ROMANOGERS: PAST TO PRESENT

Chapter Twenty Three

My eyes snapped open and a fierce anxiety gripped my heart. The world around me was still black and I pushed my panic away. I needed to sound firm, I needed to act like I was in control.

"Where is she?" I demanded. A sigh sounded by my head.

"I wondered when you would ask." There was the sound of clicking before the screen that had been wheeled in brightened. It depicted Natasha fighting fiercely against unknown enemy. She was overwhelmed but fought like an animal all the while shouting for me. She struck two down but where they fell two were waiting. She was knocked aside but recovered quickly using her electric staffs in a last effort. It worked for a while until the strange man from earlier leapt into the fray. The two locked in a duel but with the other attackers still trying to make work of her she was struck over the head and a bullet entered her leg. I loud cry erupted from her throat as she dropped to the ground clutching her leg.

"No!" I thrashed against my restraints. I turned away but the same piercing pain as earlier rocked through my body. I convulsed finally recognizing the electric currents that tormented me.

"Watch!" He snarled. I hand wrapped around my head forcing me to look at the screen. She was barely conscious as they dragged her injured form away. The blatant and raw fear on her face left a stabbing sensation in my chest. Slowly she lost consciousness.

"I'll kill you! I swear when I am out of here you will never see the light of day aga-" The electricity shot through me but the pain this time was unreal. It felt like my lungs were on fire and my heart was being burned. My throat was raw as I screamed so loudly it hurt my ears.

"You will not talk in such a way to your teacher." The man hissed wrenching my sweaty face to look in his direction though I could not see him. "I suggest you behave."

"You, aren't my teacher. That doesn't make sense." I gasped still in pain.

"It will in time my dear." With that the screen turned on again and my bed, or more like platform, was rotated before resting at a perfect vertical angle. A picture appeared on the screen. It was Clint, I ached at the sight of his picture, I hoped that he was okay with ever bit of my being. "Now let the lessons begin."

Again the electricity erupted more vigorously, biting at me with hungry teeth. My nerves burned with an intensity so significant I felt blisters bubbling on my wrists and ankles where the straps held me down. The man's hands grabbed me by the hair pulling my head back and running a strap over my forehead. I was now stuck staring at the screen. Images of Clint flashed across, some of them captured his fierce face.

"This is an Agent of SHIELD. He is known as Barton, Clint Barton, or Agent Barton. He is part of a group called the Avengers. They are on the brink of discovering who we are. Here at Headquarters we train the best of the best. Our job is to take out corrupt leaders, those who have to much power. He is a threat to our mission to better ourselves and the world." The voice sounded fuzzy in my head and after his words another jet of electricity shocked me.

"The Avengers are your enemies." He reiterated with another excruciating burst of pain. Gasping I tried to look away from the screen but I couldn't.

"No. I know him. He's Clint Barton, my friend. The Avengers are good!" Again came the lightning that pulsed through my veins. Tears slipped down my cheeks despite myself.

"This is Tony Stark. He is also known as Iron Man. He is an Avenger as well with super weapons easily at his disposal. He threatens us with such weapons and it is up to us to develop technology better than his. We must protect ourselves from this threat." As Tony's image morphed into other pictures my head reeled with more pain. It went on like this again and again image after image, shock after shock.