They call her Human Torch! Chapter 10

Sunday July 31, 2011

I was just pulling up and parking in front of the mansion when Kitty came running out. She jumped up and hugged me, as I hugged her back I saw some of the students and teachers standing at the doorway.

"Hey kiddo, how are you doing? What was your punishment?"

"Well we had to start off by sorting through the luggage bags and I can't wait to show you what we found, I haven't gotten a chance to show the professor. Then we have to help clean up the cafeteria for 2 weeks. They gave us a big speech too but we listened like you told us to."

"That's great. Charles invited me back to chat but I didn't tell him what time. Wanna show me now?"

"Yeah! Come on the cases are in an unused classroom. Why are you wearing that suit by the way? You look hot! But I hadn't seen you in it."

"Oh it's the one I told you about, I wear it at home and in public I usually put normal clothes on top of it but I figured I didn't have to hide it here. Do I look too out of place?"

"Nah, its fine. Like you said, you look unique"

She led me straight to the classroom and I was surprised at just how many desks were covered. There were piles of things but it seemed organized. She took my hand and led me to the first one.

"This is men's clothes, This one is woman's clothes, This is electronics, jewelry, money, shoes, accessories, files and documents, collectible stuff, and I haven't found other stuff so far so that's all the piles. I still have 4 more cases to look through though so who knows what I can find."

"This is all very impressive and organized but have you been doing this on your own? I thought Rogue and Bobby were going to have to do this too?"

"Well they kept making out and distracting me so I just told them to go. I have actually gotten relaxed by going at it and organizing it all on my own. I work better alone anyway so I don't mind."

"I was just like you in high school, still am I guess but working with S.H.I.E.L.D. has taught me a lot on the importance of being able to work as a team. I do have to admit that cleaning up and redecorating some rooms in my apartment alone was therapeutic in a way."

"Wow, how many floors are there?"

"Well technically there are 5 but I only use 3 of them."

"You live in a 5 floor apartment all by yourself?"

"Yeah."

"That sounds lonely."

"It is sometimes but you know what? It makes me really appreciate the people in my life."

She smiled softly at me but when there was a sudden throat clearing behind me I spun around and let my body encase itself in flames. I crouched in front of Kitty but as soon as I saw that it was the muscular guy called Wolverine I instantly took a deep breath and worked on turning it off.

"Sorry. You startled me"

God, can I be any more stupid?! They are going to think I have absolutely no control.

"No harm done. That was impressive to see in person. The professor wanted to know if you were here yet."

"Uh yeah."

"Want me to take you to him?"

"Yeah, um Kitty I'll be right back so I can help you choose where to donate these things. Maybe we can take the men's clothes to the wounded warrior offices and some of those documents and collectible stuff would be appreciated at the veterans museum."

"That sounds awesome!"

I smiled at her one last time before turning to Wolverine and following him out.

"You are good with her."

"She is very bright, she reminds me a lot of myself when I was her age. So are you one of the teachers here Wolverine?"

He let out a short laugh before nodding.

"Sort of. And uh, call me Logan."

"Oh, okay."

"So you help a lot in veteran places? I heard you telling Kitty about donating there."

"No actually I never have never been to an actual office, just growing up with my dad and grandma, they always gave money and around Christmas they would send cards to veterans without families."

He nodded but didn't say much as he lead me to a big but comfortable looking office. Inside were all the staff from the other day. Was this a chat or some type of intervention?

"Hello Bella, it is good to see you again. Please have a seat."

"I'm good thanks."

They were standing around everywhere, if they were all mutants and I didn't know what they could do then I sure as hell wasn't going to sit with my back to them. I might have looked rude to them with my tense form but surely they could try to understand.

"Like I said before Bella, we are no threat to you but I understand your reluctance. I am going to be honest in my enthusiasm to meet today. My ability is telepathy."

Mother fucker! No way am I getting involved with another mind fucker! I could feel my eyes narrow as I came to the realization that this was why he was interested in me, he probably couldn't read me. That was it, the reason Edward was so attracted to me was because of my scent and my silence.

"Let me guess, you want to chat with me to see if you can figure me out? To see why I have a silent mind? Excuse me but I am not interested."

Thank god I wasn't sitting. I stormed right out and straight to the door. Kitty met me by the door and had a hurt look on her face.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes, I'm sorry for not saying goodbye. I just can't be here. I have trust issues and the last time I talked with a mind reader, it didn't end well."

"Oh Bella, he would never use your thoughts against you, he is not that type of person."

"He can't hear my thoughts, that's why he was so interested in me, I won't let myself be used again and confuse it for affection."

She looked conflicted but I saw her eyes gloss up a little bit.

"I really like spending time with you though. If you leave now then you probably won't come back."

"Honey I really like spending time with you too but I just don't trust that they won't try to use me in some way. Its happened as a human and now with my fire.. I just can't."

"Did he say something like that?"

"I honestly just left as soon as he said he could read minds."

"Maybe you can just listen, don't agree to anything but just listen. Then you will be able to come back. Everyone around here has a mentor, Rogue has Logan, Jubilee has Jean. I just haven't found anyone that could really guide me like they do, I was thinking maybe you could be my mentor? I know you are not part of the staff but if the professor allows it then we can spend more time together and you can teach me stuff, like how to defend myself without my gift. I can't just run from all my fights you know?"

"I'd really like that but you have to understand that I am away from home a lot, always on missions and-"

"I understand that! Really! We are all a part of X-Men. I know one day I will go on missions too."

"She is right you know. At least listen to the man."

I turned once again to find Logan with a cigar in his mouth looking at me. All the staff was behind him including Charles. I was beginning to wonder if they ever did anything alone. Honestly I just wanted to leave and take the cowards way out but when I looked back to Kitty and saw the look in her eyes, I just couldn't ignore what she had said. Could I be a good mentor? No not at all, hell I had 2 of them at the moment. But could I help her in some way? Could I teach her something or just be there for her when she needed me? Yes, that I could do. She had taken to me and I had taken to her. I felt the need to protect her and for whatever reason it may be, that was what I was going to to. End of story.

I nodded at her and she jumped up to hug me before following me back to the office. I could tell that she was about to be asked to leave so I spoke directly to her.

"You can stay. I don't mind. I would actually prefer it."

That shut them up. Charles started speaking again but this time he seemed more hesitant.

"I presume that you are aware of your mind blocking ability."

"It is not an ability. It is not something I control. Mind tricks just don't work on me."

"Do you not? The reason I ask is because my ability allows me to look for minds all around the world. Naturally when some of our students came up missing we looked around the campus and around town for them, once we could simply not find them or contact them, I decided to use Cerebro-"

"What is that?"

"It is a machine of sorts that allows me to focus on brain waives and 'filter' out people. It allows me to look or concentrate on one person only or just look through people and see only mutants. I looked for our students for hours but got increasingly worried when I could not find them anywhere in the world. It was as if they did not exist. When that happens, the only explanation could be death. We feared for the worst and so I was so relieved when you brought them back. As soon as you left I was able to look in their heads as usual. Now however, I cannot hear yourself of course, or Ms. Pryde."

"That's awesome!"

"Kitty!"

"Sorry Bella."

I was surprised though. I mean I am not doing anything so what gives?

"Well as glad as I am to be able to give her mind privacy, I am not doing anything. I feel close to her and protective but I am not doing anything on purpose."

Kitty smiled up at me when I said I felt protective of her. This little girl was adorable. I really needed to find out how old she is.

"I see. Well that is certainly a curiosity. I know how intrusive this may sound. Can I ask 2 things of you?"

"I will never give you my DNA. I do not let people experiment on me."

"No dear, of course not, we as mutants understand that there are lines which must never be crossed. I only wish for you to think something directly at me, I wonder if your mind is blocked completely or if your subconscious is somehow protecting itself."

I took a deep breath to focus. This was a manageable request, I could at least try. Though I doubt it will work.

'You are one curious fucker. You are one curious fucker. You are one-'

"Yes, I am a very curious man. Although I have not been called the other in a very many years."

He chuckled and smiled as he said it and I'm pretty sure I was actually blushing for the first time in months. Kitty bumped my shoulder and looked at me transfixed.

"Your cheeks are smoking.."

"Shit! Oh um I mean shoot!"

"Its okay, at least you didn't actually burn your cheeks, just some smoke."

I smiled at her just thinking about how strange that would look.

"Can I ask for one more gesture? I would just like to see if maybe you could shield someone else."

"I would be willing to try but I honestly am not protecting Kitty on purpose."

"I understand, I simply think it would be beneficial for you to know and interesting for us to see."

I nodded and turned to the staff people. I was already protecting Kitty so it would have to be one of them. Logan was the closest one so he just shrugged and came 2 feet away from me. I was about to put my hand on his arm when my cell phone started ringing. It was Fury. I turned away from the audience I a semblance of privacy although I could feel their stares on my back.

"Sir?"

"I need you to drop whatever you are doing. Have Agent Barton complete the mission and get to Romanoff as soon as possible."

"Is something wrong?"

"Not yet, but something is brewing."

"I can be there in 2 hours."

"Make it 1."

"Yes sir."

After hanging up I quickly turned to Kitty and the rest of them.

"Sorry, this will have to wait for another time. I have to go now."

"Is everything okay."

"For now."

They nodded but didn't ask anymore. I was thankful because I didn't know if I could even tell them anymore. Kitty got up and hugged me goodbye.

"Can I call you in a couple of days to see if you are back?"

"Of course. How about you give me your number so I can call you when I get back too?"

"Oh I don't have a cell phone but I can give you my Email!"

"Sounds good kiddo."

She quickly wrote it down and I hightailed it out of there. I still had to drive home and pick up my mission ready back pack. I had learned really quick that I wouldn't always have time to pack.

2 hours later I was on a jet to Malibu with Fury and Natasha. She had been posing as Tony Stark's assistant for a couple of days, they caught me up on all the events that had happened lately, including his disastrous race driving debacle, appointing his assistant as CEO, and his drunk stunt at his birthday party.

"How the hell did he let his friend take his suit?"

"Well that is the question isn't it? He has security procedures to prevent this and yet he let it happen."

They went on to tell me about his suit and the palladium.

"Wouldn't that slowly poison his blood?"

Fury actually gave me a big smile and patted me on the back.

"Exactly, this is why we brought you on. He needs to find an element that will be a good replacement. We believe his father left behind clues that only he can figure out to discover a new element. He had been doing reckless things as of late so Mr. Stark is in need of a baby sitter. Since you believe so strongly that he will be a good asset to the team and you share his love of science. You will be in charge of him and helping him every step of the way. I want you at his side 24/7 do you understand?"

"Yes sir, though I do not know how I could possibly help. I mean I do love science but I don't actually know much."

"Don't worry about that and don't hover over him because he won't take well to it, just be there. Now here is the file with his symptoms. Work with our database to find something that will take the edge off of those until the new element is found."

They left me alone while I got to work, I didn't know how I was going to come up with something, I mean if he hadn't then how could I? Eventually I did see a pattern and started testing out some things on the simulation program that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best had created on the plane. Gotta love S.H.I.E.L.D.'s way of transportation.

Once we landed we quickly drove to his location. Natasha and I secured the area while Fury approached him and led him to the now empty doughnut shop.

"Stay back by the door until Fury or I tell you to come forward."

I nodded and we quietly entered the shop, listening to their conversation. I was ready with the syringe in my hand. I was confident this would work, Natasha had told me about the black lines on his neck and I had tested this until I was positive this would work.

Nat went right up to the table and I could see the shock on Stark's face, of course he though this woman was his assistant and she comes in looking all bad ass? She spoke directly to Fury before turning to him.

"We've secured the perimeter but I don't think we should hold it for too much longer."

"Well, you're fired."

Natasha raised an eyebrow but otherwise stayed emotionless.

"That's not up to you."

She sat next to Fury and motioned me to stay by the door.

"Tony, I want you to meet Agent Romanoff."

"Hi."

"I'm a S.H.I.E.L.D. shadow. Once we knew you were ill, I was tasked to you by Director Fury."

"I suggest you apologize."

Fury ignored Stark's comments and kept talking.

"You've been very busy. You made your girl your CEO, you're giving away all your stuff. You let your friend fly away with your suit. Now, if I didn't know any better…"

"You don't know better. I didn't give it to him. He took it."

Fury made a face between incredulous and humored.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. He took it? You're Iron Man and he just took it? The little brother walked in there, kicked your ass and took your suit? Is that possible?"

"Well, according to Mr. Stark's database security guidelines, there are redundancies to prevent unauthorized usage."

I actually felt bad for Stark. He looked tired as he just sighed out his response.

"What do you want from me?"

"What do we want from you? What do you want from me?"

Fury motioned me to come closer.

"You have a problem, a problem I have to deal with. Contrary to your belief, you are not the center of my universe. I have bigger problems than you to deal with. Bella, hit him."

Well, here goes nothing. I came up behind him and plunged the needle in his neck. He pulled back in pain and let out a small yelp.

"Oh, God, are you gonna steal my kidney and sell it? Could you please not do anything awful for five seconds? What did she just do to me?"

"What did we just do for you? That's lithium dioxide. It's gonna take the edge off. We're trying to get you back to work."

"Give me a couple of boxes of that. I'll be right as rain."

Um no. Fury nodded at me to speak so I sat next to him as I inspected his neck.

"It's not a cure, it just abates the symptoms."

Fury nodded as he looked at Stark's neck as well.

"It doesn't look like it's going to be an easy fix."

"Trust me, I know. I'm good at this stuff. I've been looking for a suitable replacement for palladium. I've tried every combination, every permutation of every known element."

"Well I'm here to tell you, you haven't tried them all."

We all got in the car and drove to his mansion. I have to admit it was still beautiful even though it needed major repairs after the damage of his party. While Natasha and I unloaded some boxes labeled Howard Stark, Fury was on the balcony chatting with Stark.

"That thing on your chest is based on unfinished technology."

"No, it was finished. It has never been particularly effective until I miniaturized it and put it in my-"

"No. Howard said the arc reactor was the stepping stone to something greater. He was about to kick off an energy race that was gonna dwarf the arms race. He was on to something big, something so big that it was gonna make the nuclear reactor look like a AAA battery."

"Just him, or Anton Vanko in on this too?"

"Anton Vanko is the other side of that coin. Anton saw it as a way to get rich. When your father found out, he had him deported. When the Russians found out he couldn't deliver they shipped his ass off to Siberia and he spent the next 20 years in a vodka fulled rage. Not quite the environment you want to raise a kid in, the son you had the misfortune of crossing paths with in Monaco."

"You told me I hadn't tried everything. What do you mean by that? What haven't I tried?"

"He said that you were the only person with the means and knowledge to finish what he started."

"He said that?"

"Are you that guy? Are you? 'Cause if you are, then you can solve the riddle of your heart."

"I don't know where you get your information, but he wasn't my biggest fan. He was cold, calculating, never told me he loved me, never even told me he liked me, so it's a little tough for me to digest when you're telling me he said the whole future was riding on me and he's passing it down. I don't get that. You're talking about the guy who's happiest day was when he shipped me off to boarding school."

"That's not true."

"Well clearly you knew my dad better than I did."

"As a matter of fact, I did. He was one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"What?"

"I got a two o'clock."

"Wait, wait, wait. What's this?"

"Okay, you're good, right?"

"No, I'm not good."

"You got this? Right? Right?"

"Got what? I don't even know what I'm supposed to get."

"Natasha will remain a floater at Stark with her cover intact. This is Agent Swan, she will be your partner, you need anything, you go to her. She goes where you go, you go where she goes. Got it?"

"No."

"Great! And remember Tony, I got my eye on you."

With that he left and took Natasha with him. There was some Agents around but they were instructed to stay outside the house. He turned to me and this was so awkward.

"First thing, I need a little body work. I'll put in a little time time in the lab. If we could send one of your goon squad down to the coffee bean, cross creek, for a Starbucks run, or something like that, that'd be nice."

"I'm not here for that. I've been authorized by Director Fury to use any means necessary to find this new element and keep you on track. If you start playing any games, I will taser you and finish the work myself while you drool on the carpet. Okay?"

"I think I got it, yeah."

I followed him to his lab/ garage and was impressed by the size but I was actually proud to say that I had better stuff at home in the robotics lab. Not that I had used it yet or had any reason to ever use it but still I had taken inventory of everything at home.

"What?"

"I didn't say anything."

"No, it's what you didn't say. If they put you with me and you figured out the Lithium Dioxide then you must know science."

"So?"

"So, not to toot my own horn but yeah my lab is a scientists dream."

"I already have my dream lab at home Mr. Stark."

"Don't call me Mr.'

"I'll call you Tony if you call me Bella."

"Deal."

"Deal."

"So dream lab huh? What would you need a lab for? Shouldn't you be going to school instead of being an Agent? How old are you?"

"I will be 20 in 2 months. I needed a lab to do blood work. I was set to go to college but after the incident, I didn't feel it was the right path anymore."

"What incident?"

"Do you not watch the news?"

"Um I get kinda busy."

"You bought the building, the Von Doom Inc building."

"Oh yeah I did. Wait are you the survivor of the cosmic thing? Why do they call you Human Torch? I missed the news that day I guess and now too much time has passed, it's awkward to ask anyone else."

I laughed but let my whole body be covered in flames, the look on his face was hilarious and slowly I started peeling it back until it was only on the tips of my fingers.

"That's.. cool"

"Not at the beginning."

"Yeah I guess something like that makes you rethink everything. So can you fly?"

"Fly? What? No of course not."

"It would make sense, if you can manipulate the heat then you can make it so the flames only comes out of your feet, propelling you up. You never thought of that did you?"

"I- maybe once, but- Look let's just get to work on reading these files."

"Ugh fine. But I'm willing to bet you can fly."

"I'm willing to bet you can't keep quiet for long."