The Abduction
“No, Hill.” Tony shifted uncomfortably on the couch. “Just handle the situation yourself. I don’t feel like fighting today.” Tony said childishly.
“What do you mean you don’t feel like fighting?” Agent Hill whispered from the phone. Tony could tell she was angry with him. “This is war.”
“Listen to yourself! War with whom? Captain fucking America?! He is practically this nation itself and saved it more times than you could count.” Tony snapped even though he didn’t mean to.
“Tony…why do I get the feeling you are giving up on this?”
Tony stayed silent for a minute.
“I’m not giving up on anything.” Tony sighed. “But I refuse to hurt anyone anymore. I will still be your public image.”
“Be as it may.” Agent Hill said sharply and hung up.
Tony shrugged and went to bed. Since yesterday, since Steve left, he just kept sleeping and lying on his bed. He didn’t feel like doing anything. He did not eat and he did not think. He just slept. But now it was time to think since he was having some faith problems. Did he not believe in his cause? Or was it something else? Was his love for Steve mixing up his ideals and emotions? Or was he just saying that because he needed to believe that the reason he was having doubts wasn’t about the registration act?
Then he decided, after all he did not want to think. It confused him. And nothing ever confuses Tony. Like ever. He closed his eyes. He slept. Again.
TWELVE HOURS LATER
“What do you think he will do? You just abducted him from the fucking Stark Tower, didn’t you?” I opened my eyes to this voice. I didn’t recognize it at first but I think it was Agent Coulson. I couldn’t see anywhere but then my eyes adjusted to the dark. Great. I have been abducted. By S.H.I.E.L.D. What a wonderful day.
“We had to. It was a mutual agreement.” I heard her voice.
“Are you kidding me, Hill?” Maria turned to me in shock. “When did you wake up?”
“Shut up. Did you put me in a Magneto cage? Really?” Tony looked around the cabin that was demagnetized. The glass of the cage was ten feet away from the ground Hill and Coulson was standing. “I mean, I don’t even have my armor. What do you think I’ll do? Thor myself out of here? Jesus, Maria. What is this?” I was getting angry.
“I’m sorry, Tony but you were slipping out and we could not risk you joining Captain America. This would destroy our propaganda. One leader Avenger is enough against the government.” She explained.
“You were planning this, right? How did you get in my tower? How did you get pass Jarvis?”
“These are the questions you know the answers to. I am practically the government itself. A more armed one.” Hill said, she sounded like she was threatening Tony.
“Armed with my weapons.” He snapped.
“Whatever. You will stay here till the underground movement is down.”
“Down? What do you mean down?” Tony was worried what they were capable of if he was not around to stop them.
“Arrested and in custody. Registered. And if that not works…dead.” She said.
“Dead?! Don’t be absurd Maria! You kill Steve Rogers, you kill America!” I shouted.
“He left us no other choice.”
***
“Cap, we need to talk.” Peter rushed into the room; he looked more worried than usual. And he didn’t crack a joke the first time he entered.
“What happened, Spider-Man?” Steve asked worriedly. “Is someone captured?” That was the worst he could think of. If they capture someone, they would torture him till he begged for his life.
“Yes. But not one of our own. I mean one of our own but not right now-you know-”
“Who?”
“Cap-you sure you want to-” Steve was getting more worried.
“Tell me who, Spiderman!”
“Okay,okay.” Peter looked up to Steve’s face with a concerned face. “It’s Iron Man.”
Steve felt numb, like he stayed in ice for two hundred more years.
“No.” he said. “No, no, no…Why would they do that?” He muttered meaninglessly. He tried to hang onto something to stand still. Peter held him and helped him sit.
Peter was a mole in the S.H.I.E.LD. Nobody knew he was Spiderman but he was officially an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
“What are they doing to him? Why are they doing it?” Steve tried to hold it together. He was a strong man. He stood up.
“Hill said he was having doubts about the registration act and refusing to fight you.” Peter stated. “I don’t know any details yet but I heard they were keeping him in the room made for Magneto.”
“Magneto? This is serious. I’m sure at some point they will start to interrogate him for the information he doesn’t know.”
“Cap…actually they know he’s been seeing you. They know about your visits to the Stark Tower.” Steve froze. How did he not interpret these? They let him in the Tower. They’ve been watching the Tower from afar and they knew his comings and goings. God. It was all his fault. It was his fault that they were going to torture Tony and try to get information. And the worst part is, Steve knew Tony would never say a word. Steve wished he’d tell.
“Peter.” He said. He knew what this abduction of Tony’s was about. “I’m leaving you in command of Secret Avengers. I will turn myself in.”
“What? Sorry-WHAT?!” Peter shouted.
“Keep quiet..” Peter was about to protest more but Steve didn’t let him. “Trust me. Please. This is all about me, they captured him because they thought it was the only way to get to me. They were right.” Peter flinched and didn’t protest this time. He understood.
Steve looked at Peter, his frightened face, his disappointment. He loved him like a son, and Peter looked up to him like a father. Steve suddenly understood why he can’t do what he just said. Tony was more important than everything, yes, but Tony would not want him to do this. He may be on the other side but Tony couldn’t stop blaming himself for Steve’s lifelong punishment and Secret Avengers’ also. He was like that, Steve knew him.
“Peter, I have a plan. Do you trust me?” Steve asked him.
“With my life.”
“I’m putting you in charge of the rescuing mission for Tony. You are a respectable agent in the S.H.I.E.L.D. and they trust you. Take Luke, Iron Fist, and Punisher with you. I hate to say this, but take Deadpool too, he only listens to you and he’s a good soldier.” Steve said and looked to the younger boy. “I know Tony is not on our side but he is-was our teammate. He will not be tortured because of us.” He added.
“Of course, Cap. He is one of our own. No matter what. I will gather the team.” Peter said, smiling warmly. “Don’t worry, he’ll be okay.”
Steve simply nodded.
“Thank you for doing this, Peter. Now I will gather the rest of the team and meet Maria Hill. She expects me to turn myself in and I will make her think that so she is more defenseless. I know she won’t risk it so she will come with her best men, so you and others can enter the Hellicarrier. It will be very hard, be careful.” Steve
Steve wore his uniform and stood straight, like a soldier. He took his phone out, dialed a number.
“I figured you might call.”
“We have to talk.”
“Central Park. Duck pond. Less suspicious. At 2 am.”
“Will meet you there, Agent Hill. Come alone.”
***
Tony was afraid. Tony was really, really afraid. He did not fear for himself, that wasn’t an option. He feared for his friends, and mostly he feared for Steve. He couldn’t think of a life without him in it. He would do anything to make sure that never happens. Now what he could do? Nothing. He was just sitting in this cell, not being able to form a single plan. He had to get out of there, but that seemed impossible.
“Argh!” He yelled, knowing no one could hear him. His eyes were all teary because of all the telling and anger for the last six hours.
“Angry much?” A sarcastic voice came from the dark ahead. He knew that voice. He definitely knew that voice.
“Wilson?” Tony said, this was unbelievable. What the hell was he doing here?
“Oh, call me Deadpool, shellhead. Nice to see you without your condom. Eheh.” Wade Wilson, aka Merc with a Mouth aka Deadpool. He worked for money and money only.
“That’s enough, Wade.” A voice came behind him; other feet noises followed the voice.
“Spiderman?! Oh my god, what are you doing here? You have to get your team out of here, agents everywhe-”
Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Punisher showed up as Peter used the torch to light the place.
“Okay…” Tony said.
“What are you doing?” Tony asked as Peter approached the cell.
“We will release you.” Peter replied.
“What-why? I mean, this is not in your benefit.”
“Tony, you are one of our own. How could you ask that? So we should just let them torture you?” Peter looked fed up.
“They won’t torture me, they just won’t risk it.”
“They know about Cap’s visits. They think you’re helping him. They disabled all of your armors. You don’t have any weapons.”
Tony muttered a fuck under his breath. Could this get any worse?
“How will you release me anyway?” Tony laughed painfully. “It’s not like S.H.I.E.L.D. would just-” Tony shut up when Peter showed him the remote control.
“Oh. Okay. How?” He asked.
“I am an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Peter looked like he explained that a lot to people.
“Right.”
***
Steve rose as he saw Agent Hill walk across the pavement.
“Hello, Captain America.” She said and faked a smiled.
“You know why I am here, right Maria?” He got right to the point.
“Perfectly.” She said. “To turn yourself in.”
“I’m afraid this is not why we are here.” A voice came behind the bushes, and Scarlet Witch appeared. She was in her regular costume, her hex power easily visible around her. And behind her, Wonder Man, The Wasp, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Vision, Black Panther, Storm, Ms. Marvel and The Falcon showed up, all was wearing costumes. Most of the people that were pro-registration changed their mind now.
Hill looked truly surprised, and even though she tried too hard not to show it, she was a bit scared.
“Now, Ms. Hill, do you wish to fight or walk away?” Steve asked kindly.
“I don’t think so, Rogers.” She said. “All teams here.” She ordered.
They were prepared, S.H.I.E.L.D. had more forces than they usually do and Avengers stood too little chance.
Then the fight began.
Then the others came. Captain blew up a van and rushed to Spiderman.
“How is Tony?” he threw his shield to a soldier. “Is he okay?” His shield came back to him.
“He’s okay. We dropped him by the Tower. He’s safe; Jarvis restored the security systems of the tower.” Peter said and Steve took a deep breath of relief as he continued to fight. Deadpool and others also joined the fight along Captain America.
“Cap, you have to surrender, I warn you for the last time.” Agent Hill shouted from the helicopter she was in. “This is for the best. Surrender!” she added.
“I don’t think so, Agent Kill.” Steve heard Tony’s voice as lasers passed near him towards the helicopter. Steve turned his back to face Tony without his armor; he just had the left arm part of it.
“Tony, get back! Get back! Get out of here; I can’t protect you like this!” Steve yelled worriedly.
“I am Iron Man; I can protect myself and you. Even without my armor. And you trained me.Keep fighting boys!” He started to shoot laser beams towards the forces and he looked like he was doing okay. Steve was worried but he had to keep on fighting. Then it’d all be okay.
He saw a helicopter coming towards him and used his shield to disable the weapon part; helicopter fell and dragged towards the street. He looked behind and saw Tony fighting and Steve saw a group of soldiers running to him. He had no time to retrieve his shield so he rushed to save Tony from the group. Just as he was reaching him, he heard her voice.
“I warned you, you did not listen to me. I really wished I wouldn’t be the one to this but you left me no other choice.” It was Agent Hill, in the helicopter, it had an advanced weapon pointed at Steve that he didn’t even recognize, but he assumed it was made to kill him or others like him, meaning it was very powerful. He didn’t have his shield and that was bad. He looked around, measuring and plotting ways to ditch the weapon. But he was not sure he could be that fast.
“I’m sorry, Steve.” She pushed the button; Steve thought about death, he wasn’t afraid. He thought of Tony, he was happy.
“NO!”
But the death never came, he opened his eyes to the voice of the gunshot and he saw him. Lying on the ground, his white shirt now all red with blood. Steve didn’t understand at first.
“I- I didn’t mean- to shoot him- I was aiming at you—he jumped--jumped in front of you- I--”
He fell to his knees and screamed. He screamed like he could never stop. He couldn’t and wouldn’t stop or this will all become real.
Tony.
Tony.