Stark & Silver (Tony Stark x Reader)

Chapter Sixteen

YN sighed as she sat in the chair, her hands tied behind her tightly, causing her shoulders to ache in discomfort. Looking around the daft room, YN searched for anything that would hint to where she was being held, not that it really mattered, no one would be looking for her.

Groaning, YN tipped her head back, praying for something to happen. As if her prayers were heard, the door swung open harshly, the knob planting itself firmly in the wall.

A large man walked in, his entire face concealed from YN's view. YN licked her lips, schooling her features so that the newcomer couldn't read how terrified she really was.

"Hello, Agent Silver." YN made an unimpressed noise, trying to pull at the rope wrapped around her wrists. She'd been wriggling them for hours, trying to get at least a finger loose. Her wrists were raw and at one stage she swore she felt blood dripping over her hands. "Thank you for joining me this evening."

"Well, I wouldn't say it was voluntary." The man stood in front of her, his hands planting themselves on his hips.

"You know, just looking at you I could tell you would run your mouth." YN huffed, a smirk pulling the corner of her mouth upward. "Big, tough agent of the law."

"Oh, and you're so tough? Hiding behind that armor like a pussy." The man's hand whipped out, planting a solid hit against YN's cheek. Instead of crying out as he'd obviously hoped, YN laughed, spitting blood onto the ground. "Seems like you can't take an ego hit either."

Growling, the large man turned his back to the chuckling woman, muttering curse words under his breath. When he turned back, his hand came up to trace YN's face, brushing over the bruise blossoming on her cheek.

YN squirmed, trying to pull away from him as much as possible. He chuckled, curling his hand to the back of her head and pulling roughly on her hair. YN whimpered, trying to push away her fear and pain and hide it behind an unfazed charade. He leant down, lining his eyes with YN's and cocked his head.

"You're going to pay for exposing us." He murmured, clenching his fist even tighter in her hair. YN swallowed, trying to keep her features neutral. "There won't be a trial if there isn't anyone to testify, and you're the first on our list."

YN's lips pursed as he finally let go of her hair, her head nearly falling forward from the force of it. The man sighed, once again standing tall in front of the seated woman. YN breathed evenly, calming the erratic beat of her heart. She knew she'd heard the voice before, the owner's name on the tip of her tongue, so close to the surface yet she couldn't place where she'd heard it.

"You're in over your head here, agent." YN blinked, her eyes widening as she finally realized who she was dealing with.

"Little out of your depth here, sweetheart. A rabbit playing with wolves?"

"Brock Rumlow?" She asked quietly, her wrists pulling tighter behind her. "I thought-"

Rumlow laughed loudly, his helmet tipping back with the effort. "What? That the building you let fall on me, killed me?" YN swallowed again, her teeth gnawing at the inside of her cheek. "It did some damage, but it takes more than that to put me down, agent."

YN watched in horror as the helmet came off, revealing the disfigured face beneath it. YN's panic grew as Rumlow grew close again, something about the man's scars pushing fear into her chest. Her hands started pulling at the rope behind her frantically, and it only made Rumlow's grin grow in size.

"Now, you wait here." He chuckled, cupping YN's cheek in his palm, making the nausea in YN's stomach flourish. "I've got to go and get the rest of the party." YN struggled, her teeth clenching in her mouth. "You'll have company, don't worry." He smiled sadistically, leaning back down close to YN's face. "But, your friend, Hanson was it?" YN grunted, trying to force herself toward the sneering man. "He's done a pretty good job and getting you here, so I'm going to go and see what else he's succeeded in."

YN glared at Rumlow as he patted YN's sore cheek harshly before walking toward the door, nodding toward the guards who had taken their place by the entrance. They had a brief conversation before Rumlow left and YN sunk into her chair, refusing to let any of the other men see her break.

Meanwhile...

Tony's lip was planted between two rows of teeth, the constant gnawing causing blood to pour into his mouth. His eyes were watching over and over as YN stood talking to the man that they had yet to identify. He was riddled with rage and self-loathing, constant what-if's repeating over and over in his mind.

What if he'd never let her leave that day?

What if he had tried harder to apologize?

What if he didn't make that stupid mistake in the first place?

What if he wasn't a total and complete failure?

"Tony!" Tony jumped at the sound of his name, flicking his gaze up to meet Steve's blue stare. "We got through to Hanson, he's meeting with us shortly." Tony nodded, not as enthusiastic as Steve had hoped. "We're going to get her back, pal." Tony huffed at the optimism, his own pessimistic thoughts battling the notion already.

The next half an hour went by slowly, the two Avengers' anticipation growing with every passing minute. They weren't entirely sure what this man had to do with YN's disappearance and if he was in good nature or he had malicious intent. They were unable to gauge what YN was trying to convey through her short message, but they were hoping this man had more answers than they did.

"Detective Hanson, thank you for meeting with us." Steve smiled, shaking the tall man's hand.

"Hi there, it's not an issue." He returned with an easy going smile "Will Agent Silver be joining us?" He asked and the two men swapped a small glance. "Is there a problem?"

"That's what we wanted to discuss with you." Tony said, squaring his shoulders. "YN's... gone missing." He winced, licking his lips. "We know she was last sighted in a small coffee shop downtown, and left with this man in an SUV with blacked-out plates."

Hanson frowned, looking over the picture that Tony held out. Tony tried to read the man's features, desperate to see anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, all he could tell was that the man was either genuinely confused, or really good at lying.

"You think she was taken?" Hanson asked, pulling his gaze up to meet the other two men's eye. "Do you know why?"

"We were hoping you'd be able to help us out there." Steve tried, crossing his arms and leaning back. "Did she mention anything before she left the precinct? Maybe about where she was going or why?" Hanson shook his head, pursing his lips in thought.

"Nah, man." He said, tapping a finger on the table. Tony watched him skeptically, unable to get a read on him. "I showed her the documents regarding the trial for HYDRA-"

"Wait," Tony stopped him, raising a hand. "This things going to trial? Why?" Hanson shrugged, looking at Tony with what looked like genuine confusion.

"I don't know man," he said and Tony sighed, rubbing his head. "Look, I have a guy, someone the bureau uses to track plates, even if they are blacked-out." Tony nodded, completely engaged in what the detective was saying. "He's a little shady so he probably won't want a lot of attention-"

"I'll come with you." Tony said, elbowing Steve when he went to object. "I used to sell weapons for a living, no one will blink twice at me. You're Mr. Golden Boy, he's not going to do anything illegal in front of you." Hanson nodded, grimacing guiltily at Steve.

"Sorry, man. If he wasn't so hesitant-" Steve stopped him with a smile and a shake of his head.

"It's fine." He nodded before turning to Tony. "Call me when you've got a location and we'll work recon." Tony nodded once as Steve got up, shaking Hanson's hand. Bidding the captain goodbye, Tony turned to Hanson with a little optimism growing in his stomach.

"So, where to?"