Everything hurt. He hadn't moved in what he was sure was well over an hour. He was hanging from his bound together wrists. His left leg couldn't hold any weight and his right had given out a long time ago. His arms ached from the constant strain and the bruises which had once been numb now ached with ferocity.

Steve attempted to push his right leg back under him. It immediately gave out, a strange weakness haven taken over. He knew they were drugging him. He couldn't see the mist this time, but he could still smell it.

Worse than any other pain was the burning in his throat and lungs. It reminded him of when he was a sick young kid. His head was pounding on top of everything.

And he still couldn't speak. He didn't know what that was about. He had tried. He tried when the Examiner was talking to the other Avengers. He tried when he was alone. It hurt to try.  Nearly unbearably bad.

And the video. He wouldn't believe. Tony did not betray him. He wouldn't. Sure, they had never gotten along, but not even Tony would sell him out to the enemy, right?

"Tony, that was Reckless!" Steve shouted. "What if someone had gotten hurt?"

The billionaire rolled his eyes. "Chill Spangles. No one did. Everyone's fine.'

"When I give you an order, I expect you to follow it!" Cap was angry. The mission could have gone a hundred different ways. It almost did.

Tony scoffed, "Even if it's a stupid order?"

"I don't-"

"Why don't you go crawl back into the ice? My life was bad enough before you rose from the dead, I don't need some stupid science experiment making it worse!"

"Ah, Grant, ah, I mean Steve." The Examiner's presence brought him out of the memory. That was just Tony being Tony, he didn't actually mean it.

The Captain only acknowledged the man's presence with a glare.

"Oh right, our little speaking problem. Don't worry, it should wear off soon. The gas we originally used to knock you out coats the vocal cords with a numbing agent. Believe it or not, the pain is a good sign." Then he laughed, "For you, though maybe not for my ears."

Steve didn't respond, couldn't respond.

"Well, let's get started, shall we?" The Examiner clasped his hands together and the room filled with Enforcers.

"I am so looking forward to this Captain! Though, I will miss your screams. Perhaps your voice will return during the fun, hm?" 

Steve locked eyes with his captor, anger radiating from his face. He hated bullies and this man was the king. 

"Well then, let's begin."

The first blow shouldn't have surprised him. His attention had been so focused on the leader, that he hadn't noticed the men gathering around him. They used mainly batons and rods but occasionally went for an electricity probe. The burnt smell of the gas was replaced with the burnt smell of skin.

It couldn't have lasted for more than half an hour. He had taken much longer than that with much less injury. Something was wrong. 

On the bright side, his voice had returned. It came out in a scream after a particularly violent blow. The Examiner had laughed.

"I believe it's time for another video!" The Examiner had called out orders throughout the little beating session. Laughing at times and simply smirking at others. Now, he looked absolutely gleeful.

The Enforcers had left, so it was just him and the Examiner when the camera clicked on. "Ah, hello Mr Stark."

Steve jerked his head up from its limp position. He was breathing heavy, gratefully accepting any oxygen he could get into his lungs. The burning had never left and his leg still wouldn't hold him up. He could feel the blood dripping down the side of his face and chest. 

His mind was muddled, but surely, surely not...

"I believe you will be quite relieved to know that your little plan worked. Some of the countering agents you suggested have been quite useful in combating the serum." Steve felt his heart plummet. So they were combating the serum, he wondered if that had something to do with the invisible gas that only seemed to affect him. 

"As you can see he is quite docile at the moment."

The super soldier couldn't help but blearily blink at his captor. He really wished his brain would focus. He should say something. Do something.

"You're a liar," Steve managed to rasp out. 

"Ah," The Enforcer laughed, "always looking for the best in people. I assure you, in this case, your trust is misplaced. Tony here informed me your little mission here. He told me how to capture you and what to do once I had you. He's been pulling the strings the whole time."

"No,"

"Yes," the gleeful smile was replaced by a bloodthirsty one, "he was tired of your constant heroics, 'it would be better if he just died. Then at least he'd stay out of my business,' was the exact quote if I'm not mistaken."

It was true. Steve had heard the entire conversation, though Tony didn't know it. The billionaire had been drinking with Bruce and Clint when Steve had been about to turn the corner. Tony had been complaining about him. Talking about all of the trouble Cap caused for him. It had hurt. It stung even now as he thought about it. But, he was probably drunk. He didn't actually mean it...

"You see Captain, it's better if you just accept it now."

Steve felt like all of the strength had fallen out of him. His head bowed of its own devices. He felt like had so little self-control. It unnerved him. 

"Today was just for my amusement, tomorrow we shall start on the agreed on experiments. Until tomorrow," The evil man waved at the camera before turning back to his captive. 

"Rest now Captain, tomorrow I hope to find some answers in your anatomy."

A hissing sound, followed by a new gas made sure he complied. 

~TH~
What do you guys think?

Has Tony's drinking finally got him in trouble? Or is there something more going on?

Is Steve going to lose faith in his team?

Let me know what you guys think!

God bless,