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 all your reviews, favorites, and follows, they mean a lot to me and keep me going! I'm glad you're all loving this story as we continue! We'll be learning a bit more about Fennhoff here through some speculation on the part of the Avengers, and through little bits of background information on how he's impacted some of them, which I'm excited to reveal since CoffeeRanger and I have been sitting on this for quite some time. So, let's see what sort of things this guy is up to, shall we?

Also a bit of an important note: While this story is primarily an AU of Homecoming, this chapter also contains an AU of The First Avenger, Age of Ultron, and Civil War. And it also makes a few references to the first season of the show Agent Carter.

Also a bit of a trigger warning, this chapter contains a brief, non-graphic mention of attempted suicide.

Hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter 19- The Boogeyman

"Hello, Captain Rogers. It is an absolute pleasure to see you again."

Steve gazed back at Zemo's grinning face for a moment before he shook his head slightly. "I wish I could return the sentiment," he muttered.

Zemo chuckled, a gleam in his eye. "To what do I owe this unexpected surprise?"

"Remember, you only have a minute," Everett's voice came from off-camera, clearly nervous.

The Super Soldier sighed. "I need you to tell me where you found out about the details of the murders of Howard and Maria Stark," he told the prisoner. "And the Winter Soldier's involvement in it."

The cruelly cheerful look vanished from Zemo's face as he frowned. "Why would I do such a thing, Captain?" he wondered. "All that matters is I did what I set out to accomplish. The Avengers are no more."

A brief moment passed as Steve glanced back at those gathered behind him, seeing Pepper was watching the conversation tensely, Sam grumbled under his breath as he shook his head, Clint was glaring a hole through the hologram, and Rhodey's hands had curled into fists at his sides as he forced himself to not say a word.

"You must have found that information somehow," the Captain pressed.

Zemo shrugged. "I spoke with a few Hydra agents to get what I required. I do have some… experience in that area. After all, I am an intelligence officer." The disgust was clear in his tone, though, as was in the way his nose scrunched up a bit as though he was smelling something foul. "All the information I needed was in that mission report. December 16. 1991. As well as all the information I needed to control your dear friend.

Steve's eyes narrowed. "But you must have found out about that night somehow," he continued, unable to completely hide the urgency from his voice. "You must have known that there was that information to be found if you looked for it. You weren't a part of Hydra, so someone must have told you to look. Who was it?"

The Super Soldier had him right where he wanted him, he could see it in how the other man's gaze faltered as he looked away from the phone's screen. This was exactly what they'd been looking for. "Who was it, Zemo?"

However, defiance appeared on the prisoner's face as he suddenly glared back at him. "Why should I tell you?" he spat. "You are just as awful as they are, Captain."

"I knew it," Rhodey muttered angrily. "We're not gonna get anything from him, Steve. I'm ending the call."

But Steve quickly shook his head, raising a placating hand. "Wait," he whispered before turning back to the hologram. "I understand your pain. I know how it feels to lose everything. I know how it feels to have your whole world crumbling around you."

Zemo's eyes narrowed further. "You could never."

"Ten seconds," Everett spoke up again, his voice cracking just a little.

The Captain steeled himself, keeping his eyes steady on the other man's. "I know you lost your family and your home when we were attempting to save Sokovia," he tried. "I have no words to speak on that terrible tragedy, so I will not try. Nothing I can say can right that wrong or take away your pain. But someone is continuing the work you started, Zemo, and we believe you may be able to help us find them. All we need is a name, a confirmation. Please."

"Good, I am glad to hear it. Let them continue it. You Avengers have taken away so much from so many people," Zemo sneered. "You do not deserve that."

"Five…" Everett continued his countdown.

"I accept that responsibility fully," Steve told him. "Though Hydra is also at fault. They took your home away from you before we did. I know you despise them for all they have done, as well. We do, too. If you give us a name, we can stop them. That is all we need from you."

Zemo simply stared straight ahead, his face full of hate, and remained silent.

"And, zero." Zemo's gaze faltered ever so slightly, a tiny crack in his brooding demeanor, before the camera angle changed so that the hologram of Everett's face was back. He still appeared nervous, but under that was a trace of sympathy. "I'm sorry that you didn't get what you wanted. Though to be honest, I didn't think you would… Anyway, I wish you all the best with your search, and I hope for the best result. Bring Stark home, Rogers. Colonel."

Steve sighed, his shoulders slumping a bit in defeat as he looked down. He'd known that asking for Zemo's help had been a long shot from the beginning, but he'd had to try if it meant possibly finding Tony. Beside him, Rhodey let out a long breath as well as he set a secure hand on the Captain's shoulder.

"Thank you for your time, Everett, we appreciate it," the latter said, though the disappointment in his voice was clear. He took a few steps forward to reach his phone to end the call. "Best of luck with your mission to South Korea. Bring in this dude."

"Thank you, Colonel."

Clint and Sam exchanged knowing looks. Pepper glanced down at the tray she held on her lap, still containing a few pizza rolls, with a thin line of tears in her eyes as her hands shook ever so slightly. The Colonel reached his phone, but before he could touch the device, a sudden quiet voice stilled him.

"Wait."

Rhodey quickly looked up at the same time Steve did at the unexpected familiar accent, startled. Everett's brow furrowed in confusion as he looked at Zemo off-screen.

"What? Time's up! That's what we agreed on."

A beat passed. "I wish to give Captain Rogers the name he is searching for," Zemo said.

Steve's heart leapt while Clint, Sam, and Pepper looked up hopefully. Rhodey glanced back at them with wide eyes. "Everett, please," the Super Soldier murmured. "This could mean the difference in finding Tony in time or not."

The other man appeared hesitant as he glanced quickly around him again. Then, he sighed heavily, passing a stressed hand over his face. "Make it quick."

Rhodey quickly backed away from his phone, coming to a stop beside Steve. They exchanged a quick look, the former giving the latter a brief nod. Steve took a deep breath as the holographic form of Zemo reappeared. There was conflict in his paler features, an obvious struggle between the lesser of two evils, raging in his mind. He took a small step forward.

"You want to give me that name?" he prompted gently.

Zemo took a shuddering breath, hesitance and a flicker of fear passing over his face. "I will give it to you on one condition, Captain," he said in a voice just above a whisper, almost as though he were afraid of being overheard by someone he didn't want to listen.

Steve nodded once, not breaking eye contact. If his suspicions were correct, he didn't blame the other man for being afraid. "Name it," he replied.

A moment passed before Zemo's eyes narrowed. "I will tell you if you swear to me that you will stop this bastard."

The Captain took a few more steps forward to where Zemo was watching him with apprehension. "That is what we intend to do," he told him steadily.

The other man shook his head slightly, a few strands of his unruly dark hair falling into his eyes. "Not good enough," he mumbled, conflict once again crossing his face. "If he finds out I've said anything… and he will… this cell won't protect me."

Pepper slowly rose to her feet, causing Zemo to glance in her direction, as she left her tray behind and walked forward to stand on Steve's other side, lightly grasping his arm. His gaze faltered as she gave him an encouraging nod. "Please," she whispered.

"You have my word," the Super Soldier told him with determination. "We will stop him."

Zemo moved his attention from Pepper back to the man beside her, and he sighed heavily as he nodded a couple times. "Very well." He shifted to a more comfortable position, still appearing reluctant. "I'd first seen him when Hydra moved into Sokovia, although it was primarily Strucker and his sect of agents. So it was rare for him to be there. He was very interested in what Strucker was doing with his… human experimentation to create enhanced individuals. He wanted him to share his research findings."

"Did Strucker share it with him?" Clint asked. If who they believed to be behind what had happened to Tony had ways to run similar test, it would mean disaster for them.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know for certain," Zemo answered, sparing the archer a glance before turning back to Steve. "He was not around too often, I only saw him a couple of times. It wasn't until after…" He paused, his voice catching. "… until after the destruction of Sokovia that I saw him again."

Steve nodded in understanding. "What happened?" he prompted softly.

Zemo's face remained eerily blank. "After Sokovia collapsed, I went to this small tavern miles into the countryside, a local family run place," he explained. "I had been there many times, often as a spot to get away and think for a while. But that night… that night I did everything I could to not think. I couldn't do that. I didn't want to feel anything. And I was well on my way there before he found me. I'm not certain how he did, but… he did. And he knew me. And what I'd lost. He knew… everything.

"I had already had a few drinks, and I had no intentions of leaving anytime soon. I believe the only reason the owners did not force me to leave was because they pitied me. But this man, he bought me another drink and offered to pay my entire tab. I couldn't say no to that. Though… honestly, I wish I'd had the strength to."

Steve sighed. He'd always known that Zemo had done what he had because the void left behind by what he'd lost that fateful day in Sokovia had swallowed his heart whole. But watching him now, he could see just how broken, how desperate, he'd been… and still was… to set out on that path against them to begin with.

"What did this man say, Zemo?" he asked gently.

Zemo met Steve's steady eyes with his own too bright ones. He let out a short, shaky breath, and he was unable to hold the other man's gaze as his face crumpled. "He… he told me that… that he had a way to make things right. To fix things," he murmured, his voice shaking ever so slightly. "That he had a way to make those who'd made us suffer would suffer as well. That he had a way for them to feel the same pain I had." He paused, shaking his head. "You must understand, Captain, that after those first missiles fell, Strucker worked hard to lay the blame on Stark and the Avengers. And it worked. For most. He gave us an enemy that we needed at the time. We didn't realize he was stealing our home, our soul, from us."

"I understand," Steve said. Yes, he understood the horrors of war that affected the most vulnerable, the victims, all too well. He knew perfectly well how easy it was to create an enemy when the angry and the suffering demanded it. He knew how simple it was for the loudest, the most passionate voice to sway the masses when they needed to hear it, even if the words themselves were all lies.

A look of hopeful understanding flickered across the prisoner's face as he chanced another glance at Steve. "He told me that he had a way for me to avenge my family. My home," he continued in just above a whisper. "At the time, those words were the sweetest words I could have heard. How could I not want that? My family… they were lost by the very hands who had been trying to save them. It only seemed right. I'd lost everything I had to live for."

Steve nodded, his jaw set but his gaze soft.

Zemo chuckled without mirth. "Why do you look at me like that, Captain?" he asked. "I deserve neither your sympathy nor your understanding."

"Loss is loss," Steve simply replied. He took a deep breath. "This Hydra agent who approached you. He's the one who told you about that night in 1991?"

"Yes. Or, at least, that something important happened on that night, and I could use it to tear apart those who had taken my family from me," Zemo confirmed. "He did not tell me exactly what it was, he wanted me to discover that on my own. All he told me was that I had the will needed to uncover that information and would use it well." His brow furrowed in thought. "And that… and I didn't think about this detail until now, a lot from that night is fuzzy… it involved Howard Stark."

The Captain's heart skipped a beat, though he kept his face indifferent. "He told you that it involved Howard?" he repeated.

Zemo nodded in confirmation. "He seemed to have a great deal of interest in Howard. And in his fate."

Steve felt as though a great pressure had closed around his lungs, constricting his airway, as he shared a quick glance with Rhodey. The Colonel shook his head slightly, a bit unnerved about what this revelation could mean.

"It was only later in my discoveries I learned exactly what had happened, and about the Winter Soldier's involvement," Zemo continued. "And formulated my plan to draw him out in order to gain control of him with the words I had in my possession to start turning you and Stark against each other. Before I revealed what had happened to his father."

"So all of that was your idea?" Steve pressed. "This man didn't help you with any of this?"

Zemo gave him a smug smile. "You would be surprised what grief and time to dwell on it can do, Captain," he muttered before the look faded. "But no, he only told me where to start looking and part of what I could expect to find so I'd know when I found it. I tracked down most of the agents I went through going off of what Black Widow released to the public, and the records I found along the way."

"That's dedication," Clint muttered. "You weren't promised anything in return for your services? Some kind of reward for this work you did for him?"

"Only retribution," Zemo told him. "Recompence for what I'd lost. It seemed enough…" He paused, lowering his gaze again. "He made me feel as though he was giving me a… a gift, of sorts. A way to right this tragedy that I had suffered. And I… I wanted to believe him. Though talking about it all now, I realize I was a mere pawn in whatever plan he had from the beginning. He never wanted to help me…"

"You've experienced a pain that no one should," Steve told him. "To grasp onto any sort of lifeline, a way to numb that pain, isn't abnormal."

"But acting on that vengeance is." Zemo tried to meet the other man's gaze. "You know, Captain… at first, I didn't want to accept what he was offering me. I did not want to take this way out, no matter how deep that pain ran. But he was so… persuasive."

Clint tensed. "Persuasive how?"

Zemo turned his uncertain gaze to him. "He was persuasive in the way he spoke. In how sweet he made his words sound," he said. "He made me feel that this was the right path to take. That convinced me to look for that damn mission report. But… one thing that really sticks out about that night in the tavern…" He took a deep breath, his brow furrowing. "He had this… gold ring that he'd sometimes twirl while we spoke. I found it distracting at first, which irritated me, but…"

The archer sucked in a deep breath, his slightly wider eyes landing on the back of the Super Soldier's head. "Steve…"

"I know." Steve looked at Zemo closely. "This ring… After it irritated you, did it make you feel more at ease? Compliant?"

Zemo nodded. "Yes, exactly that," he said. "It was rather odd… It was almost… what is the word…"

"Hypnotic?" Clint offered. Oh, how he hoped he was wrong…

But the prisoner nodded again. "Yes. Hypnotic," he agreed. "He persuaded me into agreeing to search for the information I needed. That he wanted me to find and act on. Though I am not using that as an excuse, mind you. My hate, as misplaced as it may be, may have made me susceptible to his persuasion, though it was my own hate that drove me forward to fulfill this plan. That hypnotic feeling wore off after some time, anyway."

Clint heatedly cursed, turning away from the hologram and beginning to pace while Pepper watched him with concern. Sam and Rhodey glanced at each other.

"I don't think that's a good sign," the former muttered while the Colonel sighed heavily.

"When you mentioned that someone was continuing what I started… I knew it could be no one else," Zemo concluded quietly.

Steve kept his gaze solely on the prisoner. "Zemo… what is his name?" he asked.

Zemo's gaze faltered. "Before I tell you, I wish to say one more thing." His nerves were palpable as he attempted a shaky smile. For a moment, Steve wasn't sure if he would tell them after all. "While I may have my own issues with Stark, my son… his name was Carl… was different. The Iron Man was his favorite. It was his dream to be just like Stark when he great up. He had the mind for it, too. He was going to do big things one day…"

The Captain smiled in return. "Tony is the best of us," he replied. And he knew he meant every word. "We all regret the lives lost when we try to help those very people. But Tony… he was determined to do something about it. It was those people we lost in Sokovia and elsewhere that drove him to find a way to change things. I may not have agreed with him about how to go about changing them… I still don't… but he tried in the way he thought was best. And his heart was in the right place. Your son chose a great man to look up to."

Another ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of Zemo's lips, though it had a somber feel to it. He swallowed hard. "You know, Captain… Your friend. The Black Panther… After I revealed the truth about that night in 1991 to Stark and left you three tearing yourselves apart… I attempted to end it all. My job was done. All I wanted was my wife and child. I wanted nothing more to do with Hydra and this man… But the prince… he listened with a patience far more than I deserved. He understood. Even though he'd wished to claim my life for his own after the death of his father… something I did not intend, they both seem like brave and noble men, and I truly regret his loss… he prevented me from taking my own." He paused, a thin line of tears appearing in his eyes as he took a deep, shaky breath. "He told me that the living were not done with me yet. I used to hate him for making that call, it wasn't his to make. But now… Though to this day… after all I have done… I do not understand what he saw that caused him to spare my life."

Steve's brow furrowed as he nodded. "It was a decision he didn't make lightly," he said. "He saw a reason, he saw something in you that was worth saving. And you can use that second chance he gave you to help make things right now." He briefly paused when Zemo raised his gaze to his, the faintest hint of hope in his eyes. "Help us find the man your son aspired to be. Do it for his memory. Help us stop the man who used you when you were in pain. Zemo, give us the name of the man who started all this."

"Johann Fennhoff," Steve said, his light gaze passing over the group that had assembled before him in the Tower's penthouse. What remained of the Avengers, Pepper, Happy, and Maria Hill all watched him with rapt attention. Those who had attended the memorial for Tony hadn't had the chance to change yet. It was the first time that most everyone could gather together. The only one missing was Peter, who was spending some time with a couple of his friends from school in order to cheer him up.

"For those who may be unfamiliar with that name," the Super Soldier continued, his eyes lingering on Scott the longest, "Fennhoff is a top level Hydra agent. If I had to guess, he is likely to be the last of that ranking, especially after Strucker's death and many others were caught after Nat released the files. Only problem is, as many who are associated with S.H.I.E.L.D. know, he's been nearly impossible to catch."

"Why's that?" Sam wondered, glancing at Maria sitting on the couch next to him. "I thought you guys were experts in this sort of thing." She rolled her eyes in exasperation, even as a smile threatened to tug at her lips.

"To risk sounding cliché, he's a master of both disguise and escape," Clint spoke up from where he was perched on the arm of the chair across from him. "He sometimes relies on different aliases to remain hidden in plain sight. Faustus was another common one he's used over the years, as is Ivchenko."

"There have also been conflicting reports on him over the years," Steve added. "Dating all the way back to when I was around during the War."

Scott arched an eyebrow. "So... what you're saying is that we're dealing with an old man?" he asked.

"That's the thing," Maria answered. "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s records had him being middle-aged to on the older side during that time. Same was when he infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. after Howard Stark and Peggy Carter founded it."

"Infiltrated in what way?" Rhodey pressed.

"I'll have to ask Nick for sure, but I believe he was part of the staff as a therapist," the former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent explained. "But that was't until years later... Howard was married and had a young Tony at the time."

"And then, again, after I came out of the ice," Steve murmured, his gaze faraway.

The room was silent for a long moment, its inhabitants trying to make sense of this information. "So, this dude managed to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D. twice, and y'all didn't catch him?" Sam ventured.

"There was mostly new staff, including myself, the second time," Maria said. "And Fennhoff managed to erase most of the data from the first time. He had a way of making people forget about him. Not to mention, there are the issues that have been mentioned before. The conflicting records about his death, and the age impossibility. No one could agree, despite him being considered one of the biggest threats to come out of Hydra."

"That's what gets me," Rhodey muttered thoughtfully. "If he was middle-aged, at least, during the War, then how..."

Steve took a deep breath. "I can't say for sure, I only read about this in the files about Fennhoff once I was a part of S.H.I.E.L.D., but it was reported he'd been involved in Doctor Abraham Erksine's work before he was later caught as a member of Hydra."

"Erksine," Natasha said with a brief nod. "The serum."

"The Super Soldier serum?" the colonel asked. "So, are you saying he's using the same stuff that's powering Steve?"

"Or has experimented with parts of it, perhaps extracting certain elements such as what impacts aging?" Vision suggested.

"I can't say for certain if he actually used it or experimented with it for himself. I'd only seen him maybe once or twice before I went into the ice," Steve told Rhodey. "But... Peggy told me once I'd started visiting her at the nursing home that she and Howard had dealt with him after I was gone. She helped to catch him once. Her memory may have not been the best then, but that she remembered vividly. There wasn't much that she feared, but..." His sentence trailed off as he looked away, running an absent hand over his bearded chin.

"All right, so say that he was using the serum, or some variation of it," Sam said. "That would explain this weird age thing. But could that also explain why no one could decide if he was dead or not?"

"It's possible," Natasha conceded. "While on the serum, the body can withstand a lot of punishment. Sometimes even things that could be fatal to others. That could be another way he escaped so much."

"He doesn't have the strength or speed that comes with it, though." Steve's brow furrowed. "When I saw him a few years ago... when he'd infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. that second time... he was feeble."

"Is that when you thought he was dead, like you told us before?" Pepper asked.

The Captain nodded. "After I... dealt with him, yes," he answered.

"What happened?" Happy wondered.

But Steve shook his head. "That isn't important to what's happening right now," he murmured, his gaze faltering. "Point is, he's calling me out after what I did. But that doesn't explain why he took Tony when I'm the one with the personal history with him. Unless he's using Tony to get to me. But that doesn't make sense, either. After what Zemo told us... and I believe him... Fennhoff knows what happened between us."

Clint's brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Zemo also said that Fennhoff had an interest in Howard and his work," he muttered. "Maybe there's something there?"

"I'm not sure what that would be yet," Steve said. "But that doesn't surprise me. Howard was a genius in his time."

Silence once again fell over the room.

"Okay, so it sounds like a couple of you have some past personal experience with this guy," Scott finally spoke up. "But what are we dealing with now? What are we up against with this oddly old man?"

"While he may not be a threat physically, he is in other ways," Clint told him. "He focuses on the mind. Hallucinations, making you question the truth, preys on your fears. He's got a special gas for that, but he's got other ways of influencing you, too. He also has henchmen who, usually, will dress as people important to his victims in some way. He'll utilize androids..."

"Androids?" Scott interrupted, turning to Rhodey. "Like those ones we fought down at the harbor?"

The colonel nodded. "That makes sense now," he agreed.

"So what would be his agenda now?" Maria wondered. "Calling out Steve after... well, after what happened a few years ago, I understand." She briefly lowered her gaze. The Super Soldier gave her a grateful look. "But you were still in hiding when Tony went missing... He must have eyes for him out there, and Steve was seen later..."

"That dirty cop, maybe?" Clint suggested, glancing at Rhodey. "The one who sent the androids after you?"

Rhodey clenched his jaw. "I wouldn't doubt it, man."

"But he started with Tony," Maria continued. "Why? Why are he or Howard an interest to him?"

"To rebuild Hydra?" Sam shrugged. "With Tony's brain, they'd get pretty far..."

Steve nodded once. "We were thinking that could be Fennhoff's endgame, too."

Cllint slowly rose from his position on the arm of the chair, pacing a little. "What really concerns me is Zemo said that Fennhoff was interested in Strucker's work with human experimentation," he muttered. "With enhanced individuals." He briefly shook his head. "If Strucker shared some of his findings with him, and if Fennhoff plans on rebuilding Hydra with enhanced individuals..."

Wanda took a deep breath, seeing that flickers of scarlet energy were sparking around her fingers. Vision glanced over at her from where he was sitting next to her on the couch.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

A moment passed as Wanda got her power back under control before she met his gaze. "Yes... yes, I'm fine," she whispered, quickly looking away again.

Vision's eyes narrowed with worry, and he lightly set a hand on her knee. A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of her lips as she placed her ringed one on top of his, their fingers entwining.

"Can he accomplish that, though?" Maria wondered. "Without Loki's scepter?"

"That was my thought, too," Steve said. "I think until we find out more about what Fennhoff knows involving Strucker's experiments, we should keep a close eye on Wanda and Vision." When they both looked up at him, his features softened. "You are the last part of what came out of those experiments and how they were done. For your own safety, I believe it would be best if you remained under the radar as much as possible. Both of you. Just in case. The farther away we can keep you away from Fennhoff, the better." Clint nodded in agreement.

Wanda attempted a smile as she mirrored the action after she looked to the archer, lowering her gaze to her trembling fingers. Vision tightened his hold on them slightly in attempt to still them.

"Do not worry, Captain Rogers," the android assured him. "I will keep my eye on her."

"As I will keep mine on you," Wanda muttered, a hint of playfulness in her tone as she looked up at Vision with a small smile.

Pepper straightened up on the couch slightly. "So, Clint, tell me honestly," she said. "Are we screwed like you thought before?"

"Screwed?" Scott repeated, his eyes widening slightly. "Why are we screwed now?"

The archer sighed. "Maybe not... Typically with Fennhoff, you've gotta be on the same footing as he is. And we're not. He's a couple steps ahead of us with taking Tony and making it clear he's targeted Steve next."

"It sounds like you've had some personal dealings with him as well," Wanda said with concern.

"Clint met her gaze before he nodded briefly and looked away again. "I'm aware of what can happen when you're not fully prepared against him, even if you think you are." Natasha rose to her feet and walked over to join him.

"So, how do you suggest we get back on the same page as Fennhoff?" Rhodey pressed. "How do we find Tony?"

Steve glanced out the large window beside him, his gaze passing over the bustling city below them as the sun began to set. "Well, my guess is since he wants me next, he'll find some way to get my attention again," he replied. "The invitation left with the body you found down by the harbor was only the start. Knowing him, he'll do something more drastic next time. Something grander. Unless we can track him down first."

"That might be a trap," Natasha cautioned, looking away from Clint's impassive face. "He might be expecting that from you."

"But it also might get us closer to trapping him," Sam countered. "If we're careful about it... There's more of us than there are of him. I think. How do we track him down."

Steve and Clint exchanged glances. "Well, when Steve last saw Fennhoff a few years ago before S.H.I.E.L.D. collapsed, he was in D.C.," the latter explained quietly. "But as he handled Fennhoff directly, I discovered that his base of operation was actually in Jersey. They were masquerading behind an energy drink warehouse."

Scott couldn't help himself. He chuckled. "An energy drink factory? Seriously? Super villain much?"

Clint rolled his eyes. "Fortunately, Steve took care of Fennhoff, or so we thought, before any extensive damage was done," he concluded. "I'm not sure what they intended to do... maybe distribute the hallucinogenic gas through mass sales of the drinks, or something... but they abandoned it when Fennhoff was, presumably, dead. MOst of them were gone by the time I brought some agents to the warehouse."

"So you're saying Fennhoff usually has two separate locations for his operations?" Rhodey asked thoughtfully.

"At least he did last time," Steve confirmed. "Which is smart. I don't think Fennhoff would have taken Tony if he didn't have some help. Maybe some other underground Hydra agents. It's possible he's got Tony in one location, maybe even somewhat close by if he wants me, too, and he's got another location elsewhere where he's doing... I don't know what. Working on rebuilding, maybe."

"We could keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. Keep track of police records and other things like security feeds in the city and surrounding areas," Natasha offered. "If he is working on rebuilding Hydra, there may be some indications. Someone might see something."

"You work on running those programs," Clint said. "I'd like to take a look around that old warehouse again. I know they won't be there, but something may have been missed. Maybe something that could give us an indication of where they moved to next. When leaving in a hurry, something is usually left behind. It'd be a start, anyway. Cover our bases."

"I'll go with you," Scott volunteered. "I can look in smaller spaces..." The archer accepted with a nod.

"Any chance something could be found in D.C.?" Sam wondered.

Steve noticeably hesitated. "I... I don't think so," he told him, unable to look the other man in the eye. "I doubt it, actually."

Maria's gaze faltered. "I can take a look if you want me to, Steve," she muttered gently. "Ask some questions."

Clear relief passed over the Captain's face. "Thank you."

Sam and Rhodey exchanged glances, each arching an eyebrow. Something had happened when Fennhoff had been in D.C., and it was clear that whatever it was still weighed heavily on Steve's shoulders.

Pepper wrung her hands on her lap. "What about Peter?" she asked.

"He should be informed," Happy added.

Steve nodded his agreement. "He should be," he agreed. "It's important he understands who we're dealing with. Fennhoff is a dangerous man. And the kid's somehow already ended up on his radar, and I'm not sure how. Peter's got nothing to do with Fennhoff. But Fennhoff seems interested. If either of you would like to let him know, that's fine. But I'd like a word with him myself. Just to make sure he understands what we're dealing with. Fennhoff's already in his head. I told him we were going to follow a couple leads, and depending on how that pans out, he can help us with the rescue effort to bring Tony home. We'll bring him in after we see what we can find. We can't go charging in blind. We'd lose."

The CEO let out the tense breath she'd been holding, setting her hand lightly on Happy's arm. "Okay... good. Thanks for keeping an eye on him that way."

The Super Soldier simply nodded.

Clint sighed as he surveyed the group. "The one thing to keep in mind as we move forward is to always stay on guard," he told them. "Fennhoff himself will likely not lift a finger against you, but he'll either have someone who will with him, or he'll have your own mind do it for him. And whatever you value... whatever and whoever you cherish most in this world... you hold it close. You protect it. Because whatever he can take from you, he'll do it without hesitation and will use it against you."

An uneasy silence fell over the room. Its occupants exchanged wary, heavy looks.

What sort of nightmare were they now going to walk into? What sort of living hell was Tony fighting through now?

"Sounds like the boogeyman," Scott murmured, his tone anxious. "How the hell are we supposed to catch the damn boogeyman?"

"By trying to be a step ahead." Steve sighed heavily. "Right. Let's move out."

"They are... exemplary."

She winced, clenching her teeth and closing her eyes tightly as his wrinkled hand moved forward, his almost taunting accent echoing in her ears. She bit her tongue, nearly hard enough to draw blood when his fingers lightly trailed through her dark brown hair. She could feel the energy pulsing in her fingers... she felt her other half tensing angrily next to her, ready to land a lightning fast strike or to grab her and make a swift escape... but the agents around them were all armed. They may have been stronger than they were, but they were outnumbered, and their abilities were still too new to be reliable.

They could do nothing. Not that they had a choice.

"Yes, they are truly wonders of the natural order..."

She slowly opened her eyes and glanced at her twin beside her, seeing his eyes were narrowed in fury at the old man before them. She glanced at him herself then, a shudder running through her when she saw the coldness of his eyes. But there was a strange... kindness, a curiosity, set in his lined features as he regarded her closely. Studied her. Her shoulders relaxed. The crimson energy dissolved at her slender fingertips.

But then, her heart chilled again when she saw the near cruel grin that spread across the old man's face. She reached for her brother's hand, comforted by the warmth of his fingers that secured around her own.

"Yes. They will do nicely."

Wanda sat on the narrow sill of the window in the dark room she'd claimed for herself in the Tower, absently twirling strands of bright red energy between her fingers as she watched over the bright lights of the city against the night sky below her. She then turned her attention to her ringed hands, both slightly shaking, as she passed the crimson light from one to the other. She focused, a faint glow pulsing around her light irises as she began to form shapes with the light. Simple, at first. A spiral. A triangle. A crescent moon. Then a little more complicated. A star. A flower. A feather.

Her energy was in control. She was in control.

Johann Fennhoff.

Wanda's breath hitched, the light between her fingers giving an intense burst crackling around her hands. She frantically tried to calm down, squeezing her eyes shut as she forced herself to take a few deep breaths. In through her nose, out through her mouth. In... out...

Most of the crimson finally faded from the other side of her closed eyelids, and she let out a deep, shuddering breath as a few tears trailed down her cheeks. She covered her face with trembling hands, choking back a near silent sob.

It had felt like so long since she had even thought about that name. That face. Those cold, calculating eyes. That cruel smile. His often disarming demeanor.

She remembered the few times Fennhoff had visited Sokovia while she and Pietro had been enduring and recovering from Strucker's experiments, especially when they had been the only two to survive them. He'd had a great interest in them, in what they could do, even while they were learning just what that was themselves. He'd been interested to learn Strucker's methods, about why they'd been the only two subjects to survive out of the many who had volunteered.

Subjects. How she hated that word. It was all she and her brother had ever been to those men. Less than human. Not worthy of that name.

Monsters.

But even when they'd been aligned with Strucker, even when they'd been led to believe what Hydra stood for, there was something different about the doctor that had scared her. It had been a fear she'd felt to her very core. Primal. Even with her mental abilities, she'd always felt that he was one who could bend her to his will without effort. She'd doubted if even Pietro could have outrun his influence. She couldn't have been more grateful when she'd been broken free of Hydra since that had meant she had finally escaped him.

But now... Fennhoff was right in front of her once again.

"Wanda?"

The quiet sound of her name, the familiar accent filled with concern, made her tense muscles relax as her breath eased slightly. Wanda slowly lowered her hands, bringing them to rest on her lap as she squinted through the heavy darkness of the room to see a tall masculine figure standing in the doorway, holding some sort of case.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" that soft voice that was able to bring her so much peace continued.

Wanda sniffed quietly. "Sorry, Vis," she murmured, her voice catching slightly. She then pointed to the approximate area of where she knew the light switch was and aimed a small trail of crimson energy at it. It hit the switch, just as Vision closed the door behind him.

As her eyes adjusted to the sudden flood of light, she saw immediately that he appeared different. He was wearing a dark gray t-shirt and blank pants, but he was human. A small smile appeared at the corner of her lips as her eyes roamed over the sharp angles of his face, the fair and slightly tousled hair, the pale softness of his lips. The Stone currently wasn't visible in the center of his forehead, but she knew right where it was. She could feel it. She could feel him.

She wasn't aware of how any of it worked, not really. Something about nanotechnology and molecules. But she didn't care. When they had begun to meet each other in unspecified locations after the Avengers had split apart to see if something between them could actually work, Vision had chosen this human form since, in his own words, he'd felt it would be more appealing to her. He wanted to learn to be human. So he could share human experiences with her.

Though to her, it didn't really matter. As long as she was around him, most of that empty void that had been left behind in Pietro's wake when his heart had beat its last was filled again. Because somehow, all three of them- her brother, the one she believed she could love, and herself- were all intertwined. They were all connected. And even though Pietro was gone, they always would be.

She wasn't sure if the two of them would ever be able to actually make something work between them, not really. They couldn't be like other couples. If that's what they could even call themselves. Not with only being able to find small stolen moments together with the fissures between their sides and her being on the run from the government for being the monster they feared her to be. But maybe, she thought, just maybe the fragility was the beauty of what they did have.

Wanda wasn't fully aware that she was still crying until the tears obscured her vision, and she quickly looked away so he wouldn't see. "Give me a minute, Vis..."

But the android set the long, rectangular case on the floor near the door before he crossed the room to her. He saw on the narrow sill beside her as best as he could fit, reaching out and taking both of her clammy hands in his despite the faint scarlet energy that still lightly pulsed around them. "Wanda, dear, you're crying," he murmured, bringing one hand toward his face.

Her eyes widened in alarm. "Vis, wait, don't..."

Vision paused for the briefest of moments, giving her a kind smile. "You cannot hurt me." To prove his words, he then brought her hand to lightly rest against his cheek. "See? No harm done."

Wanda looked back at him, seeing the soft light that still resonated in her fingers truly seemed to not affect him at all. She carefully brushed her thumb over his high cheek bone, wondering not only how he was able to appear so human but feel so human, too. She even though she felt the faintest trace of fine stubble along his strong jawline, and the sensation caused her to chuckle.

"That's new," she commented. She raised her gaze to those light blue eyes she knew so well, those same ones that had always seemed to see her for who she truly was yet accepted her anyway... possibly even loved her... and the lingering energy burning in her hands slowly ebbed away.

Vision's smile widened. "Do you like it?" he asked lightly. "I was thinking of experimenting with a couple different looks."

Wanda shook her head slightly, affectionately, as a smile appeared on her own face. "As curious as I am to see how you would look with a beard, I like you just the way you are."

His cheerful look lingering, Vision turned his head a bit, leaving a soft kiss in the center of her palm. She took a deep, calming breath, weaving the fingers of her free hand through his. His smile slowly eased into a look of concern as his brow furrowed. "Will you please tell me what's wrong now?" he wondered quietly.

A moment passed where Wanda looked back out the window at the bright lights of the city before she met his gaze. "I'm scared, Vis," she said in just above a whisper.

The android scooted a little closer, securing his hand around hers. "Scared of what?"

Wanda gave him a small smile, before she carefully pulled her hands away and rose to her feet, taking a deep breath and wrapping her arms around herself in a protective way as she began to pace. Vision stayed where he was seated awkwardly on the sill, his long legs stretched out in front of him, watching her carefully.

"I remember him," she explained thoughtfully, her gaze darting around her with each step she took. "Fennhoff... From Sokovia. When Pietro and I were Strucker's lab rats."

Vision's light, worried gaze followed her steps. "What happened?"

Wanda finally came to a stop, tightening her hold around herself. Her fingers tightly gripped her black long-sleeved shirt, forcing herself to focus on the soft material to keep her power at bay. She was in control. "Clint was right when he said that Fennhoff was interested in what Strucker was doing with us," she told him quietly. "He stopped by the base a few times, mostly to check on our progress. He sometimes ran a couple of his own little tests, like how long it would take Pietro to run a certain distance at top speed, or if he could create enough inertia to move through objects, or how many objects he could move in a certain time limit. For me, it was how far a person had to be away from me to be influenced, or how far I could move an object before it was out of range, or if I could influence people or objects from another room. He wanted to see what we could do, how far he could push us. It was exhausting for both of us."

The android slowly rose to his feet and began to make his way toward her, his eyes narrowed. "It sounds as though he was preparing you for battle," he muttered, disapproval in his tone.

She gave a bitter chuckle. "That was our purpose... Strucker's perfect little weapons of war."

Vision stopped behind her. "Do you feel there is any legitimate reason for Clint to be concerned?" he asked. "Do you believe that Fennhoff may be interested in recreating those experiments to have his own enhanced?"

Wanda sighed as she turned to face him. "I don't see how he could, Vis," she answered, though her brow furrowed with worry. She raised her gaze, slowly reaching out and setting a slender fingertip against the center of his forehead, directly over the Stone. While it remained hidden, a faint yellow glow shone through his skin in response to her tender touch, and a flicker of scarlet rose to meet it. "He doesn't have you."

"Nor will he have you." Vision lightly gripped her upper arms.

Safe. She was safe. The pressure in her chest eased. "Without a source of power like what Strucker had at his disposal, I don't see how he could conduct his own experiments to get the same results. Even if Strucker did share his findings with him."

Vision nodded thoughtfully. "I may not fully understand what this stone in my head is, but I do not believe that there is anything else that exists that is quite like it," he mused softly. His light eyes met hers. "Except for you. And your power."

Wanda's gaze faltered as she slowly pulled her finger away from his forehead, both the yellow and the scarlet glows fading. "I don't think it's likely that Fennhoff is running his own experiments," she muttered, lightly biting at her thumbnail. "I think what we should be more concerned about is what he could want with Stark. That's dangerous…"

The android's shoulders slumped a bit, concern appearing on his face. Wanda frowned before she moved closer, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his sturdy chest. It had always been odd, she thought, to not hear or feel a heartbeat whenever they were close like this. At least, not an organic one. It had unsettled her a little at first, to have something so fundamentally human so absent. When they'd first begun to secretly meet, and when it had started to go well, she'd wondered if love was even something the two of them could share without that missing piece.

But as his toned arms wound their way around her, protecting her and making her feel secure, she knew that all along, the reality was yes. He may have been learning as they went what it meant to be human, to share life with another person, but love was something he, deep down, seemed to know about.

Vision's concern for Tony was clear, and it was something she wished she could help ease for him. She'd helped him to experience the billionaire's loss, and he'd discovered the hope at hearing he was alive on his own. The loyalty he felt to his original creator, the part of him deep in his core that was still so inherently JARVIS, was clear, but she could tell that it was more than that. She had no doubt that it was with Tony where he'd learned about love, even if he didn't realize it, understand it, or know it by name.

"We'll find him, Vis," she whispered into him.

Vision briefly tightened his hold on her. "I know we will," he agreed. "We have to."

Another moment passed before Wanda pulled away a little, giving him a kind smile before she glanced over her shoulder at the door. "What did you bring?" she asked.

"Oh. Yes, that. Well." Vision cleared his throat. He then released her before he crossed the room. "I am afraid that I could not find the original case for it, so I had to make do."

Tilting her head a bit, Wanda wandered over to where he was crouched in front of the long, rectangular case, slowly kneeling beside him. She brushed a stray strand of her light hair behind her ear before she reached toward the case, seeing that Vision was looking at her with hope in his slightly wider eyes. She unlocked the latches before lifting the lid, and a broad smile appeared on her face when she saw its contents. Beside her, relief crossed the android's face.

"Oh, Vis…"

Wanda reached inside and carefully pulled out the acoustic guitar Tony had gotten for her, setting it on her lap. She ran a slender finger over a couple of strings before she sighed, an almost sad look passing over her face as her brow furrowed.

"What's wrong?" Vision wondered. "I had thought this would make you feel better."

"It does, is, it really does," Wanda assured him, setting her hand on top of his. "That's not it. I promise, I love the thought." She weaved her fingers through his, holding them tightly. "This was the main thing I was missing from the compound. It just… reminds me of him, you know?"

Vision secured his hand around hers, lightly running his thumb over her finger. "Your brother."

Wanda nodded before she chuckled. "It's why I told Stark I wanted this when he asked me what he could get for me to make me feel at home," she murmured. "Not that a lot of things don't remind me of Pietro, but… this is special. Because it was special to him before everything changed for us. And sometimes… no, never mind, it'll sound silly…"

"How could it coming from you?" Vision gently placed his free hand beneath her chin and turned her face to his. "It will not to me."

A minute passed as she studied his face, finding nothing but earnest truth, before she smiled faintly. "Okay… Pietro was my twin. And because of that, we had this… this connection that I don't think many people understand. It always joined us, it was as though our souls were two pieces of the same whole. I could always feel if he was happy or upset or if he needed me, even if he didn't say a word, as he could with me. And it was always the most comforting thing, having him always right there with me even if we were apart. Especially when we only had each other. It was an understanding we shared that I've never experienced with anyone else. The only thing that has come close to it is what I feel with you."

Vision watched as her gaze moved from his eyes to the center of his forehead and back. He understood; he felt it, too. They were joined in a way that neither one of them fully understood. He gave her a brief nod, urging her to continue.

"Before what happened in Sokovia… the longest time Pietro and I were ever apart was when he was born twelve minutes before me," Wanda said, absently tracing circles into the back of his hand with her thumb. She chuckled before the cheerful sound faded. "After that, we were inseparable. Until Strucker came, and he would often keep us separated when he was running his tests. But Pietro, he was adamant that we were not to be kept apart too long, or else he wouldn't cooperate. Especially if we felt the other had had a particularly rough session."

She paused, lowering her gaze to the guitar resting on her lap. "Before that, though… it was always us. Our parents never gave us separate rooms because our apartment wasn't big enough, but also because they knew we'd end up in the same room, anyway. I was afraid of a lot when I was little. The dark, thunderstorms, the monsters under my bed… When I had those difficult nights, I'd always sneak into Pietro's bed, but he'd always expect me. Hearing his heartbeat was the only way I could sleep. It was the same when we had to wait those long two days under his bed after the bomb that destroyed our apartment, afraid another would kill us, too. Hearing his heartbeat was the only way I could get any rest while he kept watch. And while we were kept under lock and key with Strucker, hearing Pietro's heartbeat was how I would calm down after a session or on a night I couldn't sleep when we were allowed to see each other. If we weren't, I could still feel it, and that was enough."

The android's brow furrowed with concern.

Wanda took a deep breath, swallowing hard against the tears threatening to rise to her eyes. "When he… when he died in Sokovia…" She shook her head slightly. "He didn't want to leave me, Vis… I shouldn't have told him to…"

Vision squeezed her hand. "It is not your fault, Wanda," he assured her quietly. "Do not have these thoughts."

"How can I not?" Wanda asked, her voice shaking ever so slightly. "He went to fight because I told him to. I lost half of myself that day because I didn't listen when he didn't want to leave. I felt the moment his heart stopped beating. It felt as though mine had stopped, too. Like I was no longer breathing. For the first time, I could no longer hear or feel his heartbeat. It was worse than those twelve minutes without him… I was empty. It was the most alone I'd ever felt. I didn't feel alive. And I'm the one who told him to go, Vis…"

"You could not have possibly known what was going to happen." Vision reached out with his free hand and set it on her cheek, tenderly brushing away a stray tear that fell from her eye. "Please, Wanda. You could not have known." When she simply closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, his gaze faltered. "You are certain bringing this did not upset you?"

Wanda nodded as she opened her eyes and gave him a small smile. "Quite the opposite," she told him. She looked down at the guitar, once again plucking a couple of the strings. "This was what I was afraid was going to sound silly, but I sometimes feel like he's still with me."

"How is that silly?" Vision pressed, inclining his head. "I'd thought that was a common belief when a loved one passed on."

"It is," Wanda said. "But this… this is different."

"How so?"

"Maybe it's because we're twins, but… with some things, such as this guitar, I feel like he's closer to me," Wanda tried to explain. She took a deep breath. "And I'm going to sound crazy, but… there have been times where I've thought that I've… almost felt Pietro's heartbeat again. I know it's not possible, but…"

Vision looked back at her curiously. "Go on," he prompted.

Wanda met his gaze. "When Pietro and I were helping in the aftermath of the initial bombings, I tended to a lot of people who were missing a limb, or part of one," she told him. "One thing they would often tell me is that even though their arm or leg was gone, they could still feel it. A phantom limb, a ghost pain, they called it. It took them a long time to adjust to not having their limb. And I wonder if it's the same thing for me… Pietro was a part of me, as I was of him. His heart was something I always had. And…"

She paused, a fond look in her eye. "There have been times where I would swear I hear his heart and can feel it beating against my own, just as it always used to. After he died… there were so many nights I couldn't sleep. And during those nights, his heartbeat felt so real that I could sleep, just like when I was little. And before Clint, Scott, and I came here, there was a night where a massive thunderstorm hit. Our motel was so small and feeble that I was certain it wouldn't withstand the storm. Scott slept through it, and Clint tried to calm me, but nothing he did worked. Then, there it was. It was fainter than it was shortly after his death… maybe I've come further in accepting that he's gone, I don't know… but I thought I felt Pietro's heartbeat that night, and I could sleep. It's my own phantom limb, my own ghost pain."

Vision gave her a calm smile. "I do not believe that sounds silly," he said. "I must be able to pick up on that as well."

Wanda's brow furrowed. "You are?"

The android nodded. "Yes, when you believe you're experiencing this… phantom limb," he explained. "To me, it feels as though there is a second life force, one that is not yours. Though with as close as you and your brother were, and as close as we are, I imagine I am feeling your emotional response to what you believe you're feeling. That imagining his heartbeat brings you comfort since it did when he was alive. It is a beautiful thing, Wanda. Not silly."

A moment passed before Wanda's smile broadened, and she left a light kiss on his thumb. "Thank you for understanding," she murmured. "And for making me feel like I'm not crazy."

Vision returned the look. "I could never believe that."

They fell into a comfortable silence, simply soaking in the other's presence. Then, there was a quiet knock on the door, and Wanda rose to her feet to answer, guitar in hand. The smile returned to her face when she pulled it open.

"Hi."

Clint nodded back, opening his mouth to say something before he paused, his brow furrowing in confusion when he watched the android stand to join her. Understanding crossed his face. "That's, uh, that's a good look for you, Vision," he muttered, smirking slightly before turning back to Wanda. "I'm gonna grab Scott, and then we're gonna head out to that warehouse. You ready?"

Wanda nodded. "Yeah, I think so," she said.

Vision looked at her with confusion. "You're going along?" he asked.

The archer looked back and forth between them before he quietly cleared his throat. "I'll give you guys a moment," he said. "Wanda, meet us down in the lobby when you can."

"I will." Wanda watched as Clint disappeared down the hallway before she turned to Vision. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before…" she began.

"No, that's not it." Vision reached out, lightly taking her hand in his. "It could be dangerous. We were just speaking about how it would not be good if Fennhoff were to see you."

"Fennhoff isn't going to be there, Vis." Wanda squeezed his hand. "I just really feel like I can help Clint if there's something to be found. I am familiar with Fennhoff. I just… I need to get off my ass and face this fear that I still have because of him. To help find Stark."

The android nodded once, meeting her gaze. "Let me come with you," he murmured.

Wanda smiled slightly in return. "I think you should stay here," she replied just as quietly. "There's that part of you that still has to be connected to Stark in some way. You know that. I think you could do a lot of good helping Natasha with running her security checks to try and narrow down possible locations where he could be with that information you have and what you can get access to. I promise I'll be careful."

Vision considered this for a moment, defeat crossing his sharp features. "If you need anything at all…"

"If I need you, you'll know." Her gaze moved to the spot in the center of his forehead where she knew the Stone resided. "Trust me. This just seems really personal for Clint. And with as much as he's done for me, I need to help him now."

"I understand. And I know my services would be beneficial to Natasha." Still, Vision's light eyes flickered with concern. "Just be careful."

"Of course." Her smile broadening, Wanda held the acoustic guitar out to him. "Keep this safe for me?"

The android returned the look as he carefully took the instrument from her. "Perhaps when you return, you could play something for me?" he suggested.

Wanda laughed. "I'm still not too great at it, Vis…" she warned.

But Vision didn't seem deterred. "I won't judge you," he told her lightly. "Besides, practice is… what do they say… practice makes perfect."

"All right. Fair enough, then." A fond look passed over Wanda's face when she met his gaze again, her laughter lingering in her eyes. Vision's smile lingered, and he gently pulled her closer to him. She sighed with content when his arms surrounded her.

"I'll be back soon," she mumbled into his shoulder.

Vision nodded once. "And I'll be waiting for you," he replied.

Wanda looked up at him, seeing their faces were inches apart. She brushed her nose against his, feather light, as he rested his forehead against hers. A beat passed before they both leaned forward to close the gap, and a spark moved through her as their lips softly met. It was still a bit of a strange sensation for her, but it was one she'd certainly gotten used to as he continued to get more familiar with it as well.

"I should go," she whispered reluctantly when they broke apart.

Vision nodded, watching as she crossed the room tow here her scarlet coat was lying on the bed and slipped it on. She then hurried over to the door, hesitating briefly as she looked back at him. His smile steeled her resolve, and she turned and disappeared into the hallway.

The android looked down at the guitar he still held before he carefully set it back in the case he'd found for it and shut the lid. He carried it over to the bed, setting it down gently. He then wandered over to the window that overlooked the brightly lit city, and he crossed his arms over his chest as his brow furrowed when he turned his gaze in the direction of where New Jersey would be.

"Just be careful."

"Get down!"

A blast went off not too far from him, shaking the structure's foundation as the heat from the explosion washed over him…

The old man watched the chaos around him, a gleeful look on his face, before he began to make his escape…

He took off after him, but he stopped abruptly when the high-ranking Hydra agent quickly turned on him as a second agent appeared beside him, the latter's gun raised…

Of course… he should have expected it… he hadn't been thinking…

"Clint!"

A pair of strong, sturdy hands grabbed him from behind, shoving him out of the way as bullets rang out…

His eyes were wide with horror as he watched the other man fall, struggling to try and escape the new set of arms wrapped tightly around him to pull him away…

"Clint."

The archer hissed as the familiar quiet voice reached his ears and the light hand touched his tense shoulder. He flinched away from the gentle touch, regretting it the moment he did as the warmth left him as she let him move away.

"I'm sorry…" he murmured.

"Don't be," Natasha said, though she didn't move closer. "I know what you're thinking about. I didn't mean to startle you."

Clint sighed heavily, running a gloved hand slowly over his face. "You didn't," he replied. "It's just…"

Natasha nodded. "I know."

A moment passed before Clint turned to her, and she could see the uncertainty in his features. "I'd hoped it wouldn't be him," he admitted quietly, not quite able to meet her gaze. "Fennhoff's a virus. A snake. Cut off his head, two more pop up in its place. It doesn't even seem possible…"

Natasha let out a quiet breath, chancing a small step closer. He didn't move away. "We'll handle it. Just like we always do." She paused, hesitant, when he nodded as he looked away from her. "I know what he did to you. What he took from you. You don't have to do this, Clint… You don't have to go back there."

"He won't be there," Clint countered quietly. "And it's not where…" His sentence trailed off, his gaze faltering before he steeled himself. "I'm just thinking that if there's anything we possibly could have missed last time that could somehow help us now…"

"I know. I get it," Natasha muttered. "Just don't let your feelings about Fennhoff get in the way."

Clint looked back at her with a smirk. "You give me too little credit, Nat."

Natasha smiled slightly as she approached him, briefly resting her blonde head against his toned shoulder. "Be careful, anyway," she told him quietly. "You have your comm. If you need anything, you call us. We'll survey what we can around the area with the address you gave me. And Sam's sending Redwing along."

"I will. Promise." Clint's smirk eased into a smile as she looked back up at him. They then lightly bumped their fists together before he made his way toward the main door of the Tower. "I'll let you know when we arrive."

"You'd better," Natasha retorted.

Clint sent her a wink. Natasha shook her head slightly as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, trying to hide her smile.

The elevator dinged quietly behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder to see Scott and Wanda step into the lobby. "Are you sure you guys don't want to take the jet?" the assassin wondered.

Clint looked back at her from the doorway. "No, the car's less conspicuous, and it's not that far," he muttered. A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his lips. "Save the jet in case you guys find something while we're gone."

Natasha nodded slightly as Scott and Wanda joined the archer. "We can hope… Keep in touch," she told them.

After a quick glance outside to make sure no one was paying them any attention, Clint nudged his two companions out into the night. He watched as they hurried down the sidewalk to where his car was parked a couple blocks away before he glanced back at Natasha. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.

Natasha tilted her head slightly. "Like what?"

"Like I'm about to do something incredibly stupid."

Despite herself, Natasha chuckled briefly. "Well, I don't know if I'd say that, exactly…" But then, she sighed. "Do you blame me for being a little concerned? If it weren't Fennhoff, I wouldn't give this a second thought. But what if he expects you to go back there, Clint?"

The archer didn't answer right away. If he were being honest, the thought had crossed his mind, too. "It's Steve he's focused on right now, not me," he told her.

But still, Natasha couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was off. "What if he's seen you, too?" she posed. "You know how he feels about you after-!"

"At least it'd be me and not you. Besides, I believe Fennhoff's already taken his pound of flesh from me." Clint met her gaze. "We'll take what comes our way when it comes. But we'll be okay, Nat."

"I know we will," Natasha replied. She wished she could believe it as effortlessly as she said it. "Let us know what's going on and if you find anything?"

"Always do." Clint glanced outside, waiting for only a moment for his window of opportunity before he disappeared into the night.

Natasha lingered in the lobby for a moment, her mind racing.

Johann Fennhoff.

Damn, it had been a good while since she'd thought about that name. And the man behind it. The mad doctor. She had liked it that way.

And now…

Natasha shook her head, knowing these thoughts wouldn't help Clint find a lead to Fennhoff, or they wouldn't help to locate Tony. She couldn't dwell on all that had happened then.

She couldn't even imagine what the billionaire was enduring at the hands of the doctor. She knew that he wouldn't agree to join Hydra willingly, he'd fought against them for far too long to do that. But Fennhoff knew how to break a person down, to stick his claws in flesh and bone and shred away layer by layer until there was nothing left of his unfortunate victim's very essence. At best, they would linger on as a shell of their former selves. At worst, they would live without living, almost as though they were among the walking dead.

Death was a mercy he didn't often grant.

Tony was strong, she knew that well. He could last quite some time against Fennhoff's influence before bending to his will, she was certain of that. But everyone had their breaking point. And there was enough in Tony's past to dredge up that could make him shatter. They'd have to act fast to find him before Fennhoff caused damage that was irreversible.

But what purpose would that serve? Natasha frowned. If the doctor wanted Tony to help rebuild his criminal organization, he would him at his best with all of his mental faculties at their highest. Tony's mind would be their most powerful asset. They couldn't risk losing that. So perhaps he would be spared from the worst of Fennhoff's so-called treatments in order to preserve him.

Unless he didn't agree to his demands.

Either way, they'd have to find him as soon as possible, either to keep him out of Hydra's ranks or to make sure the Tony they brought home was still their Tony.

Natasha sighed, once again glancing at the door. Clint would be all right. He was strong, too. Even though he wouldn't be dealing with Fennhoff- not yet- he was more than capable of running this recon mission. As long as he kept his emotions in check and his head on straight. Under normal circumstances, that was a concern that wouldn't have even crossed her mind when it came to the archer. Usually, nothing could faze him while on a job.

But Fennhoff wasn't a usual case. With what he had taken from Clint, with what had nearly happened between all three of them, Fennhoff was in his head. She could see it herself, just like she knew the doctor had always been in hers. It was a dangerous disadvantage to have, even though he was just dealing with the ghost of the high-ranking Hydra agent left behind in this location.

But still. Clint was strong. She could check up on him. Fennhoff wouldn't be at the warehouse, he was too smart to linger in a place his operations had already been discovered and failed. And if there was some sort of clue that had been left behind to be found, the archer would find it. And hopefully, that could bring them one step closer to finding Tony.

Speaking of.

The assassin turned on her heel, heading back toward the elevator. Vision and Sam were already working on setting up security feeds both around the city with input that Redwing had been able to gather so far and what the android could tap into with resources around the Tower, as well as to survey the warehouse in Jersey where Clint, Scott, and Wanda were headed.

It was a start, and hopefully they would be able to turn up something on the missing billionaire soon and bring an end to the doctor's unchecked reign of terror.

Before Fennhoff could do something even more drastic to get what he wanted.

"Johann Fennhoff? Yeah, I know him well."

"I thought you might," Steve muttered, his blue gaze faltering as his fingers tightened a bit on the edges of the tablet he held.

Bucky's eyes narrowed slightly, the dark circle under them noticeable in his pale face. "You're sure that it was Fennhoff who took Tony?" he asked quietly.

Steve nodded. "Afraid so, Buck," he answered. "I thought he was done for a few years ago, not long before you went after Fury, but… he survived. And I'm guessing he had a secondary location that he escaped to since he wasn't rounded up with the rest of the high-level agents after the files were released. Zemo told us that Fennhoff was the one who sent him on his mission to go after us, and-!"

"And to find the words," Bucky added, his gaze hardening. "That doesn't surprise me. Fennhoff knew them."

"Fennhoff knew the words?" the Super-Soldier repeated. "The ones to control you?"

Bucky nodded once. "Yeah, he…"

Steve's brow furrowed when the other man stopped speaking, thinking for a moment that the program had frozen. It had happened before. But then Bucky blinked, and he realized that his attention had been stolen by something behind him in the direction of the doorway of his room. Steve glanced over his shoulder, seeing that there was nothing there. But something, or rather someone, had been there as he caught a flash of short, bleach-blonde hair before she was gone.

"Buck?" he prompted gently, turning back to the screen.

"Right. Sorry, Steve." Bucky turned his tired gaze back to the Captain. "Fennhoff knew the words since he helped to implement them. He was pretty heavily involved in the Winter Soldier project all the way through it. Most of the brainwashing techniques were his."

Steve shook his head slightly. "What wasn't that man involved with?" he murmured, mainly to himself, as he glanced out the window at the night sky. "I know he was wanted by other Hydra agents for his consultation on things they were working on because of his rank, but…"

"His main project was me," Bucky finished for him. "Controlling me. Turning me into a weapon of mass destruction. And trying to create more like me."

That made the Super Soldier pause. He hesitated briefly. "So… did he know that Howard had…"

"I believe so," Bucky confirmed.

Steve worried his bottom lip between his teeth thoughtfully. "So maybe… maybe we're approaching this the wrong way, Buck. Maybe this does have to do more with me than Tony…"

"Well, didn't you say that Tony disappeared before you went back to New York?" Bucky wondered. "It's no secret you two have been driven apart and the Avengers are done."

"Yeah… unless he thought I'd try to find Tony if I knew he was in danger," Steve countered. "Even despite what happened in Siberia. And he knew about that, since that was his plan through Zemo…"

Bucky let out a quiet breath. "That's still leaving a lot to chance. Too much for Fennhoff. What if you hadn't been close enough to know that something had happened to Tony, or to be able to act on it?" He paused. "Knowing Fennhoff like I do, I'd guess that he had a reason for wanting Tony. With the Avengers divided, it would be easier. And when you arrived to help, it gave him an opportunity to target you, as well." Though his tone remained even, almost disinterested, the anger was evident.

"We're thinking that it's possible Fennhoff wants Tony to help him rebuild Hydra." Steve slowly passed a hand over his face. "Which makes sense to me, but… what if there was something else to it? Possibly something concerning Howard? Zemo mentioned him, too."

"During the time I spent with him, he did seem to dwell on Howard a lot before I murdered him." Though he didn't sound fazed by the matter of fact statement, Bucky's gaze faltered. "There seemed to be something there he couldn't let go of. Howard helped stop him a couple times in the past, right? Along with Peggy?"

"Right," Steve said, his eyes distant. "Which is why it makes sense to me that he wants me. After I…" He was relieved when Bucky spared him with a nod. "But Tony? All this over some grudge with his father?"

The other man shrugged. "We don't have Howard to tell us all that happened between him and Fennhoff, so it's anyone's guess," he replied quietly. His frustration was clear.

"Something had to happen there…" Steve briefly shook his head as he stood, beginning to pace with the tablet. "What are we missing, Buck?"

Bucky slowly shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "I can give you a call if I think of anything, but right now…"

Steve was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly in confusion. "The one thing I still don't understand, the thing that doesn't quite seem to fit, is Spider-Man's involvement," he mused. "What possible reason could Fennhoff have to go through all the trouble of making the kid look guilty of Tony's murder when he could have just as easily taken him without that step?"

"Well, as I'm sure you know, Fennhoff doesn't leave loose ends," Bucky muttered. "He once had me kill a man simply because it was a mean to get to his father, who'd been in his crosshairs."

At this, the Super Soldier came to an abrupt halt. A cold dread flooded through him. "That's it, Buck," he said in just above a whisper. "I've been looking at it all wrong. Framing Spider-Man has nothing to do with him. It has to do with Tony. He probably didn't even know who Spider-Man was before that day. But now, he's essentially isolating him, putting him at risk, by making him guilty. And if I know Tony, he likely put the kid's safety before his own…"

He paused, looking out the window again, this time in the direction of the harbor. "This isn't safe for Spider-Man to get involved with anymore. Even to bring Tony home. Tony made a mistake that day. He gave Fennhoff his weakness. And now he's exploiting it, and he's going to use the kid as a tool to make Tony do whatever he wants."

"And if Tony wants Spider-Man to live," Bucky concluded grimly, "he will."

Peter laughed a little as Ned accidentally dropped a few of his napkins on the floor after attempting to show off a bit with balancing a salt shaker before glancing at Michelle sitting at the table across from his best friend. He had to give her credit for sticking it out with them when they'd found him after the memorial was over. He was surprised they had even been at the event to celebrate the life of his mentor since while Ned had always been a nerd for everything involving the Avengers, he didn't think Michelle cared. But when they'd approached him and May as Happy was accompanying them back to their car- Ned in his suit with his light pink tie a bit crooked, and Michelle with her black and dark gray striped t-shirt, black faux leather jacket, black jeans, and black combat boots- he had to admit he was touched that they'd come to support him.

And not to mention, he was surprised when she agreed to catch the latest action flick with them before joining them for dinner at a local diner. Or that Happy had even allowed him to go off with his friends on his own with a promise to call if he saw anything weird or suspicious while hanging out. But he knew that when he and Ned got together, they could sometimes be a bit out there, which most of the female population at school didn't seem to be cool with.

But Michelle seemed… okay. She reached across the table and grabbed Ned's straw since she didn't get one with her soft drink, tore off one end of the wrapper, and blew the rest of it at him. Ned blinked when it hit him square in the nose, chuckling a bit as Michelle tossed the straw lightly in his general direction.

"Great, I can't use that now, thank you…"

"Good! It's a waste, anyway."

Peter smiled. Despite everything going on around him, despite feeling like the world was crumbling beneath his feet, it felt good to pretend that he didn't have problems that were threatening to crush him for a few hours. That night, his spirits definitely felt lighter.

For the first time in a while, he felt… normal.

"Good shot," he said.

Michelle returned the look with a shrug as she leaned back in her own seat, glancing over her shoulder at the counter. The diner was bustling that night, likely due to how many people had gathered for the memorial, and it'd already been about twenty minutes since they'd ordered. Not counting the half hour they'd waited, just to get seated. But none of them minded. It was just good to be spending time together, even if the room was a bit too crowded and the music a bit too loud.

"So, I heard that Liz and her mom are moving to Oregon," Michelle suddenly muttered as Ned finished straightening up his napkins and moved his straw aside. "Today would have been her last day."

Peter's face fell. "Oh… Really?" he wondered. He sighed. "Yeah, I really messed that up…"

"Dude, she was pissed when you totally stood her up at homecoming," Ned said.

"Yeah, well… something else came up…"

"That's not why she's leaving." Michelle situated herself in her chair to face both of them. "Her dad got arrested for arms dealing, and he didn't want his family around for the trial."

Peter frowned. Toomes had broken the law and had been involved with something dangerous, that much was true. He deserved to be in prison for a while. But to see the other side, to see how his arrest had impacted his family, was jarring. He knew that Toomes had been doing what he was in order to provide for his wife and daughter after his livelihood had been taken away in part because of Tony, and he'd just gotten in too deep in the dealing end of things.

And he couldn't forget how the man had protected him when the man who had killed his uncle… no, it couldn't be him, it was impossible… had been looking for him. Toomes had had the chance to hand him over, but he didn't. Even though he knew his secret, knew that he was Spider-Man. Despite all that Toomes had been wrapped up in, he believed the man was good at heart, and it bothered him to see how his actions had hurt his family. There was a lot more gray area in the world than he'd believed when he was a kid playing superheroes, and if he was going to be an Avenger, knowing that things weren't always black and white, even with dealing with the villains sometimes, was going to be crucial.

That was when he noticed Michelle was looking at him expectantly. "Oh, sorry, did you say something?" he asked. "Sorry. Blanked out there for a sec…"

Michelle briefly raised her eyebrows, taking a quick sip of her cola. "I was just saying that Liz told Ned that she hopes you get whatever weird thing's going on with you figured out," she answered.

Peter arched an eyebrow of his own. Though, quietly, he hoped so, too. With everything happening with Tony's disappearance, keeping the secret that the rogue Avengers were helping to try to find him, and dealing with not only that he was Spider-Man but that he was wrongfully wanted for murder that hadn't even happened, it wouldn't surprise him if it outwardly appeared as though he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Ned took a sip of his Mountain Dew, sucking on an ice cube. "She has no idea what Peter's doing," he muttered. He then narrowed his eyes at his best friend when he received a swift kick to his shin. "Ow, dude!"

Michelle didn't even look up at them as she raised her hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I don't even wanna know…"

Peter chuckled, but he froze when he saw the girl's right hand moving right toward their exhausted waiter, carrying their hot tray of food over to their table as quickly as he could. Without thinking, he leapt to his feet- quicker than he probably should have been able to- and grabbed a secure hold of the tray while also reaching across it to keep the plate furthest from him from toppling to the ground, just as Michelle's hand accidentally knocked into it. The teen let out a slightly shaky breath, knowing their food would have likely spilled all over her, and on the floor, if he hadn't acted.

Ned's mouth dropped open, the ice cube slipping out and landing on the table. "Dude…"

Michelle's eyes widened as she looked up at him. "Uh… sorry about that, I wasn't watching…"

Their waiter laughed- the sound slightly hysterical- as he waved off her apology. "Don't worry, no harm done." He sent a badly concealed look of shock at Peter before he turned back to the other teens as the web-slinger took his seat. "Now, who had the chef salad?"

Peter cleared his throat quietly as the overworked man set the bowl full of greens and veggies in front of Michelle, trying to avoid the piercing gaze she was sending his way. Instead, he settled on looking at Ned's wider eyes, and he could read the look there plain as day.

Nice going, dude!

Yeah, he knew he messed up. But he hadn't even though about it… He was just lucky only a couple people other than Ned- who knew his secret- hadn't seen.

The waiter set the double chili cheeseburger with steak fries in front of Ned and the lemon pepper chicken in front of Peter before scurrying away to take care of more orders. Michelle added a light layer of dressing to her salad before she returned her gaze to the web-slinger.

"So. What was that?" she wondered lightly.

Peter laughed, hoping the sound wasn't quite as nervous as he felt. "That was, uh… that was…"

But his sentence trailed off when the back of his neck tingled, the hairs on his arms standing up. He sucked in a breath. Something was wrong, he could feel it. He cast his gaze around the crowded diner, but he spotted nothing out of the ordinary as people laughed and talked loudly together…

There

By the door.

Seemingly waiting for a seat to open up.

The dark hair. The thin goatee. The scar set in his right cheek. The black leather jacket. The green bandana.

The night of homecoming came rushing back to him, when he had confronted Toomes and his mysterious client. It was just as impossible now as it was then.

He had died that day, too…

He was once again staring at the man who had killed his uncle.

He followed after Howard down the long, brightly lit hallway, having to hurry to keep up with his father's long strides. He looked around in wonder at the people bustling around them, all wearing similar uniforms, as he wondered if someday, he could be one of them, too…

"Keep up, Tony. Don't fall behind."

Tony frowned as he looked up at Howard's broad shoulders and the back of his graying head. His father was important here, he knew. An authority figure, someone others looked up to. He then glanced down at his swinging hand, fighting the urge to reach out and grab it so that they wouldn't get separated. Even though the distance between them wasn't great, the man still seemed too far out of reach.

He followed Howard around a corner, startled when he bumped into him since he'd abruptly stopped. This time, he did grab the man's still, calloused hand, not sure what was wrong. But Howard didn't fight it.

As Tony looked around, he didn't see what had caused his father's strange behavior. In fact, he smiled when he saw a familiar face at the end of the of the hallway they'd just entered. He released Howard's hand, ignoring the man's whispered- his panicked- word of caution as he hurried toward the older man's welcoming embrace…

Tony took a sharp breath as he looked around the small room, not realizing he'd even dozed off on the too familiar woven, black and white checkered rug. The room was the same as it had been before, all except the television was now switched off since his memorial had ended some time ago.

To the world, he was officially dead.

All alone.

Except… Pepper had said…

He shook the faint hope from his mind, from his heart, as he instead focused on the strange dream he'd startled from. He'd recognized the maze-like hallways of the old S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters and the familiar uniforms the agents he'd seen wearing, remembering there had been a few times when he was a child that Howard had brought him along to work with him. He just hadn't recognized who they had run into… But he'd known him, of that he was certain. And he'd been happy to see him. He just hadn't seen his face…

Though more importantly, who had shaken the nearly unshakeable Howard Stark?

But then, his brow furrowed when he heard quiet voices not too far away. The billionaire raised his head and looked toward the door, seeing Arsen and Bao were standing in the doorway in full Bucky and Captain America costumes. He strained his ears, trying to catch what they were saying.

"Word is, the bird's let his nest," the Winter Soldier rip-off was muttering. "He's helping the Captain try to find our guest. They were spotted at the memorial together."

Captain… Steve. Bird… left his nest… Clint…? Was it possible the archer was trying to find him? Like Steve was? Was it possible that they'd actually attended the event for him? Tony didn't think it was possible for either of them to do either thing, especially now that he was supposedly dead, and especially not after what had happened in Germany and Siberia…

But if they were looking for him… did they know he was alive…?

Why would they want to find him? They were wanted men. He wasn't worth that…

"So, the bird's finally left his nest, has he?"

Tony's blood ran cold at the sound of the quieter new voice.

Fennhoff. He must have returned from checking out whatever subject their was other than him at his other facility.

"Ah, yes. Our queen who moves across the board like a knight. Our wild card. Trying to rescue the king."

Chess, Tony knew from all the times he'd seen his father play. It sent a chill down his spine. They were all just pawns on the board in Fennhoff's twisted game.

Silence. The billionaire listened to his heartbeat thundering in his ears, his breath quickening. He didn't like the tone of the doctor's voice. There was a bitterness, a malice, in it that he hadn't heard before…

But there as also, strangely, a note of respect.

Clint… be careful…

"And I know just where he's headed," Fennhoff continued. "He likes to cover his bases. We'll send in our own wild card to rip off his wings."

… Oh, God… Clint…

Then, Tony gasped when the television suddenly turned on in front of him. He slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position, his hazel eyes narrowing when it took him a moment to understand what he was looking at. He leaned closer to the screen. It was black and white security footage, seemingly of both the interior and exterior of what appeared to be a warehouse that had been abandoned for quite some time.

"Send him in."

The billionaire's head snapped up to see that Fennhoff was now standing on the other side of the television, still addressing his henchmen. How had he gotten there so fast…?

The doctor then turned his attention to his prisoner once Bao and Arsen had left, and Tony's heart filled with dread at the cruel smile he saw in the old man's face.

"Please… don't do it…"

Fennhoff inclined his head as he regarded him curiously. "You want me to show mercy to this man?" he asked. "After all he's done? After how he fought against you?"

Tony's eyes narrowed. The old man was trying to get under his skin, he knew. To turn him against his former teammate. He wouldn't let it happen. "What… what did he do to you…?" he spat.

The doctor let out a long, suffering sigh. "He took something important to me," he explained quietly. "I, of course, returned the favor. I couldn't have that. An eye for an eye, and all that… The only problem with that is, I don't like being even. And I can't risk him doing it again."

Tony's heart raced. "Please… don't…"

Fennhoff met his gaze. "Still pleading, are you? I might consider some leniency…" he muttered, "though only if you agree to my terms."

Join Hydra… for Clint's life. Tony closed his eyes tightly as he ground his teeth together. He couldn't do that, he just couldn't… Helping to rebuild Hydra would go against everything he ever stood for.

But Clint… After all that had happened between them, Clint was still someone he considered a friend. He couldn't just let him get hurt by Fennhoff's hand. What would the assassin tell him to do…?

To not join. He would tell him to not bend. Of that, he was certain. And from what he knew of Fennhoff, the old man likely wouldn't even keep up his end of the deal if he did agree…

But still… if it meant saving the archer… he had no other choice.

He must have taken too long to answer, since Fennhoff's cruel chuckle echoed in the small room. Tony slowly opened his eyes, looking up at him with fear.

"Enjoy the show, Mr. Stark."

Author's Note: So while we've gleaned some information on Fennhoff, there are also a lot more questions. Just what has he been involved with involving a few of the Avengers? What personally has he been involved with? We'll keep learning more as we go along! Thanks for reading! Your reviews, as always, are much appreciated. The next chapter is about halfway written out, so hopefully it won't be too long before I can post again. Until next time, guys!