I wake up, groggy, back in my room. I've got a slight headache. I know where that came from. Usually, after I have an episode like I did, the headache would follow. It's not a migraine level, but it hurts a lot.

I sit up, using the wall as support. As my eyes adjust, I see that (surprise) Hawkeye has come to visit me. In addition to him, it's one of the Maximoff twins. He's close to Hawkeye, like he's about ready to take Bird Boy away should I try something.

"Rise and shine," Hawkeye tells me bitterly. "You're one hot mess, aren't you?"

"You idiots are the ones who are keeping me here!" I say hoarsely. If I felt better, I would be standing. I'm afraid if I do, I'll start swaying. "What's the point, huh? Do I deserve to know that, at least?"

"As to why you're here and not running back to your Hydra family?" Hawkeye cocks his head. "We can't let them take you back."

"Look, Bird Boy, this isn't going to be the same situation like it was when you found Speedy and his freak sister." My eyes narrow. "I'm not going to convert to the good side."

"That's not our intention."

"Then what is?"

"Just because you're not an ally doesn't mean that you can't be helpful to us."

"What are you talking about?" I groan.

"Hydra's very sloppy. This branch you were with, they chipped you."

I feel the bump on the back of my neck. Okay, so the chip is out. That question is answered. "Okay, so what?"

"We figure we can somehow use your chip to find the others and bring them back here."

I laugh darkly. "Such high aspirations. You really think you can find them, bring them in, and convert them?" I snort. "Just because you're Avengers doesn't make you gods, you know. You can't do everything."

"Well, actually, one of ours is a god so your argument is invalid." Hawkeye's eyes narrow. "We've got the files on your comrades, you've got information. We're trying to pull in our resources to make sure Hydra doesn't use them for evil purposes."

I snort again. "Let me know how that works out for you guys. Why don't you do yourselves a favor and let me go? I won't help you. And I know none of you have the balls to put me down, because that's your Avenger Golden Rule, isn't it?"

"Can you sedate her again?" Maximoff says out of the corner of his mouth. "She is getting rather annoying."

I smile impishly. "Glad to know I piss you off, Speedy. I enjoy messing with you Avengers. It's the only light I get in my days here." I never thought I'd see the day where I'm a snarky bitch to the Avengers and still be alive to continue to be so. "Oh, by the way, how'd your friends deal with my surprise in the training room?" I ask.

"Romanoff got a little frostbitten, as did Barnes, but everyone else is fine."

"Were there cameras in the room so everyone could see the show?" I grin.

"How else do you think we got there so fast?"

I shrug. "I don't know. Happy accident? Shitty timing?" I sigh dramatically. "So, now what, boys?" I sit Indian-style on the cot. "What's next?"

Hawkeye shrugs. "We keep you in here until you decide to cooperate. Someone will bring you food and other things, like before."

"Is it too much to ask to be upgraded to a room with a bathroom? I mean, I'm grateful to not use buckets in here, but it's excessive to have an escort just so I can pee."

"Nice try, but I won't budge or bargain with you." Hawkeye smiles grimly. With a parting look, he lets himself out of my room, with Maximoff right behind him.

I let in some light snowfall, twirl some flakes around with a spin of my finger. Back to the drawing board.

* * *

It's been a few weeks since my incident in the training room. Since then, I haven't seen sunlight or nightlight much, with the exception of bathroom trips. Let me tell you, it's fun to piss someone off in the middle of the night when they're dead asleep just to say I have to go pee.

I'm pacing, thinking about Mother and Dad, and the others. It's been about two months, and still nothing. How can a rescue mission take this long? But what if they believe I'm dead? They wouldn't give up on me just because I'm in Avenger care. They wouldn't. I'm important to them, to Hydra. I'm one of the last surviving bits of the organization.

They must think I'm dead. That's why they haven't come for me. It has to be.

The door to my room opens, and in comes Black Widow, Pietro Maximoff, and Tony Stark and Dr. Bruce Banner. I regard the party with cold green eyes.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"Answers," says Stark. "Can I approach or will I become a popsicle?"

"Depends on what you want."

"We need your help."

I blink suspiciously at him. "My...help?"

"Yes, snowflake, your help."

I wrinkle my nose at the nickname. "What with?"

"We've been doing some research," Black Widow begins. "Stark and Banner have been working on the chip we recovered from you the day we brought you back here."

"We managed to reprogram it and enable it as a tracking device for the other supers running around," says Banner.

My brows rise. "No, you're kidding," I say, astonished. "That's not possible."

"Don't underestimate the power of the science bros," says Stark. "Anyway, we managed to turn it into a locator. We've got one in San Francisco." Stark does a few things with the tablet in his hands. "I'm sure you know him." He hands the device to me.

"Yeah," I say, my eyes stuck on the screen. "Kyle."

"Boyfriend?"

"Prison mate. One of the few." I bite my lip. "He's the equivalent of Speedy." I nod towards Maximoff. "But the scientists think he's faster."

Maximoff scoffs. "I'd like to see that."

"So, in terms of danger...?" Banner presses.

I shrug. "He's not a fluffy bunny."

"We won't treat him like one," says Black Widow. "We're sending out a small team to bring him back here."

"He'd be gone before even Speedy could catch him."

"Why do you insist on calling me 'Speedy'?" Maximoff asks me.

"Because it's fun to piss you off." I smile innocently.

"Easy, kids," says Stark. "Romanoff's right, we're sending out an extraction team, and you're part of it."

I hand the tablet back over to Stark. "Okay, who scrambled your eggs?"

"You can talk him into surrendering. Simple."

"In case you forgot, Stark, we are not allies," I say slowly. "I'm not helping you kidnap Kyle." I pause. "You don't think that's where Hydra is, do you?"

"No, because we found others. Some out of country. We're sending teams there too to check them out. Figured we'd bring you along for this one."

I purse my lips. "Bad idea. And how do you even know that those locations are legit? If they're smart, they'll figure out what you guys are trying to do, dump the chips, and go into hiding."

"That's the risk we're going to have to take," says Hawkeye. "We're not setting out for your pals right now, though. We're making plans before we start the hunt."

"So you think you'd be able to restrain them and not put them down even if they fight their hardest?" I snort. "I don't know, I think one or two of you would slip up and murder one of my friends."

"'Friends,' huh?" says Black Widow. "Your 'friends' still haven't come for you, and neither have your parents."

"They know where I am!" I say defiantly. "They're just biding their time."

"Or," Stark cuts in, "there's not enough of them that they don't want to risk their own hides just to pull you away from us. You think your 'people' want you? Yeah, you'd be a lost asset to them, but they have more running around the world."

"Look, trying this crap on me isn't going to work. I'm not going to go after Kyle, or anyone else you're trying to corral, okay? I'd rather stay in here. Now, go away, before I make it a blizzard in here."

"Suit yourself," says Black Widow. "She's not budging, guys. Come on."

"Thank you." I cross my legs as the small band of Avengers leaves my room.

I'm left to my own devices again.

* * *

Surprisingly, someone comes into my room hours later to deliver dinner. It's the Winter Soldier. Like before, he's got his hair pulled out of his face.

"New shift?" I ask.

"Most went out to look into your other enhanced friends. I figured I'd be better off here than out there."

"Is it just you?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Nah, there're a few others with me. Don't think that means you'll get away easy." He smirks.

"I always like a challenge." I raise my chin up.

"Look, whatever it is that's keeping you from helping us..."

"Don't try to be a diplomat, your friends suck at it too." I roll my eyes. "I'm a prisoner, that's it."

"And how is that any different than being held by Hydra?"

"I wasn't treated like an animal."

"Oh, really?" Barnes challenges me. "Because from experience and prior knowledge, they aren't the best zookeepers."

I clench my fists. "What are you implying?"

"They aren't the good people you think they are. I'm sure you weren't born with being able to cause a blizzard at the drop of a hat."

"You should know that, you have my file." I swallow. I want that thing burned. I want all of their files on my friends, on Hydra, turned to ash. They shouldn't have access to those.

"Hey, I'm not one for reading," Barnes says conversationally. "All my knowledge comes from listening."

"You gave me my food, I think it's time you left me alone to eat in peace," I say curtly.

"If it's been this long and they haven't tried to destroy the tower, that should tell you what kind of people they really are."

On that rather ominous note, Barnes leaves, leaving me to (now) ponder over his words over my food. 

**Really not sure if y'all understand my title reference. Hopefully you do [it's not from a fandom or anything, just a play on what was talked about in the chapter].**