A/N) Thank you for the continued support for this story!

Finally, we return to Zemo in this chapter! And the plot moves forward...

Enjoy!

CHAPTER EIGHT

Confronting Zemo

Wednesday 8th June 2016

The text came through quite late at night when Tony was already in bed with Pepper lying next to him. They hadn't fallen asleep yet when his phone vibrated.

"Who'd be texting you at this time?" murmured Pepper sleepily. They'd resumed their relationship a few days before, sleeping for the first time since they had gone on a break, taking a few weeks to return to the point where they could move forward again.

Tony reached for his phone and sat upright as soon as he saw the text. "Shit. I've got to go."

Pepper, now wide-awake, sat up, resting her hand on the palm of her hand as she leaned on her elbow. "What is it?"

"It's Peter. He has told his Aunt about being Spider-Man. Apparently she's freaking out. I need to get there!" He'd hoped the kid wouldn't tell his Aunt on his own but apparently he had. At least she hadn't walked in on Peter in his costume which had been the sole reason she'd discovered Peter's true identity previously.

Tony remembered getting the call from May in the middle of a meeting. He'd had to dash away and soothe over a potential breakdown which had taken him hours to sort out. "I might be gone a while."

"Do you want me to come?" asked Pepper.

Tony shook his head, already pulling on a pair of trousers and a shirt before grabbing his phone and the detachable Arc Reactor, placing it on the front of his shirt. "I'll take the suit. Be there quicker!"

"Be careful!" Pepper called out as he ran out of the room.

Tony made for the nearest emergency exit as his suit began to cover his body, ordering FRIDAY to open it before he engaged his thrusters and shot out into the darkness, increasing his thrust capacity so he could get to Queens faster.

He was there in ten minutes, landing on the building's rooftop and deactivating the suit before going through the emergency exit and to the sixth floor. Knocking on the Parker's apartment door, it opened quickly and Peter urged him in. He looked fearful, frightened.

"I told her and she just…" Peter pointed to his Aunt who was sitting on the sofa, stock still.

Tony moved in front of her, sitting down on the chair off to the side. "Ms. Parker?"

"How could you?" she whispered.

Tony swallowed. This was familiar territory. It was the exact same words May had said to him when he'd arrived after she'd inadvertently walked into Peter's room and seen him in his costume. However, his response could be given differently this time. He'd apologised before. "I'm not sure what you mean, Ms. Parker."

"You knew… About Peter's abilities. What he could do."

"I did… And I was going to tell you. Peter asked me not to so I told him I would give him a chance to talk to you first. It's better it comes from him. He only came forward because I urged him to. Otherwise, you would still be in the dark now." Tony glanced at Peter and mouthed: Why didn't you call me?

"Is this what this internship is about? Not to help him find a career but so he can join your team?"

"The internship is real," insisted Tony. "Access to Stark Industries labs and projects with the Research and Development department… There is a lot Peter can learn from us… but, I will not lie to you, the skills he has as Spider-Man would come in handy for the Avengers. And he would only be called in if it was absolutely necessary, as a last resort. I wouldn't willingly put him in danger if I could help it."

May's piercing eyes studied Tony's face. "I'm not sure I can trust you."

"Why not?" He was quiet and refined, aware that Peter's future in his life rested on how he handled May.

"How long have you known?"

"A few weeks. I'd heard about the vigilante Spider-Man when his videos were flagged up on my system. They seemed way too real to be fake. I decided to try to locate him and it led me to this apartment. I haven't been on this since the beginning if that is what you were thinking," explained Tony, hoping May would accept his answer.

May tipped her head in her nephew's direction. "Do you want the internship?"

Peter nodded. "I do. It would present unique learning opportunities for me."

May tilted her head back towards Tony, her gaze piercing his own. "Can you promise me he will be safe?"

The truth was the safest option. "No." He couldn't deceive her. She needed to know, no matter what they faced in the future, Peter wouldn't be safe going into the line of work he was. "But his skills give him higher durability, capable of surviving things normal humans would not. He'd be going into dangerous situations but is less likely to be harmed." The image of Peter fading in his arms pushed into his mind. He didn't need the reminder right now! "The world is a dangerous place, are any of us ever truly safe?" he reasoned.

"No," May answered quietly. "Not even you."

"Right."

"I do not mind the internship itself… It's the heroics I'm not sure on…"

Tony glanced at Peter before replying. "I don't think you could really stop him if you wanted to. He was given those abilities for a reason. There is always a reason for something happening, whether it is good or bad. We want our children to reach their full potential. Peter can give so much more than he already can do with the right training and the right equipment to keep him safe."

Because Peter was definitely getting a new suit. The home-made one was not fit for purpose… At all.

"Would you still carry on if I asked you not to?" May asked.

Peter lowered his gaze. "I can't ignore people needing help. Not when I have these abilities where I could make a difference. I caught a bus, Aunt May, saved the people with just my strength alone."

Tony watched the exchange carefully.

May fell silent, her shoulders shaking as she held back the tears.

"You have my word that Peter's internship is real. He will not be called forward by the Avengers unless we really need him to be there," added Tony, reiterating his previous point. It was important for Peter's Aunt to understand this. Previously she had taken a while to accept Tony's role in her nephew's life but she had seen the good Peter could do under Tony's tutelage.

"You'll be sixteen soon. In a few months even…" May reasoned. "You'll be able to drive… Nearly an adult… If your uncle was here, he'd encourage you, not hinder you from using your abilities. He'd be so proud of what you've become."

It was awkward listening to her words, feeling like he was intruding upon a deeply personal conversation.

"But you've been saving people, helping others in need. We've always taught you to help others, to be the best you can be… And, I suppose, if doing this, helping the Avengers is the way to go forward, I cannot be the one to stop you…No matter how much I may worry about you."

Peter gaped, surprise crossing his features. "You're letting me continue being Spider-Man?"

"I am."

"Really?"

"Yes. But there will be conditions," added May. "Your schoolwork is important too. Having an internship at Stark Industries does not mean you can slack off. I expect good grades from you. You have to manage your time appropriately if this is going to work. Can you promise me that?"

Peter nodded. "I can. Definitely!"

"Good." May shifted position so she could look at Tony. "How often would he be at the internship?"

"Every Friday night, if that is acceptable to you?" suggested Tony. "My driver, Happy, will pick him up from school and drive him to the Avengers Facility upstate. He'll stay the night and we'll bring him back Saturday morning. How does that sound?"

"He won't be at the New York building?" asked May.

Tony shook his head. "No. I'm selling the tower. All Stark Industries business is transferring upstate in a few months. Peter will be able to have full access to my lab and state of the art technology which is not yet in place within Stark Industries. If you would rather he didn't…"

"No, no that's fine," said May.

Tony smiled. "Good."

"So, this Friday?" she wanted to clarify.

"Unfortunately not. There are a few things I need to get sorted first before Peter begins his internship." Mainly Zemo and the Accords. "Is the first Friday in August acceptable for you?" He directed the question at both Peter and May.

"It is," responded Peter.

"I'll put it in the diary." May leaned forward. "I just want you to promise me one thing, Mr. Stark."

He knew what was coming.

"If something bad happens and it's a disaster all around, promise me you will do whatever it takes to bring him home."

No hesitation was required. "I promise. If it cannot be me it will be someone from the small circle of people that I trust: Pepper, Happy and Rhodey."

"That is all I can ask for, Mr. Stark."

Sunday 19th June 2016

"I'm worried," Natasha spoke quietly, approaching Tony from behind.

Putting the StarkPad down on the table in front of him, Tony glanced up at his friend. "How so? We're doing everything right so far."

"We believe we are." Natasha slid onto the seat beside him. "It's Ross. FRIDAY cannot locate him anywhere."

"He's gone off-grid?"

She nodded, silently watching for his reaction.

"This wasn't in the plans."

"Nor were you joining the Accords committee," she pointed out.

Tony rubbed the back of his head. "I'm honestly surprised the appointment has been well-received. I've caused a lot of trouble over the years. For them to value my opinion…?" He shook his head. "Feels weird."

"You've matured." The statement was not wrong. Arms crossed over her chest, she scrutinised Tony. "So, what do we do about Ross?"

Shifting on the chair, Tony leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "There isn't much we can do. Ross has the connections to disappear if he really wants to. He sent me the threat, remember? That he'll get me?"

"That's what worries me. If we lose him…"

"It might work to our advantage. He needs to be detained. He's going to attack me at some point. We may as well take him down at the same time. Not kill though." Tony smiled, holding up his wrist. "I have trackers in my wrist. They're a leftover from when I called the suits to me. I never had them removed. But FRIDAY can track them."

"Will he be that obvious?" Natasha seemed dubious.

"He's lost everything. What else has he got left to lose?" asked Tony. "Ross has been after the Hulk for years. If he had the chance to take down Bruce, he would. He's issued a direct threat to me. The question is when he will act."

Natasha was about to respond when FRIDAY's voice echoed from the ceiling. "Boss, Zemo is on the move."

Their heads snapped up, eyes wide open in surprise.

"Makes sense," mumbled Tony. "It is only a few days before the Accords are due to be signed… He's still aiming at framing Barnes. Not knowing his plan has already failed to tear us apart further."

Natasha had known Steve had told Tony the truth. "Good." She shifted her gaze to his Arc Reactor, placed on his chest. "You do not always carry that around."

"I knew we'd be getting an alert soon," he replied. "Figured it would be useful to have it on." Reaching into his pocket, Tony pulled out a smaller Arc Reactor. "Here is yours. Place it on your chest and it should attach to any clothing you wear. Press it to activate the suit. I have a full suit, yours is just for flight capacity. You do have a few repulsor shots available to you if you need it."

Natasha took the Reactor. "Does it matter where I put it on my chest?"

"No." Tony tapped his fingers over his Reactor and the nanonites spread over his body, engulfing him in his suit. The helmet formed yet the face-place didn't close up. He watched as Natasha placed her smaller Reactor in the middle of her body, just slightly below the clavicles.

She pressed her fingers to it and nanonites spread out, forming a thin, black armoured suit around her body. "Feels weird the nanonites running over me."

"It takes a while getting used to." Tony glanced up at the ceiling. "FRIDAY are all the exits clear? I don't want anyone to see us."

"Yes, boss. The exit down the corridor from this office is clear."

The nanonites sealed around Natasha's body.

"I know you haven't had any practice in the suit yet. I only finished it recently. FRIDAY can control the suit so we can be on our way."

"Can't be that hard."

"You'd be surprised," retorted Tony. He walked to the door to the common area he'd been sitting in, opened it and saw the fire exit door already open. He fired up his repulsors, his feet hovering in mid-air. "FRIDAY?"

Natasha's thrusters fired up. Their helmets sealed over their faces and Tony leaned forward and shot ahead, flying out of the fire exit and up and high into the sky. Natasha followed suit, FRIDAY controlling her suit.

"FRIDAY, course plotted for Cleveland?"

"Yes, boss."

"Good. Have you given Nat instructions on how to use the suit?"

"She has. I think I'll be fine to control it…" responded Nat. "I know if I lose control she'll be there to help. If this is going to become a regular thing, flying off with you Stark, then I need to learn as we go along." Leaning forward she flew past Tony, stretching her hands out behind her to increase her boost.

Tony moved in front of her. "Eh… Cleveland is that way." He pointed off to the right.

"Show off," grumbled Natasha.

Tony laughed.

Cleveland

"Sensors indicate one heat signature in the house. Looks like Zemo mounted a curb and hit the occupant's car," observed Natasha from her outpost just above the house they knew Zemo was still in. "How are we going to do this?"

"I say we just go in. I go in the back and you the front. He won't be able to easily escape if so."

"Unless he smashes a window."

"There is that," admitted Tony, "but we are armoured up. He isn't. And if he leaves the house and it becomes another chase… I'd rather keep this as quiet as possible. The Accords signing are just a few days away. I'd rather not jeopardise our position on it by making a mess in our own country in trying to apprehend a criminal."

"Good points," mused Natasha. "But we cannot arrest him if he has committed no crime."

"I'm certain he's murdered the occupant of the house. FRIDAY initially reported two heat signatures." Slowing beginning to manoeuvre down, Tony headed for the back garden. "Let's go."

Natasha landed awkwardly on her feet in front of the main entrance. Tony had installed minimal sensors in her helmet so it was easier for her to work with the suit. She didn't need the full interface he had in his own suit.

There was still one heat signature detected in the house.

Stepping silently forward, she reached the front door.

"I'm in position," said Tony.

"On three. One. Two…. THREE!" Her shoulder hit the front door and she crashed through it, swinging her arm around and raising her palm at the startled man in the room before he dropped almost everything and made a run for it, only to hear a crashing sound in the distance as Tony made his own entrance.

The man – Zemo – stumbled back into Natasha's line of fire. Palm raised she pointed her repulsor at him. "Stop running and we won't hurt you."

He snarled. "You shouldn't be here!"

"Too bad, we are," said Tony appearing behind the man. "Looks like you've been busy."

Natasha noticed the man off to the side, tied by his ankles, his head in water, not moving. He was clearly dead. "You gonna tell us why you killed him?"

"He was Hydra," explained Zemo, his voice filled with bitter.

"Didn't give you what you wanted?" guessed Natasha. "That's why you wanted the Red Book in your hand?" It hadn't escaped her notice what Zemo had been holding. "Think you can control the Winter Soldier do you?"

Zemo's eyes turned to slits. "How did you know?"

"You're not the only one to unencrypt the data." Natasha stepped forward. "We've been doing it too. We know all about the Red Book and December 16th 1991."

Zemo's face paled. "How?"

"Are you asking how we knew what you were looking for or how we know about those two specific things?"

"Both," he hissed in return.

Tony's faceplate lifted. "Steve Rogers told me everything. You wanted to split us apart but you've underestimated how strong a team we really are. You've lost before you've even begun to tear us apart."

Zemo's eyes were widening but also calculating as he considered the information Tony had just dropped on him.

"You attempted to gamble," added Natasha, "hoping you'd win. But you've just earned yourself a prison sentence."

"NO!" Zemo hand's moved quickly and he pulled a gun from the waistband of his trousers and –

"NO!" Tony leaped forward, reaching for the gun as Zemo pulled the trigger. The bullet bounced off his faceplate and he twisted Zemo's arm, forcing the gun arm down. "Drop the gun!"

He refused.

Natasha kicked Zemo's hand with her suited foot, forcing his fingers to open and drop the gun and she kicked it aside. Wincing in pain, Zemo dropped to his knees, clutching his injured and now bruised hand.

Natasha deactivated her suit and from her waist-belt, she pulled out a set of cuffs. With Tony standing with his palm pointed at Zemo, she rounded the man and pulled his arms behind his back, cuffing them together. "You just confessed to wanting to use the Winter Soldier and," she plucked the Red Book from the floor which Zemo had dropped when Tony had prevented him from shooting himself, "and you killed a man. It doesn't matter he was Hydra, you intentionally murdered him. There is more than enough reason in this room alone to have you convicted and sent down for years."

Zemo grunted but refused to speak.

"I'll make the call to the relevant authorities. We'll need to take Zemo into custody." Tony began to walk away, the rest of his suit retracting back into the arc reactor as he moved into the kitchen.

Natasha stood guard, arms folded across her chest, watching the man carefully.

At least apprehending Zemo meant the Accords would go off without a hitch.

Tony made a report to the Accords committee regarding their capture of Zemo as soon as they returned to the Compound. Though he was a representative he was still required by law to write up a written report. Zemo was taken into custody by the police and taken to a local police station. Since Zemo wasn't enhanced the Accords committee had no jurisdiction over him.

He was out of their hands for now and would be tried on the crimes he had committed in Cleveland.

The one thing Tony did keep was the Red Book for the Winter Soldier. He felt it better to keep so they at least knew where it was. He considered destroying it but reason overcame his desire to destroy it. What if someone else knew the code words and could control Barnes? They'd be able to use the Red Book against Barnes to gain control back.

Tony placed it in his office, hidden away in a secured draw underneath his desk, making sure only Natasha knew its location.

He was sure it was safe.

Monday 20th June 2016

It was two days to go before the Accords were due to be signed in Vienna. Tony was sitting at his desk writing out a speech he intended to make. He probably wouldn't follow it but he did need to make some notes on what he had to cover.

His eyes were struggling to stay open which was unusual for him. He couldn't understand it. The coffee should be keeping him awake. He reached across his desk for his cup and took a sip from his coffee, drinking the rest of it whole.

He wrote a few more lines, read it back and frowned. It didn't make any sense! His vision blurred. The struggle to keep his eyes open was becoming almost impossible.

"FRIDAY?" His voice slurred. "Wha…"

And then he slumped forward on his desk, his whole body going limp as his body succumbed to the darkness that had been threatening to consume him ever since he had started to drink his coffee.

Natasha's eyes opened slowly to find Steve shaking her. "Ste… Steve?" Pushing herself up, Natasha looked around and found herself on the floor. "Steve? Why am I… on the floor?"

"You were drugged," stated Steve. He held up her coffee mug. "The whole pot is contaminated with a sleeping agent. We both were. My enhanced metabolism fought it off quicker."

She struggled to clear her head. "Why coffee? And why wasn't it detected?"

"New batch delivered this morning. Tony opened…" Steve trailed off, eyes widening.

Natasha caught on quick. "Tony!"

Stumbling to her feet, still feeling dizzy, they both ran for Tony's office, Steve helping her along. She had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Down the corridor and up the stairs, nearly tripping over her feet, Natasha forced herself to move, trying to shake off the effects of the sleeping agent hidden within the coffee granules. Steve reached the office first, the door slightly ajar.

She was almost afraid to enter it.

He nudged the door open.

"Tony!" Natasha stumbled forward.

He was slumped on the floor, just unconscious, and his office was a mess.

Draws were tugged out, and papers were strewn all over the floor.

Natasha knelt down next to him. "Tony…" She shook him gently.

He started to groan as he was tugged back to the waking world.

His fingers grasped her own. "Wha…?"

"Hey… don't fight it… Sleeping agent…" she advised.

"I… was… was… at… my… desk…" he managed. "I fell… asleep… at… my… desk." He winced in pain, starting to blink rapidly to clear his own vision.

Natasha swallowed, gently sitting him up. "Someone put a sleeping agent in the coffee granules."

Tony rubbed his head as he sat up, awareness coming back to him. "But… why… wasn't… it noticed?"

"It wouldn't be if it came from the usual supplier," reasoned Steve. "Tony, is there anything in this office someone would want to take?"

Tony's eyes widened. He grasped Natasha's wrists. "Nat… check the secured draw underneath the desk."

Realisation hit at his words. Tony did have something someone would want but how had they known to find it there?

She crawled over and peered underneath the desk, using her fingers to probe for the secured draw. It was slightly jarred out of place. Already knowing what she would find, Natasha pulled the draw out and showed the contents to Tony and Steve.

"Shit," murmured Tony, still slightly drugged.

"What is it?" asked Steve, his eyes flicking worriedly between the two. "What was in there?"

Steve wouldn't know what was there. They'd decided not to tell him when they had apprehended Zemo.

Tony groaned, his mind trying to catch up with the events that were moving far too quickly. "Nat… the Red Book… it's gone."

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think!

Uh, oh... who has the red book? Will the Accords signing go off without a hitch? Plus, Nat has her own Iron Man suit now...

Coffee granules... always check the coffee granules...

Next chapter: The Accords signing in Vienna...

To be posted next Sunday.

Until next time,

the-writer1988