Three months, that's how long dad's been missing. That's how long it's been since I got back from Dublin. That's how long I've been in the lab sitting in front of this computer hacking and scanning satellite images. After a while they all look like the exact same span of desert.
When I got back from Dublin, Dean would call me daily to check up on me. Now he calls about once a week. We Skype for a bit. He offered to come and visit a couple of weeks ago but I told him there was nothing he could do and that I didn't want him to drop everything for me.
Rhodey visits when he can. The last time he was here he told me they were considering declaring dad dead and calling off the search. I almost ended up in the hospital. I begged him to not let that happen, to keep searching. He promised he wasn't going to stop but things weren't looking good.
I decided to step up my game. I started hacking every intelligence agency for info. I hacked the CIA, FBI, Interpol, every military branch database to compile a list of possible responsible parties and extremist groups operating in the area. At one point I got desperate and even hacked the Pentagon and repositioned all their satellites to get more images of the surrounding areas. How can you hide someone in wide-open deserts?
While I was in the Pentagon's database I came across some chatter about an organization called The Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. What a mouthful they should just call it S.H.I.E.L.D. It must've been something super secret because I had never heard of it. I decided that I could use all the help I could get to help dad so I hacked their database and repositioned their satellites. Their security system was a lot more complex and harder to hack that the rest of the organizations I had hacked. Doesn't mean I didn't hack them just took me twice as long. I had Jarvis scramble my signal to make the origin of the hacks untraceable. I already had enough to worry about without having to worry about the feds knocking at my door to arrest me for their lack of security.
I created an algorithm to adjust the position of those satellites according to whatever new intelligence was found. I would analyze the new images everyday. That's what I did everyday for three months. Until one day I decided to move the satellites to analyze the mountains. Everyone else would avoid them since there was nothing there but I figured at this point I should keep all possibilities open. The satellite images showed a small camp. At first I thought it might have been a village or a camp of some sort. But a couple of hours later the images showed the camp as a complete mess. That's when I identified something that looked like a missile and I knew that was it.
I got my phone and I called Rhodey.
"Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes" He answered sleepily.
"Rhodey it's me I found him." I say.
"Nora, what are you talking about?" He asks
"I found dad Rhodey. I just texted you the coordinates. Get there ASAP." I demanded.
"Are you sure? Wait- how do you know he's there?"
"Lets just say it's better if you don't know the answer to that question. Plausible deniability and all that nonsense." I answer with a bit of a smirk.
"Okay I'll check it out but please don't get your hopes up." He says hoping I don't go off again.
"I don't have to because I know he's there." I say confidently. If he's not there I don't know what I'll do.
"I call you later to update you." He says and then hangs up.
I take a deep breath and exhale trying to calm myself down. "Jarvis, do I have any emails or messages?"
"You have three emails about orientation and other activities from John Hopkins Medical School. And you have one video message from a Dean Smith."
"Can you please play it on the holoscreen?"
The message shows up. It's Dean on the couch of his apartment. "Hey Nora I know you've been busy with your family stuff but figured you could use a distraction and something to put a smile on that beautiful face of yours. So here's a vine of every hilarious meme, video, and celebrity tweets that are worth seeing from the past week." I play the video and I can't help but laugh. He always knows how to cheer me up.
"Jarvis please record the following message."
The recording light turns on and I say, "Smile accomplished. Did you seriously go on the Kardashian's twitter feed for me? If I didn't know you cared before I definitely do now. I miss you." I say with a sad smile. "I'll call you later today or I guess it'd be tomorrow morning for you. Sleep tight." I blow him a kiss and end the message. That's how we've been communicating for the past few months. It's been working out for now but I can't help but feel it isn't fair to him.
Since I have to wait for Rhodey to call back I decide to have an actual meal for the first time in a while. I'd been living off coffee and granola bars for months. I think I actually lost a bit of weight. After I finished eating I cleaned up a bit. I went back downstairs for my phone and that's when it started ringing.
"Hello" I answered.
"Nora, we found him."
I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding in and I started to cry. "Is he okay?" I ask.
"He's getting checked out by the doctors at the base. He's a bit dehydrated and obviously tired but other than that he's healthy."
"That's great." I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off my chest and I can finally breathe.
"We should be heading back to the States in a few days."
"That's good. Take care of him Rhodey and whatever you do don't let him out of your sight."
"I will. Get some rest kid, you need it." He orders.
"Don't have to tell me twice. Thank you Rhodey." I say and hang up.
I feel myself smile and for the first time in months it isn't forced. I get up and go to my room. I lay down on my side and look at the picture of my soul mates. I smile and say, "I did it guys, I found him and he's okay." I drift off in my comfy bed knowing that things are starting to look up.
Airforce Base, Kandahar, Afghanistan- Tony's POV
After months of working on a plan to get out of that cave I finally did it. Yinsen on the other hand didn't make it. I have to make sure his sacrifice wasn't in vain. I need to make things right both with the company and with Nora. I hope she forgives me, I would understand if she didn't. I need to redeem myself in her eyes too.
The doctors checked me over and set up an IV drip to help me stay hydrated. They put my arm in a sling and then leave me. Rhodey walks in and I know whats coming.
"So guess whom I just got off the phone with" he says mockingly.
"Burger King I hope I could totally go for a Burger right now." I retort.
"Sorry but your not allowed any big meals. Doctor's orders. I just got off the phone with a recently graduated astrophysicist that hasn't left her basement for three months." He answers.
"Astrophysicist?" I don't know any Astrophysicists, do I?
"Doctor Martell just got her Ph.D. in Astrophysics this year along with a masters in mechanical engineering and biochemistry. She starts medical school this fall." He says casually.
That's when I realize who he's talking about. "What? I thought she was graduating next year."
"Well that's what happens when you take 32 units per semester and summers for three years straight."
"How is she?" I ask.
"She's been on self imposed lockdown for the past three months. She's the one who found you. Don't ask me how because she won't tell me. Everyone wanted to give up but she's as stubborn as her father."
"Wow," I can't believe she did that.
"I was about to stage an intervention, She's been living off coffee and granola bars for the past three months. She sleeps a three or four hours a night on that futon in the lab and just gets back to it. I'm fairly sure she broke a few laws and international agreements to find you."
"When are we going back?" I ask. I need to get to work immediately. I need to see my daughter and beg for forgivness.
"In a few days when you're more rested." He answers.
"No, tomorrow morning I can sleep on the plane."
"Tony-"
"Rhodey, I've been living in a cave for the past three months. I want to go home." I say leaving no room for arguments.
He sighs "Like father, like daughter. I'll tell them to set everything up." He pauses for a bit and then asks "Do you want to call her?"
"No, some things have to be said in person." I answered. I'm going to close down the weapons division at SI and then I'm going to take some time off and see my daughter. If anyone can help me with what I'm planning its her. I just hope she gives me a chance.