Tony watched as the numbers on the elevator went up as then men patted Tony down, taking his phone. Why the hell were they going up on this elevator, rather than down? What did they possibly have planned?
When the numbers dinged the top floor, the roof top, Tony glanced over at Obadiah in disbelief. "We're talking business on the roof?"
Obadiah cast him a smug smile. "Yeah, something like that."
The top of the Stark Industries tower was a flat surface, the perfect space for a helicopter to land, but that was about all they used the area for. Tony couldn't remember the last time he had been up here, probably when his father had been alive when they'd taken the helicopter to the military station that they were negotiating the next deal at.
The doors slid open in front of Tony and he was nudged out by one of the bodyguards. Obadiah stepped out behind him, following him a few paces. Tony turned back just in time to watch the other four guards head back down the elevator, the doors closing on them.
"Where are they going?" Tony asked, annoyed.
Obadiah waved Tony away from the elevator. "I told them that I wouldn't involve them in what comes next. This next bit is between you and me."
"Why the hell would I stay up here?" Tony growled out. He turned and headed back to the elevator.
A click of the safety on a gun had Tony freezing in his tracks. He held still as the gun was pressed dangerously against the back of his skull. "This will stop you," Obadiah said shortly. "Now come on, walk with me."
Tony turned when the gun was pulled away from his head and they walked across the landing pad past the stationary helicopter, sitting silently to their right. The New York City lights were bright around them, especially when they neared the end of building.
Obadiah held his gun at his side while he approached the ledge and looked over it. He whistled. "It's a long way down, Tony."
"Okay, what's this about?" Tony spat. "What are you doing to Loki?"
"You should see this lovely picture the boys sent from your apartment." He took his phone out with one hand flicked through it quickly, pointing the gun wildly in all directions as he moved his phone around. Finally, after the longest seconds of Tony's life, Tony was confronted with the horrifying image of Loki being held up by his hair and a glinting gun pressed against his head. Loki's eyes were low lidded, clearly drugged by something, but regardless there was a frightened anger dancing in his eyes. Tony felt his disgust crawling down his back.
Tony slapped the phone away, which bounced down across the pavement. It did not break but it was several paces away from the two of them. "Okay, you bastard. What is it that you want?"
"The company," Obadiah said simply.
Tony scoffed. "You really think that threatening me and Loki's life is going to get you this company? Say I do sign it over, what are you going to when I get my lawyers involved? And the police?"
"I could make Loki disappear in an instant. I could kill him," Obadiah mused, leaning back against the ledge, "or I could even make it so you never see him again, living somewhere where you'll never find him and you'll have to live with the fact that I will make sure he suffers."
"You forget," Tony said, taking a side step towards Obadiah's phone laying on the concrete, "your phone is unprotected. I could use the evidence to—."
"And you forget who is holding the gun!" Obadiah hollered, shoving the gun in Tony's general direction.
Tony froze for a second. He and Obadiah stared at each other.
In the next moment, Tony was ducking and Obadiah fired a shot, the gun echoing over the empty air. Tony swung his leg underneath Obadiah and took the man down, another shot ringing out but flying haphazardly into the air. Tony wrestled the man and the gun was knocked from Obadiah's shaking hand. The metal grated against the concrete audibly.
Tony breathed rapidly as he fought for control, attempting to keep Obadiah underneath him. His fingers ached as the body beneath him thrashed and jerked.
Obadiah heaved him heavily and Tony was thrown aside. He hit the ledge with a groan of pain as the hard concrete rattled up his spine. Copper-flavored blood filled Tony's mouth from where he bit the inside of his cheek and he spat the out the blood before launching himself onto Obadiah's back before he could again reach the gun.
The two fell with their combined weight. Obadiah gasped out when he took the impact and Tony felt a quick flare of pride, rushing through the thump of his blood.
But he only had a second of victory before Obadiah, out of nowhere, swung a fist, impacting Tony's face with a sickening crack. The blow rattled Tony and he was down in an instant as his vision went in and out of black. He spat out more blood, crawling across the concrete after Obadiah.
Obadiah had made it to the gun and pulled it into his hand hastily, turning on Tony, but Tony was already at him, blood rushing through his ears, making him deaf to the world. He grabbed Obadiah's arm, forcing it into the sky just as he fired again. The bullet disappeared into the night sky.
"Why won't you die?" Obadiah spat.
Tony punched the bastard with all his might and his bones shook with the satisfying crack as he broke Obadiah's nose. The man howled but did not drop the gun. It did give Tony enough time to pin the man down, throwing his full weight onto his chest.
The larger weight of Obadiah overtook Tony an instant and Obadiah was rolling them so that he was on top. Then, just as quickly as the fight had started, the two froze panting wildly.
Obadiah had a hand pressed painfully into Tony's neck with the gun pressed harshly against Tony's temple. "You are going to sign this document or you are going to die."
Tony watched as something flashed behind the man's eyes. Then it dawned on him. "You are going to kill me anyway. I'm going to sign it and you will kill me."
"You will kill yourself," Obadiah corrected, looking wild with the blood pouring from his nose. "The only difference is that if you do this willingly, I will let Loki go completely." He shoved the gun against Tony causing him to wince. "Now are you going to go willingly or not?"
Tony sighed, squeezing his eyes shut as he let the reality of the situation settle around him. "I guess… I guess the easy way."
"Good," Obadiah said, huffing with relief. Obadiah kept the gun where it was but reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a rolled document and a pen.
While he was distracted, Tony yanked the gun away from his head as he kneed Obadiah unceremoniously in the groin. The gun once again slid away but Tony was released and he took his chance to instead run to the discarded phone. He grabbed it up and sprinted away from the man, heading around the side of the helicopter just another bullet bounced off the helicopter.
Tony brought the phone to life as ran, ducking to the side of the helicopter, breathing hard as he tried to pinpoint where Obadiah would be. The phone, of course was locked, but luckily Tony was still able to dial out of the phone. He quickly dialed 911.
Another bullet rang out, bouncing dangerously near Tony. Tony cursed and quickly hoisted himself into the cab of the helicopter, closing the door behind him.
"911, what's your emergency?"
"My name is Tony Stark," he yelled into the phone as another bullet whizzed through the window, showering glass over him. "I am trapped on the roof of the Stark Industries tower. New York City. A man with a gun!"
"We will dispatch emergency immediately, sir."
"And please, send someone to my address. My fiancé is at the apartment being held hostage!" Tony yelled as he jumped out the opposite door of the helicopter. He quickly gave the address just as another shot rang out. Tony then tossed the phone over the edge of the Stark Tower, where it hurtled to the ground below. He didn't know why he had done that. He had just thrown away his evidence, but he guessed with the police coming, there was enough already here to damn Obadiah.
"The police is coming," Tony screamed at Obadiah.
"You just screwed yourself," Obadiah said, pointing the gun right at Tony's chest.
Tony froze, not sure what to do in that moment. He had nowhere to run.
"Climb up on the ledge, Tony."
"What?" Tony frowned at him, heart pounding.
"I want you to jump."
"I'm not going to jump."
"Then Loki dies!"
"Your phone is gone, Obadiah! You have no hold over me now!"
Obadiah shook his head, smiling sadly. "Then I'm sorry. If you don't jump, I'm going to have to kill you. What will it be, Tony?"
Tony took a step backwards, allowing his back to hit the ledge and he breathed raggedly. Was he really going to die here? After a deep breath, Tony decided. He was going to go down fighting. "I'm not going to jump."
Obadiah paused, shaking his head again. "Then I'm sorry for this, Tony."
The gun fired.
"You're not real," Loki told Amora, his vision still swimming. His words had come out audibly and then two men around him, looked down at him in surprise.
"Shut up, would you?" One of them said, kicking Loki lightly.
Loki winced but kept his eyes on Amora. She was flickering in and out of reality and Loki's realization grew stronger and heavier. "You can't help me," he growled out at her.
She said nothing but flickered faster, looking at him sadly.
Loki felt his body quake with anger, fear, and adrenaline. "You aren't real!" Loki screamed at her.
With his words, she disappeared instantly and completey and at the same moment, a man kicked Loki painfully in the head. Loki screamed out as his body skidded, smearing blood across their bedroom floor.
Loki, despite the pain, despite the despair of being alone, picked himself up onto his hands and knees. He felt blood trickling in his hair. Honestly, he could easily give up, he could lie down and take everything until it all ended. His decision wavered and he panted, staring at the ground as he tried to decide what to do next.
His mind hurtled through images of the past. It was again with the bathtub, the water, and the hands around him. He heaved uneasily, panicking at the images.
Suddenly, a loud hiss had Loki turning just in time to watch Sprinkles hurtle out from beneath the bed, sliding to stand his ground in front of where Loki was crouching. Loki's eyes widened as a mere cat tried to protect him from his attackers.
Worse though, Loki screamed out as the closest man kicked Sprinkles away hard, the cat hitting the wall hard. Its tiny body fell limply.
Loki snapped. He screamed with his rage and ran at his attackers. He wasn't going to sit by while others got hurt from him. He wasn't going to cower or cry anymore. He was going to take these men down before they did it to him.
He tackled the man who had kicked Sprinkles and screeched inhumanly into the man's face as he swung a punch into his ugly face. He geared up for another but he was yanked off of the shuddering body. The second man backhanded Loki, causing Loki to spin with the force of it. He fell heavily against the bed and Loki tore the bedsheets from the bed as he grabbed desperately for something to break his fall. He landed, jamming his elbow brutally against the floor. The sensation of needle pricks flooded his arm.
The second man was on Loki in and instant and he wrapped his thick, sweaty hands around Loki's thin neck, choking Loki off from air.
Loki thrashed with all his might as the air was stolen from him. He kicked and tore at the fingers, but his vision was already starting to fade. He was going to die. He was going to die!