Chapter 11
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"Miss Drew, Mr Parker you asked for any information on the weapon dealing gang, this is being broadcast on the news."
The pair stopped their sparing to watch. A holographic screen appeared showing a Staten Island ferry with smoke coming from the rear.
"Four FBI agents and two civilians have been reported dead in an operation to bring in a weapons dealer believed to supply alien technology to criminals across America."
"What happened, FRIDAY?"
"The FBI were not suited for the amount of resistance and the resulting firefight led to the deaths of the agents and civilians. The 'Vulture Guy' and one Harmen Schultz escaped."
"Do we know who the Vulture Guy is?" Asked Jess.
"Yes the ringleader is Adrian Toomes former salvage worker, put out of work following the introduction of the Department of Damage Control."
"Does he have any family?" Asked Peter nervously.
"Indeed," FRIDAY brought up a picture, "a wife ? And daughter..."
"... Liz." Gasped Peter.
"Wait you know her," said Jess turning to Peter.
"Er yeah she's in my school."
"Oh."
Across the room the sounds of AC/DC filled the air, Tony held up a hand to the pair to keep them quiet before answering the phone.
"Stark," came the gruff voice of Secretary of State Ross.
"Ah former General Ross, how may I help today?"
"Cut the shit if you don't know you can guess."
"Ok I'll get you the information on the suspected base of operations."
"Good, you might prove yourself useful yet."
"I've got a meeting with you tomorrow to discuss the Accords, hopefully you won't be too busy to see me."
"Oh I'm sure I'll find the time."
"Ok good," Tony cut the call with a sweep of his hand. "FRIDAY lock down the room and sweep for any bugs."
The room was bathed in a blue light before FRIDAY spoke, "room clear."
"Ok you two come here I've got a job for you."
"Ok what's the plan?" Said Peter eagerly.
"Listen and listen carefully because this is directly against the Accords. It makes most sense for the FBI to go in tomorrow before Toomes has time to run, just by 'coincidence' he's booked our meeting for tomorrow. I suspect he's trying to get me out of the way so as to claim the weapons for himself, that's the last thing we need."
"Ok so what can we do?"
_LINEBREAK_
The following evening Peter met Jess outside her apartment and they made their way up to the roof. The pair quickly pulled of their outer clothes to reveal their Spider-Suits, they hid their everyday clothes and took off across the roofs towards their target.
It took them 10 minutes to arrive at the dilapidated warehouse which housed their quarry. Stealthily they made their way in through an upper window.
"Ok the weapons have a nice and unique signature so we find them and drop a Stark special on each," Jess set out.
"Ok d'you want top or bottom, it looks like the FBI aren't here yet, according to Karen there's no radio signals in the warehouse."
"Ok let's go I'll take top," replied Jess.
Peter dropped to the floor in the corner of the room and thanking his new camouflage suit he began looking round scanning for any sign of the chitauri energy signature.
Above him Jess made her way through the maze of beams looking down to scan the room from above.
As they completed the search the two Spiders met in the centre of the warehouse.
"Nothing?"
"Nothing," agreed Peter.
"If there's nothing here then they could have moved it."
"Not likely they knew about it yesterday if they had enough tech to sell then it would take them too long to remove it."
"So they must have been hit yesterday."
"Then why are they coming now," replied Peter nervously watching two helicopters appear on his HUD.
"They're not coming for the gang, they're coming for us," gasped Jess in sudden realisation.
There was a smash and clatter noise as a cylinder rolled between their legs.
"Smoke grenade," shouted Jess kicking it away.
Peter shot a web enveloping the grenade and sending it into the wall, whilst simultaneously shooting a web to the ceiling and carrying them up. All the way Jess was shouting into her communicator, "Tony it's a trap, I repeat it's a trap. Get out of there."
_LINEBREAK_
"Mr Secretary, Tony Stark is here."
"Ah yes bring him in," Ross sat back in his chair gently sloshing his Bourbon.
"Mr Secretary, good to see you," said Tony giving his best publicity smile.
Ross watched his aide leave before speaking, "Mr Stark let's not play games here, we're both too experienced to believe your simpering act."
Tony gladly dropped the facade and returned to his more useful persona for dealing with Ross, the merchant of death.
"So I'm assuming there's a reason you called me here," said Stark.
"Yes certainly it's about your resignation from the Avengers and imminent prison sentence."
"Ah," Stark simply lifted his eyebrow.
"Tony it's a trap, I repeat it's a trap. Get out of there."
"There's no point resisting I've got you consorting with illegal vigilantes, that's instant imprisonment without trial."
"You really think you can take me?" Quizzed Stark.
Ross stood to meet his eyes and depressed a button in his desk, from a hidden compartment in the wall a dart shot out hitting Tony in the chest and sending him staggering back into his chair.
"Yes I think I can," sneered Ross. He watched though with unease as Tony slowly stood from his chair to stare Ross in the eyes.
"You get one free shot, you just missed," Tony flashed a predatory grin as his face was enveloped in his suits faceplate.
There was a knock on the door.
"Did you think I was alone," said Ross.
"I know about the twelve soldiers you've got stationed beyond that door."
"How about him," smirked Ross.
"Hello Tony," stood in the doorway was Rhodey in full War Machine armour.
"What are you doing?" His voice showed a hint of the nervousness he felt.
"Following orders."
"You don't want to do this, this isn't the Accords it's Ross," pleaded Tony, "don't make me do this."
"Sorry Tony if I don't..." Rhodey didn't need to finish, they both knew Ross would bring in the bigger guns if need be.
"Then I'm sorry too," Tony bowed his head, "this is Anthony Edwin Stark activating Trojan horse one, override War Machine, eject and deactivate."
Rhodey's suit opened and dropped him to the floor before closing and whining to a stop.
"Sorry Rhodey, I'm not going to let him get his hands on innocent heroes defending their communities, I hope you can forgive me." Tony launched a shoulder rocket which shattered the window and he vanished into the night.