Bed Time Stories (A Marvel Fanfic)

Captured

"To capture a rat, you simply lay out cheese for it to eat."

1:00 AM,  DECEMBER 25TH, CHRISTMAS DAY -- SECRET BASE

"Zermon! Zermon! We've got a new arrival at the front gate sir, and you're not going to believe who it is!!" The other man shook with excitement but stopped when meeting the Commander's glare full on. He bowed gracefully before the man.

"Shush now, Pledgewing! You're going to wake them up." Zermon whispered harshly, looking away from the assassin in front of him. Pledge followed his dark crimson eyes to see the tubes of Preserve in front of them. It was indeed a glorious sight and he didn't want to make the Commander mad by his over-exaggeration. He winced internally when a woman in on the containment tubes twitched and moved. Going to move away, Zermon grabbed him by the collar and shoved him towards one of the empty tubes.

Pledge yelped, being caught off guard. "What?" It was his turn to whisper, his face pulled back with concern.

"Get in the tube. Your time is merely up. You served us well." The commander gave an order in Russian and the tube opened up for the assassin to step into. "You've only had a taste of what's coming. You'll see." With that, he kicked the man inside the small cylindric and pressed a button.

As he turned away, he could hear the mans choking gasps, drowning in the preservation fluids behind him. Swiftly, he came into the elevator and went up. The Preserve disappearing below him in a dark swirl of dust. He smiled grimly, taking out his earpiece and speaking Russian into it. There was some static before it fuzzed-out, leaving him alone until he reached the Gate station. 

There was chaos in the halls and platforms, people and positioned higher leaders running around like mice. Zermon chuckled at the chaos, walking through them like they meant nothing to him. He walked quickly, his black cloak dragging behind him against the sleek grey tile. A short chubby man with greying hair met with him at the Gate. 

"Hello, Commander." He bowed, shirt riding up as he did so. "We have a new shipment for you. As I've sent Pledge to come to assist you. Where is he, if I may be allowed to ask?"

"So, I've heard. Show me where it is and we shall bring it in." Zermon ignored the man's question, getting straight to what he wanted. The man straightened up and put on a flat face, stiffening visibly. 

"There may be a slight problem, Sir. One of the shipments has escaped but we managed to put the rest under full hibernation." He cowered under the commander's gaze. "Please, this way. I wish to show you."

Zermon followed until they came to a bay, with several dark brown trucks parked along its edge. He mused at how many there were, looking at the chub he had hired. His own pawns to play with, sitting there all asleep. "Any celebrities? Or are my men being killed at such costs for their efforts?" 

The chubby man grinned, showing off his broken yellow teeth, "Oh yes. We've captured a genius. One that you can definitely use on the field, sir." He opened a containment tube, pulling the man out of the truck. The liquid condensation, frosting the glass outside of the cylinder.

The commander stepped forward, wiping a hand slowly across its front window, revealing a middle-aged man.. not other than Tony Stark himself. He grinned as well, his crimson eyes lighting up with pleasure at the sight.

"Indeed you have. Indeed."

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DECEMBER 24TH, HOURS BEFORE CAPTURE, CHRISTMAS EVE -- AVENGERS TOWER

"Owwww! OK! Oww!" Tony Stark yelled, his voice echoing across the gym as he was slammed shoulder-first into the thick black pad beneath them. He pushed the woman off of himself, turning to lay on his back up at her. giving his best pout. He didn't want to admit it, but he was being kind of a baby with his sparring partner. "Hey, go a little easier on me, cupcake."