Here is Chapter Seven, the continuation of Chapter Five's "Inferno." It gets really dicey so hang on. Please review after this one.


Chapter Seven – Bring the Rain

Abygail Wickford's condo

Abygail Wickford jogged down Wilshire Boulevard, her IPod's music pumping in her ears. She kept it at a brisk pace to get her workout out in. Her trainer Darrell had canceled on her; on the account that his wife went into labor. The brisk jog through Santa Monica would suffice.

The DO NOT WALK light was illuminated, but she jogged in place to keep her heart pumping.

People and children that walked the street were watching her as she hopped up and down in place. She looked down and smiled at them.

The sign changed to WALK and she proceeded across to get to her building. She noticed four fire engines, blaring their sirens as they went racing down the street. She thought it was interesting, but continued on her way.

Her regular doorman was there.

"Welcome back Ms. Wickford," Ricky said to her.

"Thank you Ricky," she greeted him while using the building to stretch out her legs and spine.

"Going out this evening?" he asked.

"Nah. Going to stay in. Order some dinner."

"Very good. I'll keep your car parked then."

"Good thinking," she replied and headed for her elevator to go upstairs.

Another couple, the Perkins, climbed into the elevator, but they got off two floors below and she continued upward.

Once in the safety of her condo, she used the remote to turn on the music and headed upstairs to take a shower; shedding her clothes along the way.

The hot water was luxurious against her skin as she rinsed off of all the sweat that covered her. The radiant scent of her soap filled her senses with lavender and jasmine which would put her to sleep.


The door to the condo was opened with the use of the keycard and the person entered. The hand was covered in multiple rings with different symbols as they entered.

The Mandarin walked into the room, observed the surrounding of the cozy home of Abygail Wickford, and looked around for her.

Several men from Alec Wickford's mob unit walked in behind him. They had cans of gasoline and explosives that would continue in the fires that had already encompassed the city.

He signaled to one group to head into the kitchen and the other group to proceed forward into the living space.

The hitmen started spreading the gasoline on the furniture, curtains, and in the office area.

He was looking and heard water running. He also saw a wind jacket was lying on the floor at the top of the stairs.

Abygail Wickford must be upstairs and he decided to join her.


Abby finished with her shower and shut off the water. She reached for her towel to dry off in the shower.

Once dry, she stepped out of the shower and brushed out her wet strands. Her hair was somewhat gnarled, but she got through it.

She stroked on a little lotion on her shoulders before slipping on her nightdress.


One of the henchmen, who was pouring a long trail of gasoline on the floor, collided with one of his partners and fell to the floor.

That did not cause too much noise, but the metal can did clang loudly on the kitchen floor.

The Mandarin was angry at the noise.


Abby heard a loud noise coming from the main area of the condo and was shocked. Was someone in her home?

She did not want to leave the bathroom in case someone was in the house and she alone, but she knew that no one could access her floor without a special pass to the elevator.

But what was it?

Slowly, she walked out of the bathroom and crept along the wall into her bedroom. She made it there and reached into her nightstand where she did keep every girl's best friend: a 9mm pistol. There was a clip in the gun already and she got it ready.

She crawled on the floor and made her way to the loft wall. It was there that she saw what was going on.

There were at least five men that were spreading gasoline on her property, furniture, and personal affects.

"What are they doing?" she mumbled.

"Looking for you," a voice said from behind.

Abby stood sharply, but then there was a sudden pain in her chest. She could not think or control her body in all the pain that went through her.


The Mandarin held Abygail Wickford in his arms gently, a child in his grasp with the hand-mounted spike that thinly inserted itself through her chest.

She gripped onto his arms hard and dropped the pistol she had been holding to the floor.

He shh'ed her with a finger to her lips. "Sorry my dear, but you will be the only fatality tonight," he whispered to her before leaving a gentle kiss on her mouth.

She collapsed softly into his arms, but he lifted her up to put her in her bed.

It was all according to his plan. Injure Ms. Wickford so she would not be able to escape, and neatly tuck her into her bed so she would appear to have slept through the fire.

She was so delicate as he left her there and went to the railing to look over to the thugs who were gathering up everything they needed.

"How goes?" he asked.

"We're all set," one of the men said. "Do your stuff."

The Mandarin lifted his left hand and the ring on his index finger illuminated. He said something in his native tongue and a fireball left the ring and struck near the sofa.

The living room slowly became an inferno, following the liquid trail of gasoline. It found its way around to the curtains, the furniture, and the kitchen; all of it.

"Everyone out," one of the thugs said and they grabbed the cans before getting out.

"Yes," he sneered intending to wait out till the last second to make sure the job was done.


Tony Stark's Residence

Tony Stark bounded down the stairs to return to the lab once he had sobered up and caught the news of the fires on his television. He knew that the City of Santa Monica was going to need Iron Man. He had to make sure that he was ready in case the city needed him.

Even if they didn't ask, he would still want to offer his aid if they needed it.

Pepper was down in the lab using the computer. She had several of the three dimensional monitors opened as well as one in the center that was being used a radar screen. She was frantically typing and getting JARVIS to perform a variety of tasks while she was when he entered the lab.

"JARVIS, give me a location on that latest fire," she ordered.

"At once ma'am," JARVIS replied. "It appears a dormitory complex has erupted near the college campus."

"What's going on?" Tony asked as he arrived to the console.

"These explosions and fires illuminating the skies of Santa Monica are everywhere," she replied, still typing. "Seven right now…" She paused as another glowing blip made its appearance. "Make that eight."

"Where are they call coming from?" he asked. "Gas line? Environmentalists?"

"That's what JARVIS is trying to isolate," she said. "Rhodey is on his way as well, in an Air Force capacity. He needed to lead the air squadron in dumping water on the sites."

An ninth explosion rang out.

"Sites are located Ms. Potts," JARVIS replied. "Assembling list on Screen Three."

The list of those locations that were burning was displayed.

"Let's see," Tony said as he was scanning the list, "we have a used car lot, an abandoned building, a church being renovated, a warehouse on the docks, and a natural history museum… These are completely random." He looked to the radar screen in the middle. "Look at it though Pep. It's forming a ring."

"A ring, really?" she asked.

He drew the line on the finger and as it traced along an eighth and ninth explosion rang out just as he was reaching those spots.

"The other explosions sir," JARVIS replied, "are at a Chinese Market in Chinatown and a dorm room at Santa Monica College."

"Look Tony," Pepper said and pointed. "If this is going to complete a ring, there is one more to go."

Tony pulled up his chair and started typing frantically to get the computer to isolate the explosions, monitor hospital reports, and military radio channels. "JARVIS, I need you to give an approximate estimate as to the next fire and pinpoint where the last one is going to be," he ordered. "We have to find a connect…"

Finally the ring connected at the last location, a high-rise along the coastline. The fire appeared on the satellites indicating to the heat that a military unit was able to detect it.

"Sir, final explosion connection detected," JARVIS told him. "The explosion has completed the ring around Santa Monica."

"Where was the final explosion?" he asked.

"Triangulating with a map of area now," he said.

His heart filled with dread when he saw the final explosion rang out and it was indeed as JARVIS just pulled it up when a large fireball appeared on the location map and address.

It was Abygail's condo.

"I'm gone," he shouted and raced to the Interlocking platform to become his heroic ego.

"Tony," Pepper tried to stop him as he was getting suited up. "Tony, you don't even know if she is there. She might not be there."

"I can't take that risk," he replied. "I'm going to go check. Worse comes to worse, I'll help put it out."

The suit was fully locked in and the helmet clicked down over his face.

Faster than he had ever taken off out of the house, Iron Man was airborne over Malibu and heading South toward Santa Monica.

During flight, he had JARVIS calling Abby's home, but she did not answer. Her answering machine finally picked up, but he did not leave a message.

"Call Bethany Gabe," he called as he was drawing closer to the explosions and flames by the way smoke was flying. He could see it in the distance.

"Abygail Wickford's office, this is Bethany Gabe," the assistant answered the phone.

"Yeah, this is Tony Stark. I was looking for Abygail Wickford. Tell her it is an emergency," he asked.

"I'm sorry, but Ms. Wickford has adjourned for the evening Mr. Stark," Ms. Gabe replied. "She went back to her residence over two hours ago."

"Did you happen to have noticed the explosions that are ringing throughout the city Ms. Gabe?" he asked. "One of them has struck the building where your boss is living."

"Are you serious?"

"Would I be flying to get there if I wasn't?" he asked before disconnecting the line.


Bethany Gabe turned on the television and saw the breaking news report of explosions burning through the city. They had helicopters all over the place and she saw that indeed Tony Stark was correct.

The address of her boss's condo appeared on the screen. She looked as a camera helicopter crew was shooting down and it was the condo.

What was she going to do if Abygail was inside?


Flight

From the Air Force base, a P-2 Neptune raced down the runway and lifted off into the air in heading for the fires that had blanketed the area.

Col. James Rhodes was at the helm as he piloted his way toward the smoke and flames that were coming from Santa Monica.

"This is Colonel Rhodes on approach vector to Santa Monica wildfires," he called into the radio.

"Roger that Colonel Rhodes," the air dispatcher responded to him. "Proceed with extinguishing procedures."

As he was flying, Rhodey eventually watched as Iron Man raced passed him.

He twisted the radio frequency to their private channel and knew that he would be able to channel it with Tony flying by him. "Tony, what are you doing here?"

Iron man looked to him. "The fires," Tony said. "I have a friend who might be in one of them."

"Where?" he asked.

"Southshore Tower," Tony answered. "I'm going after her. You take care of the other buildings."

"Copy that. Be careful Tony."

"See you there," Tony replied and took off faster as he approached the tallest building. His friend became stationary and looked to the fire as he flew off to take care of the fire at the college.


Tony watched as Rhodey went to put out his own fire and saw that the top floor where Abby's condo was located was completely ablaze. The windows were bursting under the strain of the heat, causing infernos to lick at the clouds outside.

"JARVIS, contact local fire and rescue and tell them to get a helicopter over to her condo immediately," he ordered of the computer.

"They have been summoned sir," JARVIS replied, "but they are already severely strained due to the previous fires."

"Tell them to make this one a priority. There are people living in this building JARVIS!"

He plunged downward and crashed through the ceiling to the hard marble floor. He was in the area that was outside of her condo doorway where he had been days ago.

"Sir," JARVIS said. "We will not be able to maintain functionality in these heated conditions."

He noticed that the door was blocked by intense amounts of burning debris.

"How long?" he asked making his way down the hall.

"Less than ten minutes," the computer replied.

"Plenty of time," he grumbled and arrived to the debris.

Iron Man lifted the burning beam from blocking the door and kicked them open to gain access to the condo. The entire place was ablaze. Her carpet and furniture all burned alive, but he did not see Abby.

Maybe she was not there and Bethany Gabe had been mistaken.

"JARVIS, scan for life forms," he ordered as his body was becoming increasingly hot in the armored uniform. The heat would not allow him to maintain consciousness for long.

JARVIS scanned the room and found a life-force in the bedroom of the condo loft. "Sir, I am detecting a faint heartbeat coming from the upstairs," he replied.

Tony blasted off and dove over the railing that led to the loft. He rushed over where he had just been two nights previous was burning.

But it was also there that he found a body lying in the bed. By the color of the nightdress that they were wearing, it looked like Abby.

"Abby," he called and made it through the curtains of flames to the bedside. It was indeed Abby lying there. "Abby, babe, we got to go." He tried motioning her to awaken, but she was not responding. "Abby," he said her name again before turning her onto her back.

It was there that he saw that she had been stabbed in the chest.

That meant only one thing: this fire was not an accident.

"No!" he howled. "JARVIS!"

"I'm detecting a heart rate sinking below eighty-eight beats a minute," the computer told him. "She will not make it without medical attention."

"Come on Abs," he said as he picked her up in his arms, wrapping her in the blanket that she was covered in. "We're going to cooler pastures."

He carried her and leapt over the railing at a sprint. The fire had been burning for so long that he nearly sunk through to the next floor from the impact. Quickly recovering though, he got level and searched for the best way to get her out of the apartment in a hurry.

"Sir, you have never sustained flight while carrying someone," JARVIS told him. "We have yet to test flight without use of stabilizers."

"No time like the present," Tony replied, but then his eyes met with someone standing at the windowed wall.

The man was wearing all black and stood there as if there were no flames around him.

"I take it you are her champion," the man said to him.

"Who are you?" Tony demanded to know. He had to have something to do with this by the way he stood.

"Another time," the man said as he fell backwards out the window, shattering it.

Tony rushed over to the window and watched as the man used something that mirrored one of his stabilizers on his hands and used it to glide and guide himself to the ground. Soon, he was out of sight.

"Sir, I have to caution against this motion," JARVIS said.

"Dually noted," he said, "but I am not leaving her here to die."

Tony took the blanket, slung it around his neck, and tied it tightly. She was a baby being held in a knapsack, but he kept her close to him.

He dove out of the window and guided himself down toward the ground. Abby's body remained on his arms, but he kept his hands down to use the stabilizers to fly.

Gently, he turned them out towards the front of him and was able to slowly and unsteadily fly with Abby lying on him.

"I got you girl," he told her. "I got you."

Abby did stir somewhat in the cooler breeze, but it was still not going to be enough. She needed medical attention and she needed it now.


UCLA – Santa Monica Hospital

The doctors and emergency department at Santa Monica UCLA hospital were overwhelmed with victims of the arson that was going on through the city. Many came in with smoke inhalation or minor burns.

Many of them were thankful that no one had been killed yet.

The dispatch nurse at the counter was funneling calls to reroute patients to other hospitals because they were simply overbooked and stretched too thin.

"UCLA," a voice came over the radio.

The nurse answered. "This is UCLA," she said. "What is your ID number?'

"This is Iron Man," the voice said.

"Very funny," the nurse said. "You need to get off this signal as it needs to be reserved for emergencies?"

"What do you think I am doing?" he said. "I have burn and stabbing victim from the fires. I need someone on the roof to retrieve her."

"I again repeat, you need to get off this signal as it needs to be…"

"Hey," one of the Interns said as he rushed inside. "I just saw Iron Man flying in this direction."

The nurse was appalled at her behavior. "Sir, go ahead and land. We'll be there."

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

Several doctors with a stretcher were on the helicopter landing pad as Iron Man landed as gracefully as he could, but he did have a body resting on his arms.

He finally did land with a hard thud and they came close to him. "She needs help," the hero said to them. "Found her in a fire, but she has a serious stab wound."

A doctor was there and tested her heart with a stethoscope. "How long has she been bleeding?" he asked.

"I found her ten maybe fifteen minutes ago," Iron Man told them. "I don't know how long she has been like this before I got to her."

"What's her name?" the doctor asked. "Do you know?"

"Wickford. Abygail Wickford," he told them.

"Alright, trauma one," the doctor ordered the people that were with him. "Let's get her inside now."

Tony Stark felt helpless as they took Abby away from him inside the hospital. He could not go inside in the armor and he should help out with the putting out of the fires around the city.

But his heart was here and telling him to stay here.

He lifted off from the helipad to go home so he could get out of the armor and get back to the hospital before anything happened to her and he was not back to hear it.


Oh no, Abby! Please review and find out if she survives. If you have been reading Stockholm and Storms Within, you already know the answer, but just in case.