I had a hard time with this for one reason and one reason only: I couldn't bring myself to keep Tony Stark/Ironman in complete Character. Though in my defense this is a rather awful situation; I avoid things with violence and graphic mentions of it. Simply because most people can't stomach reading it.
So! Hello everyone and welcome to my story Copper equation! I do hope you enjoy the first chapter. It's kind of rushed out but the story is fast moving, I don't like to beat around the bush a lot. I will give detail where it's needed.
There is an original Character in this story but do not fear- she is simply a protagonist; she has no romantic involvement with any of the Avengers, or subsequent characters outside of her interaction with them. The Focus of the story is on Tony Stark- I won't go into detail on it.
Disclaimer: While I write about them; I do not profit from this whatsoever. MARVEL and all characters associated with it are not mine to claim.
Warnings: Well, not much. Some cursing, and possible spelling errors because while I pride myself in my writing ability I'm not perfect and I have not scanned it for errors.
Copper is a chemical element its atomic number is twenty nine. It is a ductile metal with a high thermal and electrical conductivity.
Tony mistook the ache in his head as the product of a hangover- and he groaned turning over. He mistook the hard floor as his bedroom floor having not made it back to his bed. He really should slow on the drinking but he couldn't exactly bring himself to. What got his attention- and really grabbed it by the haunches- was the soft crackling giggle that was coming from somewhere to the right of him.
I don't remember taking home anyone yesterday night; there is no way
Not to mention that the thought was paired with Pepper is going to kill me and what the hell have I done? Though that didn't exactly make real sense to him because really, he was drinking in his house, was he not? If this was one of Barton's pranks he was going to strangle the man. Slowly he peeled his eyes open and the sticky feeling they had reminded him of when he was twelve and got bronchitis. Turning over slowly he groaned and stared up at rocks- rocks and it was cold his head pounding and his heart- sudden and unexpectedly- did a huge flip flop and skipped four beats.
'oh my god this can't be happening' Hit him full force as he felt finally that not only his head ached like unholy fire but his body did too. All over, like he was thrown in a potato sack and kicked for hours. It only took his intelligence point three seconds to catch up with his body and his surroundings and he sat up a hand going to his chest to make sure- make damn sure- that the reactor was still in place. He looked down his breathing was white in the cold air and there it was glowing strongly in his chest. Not a car battery and that was somewhat comforting.
The giggling stopped and he heard the shuffle his eyes scanning over to the noise, sweeping over a woman who was sitting against a wall her legs extended looking like hellfire- then around the room. He wanted to say something but nothing came to mind right away because he currently battled the constant repeat of memories he already had of an event like this one. He looked over himself and sucked in a breath, apparently these people weren't too smart which was nice. His shirt was cut from where they tried to pry the entire metal enclosure of the reactor out of his chest. The skin their burned and was flared up a nasty red color, but he could live with that.
He was dirty and it felt like he was lying in an awkward position for days- not eight hours. He cleared his throat and felt it was quiet one minute too long and looked back at his company- memories of Yinsen were sharp and he felt guilt pull at his chest. "Where am I?" He asked his voice croaked in a familiar fashion and she gave him this pitying look. The lights were poor, and her hair looked like a flaming red and copper mess on her head- tied in the crudest excuse for a pony tail he'd had the pleasure of seeing.
"If I knew I would gladly tell you." She had a small undertone to her voice- an accent of some kind but it was so subtle Tony chose to ignore it. "You don't know where we are?" Tony tried to sound firm, tried to sound strong and like this wasn't tearing him apart from the inside out. It's like his nightmares all over again but so real- and so fucking sharp it was ripping him to shreds. Fear soared into his head like a monster rearing its ugly head.
"No, I don't I'm sorry. There is water and stale bread but I wouldn't eat the bread it's been there a while." She motioned to a tin cup and a plate that looked like a scrap of metal. Her eyes were shadowed and Tony couldn't make out much of her features except that she was female- her hair was some kind of red or copper, and she wasn't fat- but not skinny. Her clothes looked like they saw too much blood in a short amount of time and the bruises on the side of her face which he could see told the tale of a beating he'd rather not ask about. He clawed his way across the short distance to the metal tin and took a drink- he'd been through this before so he'd have to deal. She broke the silence that Tony didn't feel like breaking her voice steady and soft "I'm Starling, anyways" She offered up trying to make Tony feel better probably. He set the tin down and rubbed his mouth dry with the back of his hand as he squinted his eyes at her. "Um, Tony, Tony Stark." He scooted himself across the dirty floor and extended his hand for her to shake. The light was better now, the closer he sat anyways- and he noticed the bruises on the top of her hands and arms as she gave him a firm squeeze. "What happened to you?" Tony felt he should fear for himself if she was in such bad condition and really who the hell beat a woman? He had to remind himself that people were disgusting from time to time.
"Oh" Starling tilted her head back and gazed down at him with one swollen eye that was blue the side of her face colored ugly dark blues and a healing tone of ugly green on her cheek bone. Her lip was split and swollen and red and she gave a smile that seemed so inappropriate. He tried not to cringe but the look of dislike wouldn't leave his face. "They tried to take that glowing thing out of your chest; I figured if it's in there, it's got its purpose. Don't know why they wanted it at all." She started to explain and guilt swelled in Tony's chest. "I suppose it was the general in me that made me shove that guy off you- you were unconscious it's wrong to get at a guy when he's down." She swallowed thickly and her eyes closed in a painfully tender way. "I managed to scare them off anyways, not without getting hit a few times. I think they actually broke my hand." Starling lifted her other hand to show him- the left because she shook with her right. It was swollen and ugly looking too. "Either way it was worth it. Are you alright?" Tony didn't understand why she did it.
"Why? Why would you sacrifice yourself to save me? You don't even know me" He couldn't keep the anger out of his voice when he said it. Starling gave him a long look when her eyes re-opened and he pressed his lips together in angst. "That was stupid don't do that again, ever." It had nothing to do with pride- it was guilt that made him be this way. He didn't need another person to die saving him again.
The silence was deafening, if that was even possible and Tony groaned to fill it, trying to think his way out of this one. He had no material- the place was just rocks and a bunch of ratty blankets. "How long have you been here?" Tony grossed the subject because where he sat against a large rock in the dimness that made his eyes hurt- there was nothing else to talk about. No one visited and there wasn't much noise. "A few months" Tony thought about that carefully "Why? Why you? Why me?" Tony asked because that was the real question. Motive- what was their motivation?
"Because I'm not from around here, if you know what I mean." Starling paused at the crazy look Tony was giving her. "And because while I am a choir singer for a local theater, I am also a strategist and a tactician-a think tank in plain terms. If you need a way to get somewhere without being seen; if you need to bypass something I am the person to call. You want to kill someone without even being in the room- I've got you covered." Tony felt his entire body grow cold. Did they want her to figure out a way to do something and him to build a system to combat efforts to track their planned movements? Did they want him to deliver some weapon that will succeed in going through with hellish endeavors?
"Well, fuck" Tony said in a slow breath his brown eyes scanning for an escape route. "I've been planning their untimely demise since I got here, really. And while I have given them few plans on how they could get through whatever they need to get through with limited data none of them have been sound enough to actually work." Starling offered up carefully giving him a frown that looked like it hurt. Her face was bruised up pretty badly. Tony gazed at her with a small sarcastic smile on his face "Well, isn't this just the grandest event I've been a part of all year."He drawled with all the usual undertones of cynicism he had, his thoughts wandering back to the previous ones: How the fuck was he going to get out of here.
Xxx
When their captors came for the first time since Tony was awake he felt that bolt of thundering fear and rage at his situation. They left him alone and badgered Starling for hours in what sounded like a twisted form of Russian and German. "I don't have enough information, how many times do I have to tell you that!" Starling eventually said in a strained, scared voice and one of the men- he was hairy looking- smacked her in the face. Tony managed to bite his tongue for longer than he anticipated he had the patience for but the hitting got him. "Why don't we make a compromise then?" Tony started to talk his mind wheeling with what to say next when they all stared at his sitting from. "I mean, look, she doesn't have enough information you need to give us more than that. That's like asking me to make a gun with a piece of plastic and glue. It's not going to fly" His voice drifted unsure because they looked angry and Tony felt his body stiffen in fear.
"Fine" That thick accent made Tony want to cringe "We will return in two days time with more information for you. You better produce us a good line of action" he spat at Starling who cringed back and nodded her head quickly. They left a large metal door slamming closed. Starling still sat in her wooden chair, tied to it and Tony rose to quickly untie her. "I'm sorry but that was escalating." Tony rushed out thank fucking god that worked raced over and over in his head.
Their situation didn't ever get better, to Tony's distain it only ever got worse. The longer he was in here even with the company he felt his mind growing anxious and his thoughts made him mad in fear and hate and that ever nagging thought of 'we're not getting out of here' was persistent in his depression. Starling tried to keep her spirits up but really after the first month and a half of them coming every few days and talking to Starling and looking at Tony with that look of 'we're going to kill you when this is over' made it hard. Eventually Starling caved and gave them an idea that might work- and Tony begged for them to try it because at least SHEILD would know he was gone.
It always made him wonder if they were even looking at times though. Did anyone care that Tony Stark- Ironman- was missing? Were they really looking? That thought nagged him more then he wanted it to. "You said you've been in here for months, how long exactly?" Tony asked one rather cold night curled up in most of the blankets at Starling's admission to use them. She had one wrapped around her thin frame- a body that was suffering from lack of proper food like his was. Starling sniffed and rubbed her face her breath coming out ragged and frosty "I think almost five. I lose count too often to be sure. Have you been keeping track?" Starling said to him her smile small but there.
While the bruising on the side of her face and eye was no longer as bad looking as before he could still see the ghostly reminder that it was there before. "One month and I think fourteen days." Tony said carefully picking at the frays of the blanket over his legs. "You are correct however it is hard to keep track when there is no sunlight in here." That depressed him too- be wanted to see the sun. The constant cold throughout the days and nights made him wonder where the hell they even were.
Xxx
"Tony" Starling's voice was hushed as she shook him awake.
Day fifty three Tony's mind supplied him when his eyes opened. He wasn't even sure anymore if that count as correct. Her face was close to his and in the poor light it was cast with shadows. "I've got a plan." Starling said softly to him her eyes glancing around erratically before going back to him. She looked like hell, even more so when she was this close to him. He rose quickly his eyes wide his heart hammering. It was hope that made him move; because his body felt starved despite the small amount of food he ate. "You do?" Tony whispered back to her and she nodded making like she was checking him over to make sure nothing was wrong with him.
Tony got punched a few times in the stomach and kicked in the face when he mouthed off to one of the people that held them captive. He couldn't exactly stand it when Starling sat there and spoke carefully and got hit for not having a good enough answer. It was the pride in him that couldn't take watching a woman get beat up while he simply sat there "I do. They are going to bring us food in about twenty minutes" Starling sounded unsure but Tony didn't care he wanted to get the fuck out of here. "We'll need the blankets it's still really cold and I imagine it's even worse out there." Starling sounded strained and nervous though Tony couldn't fault her for that.
The plan was set- the idea was for them to deliver the food and Tony to accept it at the door. He wrapped the blankets around his arms and his waist like a toga of sorts. Starling was well versed in hand to hand combat and while Tony wanted to question why she didn't escape before he didn't. When he took the food Starling was going to flatten them the best she could and they were going to make a run for it. The worst that could happen was probably death and even if that wasn't what either of them wanted it was worth a shot. They might even go easy on them if only to protect the meaning of a tactical asset. "I can fire a gun" Tony said without missing a beat "If you can get one, I'll take it." He didn't want to have to kill people to get out again. The first time was traumatizing enough, but he'd do it if it meant his freedom.
"Alright then" Starling had said and they got into their positions. There were no cameras in the room that Tony noticed- and Starling said she couldn't find any either so that was an advantage; the surprise factor meant a lot for this plan to work. The metal door swung open and Starling dodged getting smacked with it, Tony grinned at the two men who stared back at him meanly. "Hey is that my food? Good because I'm starving." He laughed and reached to take the scrap of metal they used for a plate. One man glanced at the other and they handed it over- wrong move for them because when his arm extended towards Tony, Starling came from behind the door and hit him in the elbow to make the arm give way. The metal and the food clashed with the floor and she was quick to spin and nail him in the nose with her elbow. She kicked the gun the second man had down and made to jump on his back.
Tony backed away the sound of his neck cracking and watching the man fall with Starling still on his back struck fear in Tony.
The look on Starling's face was murderous in all its glory and she reminded him –frankly- of Natasha. He moved forward and Starling started to strip the two men of their coats. "We could use these" She said her voice quivering- apparently she didn't like having to kill people either. Tony picked up the rifle, and checked it to make sure it was really loaded before they set off down the halls.
It was crude, rocky and not well lit. They managed to struggle their way through six more people before Tony found a door that lead outside. A bitter wind smacked them both hard and Starling recoiled slightly at the feeling. "You were right" Tony said panting as they started to run into the snow bank. "It's fucking cold here" Tony grit his teeth feeling his entire body start to shake. His teeth chattered, his muscles cramped from the cold but he kept moving. If he stopped now this whole thing would be blown out of the water and that was the last thing they needed. "Should have worn warmer clothes, really" Tony babbled to abate his own growing fear that now that they were out and being hunted for sure- he would instead die of hypothermia.
Tony's eyes traveled to Starling who really looked like she was struggling to keep up. He failed to notice that her leg had a bullet wound in it until they struggled their way into a thicket of trees and snow. "Shit you're bleeding!" Tony said eyes wide skidding to a halt to hoist her arm over his shoulder to help her move better. "You're a real joker, aren't you?" The too big jacket started to slide from her shoulder and Tony tried his best to yank it back up. "Hey come on, someone has to be. You're wearing clothes that have seen better days- I mean really Jeans? And a tank top?" He made a disappointed noise trying to keep the mood light as he struggled to move fast and keep her upright.
"At least I don't have flip flops on, that would be a real mood killer. Though my feet are going numb." Starling mused wincing as she hobbled along holding onto Tony for the better part of their trek so far. Tony who still had his blankets wrapped around him cringed and nodded. "I suppose I didn't do any better but at least my tee shirt has a cool band on it. Come on- ACDC is awesome admit it." Tony jested feeling panic well in his chest. Bullet wounds can get infected, which means she was going to get sick. They needed to do something about the bleeding or she'd pass out. Their odds of survival were diminishing the longer they moved through the snow.
Tony glanced over his shoulder his breathing erratic and his heart hammering as he moved trying not to groan at the extra weight he was attempting to support. Not to mention that the trail they left in the snow was a giant sign that said 'Hey! We went this way!' and that disturbed him even more then he'd like to admit. Starling gripped his arm to get his attention and he looked down at her, tripping up on a large but buried root. They both fell into the snow and Starling groaned rolling onto her back and sitting up. Her teeth chattered loudly as she started to grab handfuls of snow and shove it into the wound. She shook like nothing Tony had ever seen, and he figured she was trembling about as bad as he was.
"I need material to tie this off…" Her words were shaking and her eyes were frantic. It was getting dark outside which Tony's mind supplied him was a very bad thing. Tony was smart- damn it he was a genius billionaire! He'd figure out what to do, except you know survival in the wilderness of god knows where wasn't on his list of things to learn in the last six months. "Here, have some ratty blanket for your wound." Tony began ripping before his mind allowed him to think on it further. "My hands are numb, I'm sure yours are too" Starling spoke wincing as he tied the fabric around the wound on her leg. It was right above the knee and bled profusely onto the snow. "Yeah- y-yeah they are." Tony said to her in response making sure the tie was secure.
Getting up was a lot harder than he bargained for but they both managed to stand and were off again. Starling limped badly and Tony really couldn't help her outside of carrying her which she refused. While they moved, without stopping well after it got dark Tony thought of alternatives. He was trying to think of a way to get some kind of communication out to be picked up without their previous captors noticing it. "Town!" Starling gasped out fumbling as she pointed ahead of her at the lights just beyond the trees. "Or another base" Tony breathed and Starling licked her chapped lips- Tony felt that pain, the cold wind was biting and unforgiving.
"Worth a shot" Starling grossed and they carefully passed the tree line. Tony shivered so badly he could hardly hold onto the blankets around his arms anymore. "It's just a town" Tony felt a relief he didn't think was plausible in this situation at the realization. "A farming town, or something" Starling offered up a guess as they struggled towards the soft glow of a porch light. The first house they hit had one, and there were two shadows standing on it. The language wasn't familiar- not really- and Tony thought it was Russian he was almost sure and one of the figures ran towards them. He yelled in Russian and Starling fell to her knees her clothes too damp, her body too tired. Tony stood just hardly holding himself together next to Starling when the very rosy but extremely worried face greeted them in the lamp light he had on him.
"Come, inside, inside!" He ushered and Tony felt his paranoia spark dangerously. If he was a worker at that place they were at he was screwed. Starling seemed to feel the same kind of anxiety because she hesitated to allow him to help her up before giving in.
Sweet temporary salvation Tony thought tiredly and followed after them.
