Hydra's Scythe
You're back in a cell, again.
When you woke up, you feel as if your body is on fire. It should hurt but you couldn't care any less. You thought that this is just yet another successful experiment of the doctor. Nothing new.
You gained more powers and became much of a higher risk to everyone around you. You really should just stay in the cell for the rest of your pathetic life.
Sitting cross-legged on your bed, you faced the white wall with a blank stare.
Then, there's that another surge of energy from your chest traveling throughout your body. You winced at the feeling and clutched your chest. You have to learn to make it stop. Learn to control this new ability before you hurt anyone.
You recalled all your training from the doctor and focused on steadying your labored breathing. Once you successfully did, the painful feeling slowly dissipates.
Natasha could only watch you from the camera. She saw how unbelievably composed you are with these newly found abilities. You are definitely used to having these. The theory of you being the Reaper solidifies because of this. She wonders if there are existing powers that you're not telling.
"Damn, she's uncharacteristically calm about this. I may take up your assumption that she's the Reaper, Romanoff." Tony exclaimed beside her. "If that's true, the world's mightiest heroes got their asses handed by a kid."
"Language..." Steve shook his head disapprovingly. Tony just rolled his eyes at him.
"I have to be sure. Let me talk to her." She turned to her teammates with a determined look on her face.
"Heck, no. It's still dangerous and if she's really the Reaper, then it is dangerous." Clint tries to stop her.
"Do you think I didn't know that? Besides, if she intended to harm any of us, she would've done it a long time ago. She could easily escape from us, but she stayed."
"What if she got some hidden agenda, huh? What if she's just pretending so she'll have the opportunity to tear us apart?" Clint sighed, "Natasha, I could sense that whenever you look at her, you're seeing yourself from her..."
"This isn't about me, Clint." Natasha snapped. "I simply wished to verify the information and uncover the truth. If you really had taken notice, she already trusts me. I'm making use of that now before it is too late."
Before anyone could object, she made her way to the door and to your cell.
You hear the opening hiss of your cell's door. Your head was hung low because you weren't ready to confront her. You could already tell that she knows.
"You shouldn't be here. I'm a threat. I'm not safe to be with..."
"If any of that is true, I wouldn't be here right now." Her calm demeanor surprises you.
"Shouldn't you be scared of me? I know that you already know..." You faced her and held her gaze.
"Tell me what do I know." The redhead challenges.
"You're here to confirm that I'm the Reaper, aren't you?" You snapped back.
"Well, you are right. I am the Reaper." You rose from your bed and stood firmly in front of her with the intention to intimidate her.
She didn't back down from your attempt. Instead, she cupped your cheek and softly looked at you. "I know. But, what I truly want to know is, why are you still here?"
Her question with that look in her eyes startled you. "I-I'm..." You don't exactly know the answer. You take a step back but she followed and firmly held your gaze.
"Why aren't you attacking us? Especially me? Whenever we fight from all those years ago, you're holding yourself back. Even right now, you could easily throw me across the room. But you're choosing not to."
"You see yourself as a threat, I see you as a kid who needs our help. Am I wrong?" You can't control the tears threatening to spill. Your mouth starts to quiver so you cling yourself on her neck and let the tears flow.
"I-I'm sorry... I don't wanna go back. Please. Let me stay here. Even as a prisoner, or anything." You desperately begged. "I cannot let him use me again..."
"I never really wanted any of this. I don't know what should I do. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore..." You sobbed against her.
She tries to soothe you by rubbing your back. "You're safe here... But from now on, you have to be honest with me, okay?" She rests her forehead on yours.
You could only nod and let the redhead pull you into an embrace again. Natasha just held you as you silently cried your heart out.
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"So, what's the plan?" Tony broke the silence in the room. At the same time, Fury and Agent Hill strutted in the room they're in.
"The plan is, hand the Reaper to the SHIELD and let us handle this. Your job is done. You captured them and that's all." Fury firmly held his gaze on the Avengers, who gave him astonished stares as if he had sprouted a new head.
"Is that it? Isn't it much better to leave her here, where Dr. Banner could observe her since he specializes in gamma radiation? What are you gonna do to her?" Natasha couldn't help her protective stance. She can't deny her significant emotional attachment to you in a short period of time. It frightens her because she hasn't felt like this in a long time to someone.
"She's right, Fury. We think it's best she should just stay here so I could take a closer look on those alarming amount of gamma rays radiating off of her," Bruce speaks out.
But the look on Fury's face says it's final. Fury motioned Agent Hill to present the file she's holding for a while to the Avengers.
"This is your new assignment. Leave the Reaper to the SHIELD and that's final." Before the Avengers could protest, they saw a lot of SHIELD agents outside when Fury opens the door to leave.
"Hey patchy, why don't you just listen to us for a second?" Tony was the first one to follow Fury in attempt to stall him. Others quickly followed suit.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Natasha says in no one particular because a lot of agents swarming to the cell you're currently at. She's visibly worried that they'll set you off and something worse will happen.
But those agents didn't falter their step towards your cell. When the door opened, you were sitting on the bed, emotionless, staring at them. It's as if you're expecting them already.
Time seemed to slow as one of the agents carefully approached you with a cuff that you knew wasn't just an ordinary cuff. You seemed amused by the agents' apparent fear of you. You're not going to do anything in the first place.
You took a chance and looked at the redhead, who had a troubled expression on her face. You sent her a gentle smile to silently tell her that you're fine with this. It was your own actions that lead you here in the first place.
Before you could utter a word to the team, you felt a prick on your neck rendering your consciousness to fade. The sound of your name being called out, became muddled as you succumbed to the dark.
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Unsurprisingly, you awoke in a cell once more. This time, though, it is more awful than the one you had in the tower.
"It is a pleasure to meet the Reaper once and for all." The static voice from the intercom said. "You can call me Pierce. And welcome to your new home."
A mist began to fill the room. At first, you were confused but after a few minutes, you could feel your throat constricting and breathing was becoming difficult.
"W-what are you..." You fell onto the floor, desperately gasping for air. The energy threatened to erupt on your chest, but you passed out before it could do anything.
"Commence operation Scythe."
You lost track of time. You've been passing out and waking up in a bed with wires and everything hooked to you. It feels as if you're back in the lab with him.
The procedures remind you of the methods of the doctor, and honestly, it scares you to think that the doctor is behind it all. However, to your relief, he never showed up.
You just accepted it as your punishment over time. You didn't dare fight back because you'd lost all willpower. You just have to make sure they don't use you in the same way the doctor did. A weapon for their own gain.
Little do you know, they're planning something far worse.
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Wanda felt a pull when Strucker's minions brought another soul into the cell just across hers. She heard the words SHIELD, destroyed, and scythe along the hushed sentences uttered by them.
When she risked a peek inside, she saw a girl strapped onto the bed. She was taken aback when Strucker's face appeared in front of hers.
"Miss Maximoff, I believe you're needed in the lab. This way, please." He walked Wanda out of the cell and noticed her looking back at the newly added subject.
"Don't worry, you'll meet her soon enough."