Disclaimer: I own nothing in the MCU or anything drawn from the comics. Unfortunately. Lol. All characters belong to the amazing people over at Marvel! I'm just playing with them for a little bit. I also do not own Fury's beginning quote.
Summary: Homecoming AU. "I swear..." he gasped out between his sobs. "I... I didn't kill Mr. Stark." When the argument after the ferry incident goes horribly awry, Tony is missing and presumed dead, and Spider-Man is suspect number one. Peter believes his mentor is still alive out there, but he'll need help to find and save Tony from who truly wants him dead in time.
Author's Note: Hey, guys! Thank you for your reviews, favorites, and follows, they keep me going! I'm so, so sorry that it's taken me so long to update! I've been dealing with a situation at work that's just been stressing me out beyond belief, and when I finally got into a good headspace where I could write again, my laptop decided to give out on me. So until I'm able to either get it fixed or get a new one, it's just gonna take me a little more time to get these chapters posted in terms of posting since I've gotta do everything longhand first. But trust me, this is still in the works! Please just bear with me as I continue to de-stress from this ordeal, and as I continue to write out these chapters the old-fashioned way. Thanks, guys! Here's a rather long chapter with the return of a familiar face, and a couple of new ones, to make up for my absence! Enjoy!
Chapter 18- "You're Invited!"
It was a few small things, really. A few subtle differences. A light mole that should have been on the back of his neck near his hairline wasn't there. A long scar that was a souvenir from his time in Afghanistan was absent from the back of his right shoulder. Another scar from an accident in his lab was missing from the length of his left thumb. A small clump of freckles seemed to have been erased from near his right elbow.
Yet... the face was undeniably Tony. The immaculately cut hair and trimmed beard, the bone structure... Even the scar and slight scar and indent from where the Arc reactor had used to reside in his chest were there.
But yet, all these small details added up, giving the fool's hope that the billionaire was still alive that had lingered in her heart something concrete. As uncanny as the resemblance was, there was enough to tell her that the man lying on the coroner's table was not the man she loved.
He was not Tony Stark.
Pepper sat in an uncomfortable rolling chair with a small cup of water, staring straight ahead of her. Happy stood near her, appearing to be at a loss. Rhodey slowly paced the length of the table with the mystery man lying on it, his studying gaze passing over the body carefully. When the CEO had first uttered the words that this couldn't have possibly been his best friend, he'd wanted more than anything to believe her but couldn't quite bring himself to since he'd been afraid that it was just a foolish hope.
But when she'd started pointing out the inconsistencies, the things that weren't quite Tony, that doubt had immediately been erased. He'd tended to some of those missing scars himself.
The colonel paused, turning to where the coroner was sitting in another chair next to Pepper. "I realize this puts you in a difficult position," he said steadily. "But I'm going to have to ask you for your confidentiality."
The older man appeared hesitant for a moment. "Colonel, you must understand..." he began.
"I do," Rhodey replied. "But please understand me, too. We have no idea what's going on here, or who this man is. Since that's the case, releasing this information when news of Tony's death already has the public rattled would just make it worse. I've seen this sort of thing happen myself. So until we know more about what's happening, I ask that we keep our silence. Misinformation is killer. I'll talk to my people, see if we can figure out what any of this means. Once we know for sure what's going on here, then we can release what we know."
A moment passed before the coroner nodded. "All right," he agreed. By the look on his face, it was clear he'd never experienced anything quite like this in his line of work before. He was as lost as the rest of them. "To risk being any more compromised, I'm going to step out into the hall if there's nothing more you need from me, if that's all right with the rest of you."
Rhodey nodded. "That would be fine, sir, thank you."
As soon as the older man stepped through the door out of the room, Happy let out a long breath as he turned back to his two companions. "So... what the hell is going on here?" he asked. "You're sure that's not...?"
Pepper nodded, her slender fingers tightening around the plastic cup. "Absolutely," she answered in just above a whisper. "That's not Tony."
"But someone went through a hell of a lot of trouble to make it look like it is," Rhodey murmured, staring down at the mystery man's face. He shook his head slightly. "The brow bone, the cheek bones, the jaw line... Everything. Certainly had me fooled down at the harbor."
"So... do you think someone... modified this man's face?" Pepper wondered, the thought causing a slight shudder to run through her body. "And his chest... since it looks like his reactor was there. At first glance..."
The colonel briefly closed his eyes at the horror of the thought. The pain of the procedure to be made to look completely like a different person... only to die in such a horrible way... Why? What was the point?
"But that's what confuses me," he told her. "To put so much detail into making this man look just like Tony... only to miss so many identifying factors? It sounds almost... lazy, careless. I mean... this person had to know that those mistakes would be noticed by his next of kin. They had to."
The room was silent for a moment since no one had the answer.
"Unless... unless those mistakes were intentional?" Happy finally spoke up.
Rhodey quickly sent the other man a wondering glance.
"Hear me out," the head of security continued as he approached the table across from the colonel. "Obviously, all the work went into the recognizable features. His face, the Arc reactor. Things the public would know without a doubt. But the smaller details... things only we would be more familiar with... don't matter. You said it yourself, Rhodes, we would notice. Someone's messing with us. Letting us know that Tony is still out there somewhere, and that we're no closer to finding him. I don't know why, but this is a game to whoever's responsible for that attack on that roof. Some messed up, twisted game..."
Rhodey's brow furrowed as he lowered his gaze back to the body. "And this man's obviously... human. The coroner would have noticed if he was an android like the ones who ambushed me..." Then, his eyes widened as he looked over at the CEO. "Pepper, what was in that envelope the sergeant wanted you to have?"
Pepper looked back at him with confusion for a moment before her own eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, yeah... I forgot..." She set the empty cup aside before she got to her feet, digging through her purse as she approached the two men. She finally pulled out the envelope that had been given to her when they'd arrived, eagerly about to open it to see if there was some sort of clue to go off of for this strange turn of events before Happy reached out and lightly took her wrist to stop her.
"You'd better allow me," he muttered, eyeing the envelope warily. "Just in case... You don't know what could be inside."
She hesitated for a moment, even though she knew the possibility of some sort of threat contained inside was a high one, before she hesitantly handed the envelope over to her friend. The head of security held it at arm's length in front of him, making sure to keep it away from Rhodey and Pepper, and took a deep breath before he cautiously broke the seal and carefully reached inside.
All three jumped back a little when a shimmering substance fell from the envelope as he pulled out what appeared to be a greeting card, but Happy's eyes narrowed as he looked at the drifting particles as they gently hit the floor. "Glitter?" he asked in disbelief, kicking at some of the gold glitter with his shoe. "Obnoxious..."
"So, what is it?" Rhodey wondered, nudging the other man a bit impatiently.
"Right..." Happy turned the card around so that they could see the front, and all three looked at the glittery, looping script font with confusion.
"You're invited?" Pepper read aloud. "Why would we be given an invitation?"
"Weird..." Happy then cautiously opened the card, just in case, only to find more gold glitter spill out. "Really obnoxious..."
Unlike the decorative exterior, the interior of the card was relatively blank. All except for two words, written neatly by hand using a calligraphy pen, in the center. Pepper's breath caught in her chest as she and Happy exchanged worried looks. Rhodey exhaled deeply, slowly running a hand down his face as he read the words over one more time.
Steve Rogers.
"I don't understand," Steve muttered, looking down at the invitation in his hand. He studied the decorated cover and flipped it over to the back before opening the card to where his name was neatly written inside. "I honestly don't have any idea about what this could mean. This wasn't found with the body?"
"And just to be clear... that body wasn't Tony?" Sam added.
Rhodey let out a long breath as he crossed his arms in front of his chest and slowly shook his head. "No, just someone who had his face modified to look exactly like Tony," he explained. "The rest of him, other than the spot where his Arc reactor used to be, not so much. And the invitation itself was given to the coroner's assistant by the sergeant in charge down by the harbor with instructions to give it to who would come in to identify him. Which was Pepper."
Clint whistled under his breath. "This is seriously messed up," he said, mainly to himself as he thought all of this information over.
The colonel nodded his agreement. "Someone wanted us to know that Tony's still alive out there somewhere, but that this could happen to him at any time," he told them before turning his attention to the Super Soldier. "And they had a message for you."
Steve shook his head as he sat down on the arm of one of the couches in the penthouse. Aside from the four of them, it was empty. His gaze refused to leave the invitation he held. The past day felt like some long nightmare he'd been unable to wake up from, and he couldn't slow down his racing mind or quell his raging emotions. The guilt of Tony's death, of not mending what had shattered between them, still lingered, but... Tony was alive. He hadn't killed the other man. There was still a chance to save him. To change things...
Noticing the turmoil the Captain was working through, Clint's brow furrowed. "This body that was found at the harbor. It was... human?"
Sam arched an eyebrow while Steve even glanced up in confusion. "I'm gonna go ahead and assume there's a completely normal, non-weird reason for that question," the former said.
Rhodey turned to the archer. "Yeha, the coroner would have noticed otherwise."
"Care to explain that?" Sam pressed, taking a couple steps closer. "What's going on?"
"Sorry. In the chaos of finding who we believed was Tony, I forgot..." The colonel sighed. "When Vision and I were down at the scene to help with clean up efforts, the sergeant... who left that invitation for Steve... sent a couple of androids to take me out. I'm pretty convinced I wasn't supposed to walk away from that building."
"Androids?" Steve repeated. When Rhodey nodded, he turned back to the card in his hand, his eyes narrowed.
"What's on your mind, Cap?" Sam wondered.
"I just..." Steve set the card aside as he cast his gaze to Clint. "I'm thinking about those old Hydra files that we used to have here and at the Compound when we were tracking them down. Something about this sounds familiar, it's just..."
Clint sighed. "The hallucinogenic gas, costumes, androids, mind games, what was done to this man... I know exactly who it sounds like," he muttered. "But I think I know where you're going with this. I know it was never confirmed since no one can agree on it, but..."
"I thought he was dead," Steve finished, more to himself than anyone else. Clint nodded.
Rhodey and Sam exchanged confused looks. "Okay... someone wanna explain what's going on here?" the latter prompted. "Because that would be greatly appreciated."
"If either one of you know something about where Tony might be..." the colonel added.
The Super Soldier let out a long, heavy breath as he turned back to Rhodey. "I can't say for sure if it is him or not," he told him. "Mainly because as I said, I thought he was dead. Which I... well, which I may have had a hand in." He paused when he saw the other man arch an eyebrow. "I don't know who else would leave this sort of message for me. But I think I have a way to find out for sure. And I want to pursue that lead before we start chasing shadows. But I need your help."
Rhodey looked back at him, struggling to keep his face impassive though the worry for his best friend and the urgency to find him broke through. "What sort of lead?" There was hope in the question.
Steve leaned forward a bit. "I need you to call Everett Ross."
The penthouse was silent for a long moment as shock settled over the rest of its occupants.
Finally, Sam whistled as he shook his head slightly. "So, I know it's American and not American't... but Captain Ameri-shouldn't!"
The Captain sighed. "Look, I know..." But he trailed off when Rhodey held a hand up.
"Everett... Do you know how bad of an idea that is?" he asked. "Seriously, Steve. Think about it. Granted, it wouldn't be like calling up Secretary Ross, that would be a guaranteed prison sentence. But still. You, Clint, and Sam are wanted criminals. Calling this Ross wouldn't be much better. Especially with what went down when you were there. Breaking out, stealing your gear back..."
"Barnes kinda opened that door for us, and we were just taking back what was ours," Sam murmured with a smirk. "Though that's on Sharon, don't look at us."
The colonel rolled his eyes before looking back at Steve. "What reason could you possibly have for wanting to call him?"
The Super Soldier steadily met his gaze. "Because he's got a lead," he explained before he lifted up the card again. "This confirms for me that this... whole thing with Tony was some sort of message for me. At least with the body being discovered down at the scene and then this invitation. And that's because of what happened between us. Our falling out, the team splitting apart, what happened with his parents, the fake Bucky on the rooftop... everything. And while the public knows some of that information, there's only one person who knows all of those details."
Realization dawned on Rhodey's face. "Okay, you're crazier than I thought, Steve," he replied, beginning to pace. "You want me to call Ross so you can talk to Zemo?"
Steve steadily met his gaze. "Do you have a better idea?"
When the colonel opened his mouth to protest, another voice spoke up. "Cap might have a point," Clint muttered, wandering over to stand by Steve. "Zemo had to get his information from somewhere. We just need to find out from where. If at least one of his sources was from this man, or if they were sharing information..." He paused with a slight shake of his head. "We might already be screwed."
"Screwed? Why are we screwed?"
All four men turned in the direction of the elevator at the unexpected voice, not having even heard the tell-tale ding since they'd been so involved in their conversation. Pepper, still appearing a bit ragged by the day's events, quickly crossed the room to them carrying a large plate of pizza rolls. "Why are we screwed?" she repeated, her eyes zeroing in on the archer.
Rhodey passed a weary gaze over the other members of the small group before looking at Steve. He sighed with defeat under the other man's unfaltering determined expression. "Gonna... gonna make a video call..." he mumbled, pulling his cell phone out of the back pocket of his jeans before wandering away from the others. The Captain watched after him, suspecting he was only going along with his admittedly crazy idea since it could help them find Tony.
Clint couldn't quite bring himself to meet the CEO's gaze as he swiftly grabbed a couple pizza rolls from the proffered plate. "It's also quite possible that we're not screwed," he told her. "But I don't want to lie to you, Pepper. All the pieces we have so far about what happened to Tony... they're familiar. Both Steve and I have dealt with someone... a Hydra agent... who's used similar tactics."
"Wait. Hydra?" Pepper moved the plate closer to Sam and Steve, watching as they each took a couple pizza rolls, too. "I thought they weren't a problem anymore."
Steve sighed. "More than likely, we ran whatever was left of the organization underground after so many high-level operatives were caught when Nat released those files," he countered. "Overall, these guys are too smart to not have a back-up plan for that sort of situation. To secretly rebuild."
The CEO's gaze faltered. "So... you guys think that Hydra's rebuilt, and is... what? Launching another attack by taking Tony?"
Clint shook his head slightly, taking a bite of one of the pizza rolls he'd taken. "I don't think so," he muttered. "At least, not yet."
Steve suddenly stiffened.
Sam narrowed eyes eyes as he finished off his pizza rolls before reaching for another. "What's up, Cap?"
The Super Soldier met his gaze, feeling the other two watching him intently as well. "I'm still working on putting everything together... this invitation for me, the clues we've gathered to who's possibly behind all this and what they know about what happened in Siberia between Tony and I, how Peter of all people fits into this... but your comment about Hydra not yet being rebuilt got me thinking. Maybe... maybe part of the reason Tony was taken is because they need help rebuilding. Tony's skills would be a valuable asset to them."
Pepper's eyes widened in alarm. "But Tony... he wouldn't... he'd never..."
"No, he wouldn't," Steve agreed in a placating tone. "Not willingly."
"But if whoever did this wanted Tony to help rebuild Hydra... why go through all this just to call you out after what you two went through?" Clint wondered. "The dead body, all of this?" he paused. "Though if it's who we think it is..."
"I'm still trying to piece that together, too." Steve sent a glance over at Rhodey, seeing he was was speaking quietly to his phone as he paced. "Hopefully, this gives us a lead like I think it will."
The archer ran a frustrated hand through his mohawk. There were too many loose ends. "And this is why we might be screwed. We're already going in circles..."
Pepper turned back to him. "Right. Tell me why we're screwed?" she repeated.
Clint met her gaze. "As I said, Steve and I are noticing some similarities to a high-level Hydra agent that we've both had... personal dealings with," he explained, his eyes faltering. He shared a brief look with Steve, one full of understanding. "The tactics he's using against us and to throw us off... it all fits the bill. The thing is, if it's him, we may already be at a disadvantage because he's clearly already a couple steps ahead of us. And we don't even know by how many, he may have done things or have more in place that we don't know about. But this guy, he... he gets in your head. He knows your weaknesses, he uses your worst fears and doubts against you, he turns you against your friends and family, he causes you to doubt and reject everything you know to be real... Our best chance at bringing him down is to be on the same page as he is. Which as of right now, we aren't."
Pepper's face paled.
Steve shook his head slightly, absently brushing a hand over his beard. "S.H.I.E.L.D. kept extensive records on him since he was considered one of the biggest threats to come out of Hydra," he continued. "He himself never had to lift a finger to bring harm and destruction, his victims more often than not bring that on themselves. His mind control, which could be widespread if he chose it to be, was devastating enough. The only thing is, he was almost like a phantom. Fury and others could never decide if he was alive or dead, considering he'd only appear every now and again, sometimes years apart, which shouldn't have been possible considering his age. Clint and I have both dealt with him personally, but most agents haven't. Most of the Avengers haven't. He was a popular urban legend, of sorts, when the agency was running. A ghost story, if you will. I believe that I was the last to ever see him... a few years ago, not long before both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra collapsed. At that point, I believed him to be dead."
The CEO felt her breath catch when she noticed the Captain's hand had curled into a fist. Clint's brow furrowed with concern. "What happened, Steve?" she whispered. "Who is this man? Who might have Tony?"
Steve forced his fingers to slowly unclench before he met her gaze. Something that eerily resembled fear flashed through the bold blue of his eyes, a look that concerned her greatly.
But before he could say anything more, Rhodey's stern voice reached them as he made his way back toward them. "All right, man. Hold up while I get you set up so you can talk to everyone."
The colonel sighed as he put the call on hold before looking back at the other four. "Here's the deal. Everett's already not in the greatest of moods since he's got a lot of preparation for an assignment he has coming up, but he's granting us a few minutes. Only because I told him it involves this whole mess with Tony. But, uh..." He paused as he briefly shook his head once. "He's not going to be happy when he sees you three. Or hears what we want him to do."
Steve, Clint, and Sam all exchanged glances. No, they couldn't imagine that Everett Ross would appreciate seeing three escaped criminals wanting to talk to a dangerous inmate. But it was a risk they'd have to take if they wanted to hopefully find some answers.
"We'll try covering you, Rhodes," the archer said. "Make sure he knows you have nothing to do with us."
"Great. Could still get busted for housing your asses..." But Rhodey gave them a conspiratorial smile as he inserted some sort of device into a slot in his phone. He then set it down on the table nearest them, glancing back at them one last time. "Ready?"
"Ready," Steve confirmed while Clint, Sam, and Pepper nodded in agreement. Sam took a couple more pizza rolls of the tray.
"All right, here we go." The colonel reached out and hit a button on the phone's large screen. Pepper sat down on the arm of the nearest couch to watch the conversation. A second later, a hologram emitted from the phone, showing Everett Ross in a light blue hue looking impatiently around him as he waited.
"Can you see us, Everett?" Rhodey asked, raising his voice a little to make sure he was heard. "We can see you."
Everett jumped at the question, turning back to his own phone screen with slightly wider eyes. "Yeah, Rhodes, I can..." But his words trailed off as his eyes widened fully when he saw who was standing with him in the penthouse. He groaned and passed a hand over his face. "Oh, no... No, no, no, no, no. I don't have time for this, Rhodes... I have to get ready to go to South Korea... to deal with a wanted man all of you failed to get, by the way..." Steve and Clint exchanged confused looks. "I don't have time to deal with this, too... Not right now..."
Rhodey straightened his shoulders a bit. "Yeah, I know this looks bad..." he began.
"Bad? You think?" Everett shook his head as he looked around him again. "Rhodes, this looks more than bad. Let me guess. Romanoff, Maximoff, and Lang are there somewhere, too, right? How about Barnes?"
"Barnes is in an undisclosed location, we are unaware of his location," the colonel replied. Behind him, the other three Avengers looked away while Pepper glanced at them curiously. "As for the other three... Look, that's not what's important right now. That's not what we're here to talk about."
"Not important?" Everett repeated with a nervous chuckle. "With all due respect, Colonel, Secretary Ross would have my head on a platter if he knew I knew you were hiding fugitives and I didn't report it..."
"With all due respect, this is about more than just your job, sir," Steve spoke up bluntly. He tried to hide his smile when he saw Rhodey give him an impressed look out of the corner of his eye. "This is about Tony Stark."
Everett looked back at him. For a moment, the stern look remained on his face as he held his gaze steadily. But then, he sighed heavily, and stress and defeat won out. "Okay... okay... because of the circumstances, I'll give you a minute," he conceded. "But that's all I can give."
Steve nodded. "That's all we'll need."
The hologram gave one more wary look around, making sure no one else was around. "I really am sorry for your loss. Stark was a good man," he muttered. "Rhodes mentioned that you were looking for a lead in what happened to him. I really don't know what I can offer... You seem to know more than I do with this... this Spider-Man? Is that right?"
"He didn't do it," Clint corrected confidently. "But someone's sure as hell going out of their way to blame him. We're just not sure why."
Everett sighed with a brief shake of his head. "Well, I don't know what I can tell you about that," he muttered. "I don't know anything about that. I obviously haven't been to the scene, I haven't talked to anyone who has been... All I know about what happened is what they've been showing on the news. I haven't even had the chance to talk to Secretary Ross yet."
Steve briefly lowered his gaze, seeming to reach some sort of silent conclusion before he took a deep breath and looked back up. "We have reason to believe that one of your inmates has knowledge that may be useful to us," he said. "That may give us a lead on who's truly responsible for what happened to Tony. Or at least confirm it for us."
Immediately, Everett appeared to be on high alert. "I'm probably going to regret asking this, but which one?" he wondered.
The Super Soldier stared steadily ahead. "I need to speak with Zemo."
A long moment stretched between them where Everett didn't react at all. Then, he started to laugh, the sound full of disbelief and nerves. Rhodey ran a hand slowly down his face while Steve and Clint exchanged glances and Pepper arched an eyebrow. Sam nodded.
"Yup, what'd I tell you?" he mumbled under his breath to no one in particular.
"Sir, I would not have called you if his claim didn't have some merit," the colonel tried to speak up over the sound of the other man's continuous boisterous laughter. "Or if speaking with Zemo wasn't important."
Everett held up a hand as he got himself under control. He let out a long breath as his laughter trailed off, rubbing at his tear-filled eyes. "Are you trying to cost me my job, Rogers?" he asked. "That... I can't let you do that. He is my top security prisoner. Top security. Do you understand that?"
Steve nodded. "I understand fully," he answered calmly. "But he may hold a critical piece of information that we need to figure out what truly happened here. We have our suspicions, he can confirm them. If there's any chance of saving Tony, we need to-!"
"Wait. Save?" Everett cut in, his eyes narrowing. "Unless I've been getting my news wrong, Stark is dead. What do you mean save?"
"It means we have good reason to believe that Tony is still alive out there somewhere," Rhodey explained. "And unless we act fast, that may change very quickly. If your top security prisoner can give us something to go off of, I agree with Steve. We need to talk to him immediately."
"I thought you found him..." Everett began quietly.
The colonel shrugged. "Mistaken identity," he muttered. "Someone wanted us to believe that he was dead. Much like they're trying to frame Spider-Man. But we need those answers, Everett."
A moment passed. "Have you informed Secretary Ross yet?"
"No, and we'd rather keep this in our own hands for now," Clint told him. "It would be safer."
Everett let out a long string of curses and ran a hand through his gray hair before shaking his head. He sighed heavily. "So... let me get this straight." He both looked and sounded like a man defeated. "Tony Stark is actually alive. Spider-Man is being blamed for a crime he didn't commit. You don't want to tell Secretary Ross, but Zemo, you think, can give you the answers you need. Does that... does that sound about right?"
"Absolutely," Steve told him with a nod.
Rhodey took a step forward. "Sir, if we had any other option at this pint, we wouldn't be putting you in this difficult position," he assured him. "As it is, this is critical."
Everett slowly shook his head, looking anywhere but at his phone. "I'm so losing my job for this..." He sighed in resignation. "All right, Rogers. This had better lead to something... One minute. That's all I'll give you with him, so you'd better make it quick. Clear?"
The Captain nodded. "I won't be longer," he assured him.
The call was paused on Everett's end. Sam let out a low whistle. "That went well."
Rhodey shrugged. "At least he's allowing us to talk with Zemo," he muttered. He then turned to Steve. "You're absolutely sure about this? You're sure that Zemo has something of use? What if he doesn't talk? What if he lies?"
"As sure as I can be," the Super Soldier said. "As for if he talks or lies... I can't guarantee it. But as much as he hates us, he also hates Hydra. We've got that in our favor." He then cast his gaze back down to the glittering invitation. "Something just tells me that he has some information here. Even if he doesn't know about what's happening right now. Especially since it seems I'm being pulled into this... twisted game."
"Which sounds exactly like something who we're thinking of would do," Clint commented. Steve nodded in agreement.
Pepper looked between them nervously. "So you really think it could be this mystery Hydra agent, then...?" she whispered.
Both Steve and Clint turned to look at her. But before they could reply, the call started up again. A soft chuckle washed over them, and Steve slowly turned back to the blue-tinted hologram projection.
A different face, one seen through the wall of the tiny holding cell he was kept in, leered back at them. The man's black hair was a bit longer and more unruly, and a bit of a dark beard now lined his chin. But it was those dark eyes- cold, calculating, cruel- that had remained unchanged.
"You have one minute." Everett's voice, a reminder, came from right off screen.
Zemo nodded once in acknowledgement before he turned his attention back to the screen. "Hello, Captain Rogers." His voice, quiet and accented, raised the hairs on the Super Soldier's arms. "It is an absolute pleasure to see you again."
Come Monday morning, nearly the entire city was shut down. Schools were closed, there was no mail delivery, and a lot of businesses had the option not to operate that day.
For it was a day of mourning for the citizens of New York, a day for the public at large to be able to grieve for, to celebrate the life of, and to say goodbye to the one and only Tony Stark.
Though even though he was sitting in the passenger seat of his aunt's car and staring blankly out the window on the way to the memorial service for the eccentric billionaire, all Peter could think about was how much traffic sucked. City traffic was usually horrible on a good day, but this was even worse. It was almost at a complete standstill the closer they got to Central Park, one of the few outdoor locations large enough to accommodate all the people of New York City, as well as those coming in from out of state and even out of country, to pay their respects to Iron Man.
It was too much. All too much. Too much noise, too many people, too much input. It was just all too much...
But one thing that was keeping the teen grounded was the knowledge that none of this was actually for Tony Stark. That Tony Stark was actually alive and still out there somewhere, though the team had agreed it was best to keep up appearances for now, to not let the enemy know that they knew the truth about the billionaire. He'd known it all along, his senses had been telling him so, though it didn't alleviate his worry since his mentor was still in danger. They still had to find him before it was too late. Before the same fate could befall him...
Peter thought back to when Steve had pulled him aside on Saturday night before he could leave the Tower for the day. The Super Soldier had appeared more rattled than he'd ever seen him or ever imagined him being. His senses had been on high alert ever since, knowing that something was wrong. Very wrong. He hadn't told him too much then, at least not about what had him so shaken, but he did say that he and the other Avengers were going to follow a couple leads to see where they went.
Without him.
"What do you mean you don't want me to come with you? I can help, I swear!"
Steve sighed wearily. "I know, and I don't doubt that you can. You helped us catch Toomes, after all," he replied. "You're one of us, kid. Don't question that. But for right now, you have to let us handle this. This is bigger than an arms dealer with wings. If this lead is accurate..."
"You don't think I can handle it?" Peter pressed, fighting the surge of anger that threatened to come spilling out. Hadn't the Super Soldier just said he was part of the team?
"No, I think you could," Steve told him, a note of pity in his tone. "And if our source wasn't lying to us, we're going to need all the help we can get."
Pity was the last thing the web-slinger wanted. "Then what is it?" he snapped, harsher than he'd meant to. "I don't need to be treated like some... like some kid!"
Steve gave him a small smile, one that made him pause and quelled his temper slightly. It was a look full of understanding. "You remind me so much of myself at your age," he muttered. "Take a breath, Peter, and think about this for a minute. Okay? We know you're innocent, but no one else does. You have law enforcement looking for you because who did this is making it look like you're responsible. You can't wear your suit safely, not right now. And this person is already in your head. Both with what happened up on that roof and when Toomes was caught. Trust me. Let us just make sure that our source wasn't lying before we run in. You'll be a part of our recovery efforts, that I can guarantee you."
His uncle... the thief who'd killed him... Their faces were still so clear in his mind...
Peter looked back at him without speaking for a moment, instead taking a deep breath like instructed. "But... but if this is going to help find Mr. Stark..."
The Captain's smile waned. "I know you're feeling guilty about what happened to Tony. I am, too," he told him. "But we have to think and move ahead carefully now. This is about Tony. We'll worry about our guilt later. Though I assure you, kid, none of the blame is yours to bear."
"Peter?"
His aunt's slightly raised voice accompanied by a chorus of impatient car horns brought the teen out of his thoughts as he quickly looked back at her. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
May sighed as she tightened her hands on the steering wheel and continued to navigate the near standstill traffic. She briefly stopped before merging into the next lane to get to one of the designated parking areas when a police officer guided her there. "I know he... Tony... meant a lot to you," she muttered, inching along after a couple other cars looking for a place to park. "And I know that today's not going to be easy on you. So I just wanted to say I'm very proud of you. And if you need to talk to me... about anything... I'm here for you. Unless you'd rather talk to the school psychologist when you go back..."
That was one thin that Peter was grateful about with school being closed for the memorial. His next appointment with Fennhoff had been scheduled for that day. This, at least, gave him a little more time to put that off.
He must have taken too long to reply, though, since May's gaze faltered as she pulled to a stop in a grassy parking spot she was directed to by another police officer. She briefly hung her head. "I'm sorry, Peter... I'm still learning, you know?" she said, chuckling a little. "I'm still learning this whole... being an aunt thing. I know I'm not doing everything right... but I'm trying. I know it's been hard, first without Ben, and now with what's happened to Mr. Stark..."
The web-slinger's face crumpled. "No, no, May... it's not that, not at all," he assured her. "For all it's worth, I think you're doing a great job! It's not easy being a... well, a single aunt, I get that. But really, you're doing fine. And I'm not just saying that. We've been through a lot together... And we just gotta keep figuring it out. Okay?"
May gave him a small but grateful smile as she reached out and squeezed his hand. "Thanks, kid," she replied. "I larb you."
Peter smiled. "I larb you, too."
His aunt then checked that her hair was staying in its braided bun and did one final sweep of her makeup before she grabbed her purse and stepped out of the car, straightening out her knee-length, black, off-the-shoulder dress. Peter joined her a second later, pulling at the white collar of his white shirt beneath his heavy black tuxedo jacket.
Constricting... it was much too constricting...
"Here, let me see." May had to bend over a little due to her high stilettos as she checked his matching colored tie. "I think we tied that right... We did for homecoming..."
"It's fine, May, really," Peter told her with a little laugh. "Let's go find a seat, shall we?"
May nodded as she turned her gaze to all the people milling about. "If we can even find a seat..." she grumbled. "Looks like most of it's standing room only. The whole city must be here!"
The two slowly began making their way toward the vast crowd. "Well, what'd you expect?" the teen asked. "Mr. Stark impacted a lot of people, directly or indirectly."
"Yeah, that's something you cant take away from him," May answered quietly.
Peter scanned the seemingly endless amount of people around them, feeling his palms starting to sweat as he felt that they were crowding much too close to him, that their voices were much too loud. May was close, he had to focus on her... His breath began to quicken... he couldn't breathe...
Calm down, Peter, calm down...
The web-slinger slowed his pace a bit when high-pitched screams reached his ears, and he quickly looked around, all of his senses on high alert. But a hint of a smile appeared on his face when he saw it was just a few kids running around nearby, chasing each other with what appeared to be Iron Man action figures wearing Iron Man mask or t-shirts.
And the more he looked around at the crowd that had gathered, there was love for the Avenger everywhere. Signs boasting support for Tony in bold, glittering lettering could be spotted among the people, as well as more shirts and other memorabilia. Even though his mentor wasn't truly dead, the sight rejuvenated his heart even just a little bit. He had a gut feeling that Tony would appreciate this show of support.
But then, his senses were immediately on high alert once again. His breathing came shorter and quicker. He had the undeniable feeling, that tell-tale prickle on the back of his neck, that someone was watching him. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary in the wave of white, black, red, and gold around him.
Though then, he did catch a flicker of a familiar face further away from the activity in the shades of a couple trees. Steve and Clint stood close together, their faces shielded with baseball caps and sunglasses, keeping a close eye on the people gathered. Sam and Natasha, wearing similar get-ups, were stationed a few yards away, also appearing as though they were on the lookout for something.
What were they doing here? He'd been under the impression that it was just going to be Rhodey and Vision there from the team...
Something was wrong. It had to be. He didn't know what, but there was something they all knew that he didn't...
Why would they be there if there wasn't something wrong?
"Peter? Are you coming?"
The sound of his aunt's voice brought him out of his anxious thoughts, and he quickly turned back to her. "Uh... yeah! I'm coming."
May raised a questioning eyebrow. But she didn't question his what she clearly found to be odd behavior- likely because of what she believed was going on that day and how it was affecting him- as she turned and continued to try to find a place to either sit or stand. The teen scrambled to fall into place beside her.
"So, uh, I have no idea how you're walking in the grass with those heels, May."
"It's not as easy as it looks, kid. I'm soaking my feet the instant we get home."
Peter chuckled, not really knowing what else to say. But his mind wandered back to Steve, Clint, Natasha, and Sam. Why would the risk being seen here of all places? Not only was most the city gathered, but so were the brunt of Manhattan's law enforcement, as well as reporters and camera crews from various news outlets. It would be so easy for them to be spotted and taken into custody. Well, maybe not, but definitely easy to be spotted. Why would they risk that unless there was good enough reason to take that risk?
What was going on?
Breathe, Peter... Breathe...
"Step this way, please! No rushing, now. Stop crowding! One at at time. Come on, now, let's go!"
A different familiar voice brought him back down to earth this time, and the web-slinger caught sight of Happy in his usual tuxedo a couple feet away, irritably directing foot traffic as he steered people to where they could be seated. He couldn't help but smile slightly as they drew closer.
When he caught sight of them, the head of security quickly waved them over. "Ah! Peter. Ms. Parker," he greeted them. The teen's brow furrowed when he noticed the smile, one he really hadn't seen from him before, he sent his aunt's way. "We've got a couple seats reserved for you up front."
"Really?" May asked with a smile of her own. The teen's brow furrowed deeper.
Happy nodded earnestly. Then, almost seeming to remember that he was supposed to act like he was there to mourn for and celebrate the life of his long-time employer and friend, he cleared his throat as his smile faded a bit. "Yes," he answered. "Since Peter here was close to Mr. Stark through his internship, we thought that he... and yourself, being his guardian... should sit with us."
May's smile lingered as she turned to Peter and squeezed his shoulder. "Well, that's very kind and thoughtful of you, Mr. Hogan," she said sweetly.
"Wouldn't have either of you sitting anywhere else," Happy replied, his smile returning. He then offered his arm to her, which she took, to help her over a rougher patch of dirt and gestured ahead to a couple rows of seats that were blocked off from the general public. "Careful, watch your step... Wish we could be closer to one of the paths, but it was difficult to find a place to accommodate so many people." They both proceeded to laugh, almost as though some sort of private joke had passed between them.
Peter frowned as he walked over the same patch of rough ground unaided, directing the look up at the head of security as he watched May make her way toward the seats that had been reserved for them. "Happy... are you flirting with my aunt? That's, like, weird."
Happy's eyes narrowed as he turned back to the web-slinger. "What?" he hissed, quickly looking around them before zeroing in back on Peter. "No, I'm not flirting with your aunt. Don't be ridiculous..."
Peter arched an eyebrow. That's what it'd looked like to him. Even weirder, it almost seemed like she was flirting back. "How do you even know her?" he wondered.
"If you must know, I accompanied Pepper when she went to meet with your aunt. Which your aunt requested, may I add." Happy rolled his eyes. "Relax. Stop making it weird."
"I dunno, Happy..."
Happy gave him a light but impatient nudge in the direction of the chairs. "Go sit. We're starting soon."
Peter smiled a bit despite himself as he wandered over to where his aunt had made it to the front row of white folding chairs. He immediately noticed Pepper, wearing a knee-length black floral print dress and a more practical set of platform heels, as she rose to greet May, the two women sharing a kind, comforting embrace. Rhodey was still sitting in the seat that the CEO had just left, wearing his Marines uniform, and was speaking quietly into his phone, Vision- appearing a bit odd, to him, in a suit of his own- watching him carefully from the seat next to him. "Just be careful," he murmured with a wary glance around before he slipped the device back into his breast pocket and rose to his feet to greet them, too. Peter immediately wondered who he'd been speaking to, if it was maybe Steve or Clint or...
"You must be May Parker," the colonel greeted with a friendly smile. He reached out and gave her a steady handshake and slight nod of his head.
May returned the gesture. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Colonel Rhodes," she replied.
"Pleasure's all mine, ma'am."
Peter glanced at the display ahead of them, his breath catching slightly as his gaze passed over the closed ornate casket, the colorful floral display, and the large photograph of a grinning Tony Stark that had been set up. His hands began to shake ever so slightly. It hadn't been all that long ago that he'd been in a place very much like this one, for the same reason, for someone else he'd lost who had been close to his heart...
Even though he knew it wasn't his mentor who was lying in that closed coffin, this was all too hauntingly familiar... he couldn't breathe... he couldn't stay here...
A pair of gentle hands landed on each of his shoulders, easing the tension in them as he was able to take a deep breath. He looked up to see Pepper standing next to him, giving him a kind smile. He leaned into her as she raised her gaze to the display he'd been staring at.
"You know... other than trying to keep up appearances, I also wanted to provide as nice of a funeral as I could for whoever actually is lying in that casket," she whispered, loud enough for only his ears to hear. "I mean... to die without a name, an identity of your own, to meet some madman's cruel endgame... to be buried without your family and friends... I couldn't stand the thought of it. So I did what I could for him. Everyone else may be here for Tony, but we... well... we wanted to give this man, whoever he was, the respect he deserves. No one deserves what he went through. No one."
The teen attempted to keep his impending anxiety in check. "That's very kind of you, actually," he muttered, his voice wavering slightly. "Not sure how many people would do that for a stranger..."
The CEO squeezed his shoulders in return.
"Hey, Peter," Rhodey said as he made his way over. "Hanging in there?"
"Yeah... yeah, I think I'm okay," Peter replied, his voice cracking a bit as he smiled back at him. "Looks like those braces are working better, huh?"
The colonel grinned. "Good as new, kid! Thanks again for working on 'em."
Peter nodded as his smile broadened. "Oh, it was nothing, really..."
People around them started to take their seats, and the teen watched as Rhodey and Pepper returned to their spots beside Vision. He then sat next to the CEO while May sat on his other side, taking a deep breath to try to keep it controlled.
"Quite the turnout."
The sudden familiar voice startled him, and the web-slinger whirled around in his chair to see that Nick Fury- dressed as nicely as he could be in all black without wearing an actual suit- was seated directly behind him. Maria Hill, her dark hair styled neatly in a braid hanging over the shoulder of her black, knee-length, sleeveless dress, was beside him, one knee crossed over the other. How had they gotten there without him seeing?
The former S.H.I.E.L.D. director gave him a brief, on the verge of conspiratorial wink with his one good eye just as Happy took his seat on the other side of May, and Peter slowly turned back around in his seat as a hush fell over the crowd, knowing that the memorial was about to start.
Pepper took a deep breath, closing her eyes for only a moment before she rose to her feet and slowly made her way up to the podium that awaited her and the others who would speak after her. She stepped behind it and adjusted the microphone, turning to look at the closed casket and the bright smile and beaming face of the man she loved more than any other. Her eyes traced every line, every scar, ever crinkle caused by his laugh- recommitting it all to memory.
The eyes of the world were on her now, her voice would be broadcasted into every living room across the globe. It was a pressure that didn't faze her, it was a pressure that she thrived under.
Though this time was different. Steve had warned her it was possible that the man who had taken Tony could be watching her now, either hidden in the massive crowd or from wherever they were now holding the billionaire. He'd warned her that there was a chance, no matter how small, that she may very well be a target as well, which is why they wouldn't be far away during the memorial.
Just in case.
But the knowledge that she could possibly be being watched, that she could be in some sort of danger, didn't scare her. Not at all. It just gave her more incentive to give the performance of her life. She had to make it believable that they would be burying Tony Stark.
Taking another deep, steadying breath, Pepper turned to face the crowed gathered before her. She stared directly at the cameras scattered around.
"As some of you may know, my name is Virginia Potts, and I'm the CEO of Stark Industries..."
"... I'd worked for Tony Stark for many years. It's the longest time I've spent in any one workplace. I began as his personal assistant..."
He wasn't sure if it was the familiar voice or the pain in his neck and chest that brought him out of the darkness first. But it was that voice that Tony clung to as he forced his eyes to open with a groan, squinting a bit as he attempted to gather his surroundings.
But he hissed when he pushed himself up on one slightly shaking arm, putting his other hand to his chest. He was used to minor palpitations or pain ever since he'd had the Arc reactor and shrapnel removed, which especially acted up in times of stress, but it wasn't quite like this... He just needed to calm down, he just needed to breathe...
Which was next to impossible in his current predicament.
Tony let out a heavy breath as his eyes drooped closed, and he passed a hand over his sweat-drenched, clammy face. The image of a madly grinning Obadiah, seemingly somehow back from the dead even though it was impossible, his large fist tightening around his throat and squeezing the life out of him, was still fresh in his mind. He brought his hand to his neck, still able to feel the lingering ghost pressure of the other man's sturdy fingers there. He didn't know how much time had passed between then and now, considering that he'd wasted hours unconscious, only woken sporadically to take little bits of food and water that were forced on him before falling back under.
But he was still alive... Which meant that this imposter Obadiah had failed with his plan. If that had actually been his plan at all.
But then... what about Steve...? That threat he'd made against him...
The billionaire shook his head slightly. No, he couldn't afford to think about him at the moment. He had to think about his own situation, of how he could escape...
"... I suppose you could say that working as Tony Stark's personal assistant was difficult at times. There was so much that he had a hand in, and for the first few years being in the position, there were certainly times it was like pulling teeth to get him to a conference or a speech on time. Though that is something that had never changed. But it was a challenge I enjoyed. Tony Stark respected me..."
That voice... He knew that voice... He loved that voice...
Where was it coming from...?
He had to find her...
Pepper.
Tony looked around him at the small but dark room again, his hazel gaze immediately going to the vents high on the wall above him. There was no light mist being filtered into the room. Which meant her voice was real...
Pepper...
The billionaire slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position. Though as his swirling brain continued to take in his surroundings, a cold rush of dread flowed through him.
He knew this room.
The red flag of the Ten Rings had been taken down, replaced with a long black and white photograph of an older New York City skyline at sunset. On one of the adjacent walls was an oval mirror with a faded gold, ornate frame and a couple black and white photographs of orchids and lilies and sunflowers. On the opposite wall were framed old newspaper clippings about Stark Industries as it made waves in weaponry advancement. About Howard Stark's achievements. About the successes of Captain America. An old, simple grandfather clock- which, as he remembered, had stopped ticking long ago- sat along that same wall, and a black armchair with a floral print throw blanket sat in a darkened corner closer to him. Beside it, a small wooden end table with an ornate white, dimly lit lamp, what looked like a glass of bourbon, and a short stack of scientific journals. He glanced down, finding he was sitting on a circular woven rug with a black and white checkered pattern. Directly across the room from beneath the photo of the skyline was a small tube television with an antenna sitting on top of it. The picture was a bit difficult to see since there was quite a bit of static, but the volume was loud enough where he could clearly make out the voice of his CEO.
Tony's body began to shake as hie breath came quickly, his heart racing. It was a compact version of it, but there was no mistaking his parents' sitting room. His father's influences, his mother's flourishes, both filled the small space of his prison. A part of him relished the familiarity of the fond memories he had of sitting in this very room with either Howard or Maria, reading stories or drawing with his mother and sitting on his father's knee while he reviewed any technological advances in the journals he read or poring over important Stark Industry files while nursing a glass of bourbon or smoked a cigar and- sometimes impatiently or dismissively- answered questions he'd bombard him with.
But another, larger part of him was filled with an almost primal terror.
How did Fennhoff know about this room? How did he know so much about his old home that he could recreate this space in so much detail and so accurately?
It couldn't be possible... It shouldn't be possible...
Though his attention was turned back tot he television as he continued to listen to Pepper speak. His brow furrowed in confusion as his anxious brain slowly started to make sense of her words. It sounded like she was... remembering him... Like a eulogy...
His heart nearly stuttered to a stop as his breath caught in his chest. She was speaking about him as if he was... No, it couldn't be... But there was no doubt about it.
He was watching his own funeral.
What had Fennhoff done?
"No... n-no..."
Tony grit his teeth as he pushed himself to his knees and slowly crawled across the room until he reached the old television set. He reached out with trembling hands to fiddle with the antenna so he could see the picture better, his breath hitching when it was completely erased by static as its harsh should filled the small room.
"No, no, no, no... come on..."
He played around with the thin old wires some more before the picture came back. It still wasn't the greatest quality, but he didn't want to risk losing it again. At least he could see Pepper, at least he could hear her voice. Even if watching his own memorial was rather morbid.
The camera angle switched to show the large crowd that had gathered, and the billionaire's eyes widened in surprise at the near endless sea of black that had gathered in what he recognized to be Central Park. Despite himself, despite the throbbing pain in his chest and the uncertainty and fear of Fennhoff that was constantly looming over him, he felt a tired smile pulling at the corner of his lips. The camera zoomed in on kids wearing Iron Man masks and t-shirts, on others holding Iron Man action figures, on people of all ages holding signs expressing love and gratitude towards him.
There was a part of him, beneath everything else, that was relieved he'd somehow managed to, despite all the wrong he'd done and all the destruction he'd committed, positively reach and impact so many people.
The camera then moved to the first couple rows of mourners, panning over the faces there. Vision, Rhodey, Maria, Nick, Peter, May, Happy...
Peter.
Tony's heart leapt as he leaned forward a little, though the teen was already out of the shot. But he was certain he had seen him, and a sense of relief rushed through him. That meant that Peter had gotten off the roof of that building down by the harbor. He was all right. He was away from Fennhoff's clutches.
He was safe.
The camera then moved back to Pepper standing at the podium in front of the massive crowed, beside a large picture of him smiling broadly and a closed ornate casket that belonged to... he wasn't sure who. Not him, certainly... But he couldn't imagine what the mad doctor had done to make her... to make everyone... believe that he had met his demise.
His CEO had paused in her speech, her hands gripping the edges of the podium so tightly that her knuckles were white. Her bottom lip trembled ever so slightly as she sniffed, and if he looked closely enough, he could see a thin line of tears had formed in her eyes as she tried to regain her composure. Despite the somber occasion, he had to admit she looked beautiful in the black floral-print dress he'd bought for her a few years before for a fancy shindig or two held by Stark Industries.
But it was the despondent look on her face, the way her breath caught, and the helpless look in her eye that pierced his heart. Tony slowly reached out for the television, resting one dirtied, bruised, and cut hand on the screen over her image. He sighed heavily as his weary gaze wavered, willing with every fiber of his being that he could actually somehow reach her, that she could somehow feel him. Or even better, that he could somehow reach through the screen and pull her into his arms and take away all of her fear, sorrow, and uncertainty. To tell her what he should have told her that morning they'd gone out for breakfast together, before all of this started. To tell her that he loved her. That it'd always been her. That it'd never stopped being her.
"Oh, Pep..." he whispered. "I'm so sorry... I'm here..."
"She is beautiful, Mr. Stark. And I would assume just as intelligent if she is in charge of running your legacy. You are a very fortunate man."
Cold dread coursed through Tony's veins as his head snapped around at the unexpected familiar voice. Fennhoff himself was sitting in the black armchair in the corner with the glass of bourbon in one wrinkled hand, the other casually flipping the page of one of the scientific journals sitting in his lap. His cane rested against the cushioned arm of the chair.
How had he gotten there without him noticing...?
To his hazy mind, the older man eerily looked way too much like Howard Stark.
"She certainly is speaking very eloquently about you," the doctor continued as he skimmed over an article that had caught his eye. He paused in his reading to take a sip of the amber liquid, pursing his lips a bit as he swirled the drink around and the ice clinked loudly against the sides of the glass. "I do believe that she is rather fond of you."
The billionaire felt his heart beating furiously in his chest, the sound echoing much too loudly in his ears. "Leave... you leave her alone, you bastard..." he muttered, his anxious tone breaking ever so slightly from lack of use. He inwardly cursed himself, willing more strength into his voice. "You have me. You have what you want. Don't... don't touch her... Leave her out of this..."
He despised how much he was pleading with his captor, how he knew he was giving the enemy too much to use against him. But he found he couldn't help it. He didn't want to imagine Pepper in the hands of these people, forcing her to relive her darkest fears. He couldn't think about that. He had to protect her.
A moment passed before Fennhoff stopped reading all together and raised his gaze from the journal. "That, I'm afraid, would depend entirely on you, Mr. Stark."
Tony's jaw tightened as his breathing harshened, anger forcing out any fear. His trembling hands curled themselves into tight fists as he watched the older man set both the journal and the bourbon back on the small end table. As far as he could tell, they were alone in his prison- just him and Fennhoff. If it came down to it, he had no doubt that he could easily overpower him in a physical altercation.
But something still didn't feel quite right. Not only was he still feeling weak and sore from everything he'd already endured, but something still felt... off. Somehow, Fennhoff was still holding all the cards and pulling all the strings.
"You lay one hand on her, and I'll-!"
"You will what, Mr. Stark?" Fennhoff leaned forward on the armchair, a gleam of amusement flashing in his eyes. When his captive couldn't find any words, he gave him a knowing smile. "Shall we move on to the business at hand now?"
The doctor was baiting him, Tony could feel it. But hearing Pepper's voice speaking quietly behind him, knowing that she could be in danger if he didn't tread carefully, he allowed his exhaustion to overcome him.
"What business?"
Fennhoff grinned. "There is nothing to be ashamed of, Mr. Stark. Your father was also willing to compromise with me," he told him, and his quiet chuckle caused the billionaire's muscles to tense. "Do you recall the last time we spoke? The offer I made to you?"
Tony remembered. He remembered well. It was a thought that had bounced around in his mind when he'd been in and out of consciousness. But it was one that he couldn't bring himself to even pretend to entertain. He wouldn't sell his mind, body, soul to Hydra just so he wouldn't have to endure anymore pain. He wouldn't, even if it meant his life would be spared.
"I believe you know where I stand on your offer," he finally told him, steadily meeting his gaze. "It hasn't changed, pal. I'm not helping you rebuild your little gang."
The doctor nodded, as though he'd been expecting this answer, as he leaned back in the chair again. "It would be wise to keep my offer in mind, Mr. Stark," he murmured. Tony bristled. There was something dangerous in his tone. "You would be spared from all the pain that is to come for you. Your powerful mind would be put to excellent use. And, quite possibly, you may even be able to see your lovely CEO again."
He absently twirled a simple gold band on his finger.
A sense of calm fell over the billionaire, his gaze locked on the band as it gleamed in the minimal lighting. Pepper... He could have Pepper again... In that moment, it was all he wanted. To hold her, to hear her voice when it wasn't through a television screen... All he had to do was say yes to what his captor was now offering him.
Pepper's bright smile flashed through his mind, the sound of her laugh echoed in his ears, the feel of her lips brushing against his could almost be felt...
They could be together again.
Pepper...
No... no, there was a catch... This was a trap... It wouldn't be that easy... It couldn't be that easy...
... Pepper...
... I'm sorry...
"Well? What do you say, Mr. Stark?" Fennhoff asked in just above a whisper, twirling the golden band once again as he leaned forward a bit in anticipation.
Tony continued to stare intently at the ring, unable to tear his gaze away no matter how much he wanted to. He hated how much he wanted to say yes to the way out the doctor was giving him now...
He slowly opened his mouth, about to give his answer, when the spell was broken by a shrill ringing sound. Fennhoff heatedly cursed, hurriedly reaching into his pockets while the billionaire slumped to the floor. He rested his clammy forhead on his toned arms as his eyes slipped closed, his body shaking as he gulped in deep breaths of air. He didn't want to think about how close he'd just come to agreeing to giving himself over to Hydra... to do whatever the criminal organization asked of him... And for what? Empty promises that the mad doctor would never keep? The very thought horrified him, and he shuddered.
"No..." he hissed through clenched teeth, mainly for his own benefit rather than for the other man. "I won't..."
It was that ring, he realized. Some sort of hypnosis? He would have to be more careful with that from now on. He couldn't fall into that trap again, especially since it was pure luck that he'd gotten out of it this time.
He then heard Fennhoff's angry voice over the sound of his ragged breathing, and Tony raised his head a bit to try and figure out what it was that had saved him. The doctor appeared absolutely livid that his plan had been interrupted.
"What do you mean there is a problem with the subject?" he asked into the phone at his ear, his anger easing into what appeared to be worry. "He was supposed to..." His sentence trailed off as he listened intently to the voice on the other end of the line. He then made a frustrated noise. "Very well. Observe the subject closely. Let me know of any changes in his condition. If he reaches a critical point, alert me immediately. Until then, I will see if there is anything I may do from here."
The subject? Tony's brow furrowed. What was that supposed to mean? What else was his captor involved with.
Was he just another subject in this twisted game?
Fennhoff sighed heavily as he ended the call before smiling at Tony. The look was almost kind. It was unnerving. "I apologize for the interruption, Mr. Stark, it appears that we must continue our conversation at another time," he said, his tone almost passing for casual. "There is a... situation at our facility that I must see to. If you would excuse me."
Dread flooded through Tony as he watched the older man grab his cane and pushed himself to his feet with effort. The facility... Hydra had a secret facility. Just how many operatives were there, actively working to rebuild to what they once were? What sort of potential weapons could they have had at their disposal? What sort of test were they running that they needed a subject to run them on? What was their endgame?
What exactly did they need him for? What did they want out of Steve Rogers since they wanted to pull him into all this?
It unnerved him that he couldn't answer any of these questions.
Fennhoff slowly made his way past him, leaning heavily on his cane for support as he crossed the room. Once he reached the door, he stopped and turned back to look at his captive thoughtfully. "I would advise you to continue to consider my offer, Mr. Stark. For it will not always be available to you," he told him, and Tony detected a warning in his words. "Though next time, I may not be so generous. For now..." He paused with a grin. "Enjoy the show." He then opened the door before stepping out of the room, shutting and locking the door behind him.
A moment passed before the billionaire allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief as he tried to find a more comfortable sitting position on the hard floor. He glanced at the picture on the television, seeing that the camera had panned back to the first couple rows of mourners as Pepper continued to speak about life with Iron Man. He frowned. He'd really put her through so much, more than any one person should have to go through...
And yet, she'd still loved him. They'd been making their way back to where they'd been before...
His weary hazel gaze passed over Vision, Rhodey, Maria, Nick, and Peter. And his heart seized with fear as his eyes widened.
Even though he'd been trying to figure out a way out of this predicament on his own ever since he'd been there, the possibility that whatever was left of the Avengers would still be pooling their resources to try to find him. To rescue him. It was a plan B to his own strategy. He still wasn't completely sure if Steve was truly looking for him- why would he bother?- but it would probably be better for the other man to stay far away anyway with whatever it was that Fennhoff had in mind for him.
But now... now as he watched his own memorial... the reality that there was no plan B sank in. If his friends believed that he was dead... what reason would they have to search for him? He still wasn't sure what the mad doctor had done to convince the world of his untimely death, but he had managed to reset the game board so that he was completely isolated from any help that could have been coming his way.
He was alone.
Then, Tony raised his gaze back to the screen when he saw Pepper... that beautiful face that he loved more than any other... was back, and she was smiling out at the crowd as a couple tears fell from her eyes. The sight of her trying to hold herself together broke his heart.
"Tony Stark may have been a complicated man, but he was a good man. He had a good heart, even when he wasn't flying around in that red and gold suit he loved so much. And I couldn't be happier to say that that heart, during the time that we had together, was mine. And that he'd always held my own." She paused, chuckling a little as she carefully wiped at her eyes. She then sniffed as she turned to look directly at the camera nearest her, and he noticed there was a faint gleam in her eye. "We may have had our problems at times, we were both so stubborn... but somehow, we always found a way to come back to each other. I wish... I wish I could have told him one last time what I should have told him before any of this happened." She paused again, wiping at her eyes to hide the smallest of smiles that the untrained eye would have missed.
The billionaire brought one hand to rest on his chest, right where the Arc reactor had used to be, as he leaned closer to the screen. His eyes hadn't missed that look.
"That's one of my biggest regrets, that I didn't get to say this when I had the time. That's one thing I've learned in all of this- never go without telling someone how much they mean to you. And, Tony..."
His breath caught in his chest when her eyes bored straight through the camera lens, straight through the television screen, almost as though she was looking directly at him.
Almost as if she knew...
Was it possible...?
"I love you, Tony. I always have, and I always will. I never stopped." Pepper then covered her face with a hand as she took a step back from the podium, a fresh wave of tears overtaking her. The crowd applauded, the sound subdued, as Rhodey approached her and gently took her arm, helping her back to her seat.
Tony's gaze faltered. But yet, the tiniest spark of hope flared to life in his chest. He set his free hand on the screen where the camera was still showing Pepper in her chair as the colonel prepared to give his speech where he stood at the podium, wiping at her tear-stained cheeks as Nick reached forward and set a comforting hand on her shoulder.
He swallowed back the thin line of tears that had formed in his own eyes.
Maybe... just maybe...
"... I love you, too, Pep..."
Author's Note: All right, that's it for this one! A little more information given here, but still so many questions. Just what does Fennhoff have planned? We'll have to keep going to find out! Many thanks to CoffeeRanger for Sam's "Captain Ameri-shouldn't" line! And I'd just like to say that I had this scene with Happy and May done before I saw the rumors about Far From Home... lol! Hope this makes up for my absence! The next chapter will be up as soon as possible, after I write it all out first, lol. Thanks for reading, and your feedback's always appreciated! And Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all who celebrate! See you guys next time!