Changes | Marvel

THIRTY ONE. Torture

The crushing pain of the many cuts covering my torso was overwhelming. My whole body froze and though I desperately tried to move I knew there was no hope in getting away from him.

I was petrified.

He went in, again and again and again, I screamed so loud that my throat was hoarse. I felt the droplets of blood, running up my body and reaching my head, dripping onto the floor.

"You Stark's ruined my life." Abu growled in my ear. "You ruined my life, I can't go out in public anymore without being arrested." My body swayed gently from the intense pushing that Abu was causing me to have. I blinked away tears gathering in my eyes. "You deserve a lot less than you're given, Girl. I don't know how you are still alive, but I really want you to know that I can kill you with only a slip of my thumb." He tells me, cutting a think line across my throat, resting on my jugular.

"We didn't do anything to you." I spit out, letting blood spray onto him. "You brought it onto yourself." He reaches back and lays a right hook on my temple. I groan out loud, wishing that I shut up.

"You have your brother's smart mouth. You better watch what you say about me. He brings the knife back up, beginning to carve something into my lower stomach. Everything was getting blurry; the corners of my site was getting faint and my hearing was beginning to become fuzzy. Through the spinning, I see ward come back in, holding up his hand.

"Enough." He ordered, grabbing the knife off him. "She needs to be alive when we get the order in. Not dead." He punched Abu in the face, knocking him to the ground. Ward comes over to me, unlocking the shackles on my feet and letting me drop the ground. My head lolled to the side as he picked me up, taking me out of the room. "I'm doing this because we need you alive." He mutters to me. "We honestly don't care about your wellbeing other than that." I black out just as I'm brought into a bright white room.

---

Temporary Simmons's POV

I sigh, hanging up the phone after calling Director Coulson up for the hourly update he asked for. Ever since we found out that Skye was an Inhuman, we were now focusing on trying to find Avery. Alive or dead. The last person to see her was Fitz, and it was at the bottom of the hole we cut out. Other than that, Director Coulson and Mack were the last ones to hear from her. It was coming from one of the northern tunnels, but I had little hope due to the amount of rock and rubble that was filling out most of the northern side.

I itched to take off the hazmat suit but after the obelisk exploding, we couldn't take any chances around here. Especially after already losing Tripp to it. We had already gathered him, respectively placing him in an Urn and given to his only family left.

I was coming across some of the last couple of tunnels and caves on the Northern side of the temple. Everywhere was blocked by large rocks and I couldn't see into any of the cave areas.

"Need any help over there Simmons?" I heard one of the less experienced biologists ask me through the Comms.

"No, I'm quite alright here. Focus on yourself." I assure her, continuing. I had 2 other men with me, in case there was a sighting of Raina. Up ahead, I see the very last tunnel and give a sigh of relief when I see bits of light emerging from in between certain rocks. 'She could be in there' I think to myself, but I then shake my head. 'It's not possible'

"Over there. Let's try and move some of the rubble." I tell the two agents. Together, we spent almost 20 minutes, quickly and efficiently moving all of the rocks blocking the path. When it was free enough to walk through, what greeted me made my heart almost stop. I shakily bring up the phone and contact Coulson.

"Simmons?" He answers immediately.

"Sir? I think- I think I've found something. I'm coming back up."

"Alright. Hurry." He tells me, hanging up. I kneel down and pick up the familiar bag and part of the small hazmat suit. A cloth fell to the ground and I gasped. The bright red symbol stood out against the black background, the octopus glaring at me angrily.

Avery was taken by Hydra.

---

Back to the normal POV

When my consciousness came back to me, I was back in the torture room, hanging up by my feet again. This time, I could feel the itchy bandages covering my torso and the wetness of water hitting my face.

"Good, you're up. Been long enough." Ward tells me, placing the bucket down onto the floor. My hands weren't tied behind my back anymore, they were now in front of me.

"What a pleasant morning." I mutter, the familiar pounding of blood rushing down to my head finally getting to me.

"I see Abu taught you a lesson." He tells me. "I didn't think it would get that far to be honest. Nor that you would last throughout the whole thing."

"Don't underestimate me." I glare, warning him.

"Oh no, I would never." He mockingly apologises. "the mighty Avery Stark could come back to life, I'm sure she could handle a beating."

"Don't pressure me man. You won't like it when I'm angry."

"Oh, go eat a snickers." He utters, turning around and grabbing the chair again. "Now, I was hoping I could get an answer off you now, seeing that you've experienced your punishment."

"Try me." I deadpan.

"Does your brother still manufacture weapons? Even though he promised to stop?" He asks me.

"I don't know, you tell me." I sass. He narrows his eyes.

"What about that secret warehouse. Where is it. If you tell me, I'll let you go." I snort, watching him get angry. Boy, he had a short temper.

"Sure, and my name is Michael Jackson."

"Look, Stark. You're probably too young to realise this, but I am threatening you." He stands up, throwing the chair at the wall. "When you get threatened by someone twice your size, you normally listen to them." He glares.

"It's hard to listen to a toddler throwing a tantrum." I sigh. He glares at me, grabbing a cloth and tying it around my head again.

"What are you doing?" I ask, confused. The door opens, and Ward tells the guards outside.

"Shut her in for a couple of days. Let's see how she likes it." Through the cloth, I see the lights go off and everything becomes dark and silent.

Wow. What a baby.