Chapter Text
5 years ago 2022
Bob started contemplating his life as he watched his fiancé Jake Seresin fly into the air against orders. It’s been 10 years since he was finally able to get his life back on track. The past 5 years have been amazing and he was so grateful for them. He found himself a boyfriend who was just so amazing at understanding him and his mental health, and Bob did the same for his boyfriend. They got engaged a couple months ago and they had yet to tell the team. His life was so good now, but something in the pit of his stomach told him it wouldn’t last. Told him the sins of his past would come crawling back to haunt him, not far away in the future for some reason his gut told him it was today. His thoughts were interrupted by a soft gentle kiss to his forehead. Bob smiled as he looked up, greeting his fiancé kissing him on the lips.
“So are we going to tell them?” Bob asked as they walked back to the hangar where they were going to do a post mission debrief.
“Well tell them after the debrief, something tells me they’d want to celebrate the occasion.” Jake spoke as he wrapped his arms around Bob’s shoulder.
They never did get to tell the team as a few seconds after everyone was in the hangar everything exploded. Bob felt a great heat hit his back from the explosion, there wasn’t any pain which meant he wasn’t too close. However as he got up he realized some of his teammates weren’t as lucky. Fanboy and Rooster seemed to be the most injured with a few noticeable shrapnel wounds. Most importantly his fiancé seemed to be struggling to get up from where he was thrown.
This is all your fault and you know it (came the voice inside his head)
No it’s not, it’s not it can’t be (Bob spoke as his eyes flickered trying to find where the voice came from despite knowing it was just all in his head.)
“Babe, babe are you ok?” Bob asked, his voice soft and shaky as he crawled over to check for injuries.
“Yeah, Bob I’m ok I was just thrown.” Jake spoke as he held onto Bob giving him a tight squeeze of the hand to reassure him.
Jake furrowed his brow as he watched Bob, he was jumpy, his eyes kept looking around as if he was searching for something. The way Bob flinched at the sound of gunshots, and the way Jake observed as Bob’s hand was twitching to cover his ears told him he was slipping.
“Have you been taking your meds? Bob.” Jake stated simply as he helped Bob up.
“I have it every day, but since the refill they seem to have stopped working.” Bob spoke looking at the ground. “I didn't want to worry you., we’ve been so busy with the assignment memorizing the flight pattern” He spoke as he drew his gun waiting to see what would happen next.
Each of them carried small firearms at all times except for when they flew. Jake watched as Maverick and Cyclone dragged Bradshaw and Fanboy behind to take cover. Just as men approached with heavy guns in their arms, they all instinctively fired, managing to kill a couple men before things turned physical.
“Robert Reynolds or should I call you Robert Floyd?” Came the voice of one Valentina Allegrea de fontain.
Bob froze which left an opening for his opponent to punch him in the face which sent him sprawling back on the floor. He groaned his vision hazy as he tried to stand up only to stumble back to the ground.
“Valentina, what do you want with my men?” Cyclone asked, still aiming the gun at the men.
“I don’t want your men, I just want Bob.” Valentina spoke as she approached the group. “He signed an NDA for a medical trial I was doing and disappeared.” She spoke her eyes on Bob watching as he scrambled back.
“That was ten years ago, I was high on meth.” Bob explained feeling the sudden shame build up as he aired his dirty laundry for the whole team to hear.
“You didn’t commit though.” Valentina motioned for one of the men to approach Bob.
“I was hit by a car, what did you want me to do?” Bob spoke as he remembered that day from ten years ago. “I was in the hospital for at least 3 months in recovery.” He exclaimed as a huge hunky guy picked him up by the throat.
“I don’t really care, give him the good stuff.” Valentina spoke to her men as she walked away.
Bob’s eyebrows furrowed; he didn't want to stick around to see what she meant as he noticed the guy holding him by the throat take out a syringe filled with some strange liquid. The fight for everyone else resumed as Cyclone fired off more shots. Jake sighed in relief when his opponent dropped dead, his eyes filled with horror as the man Bob was struggling to fight with, injected him in the arm with the syringe. Bob’s eyes widened as he realized what was in the syringe as his body fell to the ground. The voices in his head were finally quiet once again, it’s the first time in the past months he could sort of think clearly. Jake tried to rush towards his fiancé only for the man to pick Bob up holding a knife to the throat. Bob struggled weakly as haziness started to cloud his vision and mind. A small indication to his mind that he was given too much. The other men had their guns trained on the rest of his team.
“He leaves with us, or you’ll never get to see him alive again.” The man spoke, pressing the knife to the throat drawing some blood.
“Bob, we will find you, I promise no matter how long it takes.” Jake spoke tears filling up his face as he saw the vacant look in his fiancé's eyes.
The small nod he received was the only thing that reassured him that Bob had heard what he said. It was a few minutes before they heard the sound of a plane taking off taking Bob with them.
“I’m sorry you guys had to find out this way.” Jake spoke as he turned to the team. “For those that didn’t know it was during Bob’s younger years he struggled with substance use and addiction.” He tried to explain as his voice shook tears streaming down his face as realization dawned on him.
The wedding they had planned wasn’t going to happen, the love of his life was gone to god knows where to do god knows what against his will. He sank to his knees crying silently into the palms of his hand Phoenix sighed as she approached giving Hangman a hug.
“We’ll find him.” Phoenix tried to reassure.
“I know we will… but it’s a matter of when and how he will be.” Jake sniffled. “Bob’s been struggling with his mental health all his life.” He spoke, he was the one to get Bob to see someone.
Phoenix didn’t know what to say for the amount of time she’s gotten to know Bob, she had no idea he struggled with mental health. There would be an occasion she thought he might have suffered from physical abuse as a child from the way the man would flinch and try to cover his ears when people started to argue.
“We… we were supposed to tell you guys.” Jake then added as he looked to the team.
“Tell us what Jake?” Maverick spoke his tone soft and curious.
“We got engaged a little while ago, we were going to get married in the upcoming months.” Jake spoke, crying harder.
The team gathered around while they waited for medical service to arrive, none of them knew what to say. There wasn’t much that would make Hangman feel better because the one who usually did that was Bob and he was gone.
Meanwhile on the plane
Bob was placed gently on what appeared to be a sofa like chair on the plane. It felt so soft underneath him, his grunts as he tried to sit up though. His vision swam causing him to be dizzy.
“I think we should give him another dose, keep him asleep till we get to the designated location.” Valentina spoke from beside Bob who flinched. “Carl please give him another does”
His senses were so dulled he didn’t even realize she was beside him looking down at him. Bob struggled weakly as Carl approached his limbs flailing about only for them to be pinned down as he was injected again, but this time in the neck. His struggles seemed to stop immediately as his eyes blurred, he felt as Valentina forced them shut before she started to cradle her hand through his hair in a semi creepy yet comforting manner.
“Rest well Bob, you have a long road ahead of you.” Valentina spoke with a smile as Bob’s breath evened out indicating he was asleep. “Well that was fast, he’ll be ready for us when we get there.”
“Can’t believe you had his meds switched, with placebos.” Carl responded as he returned to his seat.
“All of our other test subjects were stable mentally, before the trials.” Valentina explained. “He wasn’t when he signed up; he could've been our perfect subject.” She spoke as she got up to get a glass of wine.
“You don’t think we overdid it?” Carl asked, as he motioned to the form that was twitching on the couch.
“Nah, we’ll find out at some point if we did.” Valentina spoke as she closed her eyes for the long flight ahead. “I was afraid we wouldn’t have enough so I brought his favourite.” She answered as she pressed a button which turned off the lights of the plane.
“If he’s been clean for 10 or so years, what makes you think he’ll want it.” Carl pointed out.
“He won’t, we’d have to force it on him.” Valentina said, opening her eyes, staring at Carl. “Once it’s in his system the drug will take care of the rest for us.” She smirked as she closed her eyes again.
Carl backed off as he too settled down, closing his eyes. Valentina watched with a small smile, Bob was her last hope for the sentry project. She needed it to work, maybe it would justify all those that were killed by the trail.
2 years later 2024
Bob had lost track of time a long time ago, his mind was always foggy. He was always drugged up to the nines especially when they first started. It turns out they wanted him back to the state he was when he had first signed up. From what he remembered he always refused and fought back to the point where they’d have to tie him down in order to give him a dose. It took them 2 months to get Bob to be in the same state he was when he had signed back in 2012. As Bob woke up with a gasp he didn’t know how much time had passed, but something was wrong with him. He could feel it, the voices which now had names were loud and talking, especially the Void.
“Oh look who’s finally awake and conscious again the weaker one” The Void spoke with an evil laugh. “They’ve kept us here for two years.” He had finished.
“No, no it couldn't have been two years they would’ve found me.” Bob spoke unsure who he was talking about which scared him.
“Who’s they?” Void asked, laughing.
“I… I… I can’t remember” Bob spoke as he started to spiral.
Void only laughed as he was able to take control, the scientist who had woken him up frowned in confusion as they watched Bob’s skin turn black his clothes going awas well.
“Shit, pull the emergency button.” The scientist screamed seeing the Void of the person that used to sit on the lab table.
The scientist screamed as they were turned to shadows the void laughing as he saw their shame rooms.
Poor sweet scientist feeling guilty for what they did to us and so may others, yet choosing to continue with the work.” Void spoke to no one in particular.
Void felt his control slipping as Bob seemed to resurface, he sighed he should’ve put Bob in his own shame room, there were so many delicious memories. Bob scrambled back falling off the table as he saw the two shadows in front of him. He had felt the emptiness the void consume him and he was scared, he saw what it did to the scientist. He stood up wanting to take a closer look of the shadows when he felt a dozen little pricks hit his neck and back. The effects were instantaneous as all his limbs went numb causing him to drop to the floor. He couldn’t speak and couldn’t move, he could feel his heart rate increase as he saw two scientists enter with Valentina.
“Was that supposed to happen?” Valentina asked as she crouched down petting Bob’s hair.
“No Ma'am, it was an unexpected side effect. We don't know what happened.” The scientist spoke nervously.
“Well that's too bad, we should dispose of him.” Valentina spoke as she stood up. “Take care of him.” She spoke as she walked away.
Those were the last words they heard before everything went dark.
Present 3 years later 2027
Joaquin Torres sighed heavily from where he sat at his desk looking over files. Sam and Barnes have been working to find evidence against Valentina Allegra De Fontaine. Little did they know he’s been trying to find evidence of the so-called medical trial she had mentioned 5 years ago. He jumped as he finally got a hit after finding some leaked files from a private server to a recently destroyed lab in Malaysia. Torres screamed in joy as he found some evidence he quickly called over Barnes and Sam.
“Guys I got a hit, this lab in Malaysia was recently destroyed but some of the files were leaked.” Torres spoke only showing them what they needed to know. “It says here that Valentina had a bunch of evidence from a medical trial moved to a vault.” He spoke as he brought up the report on the screen.
“Bucky will you go and check it out before Valentina has her group of agents blow it up.” Sam asked as he read over the file. “Why is a metal casket in the vault?” He then asked, having read a list of the inventory that was moved.
“I just found a bunch of video files? But it’s from two years ago.” Torres spoke as he clicked play on one of them.
He almost puked seeing the horrendous bruising and needle marks of his friend's skin. There on the screen was his friend Bob, being injected with dozens of needles. A tear fell from his eyes as he watched a bunch of scientists trying to dress his friend in some clothes before carrying his friend's body and putting it in some sort of high tech coffin.
“Excuse me guys, I’m going to need to take a week off.” Torres suddenly spoke, downloading the files onto a highly secured private server, while also sending the files to Barnes and Sam before closing his laptop.
Sam and Barnes furrowed their brow as they watched Torres leave, the man's reaction was weird but they didn’t question it as they started to plan. Torres sighed as he walked out texting the group chat with his top gun teammates to let them know of the news. It was about 2 years ago when he had lost hope in finding Bob with the rest of the top gun crew. He couldn't hold out hope anymore and decided to change his name to Joaquin Torres and joined a different division of the army. He knew Maverick and Rooster stayed close with Hangman having experienced a similar loss. As far as he knew Hangman was still mourning the loss even though it’s been five years. As Torres checked his phone he saw the replies from everyone saying they’d take a flight to New York and they could discuss things in person. He was thrilled they were all coming to New York. It's been about a year since their last hangout together, but the recent news has given him a new sense of hope.