My Allegiance (3)

Chapter 2

(Y/n's POV)

My head is strapped in place so the only way I can face is forwards, and I'm still strapped down to the chair.

Over the last ten minutes or so, the room has slowly filled with more and more scientists, and they've brought in this huge machine, covered in complicated wires and energy containers.

List nods to one of the men in white lab coats, and he slowly removes my gloves with one hand whilst keeping a cattle prod held tight in the other.

"Do you seriously think that's going to have any sort of affect on me any more?"

"I figured we could work you back into it. Give you a taste of what you used to have before showing you what you have now."

"How generous of you," I say, venom biting at my words.

I can't lie though, I'm not exactly dying to find out what he's got in store for me after the prod.

"What the hell is that thing," I ask, staring at the giant mechanism in front of me. There's something familiar about it, with the framework of the metal and it's shape, but it also seems deformed so I can't tell what it's original shape was. "This isn't what we were working on before."

"You are correct. That is something that we will be working on at a slightly later date. This, however, you have already become acquainted with."

"..... I have?"

"You have indeed. You may remember, during the battle in New York, the army that Loki brought the portal?"

"The Chitauri."

"Very good y/n, very good. Yes, the Chitauri came through into our world, and this is one of the objects that came through with them."

"Oh my god."

"Yes y/n?"

"This is a Leviathan. You call it an object, this is a fucking killing machine. It's designed for war, for mass destruction."

"Well done. And do you know what you're going to do with it?"

I glare at him, because I already know what he wants me to do.

"You're going to fix it."

"Oh yeah? Why the fuck do you think I'd agree to do that?"

List nods to the man stood next to me, and he strikes me in the neck with the cattle prod, clearly having put it on the highest setting.

I groan through gritted teeth, and my hands ball tightly into fists as I try to move and shake off the discomfort, but the chin strap prevents me from getting away from it.

So perhaps I was wrong. Maybe it does still hurt a little. But nowhere near as much as it used to.

I let out a deep breath as sweat beads my forehead. "That all you got?"

"We can do it again if you like?"

"Bring it," I snarl at him.

He sighs and nods to the scientist again, faking a sad look as he watches my face contort in pain.

I refuse to scream. I know it's what he's after and I will not give him the satisfaction.

"I hate to see you like this my dear, I really do. It would be so much easier if you would just comply with my wishes."

"Over my dead body," my chest heaves up and down as I start to see spots in my vision.

"Well, perhaps not your dead body, but maybe someone else's?"

He holds up a remote and aims it towards a screen on the wall. The press of one button reveals to me the image of three people, bound with rope and their mouths covered with duct tape.

"No. No. You let them go. Right now!"

A fury-filled tear falls from my eye as I stare at the helpless figures of Tom and his two children.

"I figured you might need a little incentive to get you going. Is this good enough do you think?"

"You can't do this. You're taking this too far. When people find out what you've done, when Shield finds out what you've done, you are going down. I swear on my fucking life, I will bring this whole thing down if it's the last thing I do."

"Hmm. Would you like to do that before or after we've slit their throats?" he points to the screen to where a man appears on the screen with a sharp blade in his hand.

I don't recognise him, but he's dressed in fresh armour, so he's clearly not one of these scientists. But the look in his eye tells me he wouldn't hesitate to do it.

"Mr Barnes, would you please help the little girl to stand?"

I'm forced to watch as he grabs her arm and makes her stand on her feet, her legs shaking beneath her.

"No please. Please!"

She's screaming beneath the tape, the terror in her eyes clear as a blue sky on a summer's day.

If only it were as sweet as a summer's day.

This poor family. After everything they've done for me, and this day is the one they will remember for the rest of their lives.

"Mr Barnes, please put the knife to her throat."

"No! I'm begging you, please just let them go. Please! I'll..... I'll do it. I'll do anything you ask, just let them go."

List turns to me, "You will follow every order, every request. You will do everything that is asked of you."

"I.... I will. Just please, please let them go."

He stares at me for a moment before a smile forms on his face.

"Mr Barnes, please release them. You may send them home."

I sag slightly in relief, "Thank you."

"Well of course y/n. Anything to make you more comfortable here. Though I must warn you, they are free for now. Should you go back on this agreement...... I know where they live."