yelling at each other. Ze isn’t sure why.
“-Keep him awake!”
“How- passes out!”
“No- the jet-”
Ze just wants to go to sleep but he’s being jostled. Captain America is shaking him awake. He opens his eyes just before they make contact with a door- and then they’re outside.
The morning sun hits Ze’s face like a truck and he drops his head back down.
There’s more yelling and he’s being touched by so many hands but he doesn’t have the power to fight right now and falls into a restless sleep.