he had it coming [closed]

[youbarium]

Who | Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, and Carlos
What | Misery loves company. Misery has company. Misery has no choice but to put up with company.
Where | Their holding cell.
When | After the jailbreak.
Warnings/Notes | Mentions of torture.


Here is a list of good things about the situation:

- Carlos still has his glasses.
- Carlos still has his lab coat.
- Carlos is no longer being interrogated.
- Carlos's arms are no longer cuffed behind his back.

Here is a list of the bad things about the situation:

- Carlos has a very painful brand on his temple, near his right eye.
- Carlos doesn't know where the other prisoners are.
- Carlos doesn't know if they're okay. Probably not.

Carlos's mind categorizes all these pros and cons neatly into little rows. It's important to keep stock of his situation. It's important to see everything around him realistically. A clear perception of reality was part of being a scientist. His body might be sore, bleeding and bruised, but his mind -- his mind is clear. Right?

Then, two people are brought into his cell and placed on the far sides of forcefields, and Carlos mentally retracts the last two items on his list. Now he only doesn't know where most of the other prisoners are. The list breaks even, though, because the presence of Steve and Bucky definitely counts as a bad thing. Not that he minds the company. The company is nice. But Carlos would rather have Steve and Bucky out there free than in here with him. Carlos looks over through the force fields at his brand-new cellmates.

"Hi, Steve."

He says it tiredly, but not sadly. Really, Carlos just sounds worn out. He looks worn out.

Comments

[aboveangrybees]

Steve wouldn't have said much more anyway, he's not sure who all got out and who didn't, so he wouldn't risk it. But it was pretty obvious a lot of people were involved, especially considering if anyone got out with any of the captives.

With a small sigh he gives a nod in Bucky's direction at the report. He wants so badly to reach out to Bucky and help the man, but seems he can't. All he can do is eye the forcefield. Before Carlos said anything, he'd wanted to test it out, get to both of them, but the man knows well enough, having been here longer than them. So, he'll take his word.

"Doubt they'll pass up able bodies for the arena," talking hurts like hell, but that doesn't stop him from doing it. Not for the moment at least.

[tookthewheel]

The response sets the tension higher in the Soldier shoulders. He turns back to the space where they shoved him inside the cell, eye balling it angrily for a long moment as Steve and Carlos exchange words before with a snarl he slams his left fist into the door, metal resounding off metal with a terribly loud clang.

He can't break the forcefield, maybe the door.

But whatever it is is strong and the jolt that resounds back up into his shoulder is enough to rock him backwards, perilously close to touching the forcefield until he regains his balance barely in time.

[youbarium]

Carlos starts as Bucky stumbles, reaching for the force field -- then drawing his hand back. "Hey, be careful!" His voice is concerned -- the first real negative emotion to show in Carlos's voice all conversation. "It's probably better if we sit quietly," he goes on, resigned to it but not hopeless. His manner is seriously not upset enough for this situation. "They're watching us more closely than ever, and without help, I really don't think there's a way out of here. Even with our hands free it's--"

Then, Carlos looks at his hand. He looks at his hand like he's seeing it for the first time.

"Wait a moment -- my hands are free. My hands are free. Now I can record my results!"

No one has the right to sound that happy in a Capitol cell. Carlos stumbles -- he would have jumped if he were in better shape, but it's a stumble -- to his feet and crosses to one wall of the cell.

[aboveangrybees]

Steve shoots up to standing, letting himself get close enough to feel the force field electrify the hair on his arms. The sound of Bucky's hand connecting with the door echos in his ears, the sight of his friend losing some control discomforting. It feels like the man could easily fall into being a caged animal right now.

"Hey, Buck, just try to settle down a little," his voice is steady, unhurried, a technique he learned from his mom helping him through attacks and with panicking soldiers. "Carlos is right, they're watching us, forcing our way out isn't gonna do us any good right now, we just need to sit tight," his voice holds a lingering for now, not that he believes it, but if there's a chance, Steve very well might take it.

Besides, he really doubts they'll get medical attention here, so no use in Bucky hurting himself.

He's about to continue when Carlos distracts him, his eyebrows lifting at the man's display. He doesn't see any chalk or anything the man could write with, so the fact he's talking about recording information is concerning. Because he's fully aware what the man might end up using. There's only so many options left.

"Results?"

[youbarium]

"Yeah," says Carlos, with more cheer than anyone had the right to feel in his situation. "I've been participating in experiments for over two weeks now and I haven't been able to record any of it."

This is what he told himself, at the beginning: Carlos told himself it was an experiment that he was participating in willingly, to make himself feel less powerless. It was like when scientists made stinging insects attack them so that they could record how painful the sting was. This was for science. This was for knowledge.

But it isn't science until you write it down.

"Luckily I -- I remember the whole thing," he says. His voice only shakes slightly.

Carlos looks around, one last time, for something to write with. You know, just in case he won't have to use blood.

There is nothing.

But there is a cut on his arm that has only been loosely bandaged.

[tookthewheel]

He stops, turning to look back at Steve and then down at his cybernetic hand. Bucky flexes the fingers, rolls his shoulder and feels the protest where weaker human flesh has suffered. His human fingers wrap around a metal wrist and grip tight as he swallows, trying to use the hold as a way to focus himself.

No use. It's not right, he should be able to do it, he's sure he's done it before in places he can't remember.

Again he looks at Steve and swallows. Orders, commands, he can follow them. He manages to nod, gripping his wrist tighter.

"... experiments?" he looks sharply at Carlos.