Chapter 8.
It made no sense.
Tony stripped the code down, turned it, twisted it, read every line he had written. He was over halfway through, and it was all perfect. It was just the way he had left it. While he searched, the program was running on his big screen, displaying Hydra bases all over the world.
"I have completed the thermal scan, sir. How would you like to display the results?"
Tony gestured at the map, "Overlay."
Red dots appeared over some of the bases.
"Heat signatures. Jarvis, compare the detection protocol in the Overwatch program to the one in your code."
"It would appear that the thermal detection protocol in the Overwatch program is disabled."
"Disabled…?" Tony scanned through the code, going straight to the section in question.
Jarvis was right. It was clear as day. An entire section of his code had been tampered with. It had not been scanning for heat signatures, allowing him to send Nat and Clint into a trap.
"Someone hacked in. Someone messed with my code." Tony jumped up, pacing the lab. "Initiate security protocols. Scan the servers. Probe for viruses."
"Which protocol would you like to activate, sir?"
"Nanny cam."
His screen began to fill up as the cameras throughout Avengers Tower were activated. Startled employees looked up at him from every floor, every conference room. Tony surveyed them, wondering which one of his people had betrayed him. If they were still in the building, he was going to find them. It was only a matter of time.
A thought occurred to him.
"Jarvis, initiate lockdown procedure. Deploy the panels."
"I would advise against that, Sir. The employees-"
"Do it."
In every camera, metal panels folded down over the building, sealing it from the outside, keeping the saboteur from escaping.
"Once you find the breach, gather whatever data you can. Give me something to find them with. And while you're on that, scan the employee files. Find anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of code. Criminal records. School suspensions. Whatever."
Tony kneaded his hands, tension building like a tidal wave inside.
The workshop door opened and Tony nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Tony, what on Earth?" Pepper demanded.
"I told you not to sneak up on me," Tony said.
Pepper beheld the security screen, the panels closing, the panicked employees.
"What is going on? Did you do this?"
"Someone breached my program," Tony explained. "Nearly got Natasha and Clint killed."
She came to his desk, reaching out for him, but hesitating, "Is that why you never came to bed last night? Are they okay?"
"Yeah, this time." Tony motioned to the screens. "But someone out there messed with my code. Installed a virus or something. There's no way in hell it could have been penetrated remotely. It had to be someone here, physically, in this building."
Pepper was already shaking her head, "Open it. You can't just lock our employees in the building without evidence."
"I'm finding the evidence right now."
"Tony, open it!"
"Pep, I'm kind of busy with this right now. You should stay up top until I find the mole. Everything will be fine. Everyone can go as soon as I get answers."
"You have to see that you're being crazy."
Was he?
Tony could only think of his friends running for their lives, getting blown up for a mistake that he made – no, a trap that someone set. And he knew that whoever did it was in this tower. If he let them go now, they would get away. He would never have a chance like this again.
Pepper left, phone in hand.
Tony tracked her with the security cameras, following her all the way up to the penthouse.
"Jarvis, give me sound on that camera."
Her voice sprung to life.
"He won't listen to me. I'm worried about him. Can you come talk to him? Yes, the whole building."
Tony said, "Who is she talking to?"
"Colonel Rhodes, sir."