HARLOVSEN - An Avengers Fanfiction

Chapter 18 - Heal

"The training centre, the laboratories. Here we have private rooms, the kitchen, the arsenal," Erik explained as he guided the Avengers through the building.

"I bet your food is better than anything they serve in our canteen," Natasha mumbled.

"Just wait until I make you my famous pasta," Erik winked at her. He stopped at a door and waited until the others had kept up. "Alright, the tour is over. Here are the bathrooms. I'll see if I find clothes your size."

One by one, the Avengers passed him, Steve being the last. He stopped and waited until the others were far enough away before he started talking.

"Where's Buck?"

Erik frowned. "I'm not sure. Fenris probably asked him to help with Katta's healing."

"How so? He isn't a trained doctor." Steve probed. Erik rolled his eyes. 

"Listen Steve. Are you cool with Steve? Because I'm fully intending on hitting on your redheaded friend and you should get used to my presence. You'll see Barnes sooner or later. Until then, go have a shower and I try finding something you won't rip with your muscles."

Steve ground his teeth, but nodded and followed the others. Erik turned around and walked to the infirmaries, to meet the others. He wasn't too thrilled about what was about to come. Fenris and Barnes already waited in the monitoring room, watching through the one-way mirror as Arne was strapping Katta to a metal bench, chatting with her casually. The door to the room opened, and Magnus joined them.

Erik stood next to Fenris and sighed. "We should get going. We don't have all day."

Fenris nodded and pushed a button to activate the intercom system. "Time to get it started."

Magnus turned his head to the mirror and nodded. He then pressed down Katta's shoulders while Arne started to talk. Bucky shuffled next to them, moving closer to the window.

"No need to be jumpy. We're in a safe environment. Nothing bad is gonna happen." Erik felt like he needed to comfort Barnes, who watched the evolving scene with horror written on his face.

"Sure," he muttered back. On the other side of the window, Katta exchanged one last glance with Arne. He assuringly squeezed her shoulder. "Ready?"

Katta nodded her head and closed her eyes. Soon, she heard the first words.

"Malice. October."

A slight tingling went through Katta's body, and the hair on her neck stood. Two words didn't damage much, but they stirred something inside her that she usually tried to bury as deep as possible. But now, she needed to let it happen.

"Kaukasus. Subjugation."

Katta squeezed her eyes tighter together, letting the words echo in her head. It felt like she would faint any other second. Her fists involuntary clenched, and a cold feeling gnawed on the surface of her thoughts.

"Nightshade."

That was the last straw that broke the camel's back. She didn't want it. The pain, the oppression. Katta started to struggle against the cuffs that held her on the table. They wouldn't budge.

"Thirteen."

Katta screamed. It was a sound that came deep from her body and poured out as her brain short-circuited. A searing pain pumped through her veins and into every fibre of her body. Parts of her screams were in English, Norwegian, Russian.

"Gloom."

Katta's eyes shot open, and her body slumped. She'd awakened again. Her eyes searched her surrounding, taking in the situation. A man stepped in her vision, his hands folded behind his back.