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The silence felt heavier than the restraints. Evelyn had endured torture before, but the silence always hurt more.
The collar around her neck and cuffs around her wrists and ankles were embedded with countless tiny needles, each pricking into her skin to activate the dampeners. Blood continuously seeped from the punctures even as her body fought relentlessly to heal itself. Dried blood covered her skin and clothes.
She inhaled slowly, ignoring the burning collar. "Hey, Wanda. How are you holding up?"
Wanda looked up, surprised. "I can't believe you're worried about me." Her eyes drifted toward Evelyn's restraints. "You're the one who's got it worse."
"Looks worse than it is." Evelyn gave a faint shrug, grimacing. A sudden jolt surged through the collar and cuffs, making her jerk against the restraints. She clenched her jaw and waited for it to pass. "You've got a power dampener on. Does it hurt?"
"That's the spirit," Evelyn said with a crooked smile. "Eventually, your body stops complaining."
Something softened in Wanda's expression. "You remind me of Pietro."
Evelyn blinked. Then she smiled a genuine smile. "That's probably the nicest thing anyone's said to me in weeks." For a moment, she simply looked at Wanda with quiet affection.
Wanda watched her closely before offering a small smile of her own. It was the first Evelyn had seen from her since leaving the Compound. Tiny and fragile, but genuine enough to briefly drown out the pain coursing through Evelyn's body.
"What do you call Ant-Man stuck in prison?" Scott suddenly called out.
Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "If the answer is 'small-time criminal,' I swear—"
Scott pointed at her, outraged. "You stole my punchline!"
A real laugh escaped Evelyn before she could stop it. The collar answered immediately. Another violent pulse raced through her body, electricity snapping through the needles embedded in her skin. Her back arched against the restraints, but she barely noticed. She was still smiling.
Scott looked genuinely offended. "It took me ages to come up with that one."
