Taken

Chapter 2

Steve's POV

"What the..." Steve groaned as he sat up slowly. "Everyone okay?" he asked, waiting for various responses came back.

"Fine!" Hawkeye snapped, then under his breath, "Except for the monster headache from hell."

"Good!" Black Widow yelled back. Glancing at the still unconscious scientist she added, "So is Banner!"

"Passive scientist or enormous green rage monster?" Clint questioned.

"Scientist." Bruce assured as he climbed to his feet. "Anyone hurt?"

"All good." Steve said, making his way towards the others. "Anyone know where we are?"

"A cage?" Hawkeye offered up.

"Yes Clint." Natasha snapped impatiently, "We all know we're in a cage."

"Well you asked!" Hawkeye said indignantly, clearly growing annoyed over being questioned.

"Well maybe if you-" Natasha's comment was cut off by Steve pushing them apart.

"We have bigger problems." He snapped, his voice quickly becoming commanding.

"Like what?" Hawkeye returned in an equally sharp tone. "We've been kidnapped and stuffed in a big dog cage? I noticed."

"No." Bruce stated calmly, "Tony's missing."

Tony's POV

"They're all missing." Tony thought as he paced around his massive living room. "How are they all missing? How the hell do you lose two assassins, the Jolly Green Giant, and Captain freaking America at the same time? Unless they're kidnapped... but why didn't they take me?" "Shit!" he burst out, "They were targeted. Jarvis- compile a list of all our enemies."

"I could do that sir..." his AI started, "but wouldn't it be easier just to track the signal emitted from the orb back to where it currently is?"

"You can do that?" Tony asked skeptically.

"Yes sir, would you like me to call Ms. Potts while I'm at it as well?" Jarvis added.

"No Jarvis, she's busy with that board meeting in Japan." Tony replied.

"But wouldn't she like to know what is happening?" Jarvis questioned.
"No, Jarvis." Tony emphasized.

"As you wish sir." The AI answered, and Tony wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a note of annoyance in its voice, as if Jarvis was saying, "Whatever, your funeral when she finds out what's going on."

Tony rolled his eyes, "Programmed that thing too damn well." He thought. As he was waiting for his AI to finish tracing the signal his thoughts began to consume him. "Who took them, Loki? No, that can't be right- he's in Asgard. Are they trying to punish me or them? All of us? Why only take five of us? Do they need a specific number? Maybe they want to play us against each other and need someone on the outside to-"

Jarvis broke into his thoughts, "Sir I have tracked the signal back to this warehouse." The wall in front of him lit up with an image of a large grey building. "I am sending the coordinates to your suit now sir." Jarvis continued. "Now would you like me to phone Ms. Potts?"

"No, Jarvis." Tony snapped again, "I have to get my team."

Steve's POV

"Where's Stark?" Steve questioned. "Did anyone have eyes on him when that ball lit up?"

"No, maybe he was taken somewhere else?" Widow offered.

"Or maybe he wasn't taken at all." Clint stated darkly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bruce said, standing up in front of him.

"Well no one else thinks it's weird that we all get kidnapped and he's nowhere to be found?" Clint continued, looking around the room for support. Natasha nodded in his direction, while Steve and Bruce looked at him like he was crazy.

"Come on Clint, you can't possibly think that this is Tony's fault?" Steve asked him carefully. "That's ridiculous."

"He's got a point." Natasha added quietly.

"What?" Bruce said turning towards her.

"He's got a point." She said again, louder, nodding at Hawkeye. "I mean, why isn't he here?"

"Come on guys," Steve said, sounding exasperated. "You can't seriously think this is because of Tony!"

"Unfortunately," a cruel voice said as the barred door swung open, "It is."