[ 𝙿𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚜 & 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚜 ] ~ 𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚝𝚘𝚗 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

XXII - Interrogation

Russell winced as she watched a Russian man in uniform punch Steve across the face. It wasn't the first time that it had happened in the time that they'd been held. Russell couldn't tell how long it had been, but it had to have been over seven hours, maybe even almost ten. Steve's face was red, bruised and bloodied, his spit tainted red from the hits he'd been delivered. "Oooh." Steve winced. "That one stung." He gasped for air, his lungs wheezing with the action. 

"Who do you work for?" The man in green, who hadn't punched Steve, asked for what had to have been the hundredth time. He must've been the one in charge, at least of the soldier torturing Steve, because every time he nodded in Steve's direction, another blow would land on Harrington's cheekbone. 

"For the millionth time, I work at Scoops Ahoy!" Steve heaved, his voice was raspy and breathless, hoarse from the pain and shallow breaths. "Scoops Ahoy." The man who'd been punching him slammed his fist into Steve's stomach and Russell jumped, the rope tied around her wrists burning as she tried to pull forward to help him. She hated seeing him hurt. 

"What the hell!? Look at my outfit- Look at my outfit! You think I just wear this?! Think I'm a spy in a sailor's uniform?"  The man's fist planted right on Steve's rib. 

"Stop it! Just stop!" Russell cried out. "Hit me instead! I'll tell you whatever, just stop hitting him!" 

"No!" Steve shouted, giving a harsh shake of his head. That wasn't going to happen. Under no circumstances would he just sit by and watch Russell get beat on. He'd already seen the Russian men slap her once and he didn't want to watch that again. It hurt so bad, seeing Russell in pain and knowing there was nothing he could do to help her. 

The man in charge grimaced at her voice, glowering at her. Though he didn't respond as he turned back to look at Steve. "How did you get in?"

"I already told you. I told you before." Steve gasped for air. "My delivery didn't come. My friends and I, we thought that it was left at the loading dock, so we went in the room, and then it turned into an elevator, and then- and then we dropped and then, next thing we know, I open my eyes, and- and we're in this. . .wonderful facility. But, I swear to God, nobody knows about us, nobody saw us. You could just let us go, alright? And I'm not gonna tell anybody about this, okay? Shit happens, life goes on. And uh, ice- ice cream- Ice cream, okay? You guys know what ice cream is. Everybody loves ice cream. You- I don't know if you have Russian ice cream or if that's considered gelato-"

"Gelato's Italian-" Russell murmured under her breath.

"I don't know what's what, but whatever you guys want, seriously. USS Butterscotch, I mean, you gotta try it. It is out of this world, I'm telling ya!" 

The men started laughing, and Steve started to anxiously laugh in turn. "I like this guy!" The man in charge called through his laughter. "USS. . .Butterscotch." He laughed more.

Their outburst suddenly stopped as he leaned over, hands against his knees. "Who do you work for?" He accentuated each of his words like they were each their own sentences. 

"Oh, come on- No, no! No, seriously-" Another firm punch raced across Steve's jaw and he fell forward. His eyes landed shut and he folded over on himself. 

Russell's eyes went wide. "No!" She yelled, pulling on her restraints to try and get to him but it was no use. The man in charge ordered something in Russian to his underling before nodding in Russell's direction and leaving the room. Two other soldiers came into the room, grabbing Steve's unconscious body by either arm and starting to drag him out of the room. "Wait- Please- You can't take him-" Russell called out as the man who'd previously been landing blows to Harrington's face untied the rope holding her to the bench and started leading her along behind the dragged Steve. She didn't fight, it was no use in her eyes. Even if she managed to get away from this one guy, there'd be a dozen more coming at her in mere seconds. So she simply walked, watching Steve's feet as they lazed against the ground, scuffing up his work shoes. 

At the end of a hallway, the men pulled open a door and threw Steve to the ground. Russell was brought in right behind him, but the man walking her just let go of her since she wasn't putting up a fight. Russell took the moment and rushed to Steve's side, and lifted his head up into her lap. She looked over his injuries with a frown. Moments later, a door on the opposite side of the room and Robin was forced in, fighting against the two guards guiding her. "Get your hands off me!" She yelped as she was thrown to the ground beside Russell, her hands taped together with duct tape. "Hey- Steve? Steve?" She shook his shoulders slightly, looking up at Russell's teary face. "Is he okay?"

She gave a silent nod, brushing the hair out of his face and pulling him up so his back was against her chest and she could give him a proper hug. The man in charge walked into the room again, looking at the three teens on the ground. "What did you do to him!? What did you do?!" Robin yelled, standing up on her knees. The man backhanded Robin against the face and Russell winced, knowing from earlier just how much that stung. Robin whimpered against the floor. Russell heard the man say something in Russian that she couldn't make out, he waved his hand over the three and then his soldiers moved to pull each of them to their feet and force them down into a chair. Russell fought slightly, wanting to hold onto Steve, but they pulled her away from him and taped her to a chair with the corner to the other two's. 

"Steve, wake up! Steve!" Robin called. Robin attempted to turn and look at her two friends but wasn't able to get more than a glimpse of the back of each of their heads. "What did you do!" 

The man in charge grabbed Steve's hair, pulling his head back so his face was to the man. "Please. . .don't hurt him-" Russell begged with tears in her eyes. The man only clicked his tongue, softly shaking his head. He dropped the brunet's head and stepped back. 

"Steve? Steve, can you hear me?"

"Robin, just. . .just don't." Russell shook her head softly, her eyes glued to Steve's ear. 

"I think your friend need a doctor." The man in charge said. He walked around to look at both Robin and Russell, standing just in between the two's sights. "Good thing, we have the very best." He turned over his shoulder and laughed, crouching in Robin's face. When his head turned back to Robin's, she spat in his face. His laughter abruptly stopped as he brought a cloth up to wipe it off. "You are going to regret that, сука." He shook his head, pointing his finger at Robin with a slight nod as he stood up. He told his soldiers something and they all started leaving the room.

"Bastards." Robin called. 

"Wait- Please- He needs help!" Russell yelled after them.

"Let us out of here! Bastards! Let us out! Let us out!" Robin screamed. 

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Word Count - 1,276

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Published - March 16, 2024

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