Sequel: Ruined in the Shadows
Status: Complete! Check out the sequel! -->

Fixed in the Shadows

Chapter 09

A bright light shines in my eyes and I wake up. I'm in an all-white room. I'm wearing a white hospital gown. My body feels limp and lifeless but I manage to sit up. White vital machines quietly beep away. I slowly stand to my feet. It looks like the room where I was kept when I was fourteen but all-white. Was I captured again? There is twisting in the pit of my stomach at that thought.

"Hello?" I call out. "Is anyone there?" My voice is shaky with fear.

No response.

I then feel something cold and wet touch my left foot. I look down to see a thick, red liquid pooling around my feet. My eyes follow the trail back over to my left. My gaze raises to see Steve and Sam nailed against the wall. Their faces are mangled and covered in cuts. There are deep gashes all along their abdomens. Their necks are slit. Blood flows from their wounds like a soft and quiet waterfall. I begin screaming a blood-curdling scream at the sight.

Just then, I suddenly wake up. My eyes flicker open and I gasp for air with a "hugh!" sound. I realize it was just a dream. I grab my chest, trying to calm down. I look around and from the looks of the room, I'm back on the SHIELD helicarrier. I look to my right to see Dr. Bruce Banner standing there reading from a clipboard.

He looks up. "Good morning, Skylar," he says with a smile. "Nice to see that you're awake."

"What happened?" I ask, still in shock from my nightmare.
"You got knocked out during the fight. You've been out for two days. You sustained some injuries but nothing serious. You should be fine."

"What of The Man? Did you guys capture him?" I ask, distressed.

"I'm sorry to say but no. By the time we fought off the minions, he was long gone. We're trying to track him down. Steve said you knew him. We were hoping you could help us."
"Dammit!" I yell, slamming my fist down on the bed. I shake my head, trying to focus. "Um, yeah. But there's something else. When he kicked me... I've never been kicked that hard before. He's gotta be juiced up or something."

"Well, without him, I don't think I can tell you how that is."

"He must have pumped himself with gamma radiation or something, like what he did to me," I mutter to myself.

"Yeah, Cap told us about what happened and what he did to you."

"What?!" I exclaim. I glare at the doctor. How could Steve do that?

"Well, he had to, so I could help you. Without that knowledge I wouldn't have known how to fix you up." He has a nervous look on his face. "The inner workings of your body functions are so complex because of your powers. I don't even know how you came away from that kick without serious injuries."

I sigh. "Whatever. Who else knows?" He gives me a wary look. "Who else knows?" I say through gritted teeth.

He exhales. "The rest of The Avengers. I'm sorry."

"Great," I mumble.

"Here, come with me," Bruce says. "I think I have something that will cheer you up."

I follow the doctor through the hallways of the helicarrier. Finally, we reach his lab. One of The Man's minions is lying dead on the table. "Oh, gross, Bruce!" I exclaim, plugging my nose at the smell of the chemicals preserving this monster.

"That's not it." He picks up something that looks like a small backpack. "This is what I wanted to show you."

"What is that?" I ask, coming over to him.

"I believe it's what gave the minions their super strength. They wear it on their backs. I've been running tests on it all day. It emits gamma radiation and a whole bunch of other stuff that I haven't seen before."

"It's like what he did to me," I say under my breath, in almost a transe. I snap out of it. "It's like a continuous flow of chemicals and radiation. He has perfected what he did to me." It then all clicks. "I can't believe it!"

"What?" Bruce asks, confused.

"The Man didn't do all those things to me just because he felt like it. He was testing it on me. I was his guinea pig. He's been planning this overtake for over ten years. I can't believe it." I sit down in a chair, dumbfounded.

"That's pretty messed up," Bruce says, setting the pack down on the test table.

"Did you find anything interesting in the actual body?" I ask, turning toward him.

"Nope, just lots of gamma radiation and chemical exposure. It caused him to grow to that enormous size. It's incredible. This is some super evil stuff." He shakes his head.

"We're back!" Tony says, coming through the door. His face is all grimey and there is a cut above his right eyebrow.

"Tony, great to see you," Bruce says, getting up to greet his friend.

Steve then walks through the door. He is still dressed in his Captain America uniform. He is dirty and bloody as well. "Skylar... you're up."

I jump out of my seat and run to Steve. "Steve!" I give him a bear hug. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too," Steve says, smiling and hugging me back.

I release from his embrace and see everyone giving us strange looks. "What?" I shrug.

"Skylar!" Thor exclaims, running and attacking me with a hug.

"I can't breathe," I gasp.

"I am sorry, my lady," Thor says, pulling away. "I am just happy to see you up and around. I was fearful that you would not wake up. Your slumber seemed deeper than the Odin's sleep." Thor hair is untidy and he is covered in blood and dirt just like the other Avengers.

"Where have you guys been? You look like you've been through hell!" I ask, my eyes widening.

"We've been fighting The Man's damn minions. They've been attacking cities all over the country," Tony explains, clearly annoyed. "We just cleared out most of Grand Rapids, but there are so many of them. We're being overwhelmed."

"Never in all my years have a fought an army this enduring. Those beasts... they are like none I have ever seen," Thor adds, shaking his head. His golden locks swivel with the movement.

"We're still tracking the command center," Steve says.

"Command center?" I ask, turning toward Bruce.

"The packs, they are being powered through a wireless network we can't find. We believe The Man is hiding out there, controlling the minions," Bruce explains.

"Coward," I mutter under my breath. "This command center, if we find it, can we stop the army?"

"I believe so," Bruce says, nodding.

"Is there a range of where it could be," I ask, hoping there isn't a large one.

"It could be anywhere in the United States," he says solemnly.

I sigh. I look down at my feet. I say a silent prayer and then I look back up at my teammates. "Then let's find this fucker," I say, slamming my fist into my hand.

"But how?" Steve asks.

"You said they're being controlled through a wireless network?" Bruce nods. "Then get me a computer and I'll find this son of a bitch!"

When Steve runs to get my laptop, Thor and Tony leave. I set up in Bruce's lab while he continues to study the dead body of the soldier. Steve watches from a distance as I hack into the government's wireless network database with one of my homemade programs. I squint my eyes and furrow my brows as I focus my entire mind on the task at hand. I have to admit, I'm pretty impressed with The Man. I just thought he was just some sick pervert. But no. He's worse. He's a super villain.

After about a half an hour, Steve leaves and that signals Bruce to approach me. "Skylar, can I talk to you about something?" The doctors says, taking off his glasses and sitting across the table from me.

"Sure, doc."

"Are you aware... of well, that you have regenerative powers?" He folds his hands.

"What? No? What do you mean?"

"Well, you were asleep for two days and your injuries healed at an unnatural rate during that time."

I look away from the doctor, eyes wide. "I can't believe this," I mutter.

"I'm sorry if this upsets you. I just thought you should know." He clears his throat.

"No, it's fine. So in my sleep I regenerate just like Thor's dad, Odin?"

"I guess so."

"Wow. That's incredible. Thanks for telling me, Bruce." I give him a weak smile.

We both then get back to work. I try to push the thought of my new power aside. Suddenly, another thought creeps into my head. Sam. How is he? I pull out my phone and decide to call him. I exit to the hallway. I dial his number and it rings three times before he picks up. "Sam?"

"Skylar?" He sounds surprised. "Are you okay? I've been calling for days."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm back with The Avengers. How are you? Are you okay?" I swear to God, if The Man tried anything, I will release the fury of a thousand abusive lifetimes in him.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I'm just on a job with Dean. We're in Pontiac, Illinois."

"Okay, good," I sigh.

"Why?"

"No reason."

"C'mon, there's gotta be a reason. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I'm sure." I sigh and search my mind. A million thoughts are going through my head and then something clicks. "I gotta go," I say abruptly and then I shut the phone. I bust into the office. "I know where he is."
♠ ♠ ♠
So here we are. Moving right along. I just want to thank all my subscribers. I have gained 3 in the pay 3 days. You guys broke my subscriber record! :D I'll post more in about three days.