Element

Chapter Two

   "What the hell?"

   My voice caught in my throat. The big robot just spoke. What?

   Another man came in soon after, he looked odd as well, with a red, white, and blue suit on and a matching shield. He was looking at the robot with a worried, and exasperated, expression on his face. He was about to speak when he noticed me sitting there, face frozen in what was probably a hilarious manner.

   "What the hell?"

   The robot turned, "That what I said! I thought this was a research lab, not a daycare."

   Suddenly, the piece of metal that looked like a face pulled up and away, revealing a startled, yet very human, person underneath. Not a robot, at least not completely. Good to know. I cleared my throat, trying to gain some of my composure and spoke up.

   "This is a research base. I'm the experiment."

   My voice cracked with the last word. Damn. The two men looked at each other, and then back at me, with a look I'm not used to, pity. Double damn. I felt my fingers curl into fists as I looked away, trying not to make eye contact.

   "Who are you? And what's going on?" I tried to move the conversation along, starting to feel uncomfortable with all of the, you know, emotions.

    Spangles straightened up, "We're the Avengers. Come with us, and we can help you."

    I frowned. Help? Like the doctors helped me when they experimented on me for years? Like the helped when they forced these powers onto me? I didn't want any more help. I wanted out.

   "You can help me by taking this," I jabbed a finger towards the collar, "Off of me."

   They glanced where I pointed and both looked deeply disturbed. Try imagining wearing it. We stared at each other for a few long moments as they contemplated my demand.

   Finally, metal man shrugged and walked closer. He studied the collar before raising his hand, causing me to flinch slightly. Luckily he didn't notice and the metal around his hand shifted, revealing a small laser. It took about 2 minutes to get it off. None of us spoke.

   Once the thing was off, I sighed in relief and closed my eyes, feeling the power and energy starting to pump through my veins again. I took a deep breath, reacclimating to the feeling. I reopened my eyes and looked down at the thing that kept me trapped for all my life, and kicked it away in victory.

   The two men looked at each other before the metal man turned back facing me. His mask slid back into place before he spoke, "Alright, let's blow this HYDRA popsicle stand. Unless, you've become attached to this wondrous interior decorating?"

   I quirked my eyebrows at his statement and brushed by him without comment. The same went for Spangles when I made my way through the door. I had been stuck in this hell hole for my entire life, I was ready to leave, to see the world with my own eyes, to feel the outside air on my skin. I felt no need for sentiment, I didn't even look back.

   I heard the two men follow after me, but I had one goal in mind, and that was to get out. I could feel my breath catch in my throat, and tears prick my eyes. I almost couldn't believe what was about to happen. I had spent my entire life wondering what the outside would look like, never really knowing. And now I was about to find out.

   I took a sharp left, starting to pick up my speed through the bleak cement hallways. I had memorized a map of the building years ago after it had slipped out of one of the doctor's files. Without much in the way of entertainment, I often thought of that map. It gave me some sort of hope I suppose. My mouth twitched into a grim smile at the thought as I hanged a right, continuing to build speed. I felt another explosion rock the building and saw dust shake from the ceiling. Right, major smackdown going on, almost forgot.

   "Hey!" Shouted the man in blue, "Slow down, it's dangerous in-"

   But I didn't hear the rest of his sentence. When I turned the next corner I stopped, slipping slightly on the ground before regaining my balance.

   At the end of the hallway, so close to freedom, stood a group of guards dressed in riot gear. I recognized none of them yet knew these were the same people who's jobs were to keep me in here. I slowed my breathing, took a step forward, and bared my teeth in a deadly grin.