Into the Snow || A Captain America Love Story

42

Steve

I hop out of the helicopter and onto the snowy grass. The plain seems empty, but it stretches into an old town. There is an old concrete building in front of us, which I assume is the place we were looking for. The other Avengers get out, Bruce staying inside to start the copter and get out of here when we have Tori.
"That it?" Tony asks Natasha, his suit clanging.
"Yep," she says. "Unless Fury was lying to me."
"Let's go," I order, walking in the snow.
Everyone prepares their weapons when we reach the building. There is no possible way to get in without easily being spotted.
"The roof," Clint says.
Tony flies and Thor flings himself up with Mjölnir while the rest of us climb a ladder. Once I reach the top, we see a good spot to hop in. It is a small office, a window on the ceiling. I ask if everyone is ready and smash the glass so that it shatters on the occupied chair. The agent passes out when I throw my shield at his head when I go down, just for good measure.
Everyone follows, landing onto the floor with a thump. I scan the room.
"That way," I say, pointing to a door.
We rush through, taking out agents as we go. We stop when we hear noises. I motion to the right, directing us to the noise - screams. We turn a corner, to a hidden metal look out, showing an empty lab. We hide behind the wall, peering out into the lab.
I spot a scrawny scientist wearing glasses and a lab coat, flipping levers and pressing buttons on a machine near a table. On the table lays a screaming young woman - Tori. I hold back my shaking breaths, and continue to watch. Blue liquid flows through tubes and into Tori's wrists. She is in so much pain, the screaming and her body movements just prove that she is being tortured. The machine finally shuts off, ending her pain. She pants, trying to take in everything. She sinks into the metal table, her eyes slowly closing.
I can't do anything but stare. My mind is screaming, not handling the horrible image it is being shown. She is losing consciousness, the scientist sneering behind the machine. Her hand drops to the table's surface, then something spreads across it from Tori's hand.
"Perfect, just perfect!" the scientist cheers.
I can't control myself any longer. I throw my shield at the man, it grazing his cheek. I didn't particularly aim at him, just doing something to grab his attention. He yelps, pressing his hand to the cut.
"Ah, the people I've been waiting for." the scientist looks up at us, eyeing me. "I am Doctor Harris."
"Get away from her," I demand.
"Haha, so intimidating," Harris cackles. "It is you that I want, Mister Rogers."
"Beat me, hurt me, kill me. But for the love of god, don't touch her." I plead, standing closer to the railing.
"You really love her, don't you?" he evilly smirks.
Clint releases an arrow, hitting the machine. Tony starts to fly into the air, blasting everything in sight near the scientist. Everyone except Clint jumps down from the viewing area. I jump down to grab my shield, placing it onto my back. They attack, me rushing to Tori's side.
"Oh my god," I mumble.
Her skin is so pale, giving her an even more tortured look. A sheet of ice covers the table. Tori's eyes flutter open, her beautiful brown orbs bloodshot.
"S-Steve?" she asks, her voice frail and weak.
"Yeah, Tori," I coo. "It's me."
I undo the scraps on her hands and feet, letting them dangle from the table. I carefully scoop Victoria up, taking her pale fragile body into my arms.
"I-I'm so sorry," I say, trying to swallow my tears.
"S-Steve," she repeats. "You need to get out of here."
"I am," I tell her. "But I'm not leaving without you."
"Protect yourself," she quakes. "Don't leave any of your blood here."
I hold Tori with one arm and cover as much of myself as I can with my shield on my available arm. I bolt through the building and out of a hole in the concrete wall that Tony blew up. I rush to the helicopter, calling for Bruce.
"Do you have her?" he calls, rushing to the entrance.
"Yeah," I say.
"Put her on the seats," he orders.
I do as Bruce says, gently placing Tori onto the connected seats. He feels her pulse, checking to see if it is at a normal pace.
"We need to get out of here," he trembles.