Night fell on the compound leaving all the Avengers to retire to their beds. Tony remained in his lab looking at the files that Friday presented to him. Pepper had long ago come down to tell him that Peter finally ate after some persuasion from Steve and that she had got called away for another meeting.
"What about the kid?" he has asked her. She gave him a look before pointing towards the ceiling.
"You and the rest of the Avengers have plenty of time on your hands to watch him." Without giving him a chance to protest, she turned and left. That was hours ago according to Friday. Now the billionaire stared up at the photos in front of him.
Vanessa and Frank Foster.
Frank Foster popped up a lot of results due to his ties with Hydra but other than that there was nothing on Vanessa. Until Friday's voice popped up.
I found a SHIELD file on Vanessa Foster.
"Pull it up," Tony instructed and the file appeared in front of him. His eyes scanning every last word.
Vannessa Foster
Location: Unknown
Status: Active
Vanessa Foster came to work for SHIELD under the alias Vanessa Williams. She was immediately recruited for her impressive skills in hand to hand combat, fire arms as well as her interrogative skills. She quickly became a highly sought after agent. After turning down many opportunities, she finally accepted a position with Director Nick Fury.
Not long after she began working for SHIELD, agents have reported that her behavior has grown increasingly dangerous and her methods leaned towards wild. Reports against her, made by other agents, started to increase in amounts. It was reported that Fury had a conversation with her but she stormed out. There was no official report to correspond with this event. The reports eventually stopped sometime after.
Foster's first assignment was a babysitting job, Fury put her on. She was to watch after Captain Steven Grant Rogers (Captain America) and help him get accustomed with the way the world worked now. During this time, it was reported that she and Rogers developed a relationship that was progressing. Fury dismissed her from the case. It was during this time that some agents noticed she took frequent meetings to an undisclosed location.
Fury reports that he had followed her and found that she was meeting with various Hydra agents. After conducting research, we discovered that she is the daughter of Alice Foster. Alice Foster is daughter of Nikolus Foster, a fast growing Hydra agent who is said to become the leader of the division here in New York. Alice Foster has another child, Frank Foster, but much cannot be said for him. The thought that she could be a spy became a possibility. When Fury confronted her on this, Foster became outraged and very violent. She was fired from SHIELD not long after while an investigation was launched. Because she had knowledge of classified information, SHIELD was instructed to keep tabs on her.
Not long after her being fired, she began spending most of her time in the company of Billionaire Anthony Edward Stark. Photographs of the two together began to circulate. Thoughts that Mr. Stark might be a Hydra target became an idea. No attacks were made on Stark. There were reports that Stark and Foster had a falling out and she left not long after.
Agents followed her for a few months after and phone records indicate the agents following her placed a call to Director Fury. A copy of the voicemail left for Fury can be found attached to this report. Not long after they placed the call, the agents were found dead in their cars. Cause of death is a stabbing.
Location on Vanessa Foster is now unknown but she is still believed to be alive.
In my opinion, Vannessa Foster is considered to be armed and dangerous. When approaching her, proceed with caution. Do not underestimate her.
Agent Maria Hill
Tony stared at the screen before telling Friday to pull up the voicemail.
"Hey Fury, it's Keith, just checking in. We still got eyes on Foster. All's good on this end. Brinksley thinks the girl might be pregnant but we can't be too sure. Not sure if that's relevant. Anyway, we'll check back in later."
The line went dead with a click. Tony stared at the screen for a moment. Shock filled his body as he stood still. The hum of the air conditioning was the only sound that filled the room. Even Friday was quiet, as if sensing that her boss needed a moment. Licking his lips, he forced his voice out.
"Fri, are there any other reports on Foster?"
Only one. Pulling it up now.
Tony scanned the document quickly, his eyes growing wider and his mind becoming more clear by the second.
Vanessa Foster
Location: New York
Status: Alive
After months of not having a location, we were finally able to locate Vanessa Foster. She was found hiding in Russia. We managed to arrest her for the murder of the SHIELD agents and bring her back to New York. Upon her arrest, it was confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. Not long after we landed in New York, she went into labor.
"Friday, where is the rest of the report?" Tony demanded.
That's all there is.
"Who wrote the report?"
There is no name but I ran a diagnostic on the IP address. It came from someone at SHIELD.
"Is there any mention of the baby?"
No.
Even to his own ears it sounded as if Friday was disappointed. Before he could say anything, Friday spoke up again.
Sir, it appears that Mr. Parker is awake and wandering around the compound.
Tony's eyes lifted towards the ceiling. "That kid really does have poor timing. Pull up the security cameras."
The report, now forgotten, was minimized as the feed he asked for filled his screen. He watched as the boy stood in between the living room and the kitchen, his backpack hung on his shoulders. His face was lost and out of place. He stayed there looking around before his feet started towards the windows.
"Tell him the place is still on lockdown and then direct him here."
Tony watched as the kid jumped as Friday relayed the message. On the screen various hallways lit up before the lock on his lab door clicked and opened. Peter stepped hesitantly into the room and looked around before his eyes fell on Tony.
"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" The older man asked as he raised an eyebrow. Peter's clock glanced towards the clock that hung on the wall only for his eyebrows to furrow. "The clock hasn't worked in years. Pepper made me get one so I stop losing track of time."
It's six in the morning, sir.
"Thanks Friday."
Tony stared at the boy again before he waved him over. Peter hesitated before walking over slowly before he sat down on the stool next to him. "Planning your escape?"
When Peter froze, Tony pointed to the backpack. Slowly Peter shook his head but his face gave him away. Tony snorted. "You're not good at lying, kid."
When Pete didn't respond, Tony took the moment to study his face. Dark circles showed under his eyes on the pale skin but it wasn't dark like his. The tired look on the kids face was trying to push through but the genius could tell he was trying to hide it.
"You just wake up?"
Peter nodded.
"Have you thought about getting a haircut?" Red spread to his face as he ducked his head. Frowning, Tony leaned forward, trying to get a better look at the boy. When Peter finally met his eyes, something in him told him to really study the boy. Peter squirmed as he tried to keep eye contact with the man in front of him.
Tony took in the dark circles, but his brain ordered him to go deeper. Following his gut, he took in the shape of his eyes and the way his mouth was pressed in a hard line. The curve of his nose and the way his face was structured. There was something familiar about it, very familiar.
That's when it clicked. Without warning, he grabbed the boy by the arm, ignoring the yelp that came from the silent mouth. Turning him, he placed him right in front and with his other hand, he pulled up the images of Vanessa and Frank Foster. Staring at the three people side by side, his mouth dropped as his all-nighter brain finally put the pieces together.
They all shared the same eyes. Fury was so invested in finding Peter Parker, a lonely orphan in New York. Sending the Avengers to look. The way he reacted when Hydra was mentioned. The uncompleted report. Bucky's confession days before, after bringing Frank to the compound. The Winter Soldiers words echoed in his mind.
The fact that Richard and Mary Parker are not his biological parents.
He looked once more at the photo of Vanessa. As the words from the unfinished report floated around in his head. She was pregnant. Her interest in finding Peter suddenly started to make more sense.
Tony looked at the boy before him once more.
"Holy shit."
