The ghosts we hide (Winter Soldier x OC)

Ten

"This here is an electromagnetic bracelet that taps into your nerve cells. If you step out of line or try to escape it will zap forty volts of electricity straight through you. That's enough to make you a writhing mess on the floor, in case you were wondering."

I eye the shiny silver band in Tony's hand, eyebrows raised in disbelief. A sour taste invades my tongue as he gestures for me to hold out my wrist.

I tuck my hands under my arms defensively.

Tony lets out a sigh.

"Do you know how many government asses I had to kiss to arrange this little deal? I'll give you a clue - lots."

I glance around the corridor, casually weighing up different escape routes. The hallways are the fanciest I've ever seen, fitted with lots of white panels and glass, much like the elevator we just stepped out of.

When I don't move he reaches forward and grabs my arm, lining the band up with my right wrist. I consider flooring him the second he touches me but decide against it, taking into account the super soldier stood next to me. The bracelet snaps snugly around my wrist, joining itself together with something akin to pixels.

I look at Tony, confused.

"Nanotechnology. It's something I'm experimenting with." He shrugs, shoving his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "That won't come off your wrist until I tell it to."

He pulls out a tiny black remote; a small black rectangle with a dial and four buttons visible on the surface.

"Brilliant." I mutter, giving the bracelet a tug with my other hand, a withering look of disapproval pulling at my features. It's just a simple silver band about two centimetres in width, nothing obviously lethal about it. I don't doubt it'll hurt getting zapped by it though and I definitely don't plan on testing it out.

"It's only temporary. It'll come off when we've determined you're no longer an escape threat." Steve interjects from beside me. I crane my neck up to meet his pretty blue eyes.

"And it means I can't smother anyone in their sleep either."

The blonde's eyes widen in shock while I smile sweetly, as if I just paid him a complement. Tony chuckles from beside me, reaching across to give Steve a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "That too."

"Now then..." the bearded man announces, dipping his head to me in a half bow. "Welcome to the Avenger's Tower."

With that, he pushes on the double doors in front of us, throwing them wide and stepping into the huge space behind them.

The room is gigantic, spanning across three levels. We stand on the edge of a huge grey circle with a table for ten set up on my left, sitting in front of a kitchen fit for a five star restaurant. I count at least three state of the art ovens. To my right are a short set of steps leading down to a lounge area, complete with a sunken ring of sofas surrounding a fire pit. Behind that there's a massive tv, bigger than anything I've ever seen.

Going up from the middle floor is another set of glass steps which lead to a long landing of some kind, about ten doors doors visible from where I stand.

Everything is in varying shades of sleek grey scale, apart from bright white strip lights which line the stairs, walls and ceiling, giving the room a sci-fi feel. A huge crystal chandelier hangs proudly above us, the tiny crystalline gems reflecting the afternoon sunlight and casting delicate rainbows across the floor.

To top it all off, the whole west facing wall is made of gleaming glass, framing the pointed sky line of New York perfectly.

I'm utterly speechless as I stare around the room, eventually turning to look at Tony and Steve. The super solider smiles, real humour in on his face at my reaction . My eyes must be as big as saucers right now.