Since the Beginning

Ch 13: Irrational Anger

Chapter Thirteen:

Irrational Anger

Toni held her arm close to her chest as she ran down the hall with Steve by her side. He had no doubt forgotten about the injury Hulk gave her and she wasn't about to remind him about. She knew how he got when someone on the team was hurt. Overprotective hen didn't even begin to cover it.

"Found it!" Steve hollered a few feet in front of her as he ripped open one of the doors.

Toni rushed in before he quickly shut it, hoping they had time to free their friends before more guards arrived.

"Steve, Toni!" Clint yelled, his voice filled with relief, "Thank God. Are you guys alright?"

"Yeah birdbrain, just fine", she said smiling.

He let out another breath of pure relief as Steve quickly grabbed the bars and began trying to stretch them open enough for Clint to fit through. In the meantime, Toni rushed to Thor's cell and began lock picking. It was a bit hard to do considering she only had one hand with which to work, but she was just that good.

"Lady of Iron, are you hurt?" Thor asked, noticing her arm.

Toni glanced at Steve, but he seemed to not of heard Thor's comment as she shook her head.

"Nothing serious Thor", she replied as the lock clicked open.

Thor grinned as he stepped out about the same time that Clint was able to squeeze through the bars. As Steve and Clint rushed to Natasha, she turned to Hammer.

"Rough time?" he asked indicating her arm.

She glanced down at it and then back at him.

"Nothing I couldn't handle", she replied as she set to work picking the lock.

Hammer watched her do this, a bit confused as to why she was letting him out. Honestly, he expected her to "throw away the key", so to speak. As if reading his mind, she looked up at him and answered.

"Contrary to belief, I don't like people dying when I can stop it. You may be a tool, but even you don't deserve to be experimented on."

Justin Hammer honestly had no words for that as the door clicked open.

"Alright, let's get out of this mad house", Steve said as he turned and headed for the door at the end of the hall.

The six had just stepped out of the cell block when several armed guards came running towards them. Steve raised his fists as Clint, Natasha, and Thor took their own places, forming a circle around the two scientists in the middle who were practically useless in a fight without their weapons. Well, at least Hammer was. Toni on the other hand, thanks to Natasha, knew how to fight rather well in hand to hand combat, however this was before she had broken her arm thanks to the hand of a drugged up Hulk. Speaking of which...

Toni grinned when she heard the roar of the hulk coming closer. The androids also heard it, all of them slowing down to see where the sound was coming from when the Baron darted around the corner sprinting as fast as he had been last time Toni had seen the man, with Big Green close behind. Panting, the Baron noticed the six prisoners free in front of him and nearly cried with joy as he dodged a steel pipe thrown close to his right and dove behind the six who were watching with mixed looks of amusement and anger.

"Help me!" he begged, grabbing onto Steve's clothes, "Please! Save me!"

Steve ignored the begging man, but he did step in front of the Hulk's path, watching his approach determinedly. Clint and Natasha stepped back, not caring if the man was killed, while Hammer just smirked, also backing up though nearly into Thor who was glaring at the Hulk with irritation. He hated dealing with the beast.