Chapter Forty Eight

"Cage me like an animal, A crown with gems and gold Eat me like a cannibal, Chase the neon throne Breathe in, breathe out, Let the human in Breathe in, breathe out, And let it in Plants awoke and they slowly grow, Beneath the skin So breathe in, breathe out, Let the human in..." - Human, of Monsters and Men

The silence was almost deafening. Remains of the building that once surrounded them were all that was left. Debris crumbled under their feet as they left the building behind. The danger of more walls and an unstable rooftop collapsing on them was too real. Tony had moved carefully around the debris to make sure that he didn't trip. It was only until calming down that Ada realized just how angry she had been seconds ago. Until Tony was able to calm her down enough that she recomposed her emotions.

Ada swallowed hard as she looked around and saw the destruction she'd left behind. Most of the walls had been reduced to a pile of rubble. The guards had left just before the building itself collapsed on them. Anything that was left of Maya's body had been buried in the debris. She was suddenly thankful for that – the last thing she wanted was to see another body slain because of her. Killian may have shot Maya down, but Ada knew that it was entirely her fault. The whole thing could have been avoided had she maintained better control over her emotions.

An overwhelming sense of guilt surged through Ada when she realized what she truly was capable of. She knew Tony could have easily been crushed if she had lost control. She would have never forgiven herself if anything happened to him because of her. Tony had given her so much more than just a roof over her head. When he first adopted her, she never expected to find herself surrounded by the people she would one day call her family.

More parts from the Iron Man suit began flying towards them after they left the building. Tony caught each piece with relative ease. He was still acting as if he was in a daze from what had happened. Not that Ada couldn't blame him. After seeing what had happened to Pepper, and what she had done, it was a wonder he hadn't reacted more violently. She knew how much Pepper meant to Tony. Killian had used her as a way of getting to him. The worst part was, Ada suspected that Killian would have cared less if anything happened to her or Pepper.

She kept an eye on Tony as they continued walking. Though they managed to escape their captivity, they were still a long way from stopping Killian and the Mandarin. Something told her that stopping either would be easier said than done. He was determined to prove whatever point he had against those who opposed him. The problem with his plan happened to be that Tony never gave up. Not when the people he cared about were at stake.

"What happened to the watch?" she finally cut through the silence after noticing the watch he'd worn earlier was broken.

"Got a little damaged," Tony explained with a shrug, "There wasn't anything I could do to stop it."

Ada chewed the bottom of her lip. Guilt stabbed at her heart once again as she thought of what had happened to Maya, and Pepper. None of this should have happened in the first place. Working with SHIELD meant that she should have been one step ahead of Killian. Yet, for all the technology in the world, they hadn't been able to figure out who was really behind all those attacks.

"Dad, I'm sorry." Her voice cracked as she refused to look at him. A shiver of fear and dread swept through her when Tony finally looked at her in surprise. "Maybe none of this would have happened if I'd been more careful…"

"Ada, don't you dare blame yourself for something that isn't your fault!" Tony suddenly cut her off before she could keep blaming herself. She blinked in surprise after meeting his gaze. "Look, I'm glad you took down that building… too bad it couldn't take Killian in the process."

She couldn't help but look down at her feet. The cold realization that she'd almost killed someone came rushing back. The last thing she wanted was to be responsible for someone's death. Though she knew that it was in her job description, it didn't help knowing that others would suffer as a result. Her fists clenched as she wondered if there was a better way around it. Anything was better than having to feel responsible for someone's death.

"Dad, killing people isn't always the answer," she murmured.

Tony let out a sigh of frustration after noticing how unnerved she was with his statement. He of all people should have known why she felt that way. She had to watch her mother die in front of her countless times because of her nightmares. She had to watch hundreds of innocent people die because of them. She wasn't about to let anyone die on her watch; not if she could help them.

"All personnel, the Stark's are loose and somewhere in the compound. Repeat: The Stark's are loose and somewhere in the compound," a voice suddenly announced.

"Look, I understand why you're so opposed to killing people," he said after rolling his eyes at their announcement, "But, there are times when sometimes killing is the only answer."

She opened her mouth, ready to argue when Tony tried firing the thrusters. Ada quickly clamped her mouth shut when she noticed with a start that the thrusters were still inoperable. Though he managed to repair most of his suit, that didn't mean he hadn't repaired everything.

"Having trouble, there?" she asked after blowing a cloud of dust created by the failed attempts of getting into the air.

Tony was having a difficult enough time walking along the stairs. Ada had to admit, the whole thing would have been hilarious if it wasn't for the situation. He threw her an incredulous look, and was about to defend himself when her phone suddenly began to ring.

His faceplate lifted after Tony realized that she still had her phone with her. Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Ada pulled the phone out of her pocket to see that it was Rhodey calling her. She half-expected it to be Steve. Considering it had been nearly a week since they last spoke, she knew a call between them was long overdue.

Without another word, she put the phone on speaker and glanced at Tony warily after noticing the Iron Patriot flying above them, "Tony…" Sure enough, Rhodey's voice sounded through as they made their way towards what looked like the main building.

"Rhodey, tell me that was you in the suit?" Tony asked.

"No. You got yours?" Ada's face fell when she saw Tony falter mid-step. He paused and looked at her uncertainly, though she could only shrug.

"I wouldn't put any money on the suit, Rhodey," she told him, ignoring the glare that followed moments later.

"Tell me it didn't get destroyed, again?" Rhodey's question was enough for Tony to put a hand against her mouth before Ada could complain any further.

"Not really. Main house, fast as you can. Somebody I'd like you to meet," he instructed, ignoring the fact that Ada managed to push his hand away and glare back. "And you are grounded."

"Really? Is that really the best time to bring that up?" she retorted.

Ada crossed her arms and met his gaze with equal defiance. She knew she was pushing the limits of how far she could get away with something. But, she wasn't about to let Tony's frustration get the better of him.

He let out a huff of frustration before leading the way towards the main building, deciding to drop the subject.

Unfortunately, that was the easy part. To Ada's surprise, the main mansion wasn't heavily guarded like it should have been. She had to knock out a couple of guards before letting Tony go any further. Because the suit wasn't functioning the way it should have been, Tony left her to deal with the guards while keeping an eye out for more.

The one thing Ada did notice was the fact that women seemed to wander around the complex in bikinis. Her stomach twisted in disgust at the sight. Either Killian had little to no time on his hands, or he had enough money in the world that he simply didn't care what people thought of him.

He really is a creepy asshole, she thought disdainfully.

The front porch itself was heavily guarded by a wrought iron gate. Seeing the gate left Ada wondering just how good the security was inside. There had only been a few guards posted outside the area, telling her that Killian was a bit too confident for his own good.

Tony made quick work of the gate, revealing what appeared to be a large, elegant looking Spanish-style mansion. Ada eyed the imposing building curiously, realizing with a start that Killian was loaded with money.

The tension from earlier came rushing back as the women who were inside fled the moment they arrived. Most of them were complaining about the heat that seemed ever present. Ada hadn't missed the fact that there wasn't any air conditioning, something she took for granted more times than she could count.

They walked on in silence until reaching a flight of stairs leading to another bedroom. Two guards were posted at the entrance, and Ada narrowed her eyes dangerously when they looked in their direction. One of the guards moved forward in a vain attempt of attacking, only to be thrown to the floor seconds later with a swift kick. The second guard was taken down with equal speed thanks to Tony.

"What's this? I had winners!" Tony's random announcement after pushing the door open was enough for Ada to cross her arms. He'd grabbed a ping-pong paddle from the one of the tables downstairs, and was now holding it in one hand.

Once Ada spotted the person Tony had been planning to introduce her to, she grimaced in disgust.

"What've you come as?" the man sitting in a bed full of dirty blankets and beer cans scattered about asked in a groan.

A ball of fire appeared in the palm of her right hand as Ada glared at him. He wasn't the Mandarin. Sure, he looked like the Mandarin and even sounded like him, but it was obvious this man wasn't him. He was young, possibly in his middle thirties, with a long scraggly looking beard and a face full of confusion.

Though, his expression quickly changed from confusion to fear when she suddenly threw a fireball in his direction. He let out a loud yelp, ducking just as the fireball hit the metal frame of the bed.

"What the hell? Who is this asshole?" she demanded after Tony grabbed her before she could cause further damage.

"You make one move and I'll break your face!" Rhodey shouted when he managed to break through one of the nearby walls. One gun was aimed in the man's direction, and she noticed just how terrified the man looked after realizing how badly outnumbered he was.

"I-I never thought people were hurt. T-They lied to me," he stammered, holding his hands up in self-defense.

Both Rhodey and Ada looked at Tony in confusion, "This is the Mandarin?" Rhodey asked the question she had been dying to ask.

"I know, it's… it's… it's embarrassing," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in the process.

"Hi… Trevor," the man introduced himself with a small smile, "Trevor Slattery." He leaned forward and held out his hand halfheartedly, though he quickly pulled back when Ada only glared at him, "I know, I'm shorter in person, a bit small, everyone says that. But, um… hey, if you're here to arrest me, uh… there are some people who I'd like to roll on. Immediately."

Before he could continue speaking nonsense, Ada wrenched herself free of Tony's grip and grabbed hold of Slattery faster than he thought possible. She managed to twist his arm behind his back, ignoring the yelp of pain that followed when she threw him to the bed.

"Tell me where Pepper is, and I won't try to break your arm," she snapped as she applied pressure to his arm.

"Oh, I get it! Ow! That hurt! I get it! I get it! I don't know about any Pepper, but I know about the plan."

"Remind me not to piss you off," Rhodey said after grimacing at the sight.

She had to remind herself to thank Natasha for teaching her that move. The former assassin had taught her that the best way to get anyone to talk during an interrogation was to administer some kind of bodily injury. Though it was a crude and sometimes cruel method, the results were often worth the effort.

"So, what now?" she asked once they formulated a plan to rescue Pepper and figure out a way to stop Killian.

According to Slattery, Killian had several yachts that were docked outside the compound. Tony had already made plans to steal one of the yachts and reach the oil rig where Killian's final move would take place.

Ada blinked in surprise when her phone suddenly went off. Looking down, she noticed with a start that Coulson had sent her a message alerting her that they were on their way. She knew Coulson's team had been keeping track of her progress since parting ways in Rosehill. Though, she wasn't expecting to hear back from him so soon after that.

"You're staying here until this mess is resolved," Tony informed her once it became clear who was in charge. "The last thing I need is you going anywhere near that asshole after what he did to Pepper."

"Dammit dad, this is what I was trained for!" she fired back after realizing what he was implying. She hated being seen as nothing more than someone incapable of fighting back. "And I have just as much of a reason to go after them!"

Pepper was more than just a mother-figure in her life. She never admitted it out loud, but she did see Pepper as her mother. The woman was always there for her when she needed someone to talk to. To know that something could have happened to her was worse than she could have imagined.

"I know that, Ada. I also know that you're capable of causing enough damage to make Killian think twice about hurting our family." Tony ignored the look Rhodey threw them as he pulled her to the side to avoid letting Slattery hear their conversation, "But I also know that keeping you safe is my job. Can you please, for once, give me this as a Christmas gift?"

For once, Ada didn't know what to say. She found herself staring at Tony in disbelief as realization dawned on her. Tony had already suffered enough over the last few years to know what it was like to lose people he cared about. She swallowed hard and reluctantly nodded in agreement.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Tony finally wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. Despite the suit he was still wearing, Ada couldn't help but return the gesture. The last thing she wanted was to let anything happen to him. But, she would do this for him. Even if it meant going against what she believed.

"Do me a favor and kick Killian's ass for me, will you?" she asked when they let go.

"I plan on kicking his ass," Tony replied without missing a beat. He glanced in Slattery's direction before looking back at her, "Do me a favor and make sure SHIELD picks up whatever… whatever this is," he added.

One nod of agreement was all it took for Tony and Rhodey to take off before she could change her mind.

Ada bit back a sigh of frustration and crossed her arms once they were gone. Being left alone with Slattery wasn't exactly something she had planned for. After drinking more than a few cans of beer, Ada wasn't surprised to see that he was suffering from the alcohol. Needless to say, spending time with Tony taught her how to deal with people who were drunk.

"Wait a minute, you're Tony Stark's daughter, aren't you?" Ada nearly rolled her eyes at his random question. "Never thought I'd be meeting two famous people on the same day."

"Yeah, well don't get used to it," she muttered under her breath.

Her shoulders sagged in relief when she heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching. Coulson stopped short when he noticed the man slouched in the bed. Slattery looked bored beyond belief. The only thing that kept him awake was the television that rambled on during a game.

"Tell me that isn't the Mandarin?" he asked, glancing between Slattery and Ada as the rest of his team arrived moments later.

"Unfortunately, it is," she replied. "It's a long story."

Luckily, Coulson didn't bother pressing for answers. She was more than relieved to leave the hot, humid building behind in favor of the BUS. Coulson's team had parked further away from the mansion, but it didn't take them long to reach the large plane.

"That's the Mandarin?" Skye asked in surprise after Slattery was pushed inside.

After being bound in cuffs, it was obvious Slattery would likely be facing a long interrogation from Coulson's team. Not that Ada wasn't surprised by the notion. She suspected Slattery was in for a nasty surprise once this was over.

"It's embarrassing," she sighed with a shake of her head. She looked at Skye thoughtfully when she noticed that the brunette wasn't nearly as nervous as she had been before. "Coulson told me that you're new to the team."

Ada hadn't missed the guilt flashing across her eyes as Skye looked away. She remembered hearing from Coulson that Skye was picked off the streets when she was caught hacking into their security network. She'd been working for a group known as the Rising Tide, but that was about as much information they had on her.

"I joined only a few weeks ago," she admitted. "I'm not officially an agent yet – according to Agent Coulson, it could take years for me to become an official agent. But, this job is so much more than that."

She couldn't hide the small smile that followed. Considering that was one of the many reasons she'd signed up, she could understand Skye's longing to be part of something greater.

"He's right about it taking years to become a full agent," she warned her, "But, the rewards are worth it. All I've ever wanted to do was help people with the powers I have, and SHIELD's helped me reach that potential."

The last thing she wanted was to scare Skye from joining SHIELD. Truthfully, training had been far more difficult because of her abilities. Fury hadn't taken it easy on her just because she was the youngest agent they'd recruited.

"Extremis is really a remarkable enhancement, when it's controlled properly," Jemma remarked after the sample they were able to extract. Ada rose an eyebrow as they reached the lab, only to find that Jemma and Leo were hard at work looking into a cure for Extremis. According to Coulson, they were able to find a sample of it while in Rosehill. "Because it's based off a plant product, it can regenerate limbs that were lost."

"Hansen's project might have worked if she was able to overlook the side-effects," Leo put in.

"Do you think you could find a cure for it?" she asked warily.

If they found a cure for Extremis, it would mean they could help Pepper and anyone else who suffered from the drug.

"It may take some time, but we should be able to find a cure with this sample," Jemma replied with a nod.

Ada let out a sigh of relief at that. She knew Tony was likely blaming himself for what had happened to Pepper. Though all of this had been technically his fault, none of them could have predicted it would happen. She realized with a start that fate worked in ways no one could explain.

"Why are you so desperate to find a cure for it?" Grant asked after reaching them. He'd been talking to Coulson about Slattery and what his fate would be. There wasn't any doubt that he would be spending a year or two in prison once it was all said and done.

"Pepper was taken by Killian, and the asshole used the drug on her," she explained in a bitter tone. Jemma's eyes widened in horror, while Leo finally understood why she was so anxious to find a cure, "I'm assuming he did it as a way to gain leverage over Tony."

"And, he thought you had the ability to stabilize it with your powers," Coulson concluded once he joined them. Ada winced at that – she had a feeling Killian had also tried using her as leverage over Tony as well. Though, that plan hadn't ended well on his part. "Do you have any idea where they might be?"

She looked at Coulson in surprise before recalling what Slattery had told them. Killian had been planning a final 'lesson' to those who opposed him. She already had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach that meant involving Pepper in some way, along with other innocent people.

"I have a vague idea," she replied.

AN: I updated today instead of yesterday since reviews weren't showing. Thanks Scarlet3Wolf12 for reviewing! I really do appreciate the feedback :)