Chapter Five
"Where the hell is Cayson?" Maria Hill assumed her stance as a soldier against the corridor wall as Nick Fury paced in front of her, his brow creased over his eyepatch and his presence radiating, well, fury.
"Sir," Hill addressed her superior with a toneless voice. "Agent Cayson's last known location was twenty miles North from the Avengers compound."
"I know," Fury continued pacing. "Damn fool got his ass jumped in the middle of sending his coordinates,"
"We suspect he's been taken hostage," Hill informed him. "Either by the captive or the Avengers."
"Obviously, Agent Hill," Fury sassed. "Beck's not going to be happy about this…" He said to himself, facing away from Hill and leaning against the railing of the overlook where they were standing.
Hill thought for a moment. "Director Fury," She stepped forward. "Beck wants Stark, the captive was only an incentive to lure him here," Fury pushed off the railing to face her again. "If Rodney didn't already tell him, Stark doesn't know that he escaped," She continued. "We could send the ransom as if we were holding him here," Fury's eyes flashed something she didn't recognize. He contemplated her suggestion.
"Why didn't I think of that?" He abruptly started walking towards his office, Hill followed. He half-turned to speak to her as they walked. "I'm giving Tony one week. In the meantime, have every available agent, and I mean every agent, even you, out looking for Peter Parker."
"Sir," F.R.I.D.A.Y. spoke into Tony's earpiece. "New message from S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters." He raised his eyebrows at the news, looking to the floor on his right and ignoring Rodney Cayson sitting in the chair in front of him.
"Really?" He asked no one in particular. "They want to take my kid and then chat about it?" Rodney sent him a confused look and Tony finally addressed him. "Your boss just sent me a message," He stood up from his backwards-facing chair and sucked in air sharply through his teeth. "God, I hope it's not porn." He walked out of the room, leaving Steve and Happy to interrogate Rodney.
"Open the message, F.R.I.D.A.Y." Tony said once he was back in his office.
"It's an audio message, sir."
"Play it, then," He sat down in his office chair and the message began.
"Tony Stark," Nick Fury's voice sounded in Tony's earpiece. "We are currently holding Peter Benjamin Parker in a secure S.H.I.E.L.D. facility."
Rodney already confessed to Peter escaping… Tony suppressed his rage and confusion and tapped a pencil on the desk. The message continued.
"Now, I know you've got a soft spot for the kid, so, no harm will come to him."
Tony exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"However,"
He sat up in his chair.
"If you are unable to pay a ransom of twenty-million dollars in person to one of our representatives, he will die."
Tony broke the pencil.
"You have one week to meet at this location," A second message popped up on his watch, he ignored it. "With the required ransom to save Mr. Parker's life. You must come in person, unarmed, and alone." The recording clicked off, Tony's mind raced with questions.
How do they have Peter if his kidnapper is here? Was Rodney meeting someone to take Peter? Did they manage to catch him a second time? Is it a trap? Do they really have Peter or are they just pulling my chain?
Tony considered the latter for a moment.
They would have sent out agents by now, and probably alerted every bounty hunter in the country. They're all looking for Peter.
I can't risk it. I can't risk losing Peter. Even if it is a trap.
He sighed and rubbed his eyes.
One week. Twenty-million dollars. Peter's life on the line.
Tony stood up and made his way back to the interrogation. He would tell Happy, maybe Strange, get a second opinion. He considered telling Steve, but decided against it after the stunt he pulled with the Accords. He couldn't trust him, not yet at least.
He walked into the room. Happy and Steve had their backs facing Rodney, discussing something. They both turned when Tony walked in and made their way to him.
"Everything's peachy," He said before either of them could ask questions. "Fury's just throwing a temper-tantrum about us having this sorry excuse for an agent in our dirty hands." Tony gestured to Rodney, who had a look of self-confidence.
"That's… it?" Steve, of course, raised an eyebrow. Tony simply rolled his eyes and beckoned Happy to the other side of the room. Steve tried to follow but Tony stopped him. And, surprisingly, Steve complied.
"You are a terrible liar," Happy sighed when they were out of earshot.
"He bought it, didn't he?"
"So, what's the actual news?" Happy asked eagerly.
Tony glanced at Rodney. "I have one week to hand over twenty-million dollars to S.H.I.E.L.D. or Peter dies."
Peter scarfed down half of a pizza before he noticed Mj's and Ned's concerned looks from across the table. He finished his slice and wiped his hands on his pants.
"Um," He cleared his throat. "Were we supposed to say Grace?"
Mj snorted in laughter and Ned smiled and shook his head. Mj stood up and leaned over to ruffle Peter's hair.
"You're lucky you're cute." She said and went to the window. Peter blushed and smiled.
"So, what happens now?" Ned asked Peter, who looked at him with wide eyes.
"I- I don't- I don't know," Peter stuttered. He looked down at his lap. "I guess I've got to figure out why all of this is happening."
"Isn't it obvious?" Mj said from the window. She searched the city below for nothing in particular, but she imagined the missing people reuniting with their families. "They wanted to use you as leverage."
"Leverage?" Peter and Ned repeated in unison.
"Leverage." Mj confirmed. She moved from the window to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee, then pulled up a chair next to Peter. "Whoever did this, whatever they're planning, it's big." Mj turned to Peter. "Tony Stark big."
"So- so they kidnapped me to get to Mr. Stark?" Peter couldn't quite wrap his mind around the notion that he was that important to somebody. Let alone Tony Stark.
"Peter, when you guys are fighting, he's only worried about you," Mj said. The news broadcasts had enough evidence for her to know Tony Stark thought of Peter as his own flesh and blood. "They were smart by choosing you, it's what I would have done."
Peter and Ned gave her questioning looks, she ignored them and took a sip of her coffee.
"So," Mj continued. "Who would go to extreme lengths to get revenge on Tony Stark?"
Peter could think of about a dozen people, none of which capable of arranging this catastrophe.
"I don't-" Peter started but cut himself off. He shushed Ned when he tried to speak and scanned the apartment. "Someone's coming." Peter whispered. His eyes locked on the window and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Peter was up in an instant, his suit already encasing his battered body. "Get out of here!" He whispered urgently over his shoulder.
"We're not going anywhere." Ned said with a nervous tone. Peter turned to his friends. Ned was trying to hide his terror with false courage. Mj had a look of real bravery, but Peter could see the flash of fear in her eyes.
Peter glanced back at the window. His panic grew despite the lack of any sign of danger. He met Ned's wide eyes.
"You have to leave!" Peter pleaded. He would fall apart if anything happened to them. If failed to protect them. It'd be his fault.
"No." Mj argued, she was struggling to keep her voice steady. Tears sprung to Peter's eyes.
"Please." His voice cracked. "Please, just-" Peter whipped around a second before the window shattered and a black-clad and armed man swung into the apartment. The intruder was followed by four more soldiers, all armed with huge guns.
"Go!" Peter shot a web at the slightly ajar door and yanked it open, shoving
Mj and Ned into the hallway and slamming the door behind them. They both pounded on the door but Peter turned the deadbolt and turned to his potential murderers in Mj's living room.
"Peter!" Mj yelled from the hallway. There was no mistaking the fear in her voice.
"Peter Benjamin Parker," Peter couldn't tell which one spoke for they each wore bulletproof face coverings. "Come with us or else."
With his friends safe, Peter could almost laugh at the threat. He activated Instant Kill and tilted his head at the threatening group. "A little cliché, isn't it?" Peter surprised himself with his confidence; the invaders didn't flinch, however. Instead they moved in closer, cornering Peter against the door.
"Come easily or we'll take you forcibly." The personless voice spoke again and they all took another step closer.
Kidnapped twice in a week? I don't think so.
"Can I sleep on it?" Peter stalled, his back against the door, where Mj and Ned were still trying to get in.
"Peter, please!" Ned pleaded, he sounded close to tears. The tallest of the intruders nodded to another, a silent order to silence the pair behind the door. The ordered soldier raised his gun to the door and cocked it.
"No!" Peter jumped in front of the barrel a moment before the trigger was pulled. The soldier didn't skip a beat and the gunshot, despite it's original intentions, only made the pounding and yelling louder.
(A/N: Although I highly doubt anyone's dying to read this poorly written and slow moving fan fic, I do kick myself for not publishing very often. I lost motivation for this particular story and I'm struggling to regain it. Thanks for sticking with me, those of you who've been reading since Chapter One. Despite what most of you are probably thinking, yes, I do have a storyline. The main villain's been mentioned once, props if you caught it. This is only half of the chapter, sorry. Until next time, whenever that may be.)