***

"If they hurt you hurt 'em back. If they kill you walk if off." 

- Captain America 

***

Asher

Everything hurts.

My body and my soul.

I feel like I got run over by a semi-truck and on top of that I am worried sick about Thea. For some reason the world seems keen on keeping her away from me. Groaning I rake my fingers through my hair and lean my head back against the cell wall.

"Lover boy missing his lover," Walker says smirking.

"Not in the mood Walker."

"You know it kind of hurts that we are still in the last name base."

"I will cause you physical pain if you don't shut the hell up Damien," I snarl.

"Look we are in this mess together, let's agree that we need to work somewhat together to get out of here."

"There's no way out. He isn't like his father, his son is more smart and uglier."

I shiver at the thought of him even near Thea.

"No one is that good Asher."

I scoff. "He's the fucking Tsar Damien, he has more man power than all of us combined. Why do you think I blew up the building in the first place?"

"I don't care if he's a fucking god I will not rot away in this cell like an animal," he says slamming against the bars.

"Getting mad about it won't do you any good," I say calmly. "Like it or not we are both tired and hungry, we should wait till we can at least walk. He won't let us die in here without someone kind of show, that I am certain of. Men like him find entertainment in other's pain, like you."

"I was raised like this Asher. Everything I do seems right to me even it seems real wrong to everyone else."

"You killed countless people and tortured them," I hiss.

"Again I was raised to show no mercy to the people who are in my way. Everything I do has a reason behind it even if the reason doesn't seem right to you it does to me."

I kind of understand his point, I don't know anything much about his past but if someone is this twisted then there is something that motivated them to be this way. Take me for example, my parent's death made me the heartless person I am today. My sole purpose to live is to find the Tech that killed my parents but unlike Walker I have a bit of sanity within me.

"Right now I have no attention in killing your girlfriend or your gang. The only thing standing in my way is the son of a bitch who calls himself Tsar and Black."

"I don't understand your hatred towards Thea."

"At first I wanted her dead cause I thought she worked for you then I realized she hated you as much I hated you. After a while I realized she was Samantha Cahill's daughter and wanted her dead thinking she was going to steal the Tech."

"She doesn't want the Tech, hell she didn't even know about it till after we brought her into it. That stupid trade caused of all this."

As much as I hate to admit it, Walker and I shoved Thea into this shit. She was doing perfectly fine until that one night.

"Actually it's her fault," he scoffed. "She should have ran instead of running to the source of trouble."

I looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"The night of the trade wasn't the first time I saw her. Remember when I said that I will stop at nothing for the things I want." I nod my head. "Well I ran into one of your outside sources and questioned her, she mistook me as one of Black's men and kept saying crap, so I got mad and killed her. Thea happened to be there."

"Lovely," I say.

The door swings wide open and a few guards walk in followed by the man from the lab. He stops in between our cells and claps his hands. The guards open the door and drags both of us towards the exit.

"Where the hell are you taking us," Walker says annoyed. "And get your filthy hands off of me."

The guards drop his hands and I yank mine from my captors as well.

"The Tsar has ordered you two gentlemen to be sent to the guest rooms to wash up and get well rested."

What the fuck?

First he treats us like animals now he is acting as if we are his guests. What is he playing at?

***

The warm water runs down my body replacing my dirty skin with a clean refreshed feeling. I turn off the water and grab a towel to wrap around my waist. Opening the bathroom door, I go over to some clothes the guards have laid on the bed. It's a pair of old jeans and a white shirt which is different than my usual tie and suit.

"Wait!"

I clutch my towel around my waist to prevent it from going to the floor. I turn around and my eyes widen in surprise.

"Oh dear God... my poor eyes. I think I am blind now."

Thea stands in front of me with her hands covering her dark red face. She looks all cleaned up and well rested. Her short brown hair is brushed out of her face and in a clean pony tail. She has on worn out blue jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt that looks huge on her. I recover from my shock and smirk at her.

"You could have just asked if you really wanted to see me naked, Cahill. No need to sneak in to peek a look."

If it's even possible her face turns even more red and I let out a laugh.

"Shut up! How am I supposed to know you will be stripping when I walk into the room?"

"You know some people knock before entering," I say amused at the situation.

"Well it was either stay out there with creepy people looking at me until you open the door or just walk in," she slowly removes her hands from her face but quickly covers it back up. "Will you please put some clothes on."

I chuckle and put on a pair of jeans so she can open her eyes. "Okay I am decent."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I am sure Thea."

She removes her hands from her face and looks at me. "You're liar. You don't have a shirt on."

She looks everywhere but me and a small smirk spreads across my face again. I walk towards her and pull her against my chest. "Do I make you nervous Cahill?"

"Nope."

"Is that so," I whisper against her ear making her shiver.

"You know you're a asshole. I just wanted to see if you were okay but instead of a thanks I get made fun of," she grumbles.

"You're here with me so I am okay for now." I say looking at her eyes.

I can see her relax in my arms and she runs her hand through my face and into my hair. Welcoming her touch I lean against her hand.

"Are you okay?" She whispers.

I look at her and nod. "Yes as long as I know you're alive and safe."

"I think I will be fine. You should be worried about yourself."

"Where did they take you," I ask ignoring her statement.

She seems to tense up as I ask her that making me feel on edge. "I talked to the Tsar and apparently he's the son of the guy who's building you blew up. I think he's working for Black too, all he wants is the share of the money made out of the Tech. I am not sure how much time we have but I think we should find a way out before Black gets here."

"What else happened?"

"I was taken to a room to shower and eat. There's an old women who helped me and I think she's the only person here that I met who has a real heart."

"Don't trust her Thea. People here are born actors."

She nods her head and looks at me with a sad expression. "I am terrible at that. I think it's my flaw."

"You see the best in people, there's nothing wrong with that."

"It is when they end up trying to kill you or kidnap you."

I tighten my grip around her. "That son of a bitch is a dead man once I land my eyes on him. I am just happy he hasn't been near you yet."

I can feel her squirm against my hold and I look down at her. She gives me a small smile and places a peck on the lips which surprised both of us.

"Yeah about that I-"

Her sentence got cut short by the door slamming against the wall making us both snap our heads up, but I still keep a tight hold on her waist. The devil himself walks into the room and looks at us with a blank expression.

"Please don't do anything stupid Asher. There are guards behind him that won't hesitate to shoot you."

I look at him with a deadly glare. I wouldn't mind getting shot if it meant I can at least punch the asshole.

"What do you want?" I growl.

"I am here to take Thea to her room," he says in a monotone voice.

"Why can't she stay here?"

His eyes twinkle with mischief and his lips curl into a smirk. Thea's grip on my neck tightness and she buries her head in my chest. I look down at her with a confused face. Her face clearly shows fear and sadness that wasn't there a minute ago.

"Thea," I whisper.

"I don't have a choice Asher, please believe me," she pleads.

"I don't think you would like it if your fiancee shared a room with another man, now would you Mr. Martinez."

Fiancee?

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I yell losing my patience.

"I thought I had made it clear Mr. Martinez," he says smirking.

"Quit playing around Zeke."

"Oh I am not playing around. Honey would you like to tell him," he asks Thea sweetly.

Honey?

I look down at her and I can tell something is tearing her apart. I have a sick feeling that whatever Zeke is saying is the cause of it.

"Thea please tell me what's wrong," I beg.

She still wouldn't look directly at my eyes but I tilt her chin so her face can meet my eyes.

"Thea."

The next few words that fly out of her mouth is like the hand that pulls the trigger to a gun. Without even giving anything a thought I fly towards Zeke and punch him in the face until a shot rings around the room. A scream fills my ears and my vision that's already clouded with rage turns completely black.  

***

Asher's POV will make an appearance here and there in the story to answer a few unanswered questions :)

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