Like A Bullet [P.M.]

Chapter 40

Bells rang in my head, my consciousness returning slowly. Blood ran through my arm, leaving red streaks all around. It was dark, smoky, and hot. The glass was broken, the pieces laid on top of me and... Oh, god. Laurel. Her head bowed down, a large cut showing on her shoulder. I groaned in pain as I placed my hand on her forehead, lifting her head.

"L-Laurel?" I groaned, pressing my hand against my open stomach wound.

She wasn't moving.

"Laurel..." I muttered, moving a bloody strand of hair from her face. Her face... Bruises stretched from one end to the other. I placed my hand on her neck, feeling her slow exhalation and inhalation. I sighed in relief. I tried moving my leg but it was also cut open. I couldn't feel my leg. I couldn't feel my leg. I tried again, moving the other leg out of the open car door. I placed it on the ground and slipped slowly out of the car. I couldn't stay still so I immediately went tumbling to the ground. I was crippled, defenseless and I just laid there. The pain was unbearable. I bit my lip in an attempt to hold back my screams.

As I shifted my head to see to the horizon, a dark figure stood vigilant. Panic filled my eyes, leaving me to finally give in to my screams.

"Laurel..." I tried to yell.

The dark figure kept approaching the car. It was walking at a slow pace, but it wasn't long before it got here.

"Laurel..." I tried again, only to fail again.

It turned out to be a tall man dressed in all black. He didn't say anything, just looked around the car crash. He saw Laurel's defenseless body at the passenger seat. She was still unconscious. He then approached me, staring into my eyes. His eyes weren't normal. They were the type of eyes that could stare through your soul with just a glance. I started panicking again.

"Oh, god, help her!" I managed to yell.

He stood silent.

"Get her, damn it!" Tears streamed down my face, burning at the slightest contact with my open wounds. The pain was grave, and horrible, but I had to let it out. I had to save her.

As he crouched down beside me, I knew he wasn't going to help us at all. He started to put on some gloves and he kept staring at me. He slipped his hands under my arms and slowly dragged me away from the car.

"No! Please! I cannot leave her!"  I started to kick and resist and yell and cry. My efforts were worthless. As I saw the car disappear into the darkness, the more I thought about Laurel's bruised up face. If only I hadn't suggested the drive. If only I hadn't argued. If only...

Laurel and the car were consumed by the darkness and, suddenly, I was hit by something on the head. A club or something, I don't know. I could only picture Laurel. Almost dead because of me. Almost dead.

During the car ride, and there was a car drive, I could hear the car sounds, I could smell the gasoline. This man was taking me to HYDRA, I thought.

I slept.

A huge hallway was now my location. I didn't know how I got there. Maybe it was dream. At the end of the hallway laid Laurel's dead body. A bloody puddle drowned her whole body. Another me, another Pietro, crouched down beside her. He stared at her and then threw himself upon her. Crying, he carried her bloody body and took it to somewhere unknown. The sound of the car trunk door opening waked me back to reality.

I heard whispers. Unforgettable whispers.

"Prep him for the brainwashing."

"Prep him for the brainwashing."

The words banged and bounced all over my head. I don't want to forget all I've gone through. Wanda, The Avengers. Laurel. The thought drowned out the pain of all the bruises and cuts that covered my body, and now, all that was present, was the word 'brainwashing'.

I knew their plan. Even though I actually didn't, I did. They were going to make me a weapon. One weapon of a thousand weapons. With me, they could create more enhanced people. They could create an entire army of super-powered beings and lay waste to this world.

But as I was stripped of my clothes and strapped to a gurney, another horrifying thought ruled my mind.

Laurel might be dead. Dead, because of me. Me and my reckless driving. Me and my unnecessary words. I hurt her. And now I'm paying the price.

The door opens. I lift my head to see who it is. A man in a white lab coat. He had glasses and a scruff. He had a blank expression spread across his face.

"Hello, Pietro." His monotone voice echoed through the room.

I stayed silent.

"I am here to evaluate you physically and mentally. I will be conducting a series of tests to ensure everything goes correctly in the brainwashing."

My arms and legs were strapped. I could see all the open wounds covering my body. All the pain from before was returning.

What followed was inhumane. All the tests, the pain that was present. He took samples of everything, and when I say everything, I mean everything. I had my eyes closed all the time. I would not show weakness. I shut my eyes and held in the tears and the pain that were waiting to burst out of my body.

All hope of being saved from this horrible place was gone. I was sure I would become just another weapon in HYDRA's arsenal. A weapon they would build from the start. A weapon they could shape to their liking. First they gave me powers and now they were taking my memory. I would be used against the Avengers, against my sister. That is, if they haven't taken her yet and if they don't plan to.

All hope was gone as I was thrown into another dark room. I was left to wait for the inevitable loss of memory. I was left to wait. Alone, naked, and without hope.