Chapter 28

Bella didn't mind Vision too much, but she had to remember he was on Stark's side on everything. Not hers. There was only one thing that he did right and it was letting her work.

She didn't sleep, she kept working and by 10 am of the next day, she had figured the whole thing out.

She sent the whole package of information to the captain of the police station in Chicago.

" That was good, fast work. "

She jumped almost a foot in the air when she heard the voice.

" CRAP! " She exclaimed, a hand going over her heart. Then looking back to see Hill standing there. " Can you NOT be a creep at least one time that we meet?! "

" I just said that you did a good job. " She said, one eyebrow raised, Bella had the impression the woman was enjoying annoying her.

" While sneaking up on me? How long have you been there silently spying on me? " Asked Bella, running a hand over her face.

" Not my fault you zoned out. " Said Hill, looking over the table. " Coffee and nothing else, huh? "

" Yes. " Said Bella.

" You do know that your doctor said not to drink caffeine. "

" And you do know where the doctor can shove that suggestion. " Said Bella, standing up and feeling her muscles ache from the time she was sitting there. And the injuries she had from the day before. She also felt her bladder remind her that she needed a bathroom.

" You should have some breakfast. Then sleep a little. " Said Hill, as Bella left the room. The girl was sure that the woman was trying to see what Bella left on the computer. Or having the FRIDAY AI do it. " Not a suggestion. "

" Then you know where you can shove that 'order'. " Said Bella.

" Down your throat? Because you're not getting off that easy? " Asked Hill, following her. Apparently she had the AI do it.

" You know what? " Asked Bella, turning to the woman. " It's annoying how stubborn you are. "

" Good, now you know how it's like. " Said Hill.

" Too bad I'm too good at it. " She said, smirking at the woman and continuing walking. " Not hungry. Not tired. Can't make me! "

She heard a sigh as she walked, which kind of made her happy that Hill didn't sound like she would continue talking about it, even if she had the impression she hadn't heard the last of it.

Bella continued walking, pulling her hoodie up when she saw some other people on the halls. And of course stopping when she saw a bathroom. After taking care of nature's call, she wanted to continue walking until she left the building, but Hill wouldn't get out from her way, so she just HAD to walk in the room the woman was pointing at.

And of course, Stark was there. Along with Tomas. She barely had time to see his face before the man crossed the distance between them and engulfed her smaller figure in a hug.

" Please, please don't ever do that to me again. " Said Tomas, low enough just for her to hear.

It always hurt her to see him worried like that. Why couldn't he just listen to her? It wasn't worth it. She wasn't worth it. Because she wouldn't, couldn't change.

She thought about hugging him back, but she wouldn't, not with Stark in the room.

" You read my letter? " She asked, lowly, just for him to listen.

" I did. " He said, letting go of the hug and looking her over, pulling the hoodie a bit back to see the bandage on her head. " You can't ask me that. "

" You can't ask me this. " She said.

She looked away from the man, at Stark who was sitting on a chair by the meeting table in the room. He wasn't looking at them, but his very presence there felt like intrusive.

Tomas sighed.

" Okay. " He said, now in a normal volume. " We need to talk. All of us. "

" I'm not talking to him. " She said.

" Bella. " Said Tomas, looking at her with that expression of his that made her feel as guilty as hell. " I can't handle this anymore. I need answers. This is making me insane. Please, if you could just... stand him for a few minutes. For me. "

She thought about it for a moment. Stark would be talking to him anyway. This way she could know what was said. And there was also that look in Tomas' face that made her feel so bad.

" Fine. " She said, moving to the chair the furthest away from Stark.

" Thank you. " Said Tomas. " Now, what happened to you? "

" Nothing- "

" She got herself kidnapped by a group of torturing serial killers. " Said Stark.

" WHAT? " Asked Tomas, going to stand next to her again, looking her over again, paying attention to all the bandages.

" I'm fine. " Said Bella. " They're in custody. "

" Because I showed up to save you. " Said Stark.

She glared at him.

" I had a plan. " She said.

" Really? And what that was? Hit them with that pipe using your amazing muscles? " Asked Stark, using a very sarcastic tone. " In the dark? "

She wanted to say no, but actually that had been her plan. She leaned back on the chair.

" Yeah, great idea- " Continued Stark, before being interrupted.

" Mr Stark, why don't we focus on what happened? " Asked Tomas, sitting on the chair next to Bella's. " And that goes to you too, pequeña. "

" I didn't say anything. " She said. Tomas only looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a 'I know you' look. " Fine. "

" Thank you. "

" Turns out, Chicago had a group of serial killers that kidnapped, tortured and burned homeless people. " Said Tony. " Bella got taken with another guy. " She hated that Tomas was listening to that, she could feel his worry from where she was sitting. " They didn't have the chance to do anything serious to her, you don't have to worry about that. " At least Stark was quick in adding that piece of information.

" And the other guy? "

" Spots is alive, but it's not getting released from the hospital yet. Apparently he had some health issues he neglected. " Said Bella, remembering all that was on the hospital system.

" Spots? "

" Yeah, that's how people call him. " Said Bella.

" Why? "

" Does it matter? " She asked.

" No, you're right. " He said, breathing deeply. " Is he a friend? "

" No. " She said.

" Yes. " Said Stark at the same time.

" How the hell do you consider yourself qualified to answer that? " She asked, an aggressive tone to Stark.

" Because I talked to him, even if briefly. And I talked to Tiny. " Said Stark, leaning back with his feet up on the table. " The only reason we've been able to find you was the gigantic man. So you should be grateful that I talked to him. "

" It will be a cold day in hell the day I thank you- "

" Bella! " Interrupted Tomas.

" You want me to be nice or to completely change my personality? " She asked, folding her arms in front of herself.

" My mistake. " Said Tomas. " Now, there is something Tony and I were about to talk about. For your sake I asked for you to be here, because I wanted this all to get cleared up. "

No way he was going to ask that. Not that.

" I need to know what is this 'work', that Bella talked about in her letter. What is it that she is doing? "

" You don't need to know that. " She said.

" You can't tell me that. "

" I can and I am. I explained, it is safer to everybody if you just... live your life with your family- "

" Our family, kid. "

" No, is not. " She said, knowing that it was going to hurt him, but he just refused to see the truth.

" She's a cyber vigilante. " Suddenly said Stark.

She looked at him with more anger than she looked at anyone before.

" Don't you dare. " She hissed at him.

" What? " Asked Tomas, looking between the two of them.


Tony knew that Bella hated him. He knew that she didn't hate Tomas. It still gave him an odd feeling to see how she received that hug without moving away. In that gesture and the start of their talk it was clear how different the two men were on her eyes.

She obviously didn't want Tomas to know what she did. Tony understood, he had been hesitant too. But he was not seeing a way around it. Maybe it would even be good.

" She's a cyber vigilante. " He said, after seeing her denying the man as family.

The look she sent him was pure anger.

" Don't you dare. " She hissed at him.

" What? " Asked Tomas, confused.

" She has spent the last years stealing money from international dealers and giving it all back to their victims. " He said.

Tomas was a military man, he had been in war, he understood what that meant. It meant that the girl was in more danger than he had known.

Tomas raised his hands to his face, covering it for a moment, then lowering them again.

" Who? " He asked, as if he had lost the air in his lungs.

" Easier to ask who she didn't do this to. " Said Stark.

" It's not your problem, Stark. Neither was your choice to make. " Said Bella, glaring daggers at him. " It's better if he's out of it. "

" Better for me? " Asked Tomas looking at her with an angry expression, but his tone was worried. " What about you? "

" I- "

" Don't you dare say you don't care! " Interrupted her Tomas.

That sentence made alarms sound in Tony's head. That sentence confirmed all the little comments he made to himself about she seeming to have some sort of death wish.

" You know what? I'm done. " She said, standing up and leaving the room. Ignoring Tomas as he called her back.

He sat back down.

" Tony, you have known this for how long? " He asked.

" Since I found out she was my daughter. " He said.

" And how did you REALLY found out? " Asked Tomas, looking at him.

Tony took a deep breath.

" We found her in a HYDRA base. She had been caught trying to sneak in, beaten. The doctor taking care of the injuries of one of the Avengers looked her over and decided to try to find her DNA or a similar one on our records. Found me. " Tony really felt bad for the man, he looked so confused, hurt and worried it was definitely going to be hard for him to digest it all. " A former SHIELD agent who works for me, already had a file on her work. By the time I was warned, ULTRON had taken her already. "

" Because she was your daughter. " Said Tomas, it wasn't a question. " Who knows of her... activities? "

" The Avengers, a handful of people more. And you. " He said.

Tomas was looking at the table, hands opening and closing into fists. Breathing deeply.

" I promised George I would take care of her. And she's... " He said, rubbing his forehead.

" From what I'm learning that is a very hard promise to keep. She is very stubborn. "

" I know. " Said Tomas. " Dios mio, I know. " He took a deep breath. " Tell me everything you know about it. "


Bella was having a hard time breathing. Tomas was supposed to be safe. Ignorant and safe!

She couldn't save Spots, she couldn't save Tomas. It was like she was doomed to try and try and fail.

She needed an empty place, she needed to be alone because she was freaking out. Too much going on at once, and she was reaching her limit on what she could handle. Her heart beat was loud in her ears and despite taking air in and out, she didn't feel like she was actually breathing.

Alone. Alone. Alone. She needed to be alone.

She found the kitchen and after a few seconds she found a pantry. She got in and closed the door.

Small space, but not too much. Good. She sat on the floor, leaning against the shelves. Now, she had to keep herself from freaking out.

She started counting Pi.

3.14159 26535 89793 23846 26433 83279 50288 41971 69399 37510 58209 74944 59230 78164 06286 20899 86280 34825 34211 70679 82148 08651 32823 06647 09384 46095 50582 23172 53594 08128 48111 74502

Tomas now knew what she did, he was in danger. He wasn't just sitting back.

84102 70193 85211 05559 64462 29489 54930 38196 44288 10975 66593 34461 28475 64823 37867 83165 27120 19091 45648 56692 34603 48610 45432 66482 13393 60726 02491 41273 72458 70066 06315 58817 48815 20920 96282 92540 91715 36436 78925 90360 01133 05305 48820 46652 13841 46951 94151 16094 33057 27036 57595 91953 09218 61173 81932 61179 31051 18548 07446 23799 62749 56735 18857 52724 89122 79381 83011 94912

Spots was in the hospital. He was so close to being killed. She too. Tortured and killed.

98336 73362 44065 66430 86021 39494 63952 24737 19070 21798 60943 70277 05392 17176 29317 67523 84674 81846 76694 05132 00056 81271 45263 56082 77857 71342 75778 96091 73637 17872 14684 40901 22495 34301 46549 58537 10507 92279 68925 89235 42019 95611 21290 21960 86403 44181 59813 62977 47713 09960 51870 72113 49999 99837 29780 49951 05973 17328 16096 31859 50244 59455 34690 83026 42522 30825

Stark now had found her, again. She was in the middle of his stupid base with the billion cameras and AI. Why did it have to be Stark? Memories of her mother, drunk, depressed came to her. Memories of being told that a weapons manufacturer was her father. A man responsible for the death of thousands. Millions.

She spent hours in that pantry. Breathing and counting, thinking of all the things messing her mind, Thinking of how much time she was wasting there while she was needed outside, working.

She was tired, hurt and the caffeine kick she was on had passed, so she eventually fell asleep there.