Mama, I don't have Time for Dancing
Of course the video would come once everyone had calmed down.
F.R.I.D.A.Y. announced the new email, and Steve ushered Wanda quickly out of the room, not wanting her to see what was about to happen.
Tony and T’Challa sat down in front of the screen, and everyone else filled in around them.
Bruce exhaled, and pressed play.
Peter’s shoulder looked much, much better, but the expressions on their kid’s faces was worse.
As the video started, Peter shielded Shuri with his body, making Tony’s heart clench.
The volume of the camera-man’s voice made the Avengers jump.
“Cute,” jeered the voice.
Then he continued on.
“Now, today I thought we’d try something a little bit different,” he said. “Peter, I want you to stand up.”
T’Challa exhaled, and Tony drew in a breath. Sam mumbled something under his breath that no one else could catch, but Nat.
“They wouldn’t make him…” he had said.
Nat thought about asking, but decided against it, knowing she wouldn’t like the answer.
Peter stood up, and looked down at Shuri.
They know had a better view of her ankle. Bruce looked up from where he was trying to track the video, and grimaced.
“Yeah, that looks broken,” he said.
The camera angle shifted again, so that both of them were in the frame.
“Kick her.”
T’Challa looked up at everyone else in fear.
“Peter has super-strength! He could break her ribs!”
Steve sighed.
“Peter won’t hurt her. Unless they break him.”
As if on cue, Peter spoke up.
“What?” he asked, eyes dancing in panic and confusion.
“I said, kick her,” the man said.
“No! I won’t do that!” Peter shouted.
Tony put his head in his hands.
“They’re gonna hurt him aren’t they?”
Sam put a hand on Tony’s shoulder, and left it there while Tony raised his head again to look at what was about to happen.
“Okay then. You can do this instead,” the man whispered.
Before they knew what was happening, the camera was jostled as a taser was pressed against Peter’s chest. He shook horribly, and then collapsed. Shuri crawled over to him, her ankle dragging on the floor behind her.
“She shouldn’t be moving on that,” Bruce noted.
But Tony shot him a glare that sent the scientist back to typing into the keyboard, still trying to track the video’s origin.
Shuri leaned close to Peter’s head, and whispered something that they couldn’t hear through the video. As she spoke, another man entered the frame. He lifted Peter up by the arms. The bleary-eyed boy fought against him, and tried to stand on his own.
“Kick her,” the man behind the phone said.
“No,” Peter replied stubbornly, face set with determination.
Again, Peter was electrocuted, his body trembling, arms and legs kicking out wildly as he fell again to the ground.
The man picked him up again. Tony noted with a hint of fear at the lack of fight in Peter’s small body.
A slight glint through the camera betrayed Shuri’s tears. T’Challa let out a choked sob as he too started to cry.
“That’s a good kid, Stark. A real good kid,” he said.
“Peter just do it. It’s okay. I’ll be okay,” Shuri cried, her voice cracking, reminding everyone just how young they were.
“Kick her,” the man said again.
They watched as Peter blearily shook his head.
Sam was calculating the situation in his head. No one could win here. If Peter finally caved, he’d kick Shuri. And with his enhanced strength, he could possibly bruise or even break a rib. But the longer he pushed this aside, the worse shape he’s be in. Although maybe he’d be too weak to actually cause harm.
This time as Peter fell shaking to the ground, the assembled team was able to see that the wound on his shoulder had been reopened, and was staining the make-shift bandage red.
The lifted him up again, and repeated the process.
As Peter slumped down again, Bruce growled in frustration. Nat clicked her heels over to him and put a hand gently on his shoulder.
“Deep breaths, buddy,” she whispered soothingly.
Again Peter blearily shook his head ‘no.’
And again, they watched as Peter’s body jolted. The man holding him up dropped him, and the feed cut out.
“Tony, T’Challa, I…” Steve started.
“No.”
The Wakandan King was standing up, his hands clutching at the back of a chair.
“I’m not playing with emotions. Lets just find them, please.”
The room hummed in agreement as everyone began working again.
Peter woke up in a haze. His muscles ached horribly, and his stomach growled menacingly. A quiet whimper clarified his reality. He rolled over towards the sign, grimacing in pain.
The whimpering turned into sobs.
“Sh’ri ‘re you ‘kay?” Peter mumbled out, still weak.
Shuri sat up and moved towards Peter’s shaking form.
“Peter! I thought you weren’t gonna wake up!” she cried. “I thought you were dead, and I was alone here!”
Peter shakily lifted a hand to Shuri.
“ ‘m fine.”
Shuri laughed through her tears.
“Peter can you walk?” she asked.
Peter slowly got to his feet, wavering slightly.
“ Think so,” he said, still trying to blink sleep from his eyes.
“Good,” Shuri said, “Because we’re getting out of here.”