Pandora

6

Submerged in water, long hair floating about her head, a young Pandora frantically struggled against the barbed wire wrapped around her body. Outside of the large tube, examining her, were faceless scientists adorned in lab coats. They looked to her, observing her thrashing, and topped on their tablets while others monitored her vitals. Managing to finally break the barbed wire that poked at her skin, she reached for the medical wires attached to her head and ripped them free.

      Anger burned in her eyes, and the scientists continued to watch as it became harder for her to breath underwater. Silently screaming at them, bubbles escaped from Pandora's mouth and she slammed a fist against the glass tube. The scientists hesitatingly stepped back with each punch until a crack started to form. Turning tail, they hurried to the exit, and she crashed into the glass with one final blow, shattering it to pieces.

       Bolting upright, chest quickly rising and falling, Pandora tightly grabbed a blanket, unaware of when she had fallen asleep. Anxiously peering around the dark room, she hesitantly wiped the sweat from her brow and shakily stood. Sleeping in a lion's den wasn't safe and Pandora mentally scolded herself from allowing it to happen; she'd have to avoid the bed from now on.

       A faint blue light was shone outside her cell, giving her very little to see with. The same number of SHIELD agents guarded her and they swiftly stood at attention as she rapidly rose from her slumber. Pacing in front of the glass, the nightmare capturing the forefront of her mind, Pandora glanced at the agents and glared. It had only been a day since the Avengers had captured her, but at that moment she refused to remain a prisoner.

Snatching the clean clothes that were now rumpled on the bed from her frantic twitching, she to the back corner and pulled the curtain closed as much as possible, though it didn't provide much privacy. It stopped at her shins and was thin enough that those looking in could see her silhouette. Still, Pandora admit it was better than nothing, which is what she was used to. Finagling with the sports bra, she easily slipped on the rest of the clean clothes and burned up the top of her navy jumpsuit that would provide her some warmth for when she planned to escape tonight.

Putting on socks and the flimsy sneakers, Pandora took a deep breath before executing her hastily made plan. Moving aside the curtain, she started walking back to her bed before doubling over as if in pain. Head ducked, knees bent, she screamed and fell to the floor. Curled up in a ball, she audibly whimpered. The agents uncertainly looked to one another, and one of them offered to enter, worried something was wrong with her.

The buzz of the wall come to a stop and Pandora grinned. In a flash, she sprung to her feet, shoving past the agent who was brave enough to check on her. Sliding under the wall that the agents desperately tried to close, she gracefully hopped and ran down a random hall to the left. Assuming there was an exit of sorts down there, Pandora sprinted ahead of the agents chasing her while they aimed their crossbows and an alarm began to blare.

Hearing the weapons' lock engage, she times when it would release and leapt over the bolas that suddenly flew at her from behind. Rounding another corner, Pandora skidded to a stop as she came face to face with Steve and Sam. Widening her eyes, matching their equally surprised expressions, she hastily spun away, and out of the corner of her eye saw Sam reach for her. Swerving past his hand, she continued her sprinting as shouting echoed down the hall after her.

With no more hallways to run down, Pandora kept going straight until she met a dead end. Peering over her shoulder, noting Steve had his shield with him, she forged ahead with a determined glint in her eye. Turning on her heel just before she hit the wall, Pandora kicked off it and used the momentum to propel herself forward. In her mind, she imaged barreling through them, like a bullet, but reality has a different result for her.