It's been four days. Four days since the fire and Peter discovered Savannah and her brothers were missing. It had been four days that Peter searched every inch of the tunnels that he thought they might visit. It's been four days full of no leads and dead ends.
Peter sat against the wall of the tunnel with his mask clenched tightly in his hands as he tried to search his brain for a place that they might be. Only to come up with nothing. Leaning his head back against the wall, he allowed his fear to seize his heart.
It's been four days. Four days since Tony entered the dusty fault that held his parents property. It had been four days since the former playboy had seen the light of day. It had been four days full of Rhodes trying to convince him to take a break and that the boxes weren't going anywhere. It had been four days of inhaling dust and camping out with the roaches. But despite what Rhodes thought, those four days had been what led to his recent discovery.
Tony stood next to one of his father's boxes holding in his hands a birth certificate. The name of the child was printed neatly on the document.
Child's name: Vanessa Elizabeth Foster
Mother's name: Alice Marie Foster
Father's name: Howard Anthony Walter Stark
Tony had been staring at the document in silence for a while. So long that Rhodes had to look up and come over to make sure his friend was okay. Looking over the man's shoulder, Rhodes eyed the paper in the other man's hand.
"So it's true."
Tony didn't respond. Instead he placed the birth certificate back in the box where he found it and walked away without saying anything.
Its been four days since Vanessa and her three Avengers escort entered her cabin in the woods. It's been four days since she confessed what she felt all along to the man sitting in front of her. It had been four days since James Buchanan Bares spoke to her, despite her best efforts. It had been four days since she heard anything about her son, Peter; and what she learned was from another person.
Vanessa stared at the Avengers as they spoke outside, to avoid her hearing no doubt. Releasing a sigh, Vanessa laid back down on the bed.
It's been four days and she was still not close to finding her son.
Three days.
It's been three days since Steve, and Clint went to try and find clues on the location and whereabouts of Frank. It's been three days of dead-ends and frustrations. It's been three days since SHIELD returned with their warrant and served it to Pepper. It's been three days since SHIELD left empty handed, leaving Fury furious. Steve would have smiled at the sarcastic comment Clint made as they watched Fury leave but his mind was focused solely on the boy who is his son. Peter.
Steve sat in his room for a much needed break after yet another dead-end.
It had been three days since Clint tried to convince the first Avenger that he should go to sleep, only for Steve to refuse. It's been three days since Clint became absolutely positive that something was wrong with Steve, on the fact that the other man had thrown a vase on the floor out of anger because of another failed lead.
It had been three days since Clint became so concerned that he called Bucky to see what he should do. Only to receive not one bit of helpful information. It had been three days since Clint contacted Bruce and shared his concern. Bruce's advice, keep an eye on him.
As if he hadn't already been doing that.
It had been three days since, Steve ordered everyone back to the compound, now that SHIELD was gone. Natasha announced that they would return in a few days just to be safe. Steve agreed.
Three days.
It was on the fourth day that Friday called out to the compound that her sensors were going off near the forest edge. Steve and Clint suited up and went to investigate. What they found sent a feeling of unease throughout the two men.
For it was on day four that the body of Frank Jones was discovered and on the lifeless body was a picture of Spiderman perched on a building with one message.
He's next.
