Different worlds (a Steve Rogers love story)

Chapter 55 - Emerging from the Shadows

The room in the warehouse the team entered was dark, the only light provided by a spotlight pointed down at a chair in the centre of the room. Unfortunately for them, the chair was empty, meaning no Steve.

"Ah! Avengers! At last. For a moment there I thought you weren't coming." Jason's menacing voice echoed throughout the sparsely populated room. "But then you'd never leave your poor Captain alone now, would you?"

"What is it with this guy and emerging from shadows?" Bucky questioned, earning a confused shrug from Sam.

As Jason finished his sentence, the spotlight shifted its focus to the opposite side of the room to the team, revealing both Jason, and a beaten down body laid at his feet. While the body wasn't facing them, the tousled hair made it obvious who it was.

"Steve!" Hannah said quietly.

"What have you done to him you bastard!" Tony yelled, repulsers aimed directly at Meyers.

"Nothing unexpected from someone like myself. Besides, he'll heal. Physically at least. Hopefully the psychological damage will last considerably longer." Jason's face curled into a menacing smile.

Steve's body began shaking slightly as spluttered coughs escaped his beaten and bruised body.

"I needed you all here to truly make you pay for taking my greatest asset away from me. There's always time to stop this Hannah. All you have to do is come back to Hydra, back to me, and all this will be over. The Avengers will be left alone, and you will be accepted again for what you truly are, a killer."

"She's accepted here!" Sam yelled, stepping in front of Hannah slightly, with a defensive stance.

"Oh of course, of course. Because none of you fear her powers at all, do you?" Jason smirked, raising an eyebrow as if questioning them.

"Hannah is one of us now, you hurt her, you deal with us, and so god help you right now for hurting one of our team." Natasha piped up, the angered look on her face never wavering.

"Famous last words Miss Romanoff. You didn't really think I'd be here alone did you?"

The team took their fighting stances as at least 70 of Jason's men emerged from the shadows behind him.

"Told you it was gonna be a trap."

"Not now Clint." Natasha snapped from beside him.

Meyers turned to his men, "Do what you will with them, kill them, capture them, it makes no difference, just keep Hannah alive and bring her to me, at all costs." Jason turned back to the Avengers and with a subtle flick of the wrist, his men charged at the team.

The Avengers ran towards the group and the fight quickly became a flurry of fists, guns and repulsers.

"Han! Get to Steve, and Get. Him. Out!" Tony yelled over coms.

"On it!"

Hannah used her powers to take out 10 of Jason's men. She then slid between the legs of one of the men, taking him out and punching him square in the face, before running to Steve's aid.

"Steve! Hey! Its okay, its me, Han." Hannah said as she scooped Steve's head into her hands.

"Han? What are you doing here? Its a trap."

"Yeah, we kinda got that impression. Its okay, the team are handling it. Can you stand?"

"Yeah, I think so." Steve said, his voice raspy and unsure. There was a hint of relief in his voice, not surprising given the state of him.

Luckily, he was still able to stand, and most of the wounds looked worse due to the dried blood surrounding them.

"Make her turn frost giant. That's when the serum will work at its best. She'll crumble like the great warriors of the past, and there'll be nothing any of them can do to stop it." Jason said from the edge of the room.

With the Avengers still fighting his men, Jason made his move on Hannah.

"Not so fast Hannah. Im not letting you go that easily."

Hannah carefully removed her hand from its supportive position on Steve's back, ensuring he could stand on his own before leaving him.

"And Im not gonna let you get away this time." Hannah summoned her powers and thrusted them at Jason, who easily ducked them.

"Oh Hannah, so gullible to distractions."

"Ahh!" A yell escaped Steves lips as one of Jasons men grabbed him and held him in a choke hold.

"STEVE!" Hannah yelled.