The entire team nodded to Tony's words as they looked at each other to see who would take the job. Steve glanced around the room before he sighed.

"You guys get her out of here. I don't care who does it, just get here out of here."

"Where are you going?" Clint asked as he stepped forward. A look of suspicion crossed the archer's face. Steve ignored it by pointing towards the door.

"I have a fifteen-year-old son out there somewhere. I'm going to go and find him."

"You don't even know where he is," Bucky objected.

"Yeah man, you're going out there without a plan," Sam added.

"I will just have to find Spiderman and ask," Steve responded.

Bucky shook his head and stepped towards his friend until they were face to face. "And how the hell do you expect to do that without raising alarms. As much as I hate to say this, Fury has a point."

Steve's head snapped up to meet his friend. "Excuse me?" Steve's voice came out in a low tone.

Bucky held up his hands. "Hey easy, I'm not saying that I agree with the man, because I don't. I'm just saying, he has a point. We have enemies all over the place. What's to say that they aren't watching us right now? Not to mention, we have one Hydra agent who escaped. Remember Frank? What's to say he didn't lead Hydra agents right to our front door and they are lying in wait until we are vulnerable?"

"My son is out there. Are you telling me that you want me to just sit here with my thumb up my ass?"

Scott let out a gasp that earned him a look from Natasha. Turning back to her friends, she stepped forward to help the metal-armed man. "That's not what he's trying to say," she reasoned.

"That's what it sounds like to me," Steve argued. Pepper took that moment to step forward.

"I think what they're saying is to wait for now, until you know it's safe." Steve set his sights on her. "You gain nothing by bringing him here. If anything, you'd be putting him in more danger than he is probably already in. Not just with Hydra, but with SHIELD. There is a reason SHIELD wants him. Think about it. If SHIELD wanted Peter because he's your son, then they would have just had some random agents find him. Instead, they sent their best defenders after a fifteen-year-old. There has to be a reason for that."

"God, she's so sexy when she speaks smart," Tony mumbled causing Pepper to roll her eyes. Turning her attention back to the new father, she continued. "Plus there is the whole foster care thing. Once a child is in Foster Care, they are in the custody of the state. If you bring Peter here and don't return him to his foster home, which is what I expect you are thinking about doing, then you could be found guilty of kidnapping a child. They could very well send you to prison, especially since you and a few of your friends just got pardoned. Some people aren't as trusting of you guys yet."

Steve stood still as the woman's words washed over him. Bucky saw the war rage behind the man's eyes as his inner self wrestled with the thought of running out of here and finding the boy. Deciding to help, he spoke up. "She's right Steve. You know she is."

Blue eyes found the Winter Soldiers. Bucky nodded at his friend as if that would somehow seal the deal and make the other man see reason. Steve's heart, mind, and gut continued their war as everyone stood watching. Finally, the First Avenger released a breath, then nodded. "Fine."

"So what do we do?" Bruce asked as he looked around. "We still have a Hydra agent here, and an angry government agency after her."

"Bucky, Sam, and Nat get Vanessa out of here. Everyone else will look for Frank."

"No can do," Tony objected as he started towards the door.

"Tony-"

"Relax Spangles, I have to go and delete any records that Frank and Vanessa were here." Without another word, the billionaire walked out of the room.

"Sure," Steve mumbled as he walked out of the room.


Bucky stood in the shadows staring into the cell as the occupant stared down at the ground.

"You okay?" Natasha whispered. Bucky turned to her and nodded. The Black Widow eyed the man before nodding her head. "Okay, we should probably get going then. Sam is flying above and keeping watch. He'll direct us out of the woods." Bucky nodded before he looked back at the woman in the cell. Her brown hair now was spread out like a halo above her head as she laid on the floor and stared at the ceiling. "Bucky, let's go."

Nodding, the man pushed forward into the light as Natasha went and searched for the door that would lead them to the tunnel. After standing in silence for a few seconds, Bucky cleared his throat causing the woman on the floor to sit up. Her brown eyes found him and they stayed there for a few seconds before she stood and walked towards the bars. A smirk graced her face.

"I have to admit, wasn't expecting you. I was sure it would be Steve who came by for a visit."

Licking his lips, he cleared his throat once more. "Sorry to disappoint. He's a little busy."

The brown pools lifted towards the ceiling before returning back to their original position. "Don't worry, I'm not as disappointed as I should be."

"Right, well. Let's go."

"Where are we going?" she asked as Bucky started to open the door.

"I don't know. We just need to get you out of here."

"What's going on? Is it about Peter? Is he okay?" Vanessa shot out.

Natasha chose that moment to come back. "We can discuss all of that later, right now, I would advise you to get moving. Go through the door."

Vanessa eyed the other woman before looking to Bucky who nodded. Once she received confirmation for the man, Vanessa placed on foot in front of the other. With Bucky and Natasha following behind. Once they all three entered the tunnel, Natasha closed the door, allowing the darkness to wrap them in its embrace.


The moment Tony left the room, his brain truly intended to venture to the lab and start deleting any trace of the Foster Siblings and Peter but his feet had another destination in mind. This is how the former playboy ended up standing in a room piled high with boxes, with dust and spiderwebs decorating the surface. The dim light from the one bulb that swung from the ceiling was all that illuminated the room. No windows or photos adorned the walls. Instead, it was cracks and peeling paint. The smell of musk danced in the air.

Tony's eyes roamed around the room, looking for something specific. The faded black ink on the sides of the boxes barely was enough to read the labels. Running a hand through his hair, Tony looked at the box closest to him. Taking a deep breath, he reached for the lid but a voice behind him caused him to freeze.

"What are you doing, Tones?"

"Nothing. Mind your business, Honeybear."

Rhodes stepped further into the room and allowed his own eyes to survey the dusty display. "What is all of this stuff?"

"Nothing," Tony said in a nonchalant tone. Rhodes raised an eyebrow before he stepped closer to his friend.

"If it's nothing then why are you down here, or even better? Why is it here?"

"It's nothing, let's go." Tony turned his body and started towards the door but was blocked by his friend.

"It's nothing huh. Then why does this box read, Maria Stark and that box read Howard Stark?" Tony remained quiet while his friend looked around at the other boxes. "Is this all of your parent's stuff?" Rhodes took his friend's silence as confirmation. "What's it doing down here."

"I don't know. Obadiah brought this stuff here after they died, or should I say after they were murdered."

"Obadiah Stane?"

"Yeah, I told him to throw it all away but as you know he never listened to me."

"So what are you doing down here?" Rhodes asked.

"Nothing."

War Machine watched as his friend Iron Man avoided eye contact briefly before looking him in the eyes. Any trace of vulnerability was gone and had been replaced by the classic player Tony Stark. It was quick but to a man who befriended the man in front of him, it wasn't fast enough. The dots started to connect as Rhodes looked around the room. "You're here looking for answers."

Tony scoffed at the other man but Rhodes shook his head. "You're down here to see if you can find anything that mentions Vanessa and her being your sister."

Tony turned on the man, and Rhodes saw the fire burning in the brown eyes. "You damn right I am because there is no way in hell that my parents had another child. I was their only child. My parents tried to have another child but they couldn't. I looked at the DNA test results and apparently, Vanessa is related to me through my paternal side. Meaning my father. There is no way that my father had a child and the world didn't know about it. It doesn't make sense. Ever when I was young, the media were always there. Following my every move. If Vanessa existed then they would have discovered her and there would be proof. The bottom line, my father is not her father. There is a mix-up with the test or something. Bruce screwed up. If by some miracle, she is my father's child, then he would have proof somewhere in here, and I intend on finding it."

Rhodes stood there and allowed his friend to rant. By the time he was done, Tony was breathing hard. His fist balled up and his body tense. Lifting a hand, Rhodes placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah. Okay. I'll help you."

Tony shook his head and pushed the hand off his shoulder. "I didn't ask for help."

"You don't need to. That's what friends are for. The rest of the team can take care of Frank and Vanessa. Besides, who else is going to sit with you in here and make sure that you actually eat and drink properly all the while inhaling enough dust to kill us?"

Tony rolled his eyes before he pushed forward and grabbed one of his father's boxes. Rhodes smiled slightly before shaking his head and grabbing a different box. The two sat in silence going through their respected boxes when Tony looked over at his friend. Feeling eyes on him, Rhodes looked up and gave the man a questioning gaze.

"Thanks, Honeybear."

"No problem, Tones."