Broken Cages (MCU)✔️

Cat and Mouse

Natasha was smiling by the next morning. We had all slept awkwardly around the plane, but she was in better spirits than I had seen her in a while.

"The Croatians got sloppy. We have their location."

"What about my parents?" I asked.

Natasha smiled, "Your father is on his way to seal the deal. He does not want to be involved in the capture. He seems a bit more cautious about the situation. But the Croatians plan to grab you during the handoff."

I always knew it would come down to a handoff. Real or not.

"I still don't like this," Peter said, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"None of us do, kid." Tony was drinking a black liquid that had my stomach turning. There hadn't been much to eat here save for granola bars and cans of pasta that they heated on an electric stove. I was told it was still better than most airplanes.

I didn't want to put back on the club clothes, but I knew I had to. The drop was soon, so I did just that, cringing at the feel of them against my body. Then, I removed each bandaid and let down my hair. I sighed as I unwrapped my ankle. It looked terrible. I didn't want to talk like this, but I knew I would have to. I winced as I strapped one heel on. I limped out of the bathroom, feeling all the pain.

"Um, Peter?" He noticed my predicament immediately.

"I've got you."

I expected Peter to just put his arm around mine, supporting me, but he carried me bridal style out of the plane. His walk was steady, and I curled into him, more comfortable being held by him than anyone else. With him, it really could be a saviour situation. It was far from that, of course. But I knew where he really wanted to take me. Far away from all of this.

We got in the car. Natasha was doing the drop. She was Russian, and they thought they could pull it off. The rest of the team was around, waiting.

Natasha decided to keep me unbound so I could run. She said to take no chances and run if I needed to. We pulled outside of a warehouse where the drop would take place. It was a neutral enough warehouse. Abandoned, seemingly untouched. But Bruce was ready with the jet, and Tony was prepared with backup. Setev, Loki, and Peter were situated around the building.

A man was waiting inside. Adam.

It was strange seeing him in person. It was weird seeing him so exposed. He was taller than I thought he would be, and he dressed for the occasion to meet his future wife. Clad in a dark grey suit, he looked severe and sharp. His fist clenched at his side. His other hand held a gun.

When he glanced at my face, I tried to run towards him, but Natasha pulled me back into her, a gun pressed into my side—all part of the show. Adam's gaze remained locked onto me, a twisted smile playing on his lips as if he was savouring this moment. Five more men emerged from the shadows. Two I did not know, but three I recognized. My father and his dogs.

"Hand her to us. Your money will be transferred. All from offshore accounts, of course."

Natasha sneered, "Tol'ko nalichnyye, vy, otvratitel'nyye sobaki." She asked for cash to keep the conversation moving. We wanted to shoot first, but we could be killed if we didn't have everyone on someone. Speaking in Russian had my father speaking up, his words sending fear into my heart.

"Otday im moyu doch'." His words hurt, even though they should not. He was asking Natasha to hand me over to Adam, not him.

Shots sounded around the building. "This is a trap! Kill them!" shouted the older man behind Adam.

Adam growled, "Do not harm my wife." he approached me, and fear took over. I kicked off the heels I had not strapped up and sprinted toward the exit, ignoring the screaming of my purple ankle. Only to be blocked by my mother, who grabbed my arm.

"Submit, girl." she snarled. I tried to break off her hold, but it was useless as Adam was there. Grabbing me and dragging me in the other direction. I saw the panic in Natasha's eyes as she fought off more men than we had expected. More than were supposed to be there.

"You will be safe now, flower," was the last thing I heard before a cloth was pressed to my nose.

–

I woke up in a bed, thankfully still fully clothed. No one else was in the room with me, so I immediately went for the door, only to be stopped by a sound from the bathroom. The door opened to reveal my mother.

"Hello, daughter." her nose was covered in a white powder. I wonder what made her start again.

I backed up, knowing just how volatile she could be when using. "Did you think you were free of us?" she laughed, cornering me into the room.

"Well, we have you and your little friend, and I think we will let him watch the wedding ceremony before we kill him. He seemed so worried about you that, of course, you were fucking him."

She was a lot taller than me. Weaker, but scarier. I knew how to fight back now, but they had someone, and I made the stupid mistake I promised not to do. I cared about them. I jeopardized my own safety by letting my heart get in the way.

"You met my husband then?" I asked.

She laughed out loud, "Oh no, daughter. He got away and took out twenty men on his own. We got the one that came back for you. Who wouldn't leave? The one who loves you."

My heart stopped. "I will do anything you say, I will stop fighting, I will do whatever you want to for the rest of your life, just don't hurt him."

Her laugh cackled through the room. "Oh, you think there is a choice. No, he will die, and you will watch as your new husband kills him."