A Complicated Business

[Centurion]

Captain America hit the ground with a sickening crack. It had been nearly an hour and the Mayor refused to let up his questions. One of the fox's hulking guards stood over him, a mad grin on his face and a bloody pipe in his hand. Cap shakily propped himself up on his elbows, spitting blood onto the stones. Like Vision had said, this Omniverse was messing with his abilities. 

He was feeling weaker faster. It reminded him of the cellular degeneration he had almost dies from all those years ago. he felt sick and his head throbbed. None the less, he refused to let the Fox win. He thought back to his mother. His father would hit her, hard. But she always got back up, she always came back for poor Steve. He had asked her once, why she would never just stay down.

"Gah!"

The brute landed another blow on Cap's back. It took all his strength to keep from hitting the floor again.

"Heh, you should stop getting up. It just makes me wanna hit you more."

Cap pushed himself up to his knees and looked the beast in the eyes.

"Why don't you just stay DOWN!"

The Avenger collapsed again, his ears ringing. His mother. What she always told him. it had stood with him since he was just a little boy.

"L-listen close... you always stand up."

The brute sneered as cap struggled to his knees, then to his feet.

"L-look here, s-son. I don't... like b-bullies... No matter... w-where they're from."

His torturer laughed haughtily and raised the pipe again, Cap's blood dripping from it's tip. Suddenly, a massive explosion rocked the hallway outside, throwing the brute off balance. Snapping like a steel trap, Cap swung his leg under the brute's tripping him up. As the beast fell to the floor, Cap caught the pipe midair and swung it down, smashing it into the brute's nose and mixing his own blood with the guard's.

"I w-warned you."

Cap dropped the pipe and was about to collapse when the Vision floated to him, slipping his arm under Cap's and supporting him.

"Query: Can you walk Captain?"

"I've been through worse, Vis."

"I am well aware. However, my preliminary medical scans are detecting multiple contusions, a shattered humerus, a fractured jawbone and slight hemorrhaging."

"Thanks for the v-vote of confidence," Captain America chuckled slightly, wincing at the pain in his side. "And thanks for coming after us."


The android led Cap into the hallway which was strewn with unconscious guards. "My pleasure Captain. Now then, shall I introduce you to our newest members?"