Recruited - Chapter Twenty-Six
The sterile smell of the hospital filled the white-painted medical corridors and rooms. A steady thump echoed from the cardiac monitor. Numerous clear tubes and wires lead from the electricity pack on the far-west wall to the still form of the man on the bed; and from the front of the room, nestled in a padded chair in front of the hospital cot, Anthony Stark stared at the unmoving form of his friend. He let out a heavy sigh, staring back down at his phone.
No messages. No phone calls.
Stark's thumb stroked the screen. His contacts scrolled down the clear sheet of glass, glittering blue numbers and letters flitting across the device.
Wellington, Anna Jean (Dr.)
He punched the name, watching as the analyst's identification flashed up on the screen.
Anna J. Wellington
DOB: December 24th 1984
Address: #5C 165 West 91st Street, New York, NY 10025
Location: Searching… Searching… Searching…
Stark stared down at the information, watching and waiting. He ran his hand over his face, knowing that this technology - his technology - would be able to pinpoint the location of his missing employee. Where was she? Had she been with Happy at the time of the blast? Had she gone back to New York? He needed to apologise for his behaviour - to apologise for his ignorance. Had he known more of her past, he never would have pressured her into flying. If he wanted to see her, he would go to her.
He just needed the chance to apologise.
A soft beep and click emitted from the advanced smartphone. With a swear, Stark looked down at the letters before calling Pepper Potts.
Location: Unknown
Warmth. A sea of fire, debris and dust. With her arms wrapped around her torso, the brunette feasted her eyes on the wreckage of the Californian landmark. Dust settled from the pillars, bodies lay covered - charred and singed beyond recognition. Lifting a hand to shield her eyes, Anna stared as the navy-clad men and women slipped beyond the yellow and black cautionary tapes.
What was going on?
The last thing the analyst remembered was tugging at her friend's arm, trying to pull him away from the fight. She remembered the heat on her skin - how fire had touched ice - and then nothing. She had found herself on the other side of the city, miles away from the blast. One word slipped from her lips as she looked across the street, searching for some kind of communication. "Happy," she muttered, stalking forward. "Tony." She needed to find him.
Searching … Searching … Searching …
Anna made her way across the city. She caught sight of a news report blaring from an old electrical store on the far side of the boulevard: Tony Stark's "Iron Man" visits friend at Cedars Sinai…
Searching … Searching … Searching …
The hospital was littered with news and television reporters. Anna pushed her through the gaggle of journalists, ignoring their disgruntled remarks regarding her movement and charred clothing. She reached the doors and slipped inside, ushered froward to the desk by a portly male nurse. Anna shot the receptionist a quick, false smile. She winced as her lips stretched across her face, biting down on her tongue as she formed the lie in her whirring mind. "I need to see a patient. I heard he's here. His name is Happ-," at this, she shook her head and corrected herself. "Harold Hogan."
The raven-haired woman behind the large oval desk glanced up at the analyst. "And you are? Are you a relative?"
Turning back to stare at the crowd of reporters, Anna knew that Tony had to be inside the confines of the hospital - why else would so many journalists and camera crew be there? She offered the woman a brighter smile, willing her voice to sound more convincing. She had never been a very good liar. "I'm his daughter," she lied, still smiling. Her lips felt strained. "His step-daughter," she amended when the receptionist flashed her a suspicious glance.
"OK," said the woman, her voice a little softer - more kind. "What's your name?"
"Annie Hogan," continued Anna, still biting her lip. She wrung her hands by her side, trying to ignore the chatter from the throng of people outside.
"Do you have any identification on you, Miss Hogan?"
Anna frowned. "No," she replied. She ran her hand over her face, frustrated now. "No. I rushed from the cab. I didn't think-" She paused for effect, sighing. "Is Tony here? He can vouch for me. He'll know that I'm coming. He'll be expecting me. Just-"
"Tony Stark?" echoed the woman, recognition flashing in her eyes.
"He's a family friend. He wouldn't be in your hospital if my Dad didn't mean anything to him. Please-"
The woman clucked her tongue. "One moment, please. Doctor Walsh," called the receptionist, gesturing to a tall man across the lobby. "Can you confirm with a visitor that a Miss Annie Hogan is here to visit her father? Thanks, Doctor Walsh."
"No problem. I'll just be a few minutes."
Anna smiled her thanks at the woman before turning to sit on one of the hard plastic chairs at the entrance of the hospital. She tapped her foot against the floor, forever biting her lip to keep her emotions in check. What had happened? Why had she disappeared? Subconsciously, she pulled the sleeves of her shirt down over her wrists and hands.
What was going on?
She sat in silence for what seemed like hours, her fingers gripping the arms of the chair. She let out the breath she had been holding and closed her eyes Had it been hours? Days?
And it was just one word that slipped from her right, one word that made it all come crashing down - one word that allowed the spell to break. The tears leaked from her eyes as she collapsed in her friend's arms, clutching at his shirt with such force she felt as though she could tear the onyx fabric in two.
"Annie?"
The brunette continued to cry harder as his words tore down the walls she had built.
Stark rested his hands on the analyst's shaking form - one behind her head and the other on the small of her back, constant reminders that she was safe and loved and needed. "You're OK," breathed Stark, holding her close. "You're safe."
Apologies for such a long delay with this story, but I'm back with eight more chapters written that will following the end of IM3, CA: tWS and the new Avengers: Age of Ultron! If you'd like to see more of this story, please favourite, alert and review!