A/N: Just wanted to thank Rayner Fox, Guest, Avengerscrazygirl, and Whoa-em-gee-bro, for their reviews and comments.

It's always appreciated. :)

A Little Late

"Stark! Back so soon? Where's Bruce?" Pepper feels her heart drop, following him with her eyes as he walks onto his privet jet.

He seemingly ignores her marching towards Rhodey as he addresses Betty, "Someone else got to him before I could. My missiles were practically pointless."

She clenches her teeth, "We need to get to New Mexico. My father is the only possibility."

Tony clicks his feet, suit still on his body, "You do what you feel is right but those jets didn't look like they belonged to your father. Rhodey, punch it."

Pepper persists, "Tony...where is Bruce. What did you do?!"

"Warned the jerk with a uniform that I'm not playing any games, Rhodey, punch it!"

James tugs on the back of his neck, "I'm going Stark, calm down."

Betty holds her head on the verge of tears, "I feel so sick. We have to hurry Rhodes. I think Talbot is behind this."

Stark wrinkles his brow, parking himself in the passenger seat, "Who?"

She sighs, her hands going numb, "Talbot. He's been working under my father to hunt down Bruce. We've got to hurry."

Pepper leans over, hair dropped over her shoulder, "Why? They'll hurt him!?"

She nods, eyes wide as her head goes warm, "I don't know! My father wants to use him as a weapon, but he's not careful with his stuff. Can't we move any faster?"

Tony holds his head, trying to be positive, "It's okay Elizabeth, everything will be fine. We just need to calm down."

Rhodey shakes his head, "Why do I always get drafted into these things? Don't you have anyone else you can count on?"

The billionaire widens his eyes, glancing over his shoulder before reaching for his StarkPhone, "Pep! Call Rogers! If he's in the UK, tell him to get the first flight to America. I'm calling Fury for help. Betty! I have numbers, call 'Natasha Romanoff' or 'Clint Barton', whoever you find first. We can use backup just in case things get brutal."

She pants, "I found Barton."

Pepper taps Stark on the shoulder the instant she reaches Rogers, "Steve! It's Pepper! Where are you?"

"Tell him to get back to America. Rhodey, can you contact anyone in the marine?"

He shrugs, "I'll try ,but I can't promise you anything!"

Tony holds his phone, being the last one to get a response, 'Fury! Shut up this is urgent! No it's not about me!"

The punching resumed, taunts continued, screaming persisting from the opposite room before he was finally thrown to the ground.

One more slap in the back of his skull and he was sure he was going to die;

'Robert!'

"Banner!"

Bruce peeled his eyelids open, jerking in a quick movement as he tries to avoid another slap across his burning cheek. He growls, locks falling over his forehead as he struggles to accept the wakeup call.

There's a tug on the top of his head, forcing Bruce to look his enemy in the eye, "Did you sleep well?"

He reopens his eyes, finally recognizing his current antagonist, "Just great."

Talbot releases his hold, pushing his head into the ground, "And you're welcome for the clothes. Do you know where you are?"

He pushes to his hands and knees and eventually sits back on his heels. His head is already spinning, cheek throbbing, and he's almost positive this is just the beginning. It doesn't take him long to realize he's on some sort of an aircraft, a feeling of motion sickness overcrowding his thinking abilities as he replies;

"I'm venturing to guess this thing belongs to Ross."

The colonel snickers, "It belongs to me. Ross has very little to do with this actually. He doesn't even know I have you yet, but wait until he finds out."

Bruce feels his heart pounding and his fingertips going numb. Talbot grips at his shoulders, forcing him to his feet before he pushes him into a seat. Hie head reacts to the motion, thrusting backwards into the wall. He clenches his teeth, hands gripping onto Glen's,

"Look, don't you think it would be easier just to ask me for whatever it is you want?"

He smirks, "I have what I want. Now tell me what you've done with Betty."

"I didn't do anything-"

Slap.

Bruce rolls his eyes, cheek throbbing from the aggressive contact. Talbot waits for him to continue, "I'm listening."

Banner lowers his tone, "Just leave her out of this."

"I could." He paces in a circle, hand stroking his over his own bold chin. His shoes clicked against the solid floor as he gave his pilots some firm orders.

"So doctor, I suppose I owe you some sort of explanation."

He touches over his lip, tongue already tasting a trickling of blood as he glances at the red liquid over his forefinger, "Would be nice, although I'm sort of used to getting abused for no reason."

Glen smirks evilly, "Don't worry, you'll receive one when we reach our destination."

The physicist gives a sigh, glancing out of the small window as he runs his fingers through his hair, hand stopping over a pressure point to ease the headache.

Talbot parks himself beside him in an almost mocking demeanor, "Struggling already?"

He moans, "What's it to you?"

Glen wastes little time before thrusting a chloroform loaded towel over his nose and mouth. Bruce struggles not to breathe, hands weakly tugging at Talbot's firm grip until he's eventually forced to take a deep inhale of a chemicals.

The colonel smirks, re-folding his towel now that his latest mission was complete;

"Get some rest Banner. You're going to need it."