"Welcome to the workshop, Mr. Stark," said Bella. "Here you'll find everything you could possibly want for building nearly anything."
"They let you play with this stuff?" asked Mr. Stark, eying the tools.
"The only people alive who consider me a child are you, Yinsen, and the law." She pushed a strand of her curly brown hair behind one ear. "Right, let's get working then."
"Who are these people anyhow?"
"They call themselves the Ten Rings. Your loyal customers. The army isn't the only group that buys your weapons, you know."
00000
The first thing Bella noticed about the project was that it wasn't a missile.
"What are you doing, Mr. Stark?" she asked, eying his work.
"This is our ticket out. A miniaturized arc reactor. I've got a big one powering my factory at home. It should keep the shrapnel out of my heart and generate power."
"And you're assuming I'm going to help you instead of telling the guards."
"No, I don't think you're going to tell. You want out as much as I do. Probably more."
He was right. Bella had, indirectly, killed a lot of people. And this missile… she wasn't going to do this anymore. "Power for what?"
"The suit of armor we're going to build. I'm going to use it to break out. Yinsen can go back to his family. And you, if you want, can come stay with me."
"This is the strangest plan anyone's come up with yet. And also the one with the highest chance of succeeding. I'm in. What can I do to help?"
00000
Time had always gone faster when Bella was working on a project. This time, it dragged as every day brought them closer to freedom. They spent whatever time not spent on the "missile" in the little room where they'd performed the operation. Bella usually lay on her bench and daydreamed about getting away and what she'd do when they finally escaped. Mr. Stark and Yinsen usually talked together.
"So," said Mr. Stark one evening. "I know about Izzy here. But you haven't told me where you're from, Yinsen."
"I'm from a small town called Gulmira. It's actually a nice place."
"Got a family?"
Yinsen had never talked about them really, but he had mentioned them once or twice.
"Yes. I will see them when I leave. And you, Stark?"
"No."
"Then you're a man who has everything and nothing."
00000
Bella had always hated deadlines.
When they were given one day to complete the "missile", she knew they'd better step it up.
"They're coming," announced Yinsen.
Mr. Stark was already getting into the armor. "Nothing pretty, just get it done," he said. "Izzy, Yinsen, wait for me to clear the way before you go, got it?"
Isabel swallowed and nodded. Her heart knocked against her ribs. This could actually work.
"I'm going to buy some time," announced Yinsen suddenly.
"Stick to the plan!" said Bella. "No, Yinsen. Stick to the plan!"
"Izzy, get down, hide," ordered Mr. Stark.
"Mr. Stark, please, don't call me Izzy."
Bella crawled under a table.
Yelling. Gunshots. She covered her ears, but it did little block the sound.
When the noise stopped, she crawled out. Mr. Stark, wearing the armor, was kneeling by Yinsen.
"Come on, get up, you're going to see your family," said Mr. Stark.
"My family is dead. I'm going to see them now, Stark."
Bella crawled out from under the table. "No no no! Yinsen! No!"
"This was always part of the plan… don't waste your life, Stark."
Tears streamed down Isabel's face. "No," she whispered. "Please…"
And then he lay back.
"Come on, Izzy, we have to go," said Mr. Stark.
They went through the hideout and into the sunlight. It almost blinded her when she saw it. She stared up at the sky.
Then a gun went off.
Pain shot through Bella's head. She shrieked. The world went blurry and she fell forward. Mr. Stark wrapped a metal arm around her.
"You can make it out, Izzy. Come on."
Bella shook her head. One greasy and now bloodstained brown curl hung in her face. She brushed it back. "I'll just slow you down. Make it out. Please. For me. We can't both, you bring me, they'll get you."
Everything went black.
When she woke up, someone was carrying her. Above her was light blue sky. She just stared at it for a few moments, for the first time in months. Wind ruffled her hair, but the temperature was hot.
She turned her head to see who had her.
"I told you to leave me."
"Leaving people behind isn't really my style." He wasn't wearing the armor any more. He looked hot and exhausted.
"And you're all about style, aren't you?"
She faded in and out for a while. Sometimes, she was aware of how much her head hurt. And, other times, she wasn't aware of anything.
Then there was a loud noise. Bella moaned. Then she was aware she was moving quickly.
"How was the 'Fun-vee?'" asked a voice.
"Next time, you ride with me, okay?" said Tony.
"Who's this?"
"Someone I picked up along the way. This is Izzy."
Then she was being moved quickly and being set down on something.
"Stay awake," ordered Mr. Stark. "Don't fall asleep."
Something pressed against the side of her head. Bella moaned. Everything went black.
I hope I got everything okay with the scene where they escaped, I haven't seen Iron Man as of yet. Does anyone think Tony nicknaming Bella is a little out of character?
Thank you for all the lovely reviews and follows, I wasn't expecting quite so many!