Chapter Text
Whumptober Day 1: Shaky hands
Bad Things Happen Bingo: Hancuffed/Manacled, Electrocution
Water Boarding and electrocution is described in one sentence
~ ??? ~
Tony lifts his aching head, trying not to groan. He's sitting on a metal chair with his arms shackled to the back of it. Two men are standing on either side of the lone metal door in the dark, dank room.
The door opens with a shriek of metal against metal. A clip of a heeled shoe has Tony quirking his head. Considering who he was initially after in Siberia, he was thinking it would be Zemo, but the older woman who made her way over surprised him.
The woman was older by at least a decade - give or take - by the leathery look of her skin and the white of her hair fixed in a tight bun behind her head. She sits across from him, scrutinizing him.
"I gotta be honest. This is new for me. I was kind of expecting another guy to come in here. Not that I don't think women can be villains, of course, they can obviously 'cause your here. I dislike all villains, males and females alike. It's just that white entitled men seem to be my particular villain sequence." The woman didn't move a muscle. Most captors would have at least rolled their eyes by now or told him to shut up, maybe even hit him, but she did nothing.
"Do you recall how you came into my possession, Mr. Stark?" The woman rasped. Tony practically felt his eyebrows hit his forehead.
"I'm afraid you're mistaken." It was her turn to quirk an eyebrow, her thin mouth quirked up in a sly look.
"My people found five of Hydra's winter soldiers dead and only you left alive. It only makes sense that the one left alive would take their place as payment." Tony shakes his head in denial.
"This isn't the first time I've been held captive. I'll find a way out, and I'll blow this place to smithereens. Hopefully, with you and your crazy lot in it." The smirk grows into a full-blown smile, not believing him for a second. The villains always underestimate him. Without a parting shot, she makes her way to the door, only speaking a few sentences in what was most likely Russian to the goons.
"Hail Hydra."
"Hail Hydra." They reply as the door screamed shut. Then like the creepy kids in the Chucky movie, the goons move their heads to look directly at him, making their way over. One of them grabs a bucket from the wall.
A burlap sack is pulled over his face. Tony opened his mouth to make some lame joke about following kidnapping tropes when he choked on water as it was poured over his head.
He honestly was not expecting that.
He really should start doing that.
~Wakanda~
Bucky wakes up from Cryo to Steve's haggard but relieved face. He immediately knows that something is off. Steve looks older, more worn despite the small smile on his face. There are frown lines peeking through the Super Soldier Serum perfected face. Despite feeling half frozen still, Bucky smiles at his long-time friend in consolation.
"How long have I been out?" He asks. His voice must sound as bad as his throat feels as Steve immediately gets him a glass of water to sip effectively prolonging the answer to his question. Bucky turns his head away in protest, shooting him a stubborn look. Steve huffs, practically shoving the straw in between his lips.
"You've been in cryo for three months. T'challa's people are still working on a cure for the triggers."
"Then, why am I awake?" He asked irritated. Selfishly, he hoped that they didn't wake him because Steve asked them to. He knew it was going to take time - possibly years - before they found something, but Bucky thought he got it through to Steve's thick skull that he didn't want to be a danger to anyone.
"It's… I didn't want to concern you with this, Buck. It's not your concern. You didn't have anything to do with it -"Steve's alarming words were cut off by the hiss of his hospital room door opening. A serious-looking T'challa entered, followed by Princess Shuri.
"Sargeant Barnes, I apologize for waking you so soon. How are you feeling?" T'challa asks.
"Tsk Brother, he's practically an icicle. That's how he's feeling!" Shuri admonishes as she checks his pulse and the machines around his bed frame.
"I'm fine. Just wondering what's going on." The siblings exchanged looks, talking in a way Bucky vaguely remembers being able to do with his sister. What was her name?
"Once my dear sister allows, we shall make our way to the war room. Colonel Rhodes is here to discuss parley." Bucky looked sideways at Steve, who was looking down at his clasped hands, his lips pressed so tightly together they almost disappeared from his face. He used to look like that a lot when getting a lecture from his Ma that he felt guilty yet blameless at the same time. This wasn't going to be good.
"That's Stark's friend, right?"
"Yes. Colonel Rhodes is also known as Iron Patriot or War Machine. He was at the airport with us that day at Iron Man's side."
"Does this have something to do with those accords you were talking about?" Bucky asked Steve, but it was T'Challa who answered.
"In part. There is a more serious matter at hand. Shuri?" They all turn to look at the young woman typing away at the flat board she picked up from his hospital tray.
"He is slightly vitamin deficient despite the IV before undergoing cryostasis. That's an easy fix, though. I'll have a nurse bring in a juice box for now. We'll continue with a liquid diet for now. No overexerting yourself, and we'll see about solids." She turns to point a finger right at him. A small smile peeks from her lips as she tries to look serious. "Do not test me, Mr. Barnes." He raises his hands, bemused.
"You may think she is joking, but my sister is known for her inventing. She would somehow find a way to annoy you into listening." The young king chuckled.
It felt like time slowed down specifically to rattle Bucky. It only took an hour or so to finally get to an opulent room where the others were waiting. Steve directed them to sit with Sam, Romanoff, the robin hood like guy, the man that could turn into a giant, and the Witch. Across from them was the being he remembers being called "Vision," and Colonel Rhodes dressed in his Army greens and in a wheelchair. T'challa took his seat on the throne-like chair at the very end of the table.
"Today, we are here because the United Nations have been discussing an armistice with 'the Rogue Avengers' for the help in locating Tony Stark." Bucky stiffened.
"What?" He blurted out.
"Tony's been missing for over 3 months. Officially, his last known location was the RAFT after speaking with PJ Sam Wilson AKA, the Falcon. Unofficially, FRIDAY has him at the coordinates of a Former Russian Armed Forces Bunker in Siberia." Rhodes taps the table, and a hologram pops into the air. The picture is of Steve looks ready to do a murder strut as Bucky hunches like a scared cat with its fur up high. A small part of him wants to wince. One, because that's just embarrassing and two because what he remembers of that fight in the bunker does not look good for Steve and him. Oh God, he hopes they didn't kill him.
"I'm going to fast forward a bit." The Vision warns. In fast action, they all watch as he and Steve take turns hurling the shield at him. Sometimes the view is on the ground before coming up again. Bucky sees himself go through the air, and he's out for the count. The video goes fuzzy before coming back vertically. They see Iron man on the ground as Steve gets on top of him.
There's an ominous creaking sound to his left. Steve is holding the arm of the chair so tightly, his knuckles are white. Oh, God.
Then Steve is bringing the shield down on the chest plate of the armor, and the light in the center goes out.
"Steve." The Black Widow gasps. He doesn't turn to look at her. The Colonel must have resumed the video to normal speed as they see Stark ripping off the suit, dragging himself out. They watch as he brings pieces out of view and comes back for another. Last is the helmet. It's been stashed somewhere in the room as he wanders around looking for something.
"What's he doing?" Scott mutters.
"He's trying to find a way to fix the suit. Steve…Rogers picked us up in the Quinjet, remember? He's got no other way out." Hawkeye says. His voice is almost devoid of emotion. Almost.
That's when the video shows two Hydra soldiers come in. Rifles aimed at the man. Tony gets on the ground, his hands in the air. When one of the men gets closer, he slams the gun sideways and kicks the goon just below the belt to have him sprawling.
The other one is gesturing menacingly with his rifle, threatening to shoot as others come pouring in. They converge on him. One of the men has a familiar-looking baton and Bucky twitches. It comes down onto Stark's back, making the man jerk at the voltage he's been hit with. Bucky hears a whimpering sound. He knows it is him.
The video cuts out as they drag him from the room.
"FRIDAY managed to contact Pepper Potts as Mr.Stark's emergency contact was recovering from surgery. I was able to recover the Mark XLVI from the bunker but could not find a way to track Mr. Stark's captors or his current whereabouts." Vision intones. Bucky's hands shake.
"With Tony Stark at the hands of Hydra…there is no telling what they'll be able to get him to do." The Witch cautions.
"Tony's been kidnapped before. The Ten Rings had him for 3 months before he busted out with the first Iron Man armor. They won't get anything from him. He'd rather die first." The Colonel spoke.
"Yet we hope it does not come to either of those things. That's why we have called upon King T'Challa. If we all can work together, the chances of finding Mr. Stark or at least his body increases tenfold."
"And that's why you woke Bucky. To get some inside information on Hydra." Steve spits.
"I'll help," Bucky interjects. "I don't know how much I can. I…my memory isn't the best, but I'll help find him. The Colonel bores his eyes into him. Bucky keeps his gaze on him stubbornly, refusing to avert his eyes anymore. He let this happen. He made Steve fight Stark and then leave him in the bunker. He didn't even think of asking T'challa to go back to check on the man. Now it was time to clean up his mess and maybe, hopefully, make things right.
"Okay Barnes." Rhodes says. "Tell me everything you know about Hydra."