Unspoken

Eighteen

⚠️ Trigger warning: mentions of abuse, self harm, torture⚠️

*

Tony dry heaved again, knowing that there was nothing left in his stomach. He had only seen the first video that was on the drive, and he couldn't stop shaking, or throwing up. He braced himself against the sink in his lab, taking shallow breaths as he put the tap on, to rinse his mouth out. Murdock was right, it was graphic, and if that was how bad the first one was, he didn't want to see the rest.

She was just a kid in that one, and he had run facial recognition on the two men, finding out that they were Buck 'trickshot' Chisholm, and Jacques 'swordsman' Duquesne. He heard them ask repeatedly where Clint was, and Tony understood how she knew him. They had recorded what they did, and Tony could feel his whole body shaking in horror.

She never gave in, never told them, no matter what they did to her. She would repeat the same words over and over, 'hes safe, he's free'. When he saw her get free and what she did to herself, he burst out crying again. She was still a kid, protecting Barton to her last breath.

He didn't know how she survived all that, but he knew he would find out, by watching the rest of the videos. Right now, he could barely get through that one. Moving shakily to his desk, he opened up a document, which was a statement of her being found on a river bank in DC. He frowned reading through it, then anger courses through him. She was found by Pierce, back when he was a senior agent for SHIELD.

Staying away from the video files, he read through other documents, feeling sick again. He had told the team that he would go through everything first, and then only show them what they needed to know.

It broke him, that this little girl, went through hell, fighting against the first two, and then Hydra. Reading through, he felt a sense of pride in her, for fighting so long. They continually wiped her, in a bid to have control but it wasn't working, so they implanted the chip in her, to track and control her, while also giving her shots to suppress her long term memories.

He knew what Bucky had gone through, it was awful, but this, all this was a hell of a lot worse. He sighed, running a hand over his face, as he pulled up one of the latest documents, leaning forward as his eyes scanned over it. Shock hit him, and he dropped back in his seat... 'What the fuck?..'

'Friday, call everyone down here, now..'.. He calls out, and gets up to grab a drink. This was just too much, he now understood more about 'Mel' and why she was so protective. He had a feeling, it was her going after Hydra, taking them down, but he still didn't know how she was doing it.

'Tony?..'.. His head came up and he saw Nat give him a concerned look, as her and the others entered... 'Whatever it is, it's bad, right? No offence but you look like shit. Have you been crying?..'

The others all filed in, and his eyes snagged on Clint and Bucky, taking a large gulp of his whiskey... 'Yeah, I have, and trust me, I only saw the first video..'.. Tony blew out a breath, trying to control his emotions... 'I won't show it to you, cause it's bad, but..'.. He turns to Clint, unsure how he'll react... 'Do the names Buck Chisholm and Jacques Duquesne, mean anything to you?..'

Tony saw Clints body ram straight, at his question... 'Part of my old life I want to forget. I was working for them when I was a kid in the circus with a friend. We tried to get away, and got separated. Buck and Jacs, were doing something illegal and we found out. Why?..'

'No..'.. They all turned to Wanda, seeing her eyes red, and her hand over her mouth, as she burst out crying, almost falling over, but Vision caught her... 'Sh-she..'.. Wanda couldn't speak from crying.

Clint whipped back to Tony, feeling dread run through him, as he hoped it wasn't what he thought... 'Show me..'

'I don't want to Barton, trust me, you don-..'..

'Show me Tony, is it her?..'.. His voice was breaking, and Tony sighed.

'I'll show you a still of her, but trust me, you don't want to see the rest..'.. Tony shuffled around his desk, cutting a shot of her face, and uploading it to the holo display so the other could see.

Nat gasped and turned to Steve, burying her face in his shoulder. The girls face had a cut across her cheek, and one of her eyes was black and swollen, her lip cut.

'Tessa..'.. Clints whisper was heard by everyone, and he stepped closer to the image. His heart broke, tears falling as he reached out to touch it... 'What did they do to her?..'.. He turned to Tony.

'They hurt her, bad. They wanted to know where you were, but she wouldn't tell them. She managed to get free and she..'.. He gestured to his throat.

'She should have died from a wound like that..'.. Bruce said, walking over to Tony... 'How did she survive all that? How did Hydra get her?..'

'They didn't know it, but..'.. Tony sighed, looking over to Bucky... 'But she's the grand daughter of a super soldier, so she already had serum in her..'

Bucky dropped to his knees on the floor, feeling as though he had been stabbed in the heart.

'She found out after she got free. Hydra knew after some time, and wanted to make her stronger, better. She never stopped fighting, no matter how many times they tried to wipe her. They implanted that chip to control and track her, while also giving her shots to suppress her long term memories..'.. Tony looked around at the others, seeing the same expressions on their faces.

'Shes been through hell, it's no wonder she wants to start a new life..'.. Tony leaned against his desk... 'Even after everything, she still wants to do right..'

No one spoke for a few minutes, and Steve moved from Nat, to crouch down next to Bucky... 'Shes your family..'.. He rubbed his back, trying to comfort him.

'We have to find her, help her..'.. Sam said, running a hand over his face.

'Murdock said she went home, that you would know..'.. Tony said, looking at Clint.

Clint thought about it, wondering what it meant. He thought back, to the last few times they had talked about their futures, and a memory flashed through his mind.

'I think I know..'.. He looked around... 'I think I know where she is, but I need a jet, and to talk to her first..'

Tony nodded at him... 'Whatever you need, but don't go alone. She may be a good person now, but something could trigger in her..'

'Im going too..'.. Bucky stood up, holding onto Steve... 'Steve and Nat come too..'

Clint sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to change Buckys mind... 'We leave in 20, pack what you need..'.. He left the lab, wanting to get to her as fast as he could.

Wanda had calmed down enough, taking a few deep breaths... 'I saw what you saw Tony..'.. She sniffled, leaning into Vision as he comforted her... 'She never gave up protecting him. When she attacked us, even then, she wouldn't hurt him, remember?..'

'She said she got free from an abusive relationship because of an old friend..'.. Nat said... 'She was talking about him, that she put herself in the first situation, to protect him..'

'She is a very brave woman, to still be here..'.. Pietro sighed. He knew him and Wanda had been through some experiments, but he couldn't imagine the horror this woman had experienced.

'Then we must find her, help her. Barnes became one of us, and now helps to make the world better, perhaps she can do the same..'.. Thor said, glancing at the image.

'I think she already is. I think it's her taking down Hydra..'.. Tony said, moving to his computer and turning the display off.

'That she is doing it alone, speaks of her strength. I for one am glad to not be on their side..'.. Loki nods... 'Whatever she is doing, they deserve it, I only wish to watch her seek her revenge..'

😘