Tony's POV:
I called Pepper for what seemed to be the 50th time that week. She always called back immediately. Is this how Pepper felt when I didn't call her back sometimes? She hadn't been in school for over a week. I looked at the door leading to Physics and then looked back at the exit.
After 10 minutes of running, I finally reached Pepper and her dad's apartment. I knocked on the door, expecting to hear the soft shuffle of feet approaching the door. But I was greeted with complete silence. I put my hand down my pocket and dug around for my key. It was a skeleton key I had easily created when I was eight. I quickly put the key in and the door quietly swung open. Everything was neat and in it's place, but the place was empty. She was nowhere to be found. "Where is she? If she hasn't been home, then where the hell is she? She couldn't have been kidnapped...could she?" Tears blurred my vision while horrible images tormented my mind. I bolted out of the apartment and ran into a alley way, using Extremis to call on my armor. In less than a minute, I became Iron Man and was flying above Manhattan. "I swear I'll find you Pepper. Whatever it takes."
1 month later
Pepper POV:
Day after day, it was test after test. Strength tests, intelligence tests, and more. Yet somehow, they were all so easy. Some of the material they gave me I had never seen in my life, but I passed with 100's. I was bored and wanted to be challenged. I figured whatever they had put in my body, was helping me. I wanted to know why A.I.M. wanted to help me and my life. But I was a prisoner, and I had to find a way out. Yet, the most part of my body was telling me to stay and find out more.
I didn't know how long it had been since my kidnapping, but without any tools to cut my hair, it had grown a little bit past my shoulders. As I ran my hands through it, I paced around my deadly silent room. It was pretty much the only thing I could do, other than taking tests. I never could stand being in one place too long.
Memories of being in the armory with Tony and Rhodey flooded my mind. One day, we were stuck because the system had a small glitch. It felt so strange when I walked around and saw the same scenery around me. I swear I lost my mind that day and we were stuck in there for 4 hours!
"I miss them so much. I wish I could see Rhodey, Happy, Dad, Tony…" My head pounded as I thought of them, forcing me to move my thoughts to something else. After pacing around for what seemed like the millionth time, a boy walked into my room. He didn't wear a helmet and a ridiculous beehive costume like the others who came in my jail cell. He looked around my age. He had messy spiked brown hair, and was as pale as Basil Sandhurst. Sandhurst, my captor and the current leader of A.I.M. The boy's body was lean, and was dressed in jet black jeans, a gold t-shirt, and combat boots. He had a kind smile on his face, and his black eyes drew me in.
"Pepper, I'm Xavier. I'll be your partner on your mission. I know everything seems strange right now, but I promise everything will be revealed." Xavier explained.
I had some idea of what he was talking about. Ever since my operation and the first test that man took me to, all the workers around me were talking about my "mission" and how I was even more than ready. I looked up at the so-called Xavier. Since Gene had left, my trusting level went down by a thousand. And being confined in my cell for so long and only being taken out for tests, made me more independent and self reserved. Plus he worked for A.I.M! How could I trust him if he was working for the people who captured me? But his deep dark chocolate eyes slowly drew me in, making it easier to trust the honesty and kindness in his eyes. But I still wasn't gonna take any chances.
"And what, pray tell, is my mission Mr. Xavier?" I asked saucily. He looked at me with a smirk plastered on his face and patted my matted hair. "Look princess, attitude will get you nowhere around here. But...since I already like you, I'll tell you." I felt my cheeks burn at his words, which only enlarged his smirk. "We've brought you here to be the updated, and-" He moved a strand of hair out of my face. "-The much prettier version of MODOC. But instead of controlling A.I.M., they want you to take down Tony Stark and Iron Man." His expression darkened slightly at the sound of my friend's name and the hero of New York.
I stared at him in disbelief. "What made them think I would ever do such a thing? Tony was my best friend! I could never do that to him! But...if we're such good friends, then why hadn't he bust through A.I.M.'s doors as Iron Man, and save me? With Jack Hammer a zombie, Obadiah in a coma, and all the other villains disposed of, who else could he suspect had taken me? He probably didn't even care that I was gone! I bet he only saw me as a crazy Tony Stark fanatic since day 1! After all that I've done for him, after all that we've been through, how could he just abandon me like this?!" I was outraged, blinded by my new enhanced emotions. My mind slowly being taken over by my overpowering toxic feelings for the blue eye genius. "Yes. Tony is a horrible person. Hate him. Loathe him. We must accept this mission; bring him to his knees. I am here for you Pepper. I am here to help you. I just want what you want." The voice whispered. I hadn't heard it since the first test after my operation. It encouraged me, it helped me, it was there for me all throughout the battle. But the minute after I won, it had vanished. I was slightly relieved it was back. It was just my inner thoughts. It just wanted to help me.
I felt a light tap on my shoulder. It was Xavier again. He was handing me something. Without thinking, I mindlessly picked it up and stared Xavier in the eyes. I had made my decision. "I'll do it." My voice barely above a whisper. He looked somewhat shocked, but soon smiled at me. "Alright! I'll tell you what we're gonna do, okay?" He told me. I nodded silently, as he filled me in our mission. After a while, I soon knew everything. "Are you sure that you're okay with all this? I mean Tony was your friend…" He trailed off. I pushed out all thoughts about my friendship with the genius and simply nodded, wanting to get started immediately. The tall boy then took my small hand and led me out of my cell, and into another room. It was a bathroom with gray steel walls, a shower with a tub, a counter with a sink, a toilet, and a rack filled with clothes. He gave me one last warm smile and left the room, leaving me alone in deadly silence once again.