Just Like Everyone Else | Avengers FF

Taken

My mother was lost for words. So, my dad answered instead. "Thee T-Tony Stark?" He stammered. Mr. Stark nodded slowly, as if my dad were a 2-year-old child trying to comprehend where the piece on a 4-piece puzzle goes.

"Your daughter has been accepted into a secret government organization. After she recovers, she will have to come with me. We have people already at your home packing her clothes, she will be with us for a while." Then he stared directly at me. "It's mandatory."

"Wait, hold on." My dad interrupted. "How is that legal? And what are you talking about? Did she apply for this? What did she do? And why are you coming now of all times?"

Mr. Stark sighed. "Look, we will answer all your questions in due time. But right now, I'm only here to inform you."

"And what if we don't let you take her away?" Dad challenged.

Mr. Stark glared at him before sighing. "You don't know the punishment for disrupting government business?" It was obvious, prison. That shut my dad up.

I wanted to protest, but the oxygen mask was covering my face. I reached my hand over and removed it.

"Don't I get a say in this?" I growled. Mr. Stark shifted his gaze towards me.

"Look who's awake. Nice to meet you, I'm Tony Stark." He held out his hand. I didn't shake it. How was this man going to take me away from my family, then ask me to shake his hand?

"I know who you are." I snapped. I never really liked rich people anyway, they seemed too cocky.

"Great." Mr. Stark said. "Then we'll get along just fine."

3 weeks later

"How could you let them do this?" I cried to my mother in my empty room. I slumped my head on her shoulder and she rubbed the back of my neck, just like she used to do when I was a kid and would I hurt myself.

"We don't have a choice, Katie. We tried everything, but even the police can't disrupt the government." I shook my head. I couldn't believe it. I was going to be taken away for something I got accepted in not by choice. Mom clutched my shaking hands, I attempted to squeeze back but I was too numb. Nothing was making sense. We heard a loud honk from outside, and that is how we knew it was time to go.

"Can't I visit?" I pleaded with mom.

She stroked my hair back, "We'll do everything we can to be able to see you. Your father is waiting for you outside." So not a yes.

I sullenly walked outside. 4 black SUV's lined up across the right side of the road. I looked around but couldn't find Mr. Stark anywhere. I saw my father yelling at one of Mr. Stark's bodyguards. He looked like he was about to put his hands on him.

"Daddy!" I yelled. He turned to look at me and we embraced. I cried into his neck, and he squeezed me tighter.

"Don't worry honey." He whispered. "I won't let them keep you. I'm going to keep trying. I love you so much."

I couldn't get out the words to say I love him. Everything came out as ugly sobs. A loud honk erupted from the car again and we unraveled. I forced myself to take steps towards the black SUV. The windows were tinted, I couldn't even see the inside.

Before I walked inside of the car, Mr. Stark came up to me, his arms behind his back. "Do me a favor will you?"

I just looked at him.

"Hold your arms out for me please." Hesitantly, I followed his command. He put q handcuff-type design over my hands. Except the cuffs covered my entire hand instead of just my wrist. They glowed blue as soon as he clicked them together. The cuffs restricted any movement in my fingers and my wrists, as if they were paralyzed.

"Wait! What are these for?" I asked panicking.

"I'll explain when I get in the car." Mr. Stark answered nonchalantly, as he opened the car door for me. Tears started to pour down my face as I sat in the SUV. I watched as Mr. Stark sat in the passenger seat, eating a bag of Ruffles.

I surveyed the SUV; it was the fanciest car I've ever seen. There was a built-in open cooler that contained soda and water bottles. I look at the shelf in the side door, there were neatly stacked chocolate bars across each row.

"Help yourself." I turned and seen Mr. Stark looking at me. He must've caught me looking at the chocolate. Then his eyes trailed to my cuffs. "I can take them off if you want one." I didn't respond and just stared out the window, even though my stomach pleaded for food. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Stubborn, huh? You know who I am right?" I nodded but didn't look away from the window. "Look kid. I'll cut the crap and tell you why you're really here. You're not from Earth." I ripped my stare from the window to look directly at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember Times Square?" What? What was he talking about? How did he know about that?

"I don't know what you're talking about." I lied.

"Don't play dumb with me. You think that was just a coincidence as soon as you touch it then every billboard goes out? It wasn't. You're still too young and too dangerous to be walking the streets. Why do you think you have those cuffs on?"

Then realization swept me. They were gonna trap me in some cage like I was some kind of animal! But I was still in denial. How could I not be from this Earth, and Alien? Those things didn't exist. Then I remembered Hulk and Thor, there is no such thing as something being a myth.

I was speechless. Mr. Stark sighed. "Another reason is we had to take you before HYDRA did. If they found you, they would've done a lot worse. We couldn't tell your parents about this. I'm sorry Kaitlyn but this is the only way you can be safe."

My lips trembled. "Where are you taking me?"

"S.H.E.I.L.D headquarters. The place where I work at, it's in New York City, about 45 minutes from here."

"Will I ever see my parents again?" He was silent. "Please."

"Not anytime soon." I tried my best to be strong, but I started to ugly cry. The tears wouldn't stop, and my head began to pound.

"Mr. Stark," A new British voice said, it wasn't the driver. It sounded more robotic. "The Valve spring and Timing belt in the engine are both failing." Mr. Stark looked at me with wide eyes.

"Look kid, you gotta' stop whining. You never noticed that if you felt a strong emotion, it effects the world around you?"

This guy just continued to annoy me. "So, what do you think I'm gonna do? Explode the car because I'm crying?" He didn't say anything. I breathed in and out, trying to calm myself down.

"The engine is beginning to work properly, sir." The robotic voice spoke.

"Thanks Jarvis" Mr. Stark replied.

30 minutes into the car ride, I developed a plan. Anybody that talks to you, don't say anything. Keep your head down. Maybe after about 4 or 5 weeks they will figure out you're worthless, so they'll throw you out and you get to live a normal life again.

But what if they don't let me leave? 

We pulled up to the headquarters, and it seemed like a normal office building from the outside. The driver got out of the car and walked across and opened the door for Mr. Stark. I heard Mr. Stark mumble, "You don't have to keep opening it for me Happy, I'm a 50-year-old man."

Happy went to my side of the car and opened the door. I attempted to get out of the car without using my restricted hands, but almost tripped out of the car.

"Oh, yeah, right." Mr. Stark said. He pulled out a small device from his black jacket. He pressed the button, and I felt the restrictions on my hands loosen. Happy came and took them off. I rubbed my sweaty, numb hands.

"It's time to introduce you to co-workers." Mr. Stark smiled.