Free From HYDRA

Chapter 6

HARLEY RAN, soaked to the bone as he caught himself from running through a puddle. He skirted around it, chest heaving as he coughed. The tower stood in front of him and he darted inside, shaking his head to let the droplets out of his hair.

"Hey! Who do you think-Harley?"

Harley skidded to a stop in front of Natasha Romanoff, Black Widow; or also called Aunt Nat by Harley himself. "Aunt Nat!" he said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Natasha asked, an eyebrow raised. "Are you playing hooky?"

"No! I mean, yeah. I guess. You can say that." Harley shook his head. "But that's not important. Aunt Nat...I think that there's a boy in my school whose mind is being controlled."

Natasha frowned. "Do you have proof?"

"Mood swings. Scary spasms and seizures. Oh, and not to mention that he told me to run because he couldn't ruin my life or something..." Harley turned pleading eyes to his aunt figure. "Aunt Nat, we've got to do something."

"We will," Natasha said calmly. She zipped up her black jacket, grasping Harley's shoulder. "You up for some ice cream, kid?"

***

His body ached. He blinked the dizziness out of his eyes, staring at the dark crimson lines that trailed down his chest. He let out a sob, wanting to curl into himself but couldn't because of the restraints.

He wasn't Winter Spider right now.

He was Peter Parker.

He remembered the last thing he said to Harley before his mind had succumbed to the numb blankness that was called brainwashing.

"I can't ruin your life, too."

Bob walked into the room, a clipboard in hand, a scowl present on his face. Warily, Peter's eyes trailed his figure as Bob stepped beside the table, pen clipping onto the board.

"You failed." The words were so angry, so disappointed that Peter winced. "We asked you to bring Harley Keener, Winter Spider. Where is he?"

Peter kept silent; he was pretty sure that Harley had ran after Peter's warning, which Peter was thankful for. If Harley hadn't run, than Peter was sure that Harley would've ended up in the HYDRA base, courtesy of the Winter Spider.

"WHERE IS HE?" A slap sounded and Peter flinched, a red mark against his cheek. It was going to bruise later, he knew. But with his enhanced healing, it would fade by tomorrow morning. "Where. Is. Harley. Keener?"

"Why do you want him anyway?" Peter asked hoarsely, bracing for another slap, or something worse. But Bob stood still, a scowl still on his features.

"You don't know, do you?" Bob gave him a tight smile. "Tell me, Parker-have you heard of Iron Man?"

Peter, recalling the signs and ads he'd seen while walking to school, nodded. "He's a superhero."

"Superhero." Bob snorted. "He's our main target as of now, Winter Spider. He and his bandit of sidekicks called the Avengers-you heard of them?" Peter shook his head, no. "Doesn't matter anyway. Iron Man is also named Tony Stark, also described as genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist, and his biological son is Harley Keener Stark."

Tony Stark.

Stark! a voice resounded in his memories. You brat-you owed me fifty! You have to pay your rent, Goddammit!

Get your good for nothing duck off my property, Stark!

Peter? Peter, I'm scared, I don't wanna play anymore. You can come out now!

Peter gasped, his eyes widening as he met Bob's eyes, who smiled gleefully.

"You remember?" Bob asked, a grin stretching his face wide. "Do you remember in pieces? Poor you...let me help you out. Harley Keener Stark is your older brother; Iron Man is your father. We kidnapped you when you were two years old, and you will play a huge, huge role in your father's future murder."

"No," Peter whispered, tears filling his eyes. "No. Please."

"You should've learnt that pleading doesn't get you anywhere in HYDRA," Bob said. "Now, here we go again. Two..."

"NO!" Peter screamed, pulling against his restraints. "Please! Please. PLEASE! I'll do anything..."

"Home..."

"Please." Peter's body shook with sobs, silent tears falling down his face.

Dad. Harley...

"Radioactive..."

There was a grin on Bob's face, a gleeful smile that was so sickening to look at, so Peter looked away, tears falling down his chin.

"I want to go home," he whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

He wasn't sure who he was talking to. But before he could think more, Bob spoke the last word.

"Brother."

Brother.

Harl-what?

What name was he going to say?

Bob smiled, proud of his creation and experiment. "Welcome back, Winter Spider."

~ Lyn

Words: 777