↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

Diana wasn't exactly sure when she had regained consciousness, but it wasn't like it would've mattered. Especially with the goggles squeezing her face. Or the sack over her head. Time doesn't really move when your senses aren't all available.

Her palms were sweating immensely from the metal box they forced her hands inside. From the way the box rested on her thighs she could tell it contained many screws and locks. Meant to keep Diana's Pockets and Command at bay.

Even with her dulled sense, she knew whatever transportation Diana was thrown in was very guarded. From the sounds outside they had to be a convoy of at least three vehicles. Wasn't the first time, wasn't the last. Plus the way her arms squished against the two men between Diana, she could tell the vehicle was packed to the brim as well.

Though the only thing going through her mind was worry, but not for her. For her friends. Diana knew tricking Colette wasn't that smart but the consequences would've been much more dangerous for her. If they wanted Diana dead, she would've been killed by now. She made the right choice; Or at least that's what she had to tell herself as the truck finally came to a stop.

They grabbed her by the arms and pulled Diana out of the car. Blindly dragging her a few feet before she was properly stood on top of the pavement.

"The slippery Diana Rogers-Stark. A mouthful of a pretentious name," the Paragon proudly exclaimed as the bag was ripped off her head. "Just as promised."

Diana winced at the sudden brightness. Repeatedly blinking, trying her best to adjust to her new surroundings. Only to have her mismatched eyes widen when she realized where she was.

"Took you long enough," the voice of an old friend made Diana snap her head forward, seeing the man himself, Rumlow, with a few more guards.

The Paragon shrugged, "She put up a good fight. As did those fuckers she was traveling with."

Rumlow crossed his arms, "You dealt with 'em?"

"As much as I could. They got away but it's not like a few kids could do much anyways," Diana released a breath she was holding as the Paragon didn't give a second thought about her friends. They could still be alive. Good.

But even the relief of knowing they were okay didn't make her feel any better as she continued to look around where they'd taken her. Diana should've known they would've come here. It made perfect sense. If Hydra really wanted to stay hidden why not go to the most secure place known to man?

"And as promised she has little to know damage," Diana winced as the Paragon mockingly pinched her cheek. "I hope my payment is on its way?"

One of the men by Runlow handed the Paragon an android, "The money has been transferred into an account, and is ready for you to access."

The Pargaon's eye twitched as he glanced at the sum, "This isn't what we agreed upon."

Rumlow shrugged, "She wasn't happy with how long it was taking. The government kept asking too many questions."

"Well then maybe next time you shouldn't broadcast to the world she's missing!" The man said, cocky as ever, "If anything I should be getting a little more than the original agreement."

She suddenly let out a hiss through my cloth gag as the Paragon's grip on her shoulder started to hurt, "I mean..." he dramatically dragged the silence out with a sigh, "I could always just take her back and hand her over to the other buyer. I hear that Baron's got a bounty twice the size of yours, but I came to you guys first because of our history."

She could see the gears in Rumlow's head turning. Blankly staring at the grinning man holding her hostage. Suddenly though he let out a chuckle, "I guess you've gotta point there bud, let me see what I can do."

"Well thank you," The Paragon smiled. "I've always said you people truly take care of your wor-" the man's words were suddenly muffled by a small bang.

His hand slipped away from the runaway's shoulder as he hit the concrete. Diana's breathing sucked back as she felt a splatter of the Paragon's blood attach to her clothing.

"Well, that's enough of a payment. Right, Libby?" Rumlow snickered as he put away his gun. "It's good to see you in one piece."

Diana didn't respond as her line of sight focused on the body next to her. Seeing the river of blood leaving the middle-aged man's forehead.

"Oh, don't worry about him," he draped his arm over the girl's shoulders. "The creep's been asking for it for a while now."

Even if she wanted to say anything, the gag tightly around her mouth kept her silent, so she simply glared at the man she once called a brother.

He didn't wait for a response before smacking his lips apart, "Now, let's head inside. The boss has been eager to meet you for a while now."

Rumlow forced Diana to walk as his grip on her shoulder tightened, leading Diana inside the Avengers Compound.

Her feet slightly stumbled as she was forced to walk through what she once called home. Feeling the sad familiarity of being forced inside. She was sure if she closed her eyes she could replace Rumlow with her father dragging the girl in for timeout.

"Happy to be back?" Rumlow asked, "We had to make a few changes to the place. It was a little too secure for our taste," he laughed.

She didn't. Instead, Diana looked around the area as they walked. Faces she could remember seeing around Shield were out and about, doing their own business. Making her shutter at the sheer size of supporters Hydra actually had.

The further they walked the more people she could see. All carrying guns and what appeared to be emergency goggles attached to their hips, as if they were preparing for the girl to show up and escape.

He led Diana all the way to the private chambers of the compound, using a keycard to bypass the metal barrier before pushing her forward towards the private conference room.

Diana had only been in there a couple of times. It was usually used for mission briefings or important meetings with private government officials. Though now instead of seeing any of those when she entered through the glass doors, she saw a redhead with her back towards me as she focused on the screens before her, watching the security cameras.

"Thank you Brock. You may leave us," the woman didn't turn as Diana noticed the glass she swirled in her hand.

Rumlow quickly let go of the young girl's side and quickly exited the room, leaving the damsel alone with the mysterious woman. Only once the door shut the woman quickly turned around and that's when Diana's legs gave out.

She was suddenly cold, but sweat rolled off her face. Making her feel as if she had been sprayed with icy water. It may have been years but Diana Rogers-Stark knew that face well. She couldn't properly see it from the computer screen back in the garage, but now she saw her.

Even if it had been years, a person never forgets their very first friend.

Her porcelain skin was slightly stained around her chin from the wine she continued to drink, allowing her red lipstick to latch onto the glass before Sawyer Barnes set it down on the long conference table.

The sister Diana once had now stood tall in front of her. She looked older. Being at least a foot taller and in much more professional attire. Her hair was pinned up in a bun without a stray out of place. Her pink three piece suit rested nicely against her fit physique. A vast contrast to the black workout uniform Diana had only saw her in.

Saywer's stare sent a strange shiver straight down Diana's spine as the familiar blue looked her up and down. Still to mask Diana's fear, she stood up tall. Keeping her glare fixed as if she wasn't locking in a room with the woman who caused all of this torment.

But then Sawyer's blank expression quickly disappeared as she let out a breath in relief, chuckling before pulling Diana into a tight squeeze. The younger girl froze as her captive laughed, "Oh, thank god you're alright!" she pulled back and took off her friend's gag. "I knew sending that bastard after you was risky but you truly left me no choice!"

Diana only hissed as her mouth had stung from the gag being removed. She tried to move her jaw a few times before Sawyer grabbed Diana's jaw and started to move her face around, "I'm not seeing any major injuries. Just a lot of old scars and... Well that mop will grow back eventually," she cringed as her fingers got stuck in Diana's hair. "And they weren't kidding about those eyes. It's kinda strange to see you like this," she hummed.

Diana looked at her strangely as her kidnapper helped her into one of the chairs before sitting next to her, "Sorry for the many restraints, they're only temporary. At least till we've explained everything to you."

Diana looked up at the woman who could only be in her early twenties confused as hell, "You're alive?"

The woman she once knew chuckled, pulling her chair closer towards her, "I'm moving too fast aren't I? I'm sorry it's just rather exciting to see you in person again. It's just that I'm a little jumpy, you have to understand," even though she was beyond excited her manner and tone was calm and professional.

"Sawyer?" Was the only thing Diana could say.

She smirked, "You didn't think I'd let them kill me, did you?" her hand trailed up her former friend's arm, running her manicure over Diana's plethora of scars.

Though the younger girl wasn't feeling as friendly. She jerked back as much as she could, causing the Barnes to pick up on the hint and pulled away. "Can I get you a drink or anything? Some wine? One of the perks of being a super soldier is our alcohol tolerance is stellar," she picked up her own cup and took a sip. Leaving an impression of her lipstick on the glass.

Diana watched her carefully. She shook her head as she tried to understand what was happening, "No. No, thank you."

Sawyer nodded and swirled her wine, "You must be very confused right now. Scared even, but I promise I can explain everything."

"You're alive?"

The redhead looked down at herself and hummed, "I believe I am."

Diana shook her head, "But... I watched you get taken away. I watch the Win-"

"It's okay, you don't need to say his name," she stopped the girl. "His training was rather intense but that tool Pierce wanted us conditioned," she huffed. "Oh the joys of the breeding program, eh?"

Diana was frozen in shock. Watching a girl she thought died years ago glide over towards the head chair. Sitting down with grace and elegance.

The younger girl watched the woman, becoming more and more confused, "When did you get out?" Diana found herself asking.

Sawyer took another sip of her drink. Swirling the liquid around in her mouth, "A few years ago. When I was around sixteen I was able to break a few necks. I got out and made a life for myself," she motioned her to sit down, which she did. "Nothing too big but I was able to make a decent living. That was until Shield fell apart."

Diana blinked a few times, "Why did you... why did you go back? Why didn't you... why didn't you just come to the compound after we took down Shield? We could've helped you- my dad would've taken you in, in an instant. Why would you go back to them?"

The girl only smiled as she leaned over. Diana tensed as Sawyer started to fix her short hair, "Di, why would I leave a prison to voluntarily enter another?" Her fingers moved a stray strand behind Diana's ear, "I've seen how you've been treated and I didn't want that. I didn't want that for either of us."

She pulled away as she took another swing of her drink, "When Shield fell I saw nothing but an opportunity. Nothing but a bunch of people with a blind allegiance with nothing to lose running from a prison sentence."

The young Avenger glanced back at the people she could see outside the glass doors. The hundreds of people working for her, "You did all of this?"

"Yep, isn't it fantastic?" Sawyer chuckled, "A little money and fulfilling promises and I now run this place. The prisoner becomes the warden. Poetic isn't it?"

Diana slowly shook her head, "Then why attack this place? My family? We didn't do anything to you-"

"They didn't do anything to me, but they did to you," she cut her off. "I have my reasons, Diana."

The teenager watched her stand. Taking a remote, her heels clicking as she walked over towards the large screen, "I have to actually thank you for putting up such a fight, Diana. Thanks to you I was able to get so much done behind the scenes."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know what the top story was for the last few weeks?" She sat back down next to the teen. Clicking the remote and caused the screen to change to something that started to become white noise to Diana, the breaking news over her disappearance. "You became the only thing on anyone's mind for the entire month of May. No one cared about any celebrity drama, any of the games going on or even the boy who fell into a gorilla pit. It was all. On. You."

She watched as the screen continuously changed channels as the picture of Diana remained on every single station, "Remarkable isn't it? How the entire nation can become so invested on one small thing," Sawyer hummed. "Best part was I was able to tie up some loose ends and no one bothered to report it as anything but a footnote."

Sawyer simply smiled as she pulled out a small newspaper, flipping to page eight and revealed a small blurb over a random man who must've done the woman wrong.

"See? While the world was so distracted with you, I was able to get rid of some loose ends," she grinned ear to ear. "That's the thing about all the other people you and the Avengers have fought, they got it all wrong. They think having power is when you have a gun to someone's head or an army the size of Manhattan. But this," she pointed to the screen. "This is power. Your public image is the true power."

Diana looked at her strangely as Sawyer eagerly went on, "Opinions are the downfall of society, don't you get it? You could be the most perfect person in the world, the Morgan Stark-Rogers of our time, but if you have a bad image online you be more hated than Hitler. It goes both ways because there are so many evil people seen as saints in the eyes of the public. Public opinions are the most powerful things in this world, Diana. The world has always run on the public image. Just look at how we see America. People see this place is the land of opportunity and the home of the brave... but we are nothing but a melting pot of racism and hatred," the girl went on. "And going off of that information the most powerful person on earth... well is you."

Diana shook her head, "You're overexaggerating. I get that I'm pretty famous but I'm not-"

"There is currently a worldwide shortage of pink hair dye ever since you got your hair done," she blankly informed the teen. "Most girls ages five to twenty-one have been reported to have short pink since May Fifth. Familiar?" She flicked a strand of Diana's faded hair.

Diana sat there in fright. Her palms becoming sweatier than before, "So why... why take my family? Why do all this to us? Why did you chase me around the country if you just wanted to use our public image?"

"Because I wanted to save you from them," she snapped.

"Save me?"

Sawyer nodded, "When we were separated I made a promise to myself that I would save you from being used again," she placed her hands on Diana's shoulders. "So I took care of the Avengers for you."

The younger girl's breathing staggered as Sawyer noticed the sudden fear, "Don't worry. They aren't dead... yet," she hummed.

"Where are they?"

Sawyer grabbed the remote once more and changed the channel to display a variety of screens displaying a different person. Diana was completely froze as she saw the way they were locked up, "Beautiful isn't it? Each in their own five by five cell. Ironic isn't it?"

Diana's goggles slowly fogged as the tears breached. Even though they were small, she could see her friends all moving around their respective cellS. Some were sleeping, others were banging on the glass door but out of all one stood out to the teen. There her cousin was, simply staring at the camera.

"Tony..." she whispered as Sawyer got up once more.

"They can't hurt you now. Isn't that great? Now the two of us can do what we never thought possible and make a better tomorrow for ourselves," She walked up to the screen before flashing Diana a smile. "That's why I picked this place. A Hydra soldier and an Avenger, both prisoners all their lives now ruling the world as the public adores them."

Diana's eyes remained locked on her cousin as she huffed, "Of course the other Avengers fates have already been set in stone. I'll prepare you the script."

The girl suddenly backed out of her trance and turned to her captor, "What?"

"Well they have to go," Sawyer laughed. "I'm thinking of a grand death due to some villain we can have our associates work up. Then when they die heroically it will be you who will inherit everything. The tower, the compound and all of Stark Industries," she explained. "Though we'll have to keep Miss. Potts around until your of age so we can access anything, because she was named your next of kin on your birth certificate. But I'm sure-"

"No," Diana suddenly spoke up.

Her blue eyes widened, "Excuse me? Did you just tell me no?"

Diana couldn't believe what Sawyer, a dead girl walking, was trying to tell her, "You- you want me to just kill my family for you? Just allow the people who raised me to die for someone I don't even know? What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with me?" She crossed her arms, "What's wrong with you? Why do you even care about these people?"

"Because they're my family. I-I love them and won't let them die-"

"You love them?" She hissed, "How could you love people who see you as nothing but a prisoner?"

Diana shook her head, "They don't-"

"They most certainly do!" She shot back, "Diana, I've been watching you for months now and you are more of a prisoner now than in our old base. At least back then you had a door and not a curtain. Now you can't even go outside without at least three people following your every move. You can't go to school or your music lessons, all rooms and windows are locked and you have a god forsaken tracker around your neck! Sounds like a prisoner to me."

Her lips pressed against one another as she felt her body become more and more heated as Sawyer continued to speak, "Di, I could get you whatever you pleased. With the right image I can make it seem like no one is after you and I can get you into a school of your choosing. Do you want friends? I can get you those bastards you were on the run with back. With me by your side you could star in any Broadway show you please. Don't you want that?"

Diana shook her head, "No. Not like that."

Sawyer's fingernails dug into the remote as she tried to fight her anger. The serum she received from the Hydra breeding program evident as the tech snapped into pieces. Her perfect lipstick smearing as she snarled at the young Avenger. Sawyer looked as if she was going to break before suddenly gasping.

Deep breath in, deep breath out.

"I keep forgetting you're still a child," Sawyer fixed the cuff of her suit. "Brainwashed to these ideas of love and family... you just need a little time. Yeah. A little time out, that's all," she told herself more than Diana.

Sawyer pulled out another remote and pressed a small button, causing the door behind them to suddenly open. A few of her men walked in as she sighed, "Please take our guest to the others. She wants to be with her 'family' she can," Sawyer said, a little more than upset.

Diana didn't even have a second to question it before she was suddenly grabbed as the group dragged out of the conference room. Her feet tripping over themselves as they grabbed her by the arms and continued to lead Diana further and further downstairs. The failed runaway's shoes dragged across the tile until they made it to a metal door.

One of the men placed their hand on the scanner before typing in a long code and the door slowly opened. She barley had a chance to see any of the other cells before they opened the closet up and threw her inside.

Diana cried out in pain as she hit the floor. The prison door sealing shut behind her. Though she didn't have the energy to care. Not bothering to glance up as she stayed in that curled up position. Her face rubbed against the soft carpet as she sniffled. Struggling with the sudden pain of being thrown.

Eventually, she slowly pulled herself up. Which was as a little hard with the boxed cage her hands were currently forced in, but after a moment Diana was able to sit. Sitting crisscrossed in the small five by five cell. Not the first time and with how things were going, definitely not the last.

Though, unlike usual, she didn't bother to react. She knew this was coming eventually.

Diana assumed her constant nightmares of going back into a cell like this prepared her for the inevitable. Instead of crying, Diana found herself dry heaving instead.

How sad it truly was. She spent so damn long, almost a full month, running from something she just knew she would not be able to get out of. All of the planning, the scrounging and lying to try and save her family was a waste of time. She should've known it was never going to work. Diana should've known she never was going to be able to save anyone. She believed in that moment she may have always known.

After all, she was Diana Rogers-Stark.

Living in the shadow of the literal Saint of a mother and perfect American Hero father. Not even mentioning the genius uncle and cousin she had.

They've all done something amazing in their lives, while the one chance she had to do the same... she blew it. She blew it on purpose as well.

Morgan would have been so disappointed in the person Diana became. Rapunzel. She was a damsel and couldn't escape the narrative.

"Diana?" Her head lifted as she heard her name being called out. "Love, is that you?"

Her mismatched eyes shifted towards her left, past the glass door, at least ten feet across the room she froze. Eyes locking with a familiar man on the other side. With his hand placed on the glass of his own cell. She felt the breath fizzle away from her lungs as she made eye contact with him.

"Dad?"

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