Rip My Heart Out (Avengers Age of Ultron)

Chapter 10

Dr. List stood by my bed, looking at some of the machines near by. He didn't say anything and neither did I. Instead, I closed my eyes. I was exhausted. Dr. List and Strucker had been doing physical experiments on me all week.

I had been pushed to my limits too many times to count. I had been deprived of sleep, food and water. I had been forced to run until I collapsed, and then get back up and run some more. Not to mention the other stuff I was just too tired to think about.

I tried to relax, to ease my body and mind, but it wasn't as easy as I wished it could be. My body ached all over. It was sore and weak. My mind wandered, trying to figure out what I was, what all of this meant, and now, without all of my memories, what I had become. So many questions ran through my mind unanswered.

As I finally began to drift off into unconsciousness, I heard the door open. It was a sound I had come to dread. Every time that door opened, it meant there was someone new to hurt me.

I opened my eyes slowly, afraid to look at what I would be facing today. Strucker walked in, pulling a cart behind him. On it was some sort of scepter. It was ornate and golden, but none of that mattered, because there was something else about it that drew my attention.

In the center of the scepter was a glowing orb. I had seen energy like this before. In fact, I had felt energy like this before. It was the same as the blue light that seemed to dominate my life these days, only this one was yellow.

As Strucker brought the cart and the scepter closer to my bed, I felt the energy begin to surge through my veins. I vaguely noticed Dr. List and Strucker watching me intently, but most of my focus was on the scepter.

Through the fog, I heard Strucker say, "I thought today we would do some experiments with our most secret weapon. It's time to get to the root of your abilities."

The power emanating from it was incredible. It felt incredible. For the first time since getting here, with the exception of the first time Wanda tried to get in my head, I felt powerful. I felt strong.

"No." I mumbled, not really focusing on my speech. "No more experiments."

As I stared at the glowing orb, I felt a familiar sensation. It was a warmth that started in my heart and spread all through my body to my fingertips in pulses. It was like the energy was literally pumping through my veins.

Strucker laughed. It was a dark, cynical sound. "That's not up to you."

I let the energy in. I let if flow freely through my veins. This felt right. It felt good.

"Yes, it is." I said, louder this time.

The scepter started to levitate from the cart. It hovered about a foot in the air. I knew I was doing it. I could feel it. I didn't know how or why, but I knew it was me. It was as if something took over in me. Instinct, maybe.

"What are you doing?" Strucker asked. His voice was thick with disbelief. "How are you doing that?"

The scepter started to float towards me. As it got closer, the power I felt only intensified, and I felt stronger.

"Emelia! Stop! Put that back!" As if through a haze, I heard Dr. Strucker yelling.

Yellow light began to surround me. It swirled off my skin like smoke off a fire.

"You tortured me." I said. My voice surprised me. It sounded different. Almost like I was speaking with several voices at once. "You hurt me."

"Emelia, listen to me! We were trying to help you! We are trying to allow you to fulfill your true potential! Now, put the scepter down!" The thick German accent echoed through my ears.