We pull up to the compound early this evening and I am exhausted from driving. Peter and Harley had fallen asleep quickly after the car ride started so I ended up driving the entire time.I didn't mind though. It was a relaxing and a peaceful drive. Morgan and Carmen had also doesed off so I had time to think. I pulled up in front and put the car in park.
"Hey guys. Wake up! We're here," I say.
Peter jumps awake while everyone also kind of wakes up gradually.
"Where are we?" Morgan asks as she sleepily rubs her eyes.
"The compound," Harley responds with a yawn.
I nod as I unlock the car doors.
Harley, Peter, Morgan and Acero quickly jump out. Peter helps Carmen out of the car and she quickly grabs on to Acero's leash.
I stay seated in the car. I have no desire to put in weight on my knee. At this rate, it'll be broken forever.
"Shouldn't we see if anyone's here?" I ask.
Just as Peter's about to come up with a solution, a side door opens up and we see Pepper, Tony, and a few others coming from the door.
Morgan's face lights up, "Mommy! Daddy!"
She runs over to them. Peter and Harley grin as they toohead over to see Tony and Peper. May, Rhodey, and Happy had also come outside.
Carmen was still by the car, "Am I about to meet Tony Stark?"
"Yep. Also probably a few of the Avengers."
She sighs, "Why is it everytime I see you something always happens?"
I shrug, "I don't know what your talking about. By the way they're walking over here."
"Are you going to stand?"
"Um...no. No I think I'm good. This a very comfortable seat," I say trying to avoid her stare, even though I know she can't see me.
"Really?" Tony says and I jump startled. He had walked over a lot quicker than I thought.
"Really. Um...Tony this is my friend Carmen. She helped us out. Carmen, this is Tony."
Tony stuck out his hand, "Hi it's nice to meet you. Thanks for helping my kids. I'm glad you guys are all okay."
"It's nice to meet you too Mr. Stark. It was really no problem," she takes off her shades, "I would shake your hand but I can't exactly see it."
I smirk as a slight blush crosses Tony's face, "Uh I can see that. Sorry."
"It's not an issue Mr. Stark. I;m a huge fan by the way," Carmen says with a slight smile.
Tony gestures towards the compound, "We should take this little party inside. Compare stories."
I nod in agreement and Carmen gestures in my general direction, "He's going to need help with that."
"Hey!" I said slightly mortified.
Carmen shrugs, "What it's true isn't it?"
Tony laughs, "I like her."
He reaches down and I put my arm around his shoulders. I stood up on my good leg and gently put my bad one on the ground. I inhaled sharply as it touched the ground.
"Ok...we'll take this slowly," I nod.
We slowly start walking towards the door. Acero and Carmen follow.
When we get inside I collapse onto the couch. Pepper walks over and hands me a pain killer, "I think this will help."
I smile, "Thanks."
She ruffles my hair, "I'm glad your ok," she says as she walks back over to Morgan who was reaching for her.
Carmen leans over, "She cares."
I swallow, "Yeah. I know."
She smiles, "Don't screw this up idiot."
I smile back, "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
Tony clears his throat to get everyone's attention, "Ok. Here's what we're going to do. First, Bruce is going to check all of you for injuries. Then, or during, you guys are going to tell us everything that happened. Any questions? The protests are going to be ignored."
Peter and Harley both closed their mouths as they were dragged to the lab by May and Happy with Morgan and Pepper trailing them. Tony turns to Carmen and I.
"Ok, so you shouldn't be walking so I'm going to carry you ok?"
"I think I can walk," I say as I attempt to stand. A sharp pain shoots through by knee and I fall. Tony catches me.
"Yeah sure you can kid. Carmen, do you need help?"
She shakes her head, "Acero knows to follow Jar."
Tony looks briefly confused at the nickname. He must've decided to table it because he nods and picks me up.
Tony starts walking and Carmen says, "Follow Acero."
We start walking down the hallway. The compound was surprisingly large. We enter a huge lab and my eyes bulge. The Hulk was in the lab already checking over Peter.
"...Otherwise he should be fine May. With his accelerated healing he should be completely healed in about a week."
May breathes a sigh of relief, "That's great. Don't scare us like that again," she says glaring at Peter.
"It wasn't my fault!" Peter says.
Harley snickers before Pepper says, "Harley, your mother wants to talk to you."
Harley pales while Peter smirks.
"Hey, Bruce if you're done with those two idiots can you come look at AJ."
Bruce nods and walks over as Tony lays me down on an exam table.
"Hi, AJ, I'm Bruce. I've heard a bit about you. Can I take a look at your leg?"
I eye him suspiciously and Tony looks at me, "He's gentle. I promise."
I nod and Bruce gently starts lifting my pants leg. Surprisingly for someone who's so big Bruce was gentle. He rolled up the pants leg until and I hear Tony inhale sharply at the very swollen knee cap.
"YINSEN, can you scan his knee? And pull up a 3D hologram of it."
A light scanned my knee and then suddenly there was a hologram of it next to Bruce. He examined the scan.
"What do you see?"
"The bone's going to need to be reset. I'm going to have to break it before I can fix it again. And he actually needs to rest it."
"I tried!" I say exhausted.
"Speaking of you trying? You guys want to try telling us what happened?"
Peter, Harley, Carmen, and I launched into a detailed explanation of the events of the last few days. Thankfully, we left out all the personal stuff I told them. When we finished the room was silent.
I glanced over at Pepper. The worry and concern was written all over her face. She and Tony were having a silent conversation.
He swallowed, "Ok… first things first. Carmen, where's your mom? Does she know where you are?"
Carmen shakes her head, "She's working. She won't be home until tomorrow morning."
Tony nods, "Okay, I'm going to give her a call and have someone give her a ride here."
"Here?" I ask cautiously.
Tony nods, "It's the safest place right now until we figure out what's going on. on. I also think it's best if we all get some food and hit the hay. We can come up with a plan for tomorrow."
Tony looks at me. He hesitates before he says, "I also have to call your social worker back."
I swallow nervously, "Um...exactly how many times did she call you guys?"
Tony gave me what I think what was suppose to be a reassuring smile but he didn't quite pull it off, "Everything's going to be fine, bud."
I nod even though I know that's probably not true. Audrey's a little bit of a stickler for the rules. She's probably going to take me away from the Starks.
Tony nods at Bruce, "Can you fix the kids leg?"
He nods, "I thought he was going to have to have surgery but I remembered Cho's healing technology. It can reconstruct him a new kneecap in a few hours with a little physical therapy."
Tony looks at me, "What do you think kid?"
I nod, "As long as I get my leg back I'm good."
Tony nods at Bruce, "Do it while I talk to his social worker and Carmen's mom."
Bruce goes to get the tech while the rest file out of the room to get some food and sleep.
Carmen goes with Tony to call her mom. I smile. I know that she's going to trick him into having a long conversation about his new tech. Tony had no idea what he's in for.
I look over Bruce, "Is this going to take a while?"
He nods, "It'll take a bit to build the new kneecap."
I nod and we drift into silence before I say, "So, how'd you combine yourself with the Hulk?"
I feel Pepper rubbing my shoulder as I hold my head in my hands.
"How'd the conversation with Audrey and Gabriella go?"
I sigh, "Gabriella is being picked up from work by Happy and I think she's in shock. Audrey...she's coming by in the morning to get AJ."
Pepper sighs, "There's nothing we can do is there?"
I shake my head, "No. He was attacked while we weren't home and suppose to be under our care. It definitely doesn't look good."
She sighs, "That's what I thought."
"Um...is this a bad time?"
Pepper and I both look over at Bruce who, surprisingly for such a big guy, managed to enter the room unnoticed.
"No. What's up Brucey?" I ask.
"AJ needs a small blood transfusion. It'll only take a few minutes but the two of you are the same blood type and it's always better to transfuse with the same blood."
My eyebrows shoot up, "He's AB negative?"
Bruce nods, "Yep. I was surprised too. You coming?"
I nod as Pepper and I and I stand in order to follow Bruce out of the room.
As we're about to leave the room the alarms start flashing. All the doors shut down.
"Tony…." Pepper says worriedly.
"I know. YINSEN open the doors!"
"I'm sorry, Tony. My programs have been overridden."
I can feel my heart rate increasing, "Bruce…"
"On it," he says as I notice the vents opening.
"Hold your breath!" I shout pointing at the vents. How did these people even get into the compound?! I'm feeling woozy.
I glance at Bruce and he's slowing down. Whatever toxin this is, it's strong enough to knock out the Hulk.
I watch him collapse. I look over at Pepper as I too fall to the floor. She's unconscious.
I think about the kids and I try to crawl to the door. My hands reaches for the door.
I couldn't protect them.
I jerk awake. I'm still in the lab but Bruce isn't here. And a bunch of alarms are going off. And the doors and windows are sealed with metal. This isn't good.
I grab the IV thats in my arm and yank it out. I unhook myself from all the monitors and glance down at my leg. It looks brand new. I gently lower myself off the table. I smile when I realize it doesn't hurt.
I stand up and say, "YINSEN what's going on?"
"The compound has been infiltrated. My systems have been overwritten."
I sigh, "And here I thought I could relax."
Suddenly I here a loud bang. I see a woman and a bunch of armed guards walking through the doorway.
I grab the scalpel that's closest to me and slide it up my sleeve.
I inhale sharply when I realize Morgan was being carried by one of the guards.
"So I take it you guys aren't security?"
The lady turns so I can see her. She looks familiar, "Well, well . I didn't think I needed to sedate you but you seem to prove me wrong. You are correct when you say we're not security."
Before I can react or come up with a plan she takes out a gun and shoots it at me. I feel something hit and I look down. It's a dart.
I can feel myself hitting the ground.
I hear her say, "Grab him. He's just as important as the girl."
I watch them walk towards me and no matter how much I want to I can't move.
Yep. This is definitely not good.
