Bella didn't like reckless plans.
Tony always had seemed to. From flying off alone to fight Ivan Vanko to guiding a nuclear missile into a portal in New York's skies – both of which had nearly gotten him killed – he had always seemed to have one. Which had always frustrated Bella no end.
But now, she supposed he wasn't there to have them, she would have to be responsible for them. Which wasn't a pleasant thought, but she was running out of plans.
She wasn't going to stabilize Extremis. She wasn't going to help another terrorist.
Unfortunately, while two guards had guns trained on her, it would be difficult to enact her plan. Apparently, Killian had learned from the mistake the Ten Rings had made.
"So, how are we doing?"
Bella turned toward the. "Miss… Hansen?"
"I work for Aldrich, remember?" She gave Bella a bright smile. "Now, how is it going?"
Bella bent over the table cluttered with test tubes in an attempt to hide her confusion. "I… you…"
"Miss Stark? How's everything going? Smoothly, I hope?"
Bella was silent.
"Think for a moment, Miss Stark. This doesn't have to have military applications. It helps regrow limbs, remember? Think of all the people who could benefit. The vice president has a daughter who's missing a leg."
"But that's not what it's going to be used for, is it?"
"I was trying to make you feel better. But, if you insist, feel bad about it."
"I think I may have found the source of the problem," said Bella, gesturing to a tube. She swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing. This was crazy. No, worse. This was insane. "However, I would need a test subject in order to make sure it works before I continue. It wouldn't be perfect, even then, but it would be something, and I would like to confirm my theory is correct. Do you have… rats or something I could test it on?"
The scientist sat down in a chair. "Can you explain your theory to me?"
Bella started nervously babbling about a similar project – the one that she had worked on that Bruce Banner had previously been a part of. Maya Hansen waited and waited as she babbled on about nothing. Finally, the other scientist waved a hand. "You know what, don't worry about it. I'll find you a rat."
She stood up and left.
Bella exhaled slightly.
She didn't know how to fix it. She just knew what the problem was. She hadn't lied – she had a few theories – but doubted any of them would actually work.
A few minutes later, Miss Hansen returned with a rat in a cage and a syringe.
"Here," she said, handing the cage to Bella and keeping the syringe. "This tube, Miss Stark?"
Bella nodded, and Miss Hansen filled the syringe with the contents of the tube – Extremis.
Bella opened the cage door. Poor little rat. She'd never cared much for animals, but she felt so sorry for the creature.
Miss Hansen handed her the needle.
Bella pulled out the rat with shaking hands, then dropped it on the table and emptied the contents of the syringe into her own arm.
Miss Hansen lunged, but it was too late to stop her.
A burning, searing heat ran up Bella's arm as she dropped the rat and the needle. She screamed as it reached her chest, dropping to the floor.
No, a little voice in her head whispered. Get up. Go. Now.
Bella sprang to her feet, fighting against the pain, more intense than anything she'd ever experienced. Her arms seemed to glow orange.
She threw herself at the guards, who, wisely, started to run.
She glared at Miss Hansen, grabbing her by the neck and shoving her up against the cement wall. "Where's Pepper!? Where's my suit!?" she screamed at the scientist. The Extremis coursed through her body, burned through her veins. Was this how the Hulk felt? Poor Dr. Banner. Then the built up rage took over again. "Where are they?!"
"Your suit is two floors down, in Killian's work space. Miss Potts is several doors down."
She released the scientist. "Thank you."
Then Bella turned and staggered toward the door.
"You won't get out," said Miss Hansen.
"Won't I?" asked Bella, turning her back and walking away.
And then the pain hit. Bella screamed and dropped to the ground. The sound coming out of her mouth was a long, uninterrupted, inhuman shriek. She saw orange.
"Bad plan, Miss Stark."
"No, your plan was bad," gasped Bella. "You can't heal me, so I either live with the pain or die. And I will give up if he catches me. I will not fix Extremis."
She climbed to her feet, gripping the door handle for support as she staggered out into the hall. She wanted to cry for Tony, but he wasn't there anymore to help her. She'd have to tough this out. Fortunately, she'd only been given a rat-sized dose. A dose enough for a human – she shuddered to think about that.
She staggered down two flights of steps. The power coursing through her was the most amazing thing she'd ever experienced – as well as the most painful and terrifying.
She staggered down the hall.
Something stabbed the back of her leg. She spun around to face Killian.
"We're not letting you get away, you know."
Bella'd had enough of that grin of his. She grabbed for his collar, but he was quicker, shoving her up against the wall. She could feel her body growing weaker as she struggled. Whatever stabbed her leg must have beem sleeping drugs.
And then she realized something. She'd sparred with Captain America – she knew what super strength was like.
"You took it, too. Extremis," she said, voice growing fainter. "Didn't you?"
She jerked her knee into him. He yelled in surprise. Bella tore free and ran, her suit the only thing she cared about finding. Orange filled her vision. She tore through cement walls. Footsteps sounded behind her. Then she was in another room that was definitely a workshop.
And there, standing beside a table, was her suit.
She staggered toward the suitcase, but both legs collapsed underneath her.
"It was a good idea, Izzy."
Bella twisted around and glared at the blurry figure of Aldrich Killian. "Don't you ever call me that. You're working for the man who killed Tony."
"No, Izzy. The Mandarin works for me."
And then everything went black.