Another two months rolled by. Having Andrew around had become significantly less stressful for Tony. With the teen embracing his power, Tony was finally able to let go of his harbored guilt and could focus his talents on helping Andrew in a more positive light. Andrew wanted to be "Pulse", and Tony found himself diving in headfirst with complete and utter support. It was a fun challenge training Drew (the nickname was received a hell of a lot better than Tony's initial try with "Andy". The kid's hated mother apparently called him that, so Andy was a no-go.) But yes, discovering the new ways Andrew could manipulate his power, and helping him hone his craft were much better days spent. Tony was ever dedicated. And this was much more than being invested in a project. Tony liked the teen, cared about him. And as excited as Tony was about helping Andrew reach total control of his power, there was this small part inside of the man that kind of dreaded Andrew getting to that point. Tony's help wouldn't be needed anymore.
Tony wouldn't admit, even to himself, just how attached he had become to the boy. Without that ever present guilt-ridden worry of "fixing" the kid, Tony was truly enjoying his presence. And of course, with Andrew not worrying about becoming normal, his real self was shining. And real Drew was an entertaining snarky little punk. He was still of course a good kid, and now far more confident. Maybe living in a house full of superheroes for over four months rubbed off on him, or maybe it was a new found confidence from embracing his power. Or maybe, as Tony suspected, it was inside the kid all along.
Andrew stood before Tony with his fists propped at his hips in an assertive stance. He was wearing the formfitting training super-suit Tony designed for him. Navy blue with some black and light blue embellishing lines, and a large simple symbol covering the chest in white —its design mimicking that of Tony's triangular arc reactor. Tony's "custom Spandex blend" of the Pulse suit definitely became a necessity when Andrew amped up his training. The kid could only hold a full glow around him in normal clothes for a few minutes at time before the energy started to tear little holes through the material. Andrew looked the part of a real hero, and Tony was proud with how the kid was progressing. But at the moment proud didn't quite describe what Tony was feeling. It was more like grossly annoyed with a dash of concern.
"My answer is 'no'." Tony deadpanned.
"You're such an asshole!" Andrew yelled out in an angry huff, his arms moving to hang rigidly at his sides, his fists clenched tighter.
Tony had to hold back rolling his eyes. Here it finally was after four months of bringing a teenager into his home: a real 'you're ruining my life and everything is totally unfair!' outburst. Andrew had his moody moments, mostly went it came to Tony making him work with a tutor. Sure, Tony was on board with keeping the teen out of school for safety reasons, but it became part of the deal of Andrew staying at the tower that he had to keep up with his education. Those moments of the past really only amounted to annoyed groans and some half-hearted pleading, but now...now the kid was mad. On the bright side, there was no hint of blue emanating from him. But unfortunately, the fight was happening in the common room in front of Clint, Nat, and Steve.
"Why don't you just go back to your room and change, and I'll pretend like I didn't hear that."
"You can't not let me be apart of this! It's not fair! If anyone deserves to go after that twisted motherfucking son of a bitch, it's me!"
"Language," Steve interjected from where he sat.
"Shut up," Tony and Andrew shouted at the star spangled hero in unison, not breaking eye contact from each other.
The "twisted motherfucking son of a bitch" they were fighting over had a name: Dr. Oliver G. Lynch. It was this man that had escaped from the Lethal Legion facility those months ago during S.H.I.E.L.D.'S Iron Man led raid. When Tony "less than legally" intercepted the intel on the mad doctor being a possible suspect, he all too eagerly asked Andrew to look at the man's picture to make his own confirmation. Andrew had gone rigid when he saw the picture on the holoscreen. The kid's eyes glossed over with angry tears, and he gave Tony that confirmation in a deadly quiet tone, "That's him."
There were three possible hideout locations, and Tony was planning his own swift split up and takedown of the fugitive doctor; S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't moving fast enough on this for his liking. Andrew obviously wanted to be a part of it.
"Listen rug rat, there are a million reasons why I'm never going to let you come. But the big number one, you still haven't even ventured out of the Tower since you got here. And you think the first time I'm going to let you do that is for you to go on a mission after someone who personally tortured you?" Tony chuckled humorlessly. "No. I'm not letting you do this."
"I can handle that. Nat thinks I'm ready." Andrew spoke taking a confident step toward Tony, the two just a meter apart now.
Tony tossed an offhanded glare at the redhead before shooting Andrew down. "Well, Nat's not in charge of you so that means jack and shit."
"Who the hell are you that says you're in charge of me?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because I saved your life." Tony began to prattle off his reasons, gesturing with his hands. "Maybe because I found you. Maybe because I'm helping you train. Maybe because I'm letting you live under my roof. I feed you, I got you clothes, a whole room full of shit to call yours, and I'm paying for homeschooling. You want some more reasons?"
"That's not fair." Andrew's tone was quiet, but still angry.
"What? The truth? You begged me to help you, and I did, and it's what I'm still doing."
"What if I don't need you anymore."
The words flew out of Andrew's mouth like venom, and Tony found himself surprisingly stung by them. Tony Stark was usually a man who couldn't shut up, but right now he was too struck to find any words.
"Enough," Nat got up from where she sat at the table and walked over to Andrew's side. "It's time to drop it. You're not ready for this. It's too personal. Drop it," she said again, a firmer tone that let Andrew know it was best for his health not to argue with her.
"Fine. Fine! I need some air. Or can I not handle being out on the balcony anymore too?" Andrew hurried off before anyone could say anything about it.
"Well..." Tony rubbed his fingers at his temples briefly and let out a puff of air, "that could have gone worse I suppose."
Clint snickered from his seat, feet propped up on the table, and Tony finally noticed the man eating from a bowl of popcorn. Typical Barton. "You're so his dad."
That comment didn't peeve off Tony as much as he thought it would. He freely admitted it, he cared about the kid. It was easy to say that Andrew's well-being and safety were Tony's top priorities. And sure, maybe a kid's real father or even father figure type guy in his life wouldn't so easily encourage and enable and prepare said kid into becoming a suited up vigilante. But Andrew wasn't a normal teen, and Tony sure as hell wasn't a normal type of father figure. Tony believed in Andrew's abilities. The boy was strong and more in control than ever, able to manipulate the energy a part of him to do a number of amazing things. Andrew could fight, and he could defend himself. Tony did think the kid was ready to start putting his powers to use in the real world, but definitely starting small like taking down purse snatchers or something. Allowing the kid to possibly come face-to-face with one of his tormentors was completely out of the question though. Tony stood by that decision with every fiber of his being. Tony knew what it would turn into for Andrew —a lust for revenge— and Tony wasn't going to let Andrew get swept up in that. Tony let the boy be outside. Someday Andrew would understand that benching him from this takedown truly was in his best interests, at least that's what Tony told himself before diving into devising a plan with the team.
They wanted to hit all locations in synchronization, and before nightfall. The mission was at first to be treated as surveillance only. It wasn't known if Lynch was hiding out alone or if the doctor would be among any hostiles. Once they found Lynch, Tony did relent to Steve's insistence that he play ball and call it in to S.H.I.E.L.D. But if Tony happened to be the one to search out the right location, he didn't make any promises about listening to any of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orders on how to proceed. Tony may have slightly been a hypocrite: Not wanting Andrew involved so the kid wouldn't succumb to the thirst of vengeance, but Tony himself felt driven to go after Lynch by a sense of needing to avenge what that sick doctor did to the boy. What the doctor did to all of those captured people. But could Tony really be blamed? He was an Avenger after all.
Steve had already taken off toward the western side of the country to get a head start to the suspected location in Nevada. The other two hideout locations were closer, on the east coast; so Tony, Clint, and Natasha lingered at the Tower. They had some time to kill before their times to leave, and Tony figured he should try to talk to Andrew one last time before he left. Tony expected this conversation would hold a little less anger too it, imagining Andrew had plenty of time to blow off some steam outside.
Tony made his way out through the balcony doors and glanced around the large space. He looked again. And again. Andrew wasn't there, but Tony didn't let himself panic just yet. He calmly walked back into the common room.
"What's wrong?" Nat questioned right away. He must have looked too calm.
"Neither of you happened to have noticed the dear angsty teen coming back inside at all during the meeting?"
"No." Nat answered for her and Clint both. "He would've needed to walk right by us. None of us would have missed him. Especially me."
"You don't think he... I mean..." Clint scratched at the back of his head as he mused. "He was able to make himself fly a flew times in the training room but..."
No. Tony wasn't going to let himself believe that option for a second. "Jarvis," Tony still kept his voice calm, "tell me you have eyes on Drew in his room."
"Negative, sir." The AI quickly replied. "I am afraid I am not picking up his presence anywhere within the Tower."
"Shit." Tony breathed as a trickle of panic started to move through him.
The flying was still fairly new, its limitations basically untested. Would Andrew really have just flung himself from such a height off the Tower? Tony filled with dread. The answer was yes. Yes for the very reason Tony wasn't letting Andrew be involved in the first place: Because this was personal.
"Jarvis. Suit. Now."
Tony hurried to the proper space on the floor, where his machines sprung forth from it and quickly assembled the Iron Man suit around his form. Tony barely had the face plate closed before he gave out the next panicked order.
"Give me the feed on junior's location." Tony knew the tracking device embedded in Andrew's suit would come in handy one day, but the man really hoped it wasn't going to be this soon. "He's heading north ...and fast." Even caught up in his worry, Tony was still able to be impressed by the read out of Andrew's speed. "Basically on a straight away to the cabin location. How would he even know how to the get there?"
"Well damn," Nat spoke up, patting at an empty pocket of her utility belt. "He lifted my phone." Andrew had all the information and a tool to guide him with that in his possession. "He's getting good," she said with a hint of pride.
"Wait, have you been teaching him to pickpocket?" Tony questioned emphatically. "What would that even... You know what? I don't want to know. Change of plan; I'm taking the cabin. You two head south. It doesn't look like I'll be able to catch up with him before he reaches it. Let's just hope he picked wrong, and you guys or Cap are the ones to find Lynch."
