(A/N) The only day I didn't have a final was today and so naturally I get more homework than is humanly possible to complete. Also if there is anything you aren't sure on about them getting Tony out of the helicarrier be patient all will be revealed in good time.
The change in Melissa was staggering. Within seconds she turned from concerned mother to cold eyed so abruptly that Natasha would have been impressed. She admired the phone in her hand coolly barely paying attention to the two people in front of her; it was like she didn't care. But she kept her finger on the trigger and the gun didn't shake from an unsteady hand. No, she had done this before.
"I do have to say I'm a bit disappointed." She sighed turning the phone over and over in her hand her posture screaming with boredom. "The great Tony Stark was so easy to capture, even with the merry band of misfits."
Tony watched her like a child watching a lion at the zoo. "So you're the third party?"
"You're a little slow to to draw, but yes." She pocketed the phone and turned her attention on both of the men. A truthfully happy smile spread on her face. "I've been waiting a long time for this."
Hammer cleared his throat. "Hi, yeah, me again. Would you mind explaining why you are holding a gun at me." He pointed at the gun that was still trained on him.
"I'm not going point it at him." She motioned the gun slightly towards Tony before going back to Hammer. "He's tied to a chair."
"Maybe I wasn't clear. What I meant was why is the gun pointed at me since we are partners?"
"Partners?" She laughed slightly as if the thought truly amused her. "I've been playing you since the very beginning. Honestly I was expecting there to be some trust issues, but you were more than happy to do whatever I said as long as I got you out of prison with a chance to get some payback. But I've got some news for you. You aren't the person delivering the revenge; I am."
Hammer's posture stiffened as he realised he had been played. "Look I can get you anything you want. Money, newest weapons, a plane ticket to where you want. Just say it, let me go, and you can have it."
"Is that your value?" She asked taking him back a bit. "The value of your entire life can be shown in a shiny gun or a flight to Brazil. Is that all that Justin Hammer is to you? Because he means a lot less to me. The man we all saw on TMZ driving those fancy cars and making headlines has one value if you ask me. And that is that is the value of revenge."
Her voice was so calm that it made what happened next surprisingly uncalled for. Tony barley even had time to register a shot going off before Hammers body crumpled to the floor like she had pulled free the only string holding him up. The rival of his laid with his eyes open and a line of blood traveling down his face slowly from the wound right above his eyes.
Melissa took a deep breath as if she had forgotten how to breathe while she was confronting Hammer. She looked almost relieved when Tony thought about it. Her shoulders sagged a bit as if weight had been removed from her. Then her posture returned as she turned to him.
"Tell me do you know why you're here?" She asked setting the gun in her waistband.
"Would I be naive to believe that it was all a ploy to kill Hammer and you are going to let me go now?" He asked and was answered by the smile on her face. "Of course."
"Maybe you can remember the Stark Expo from a few years back with Hammers Droids? Styled after yours I believe."
"You can hardly blame me for having my idea's stolen." Tony defended himself.
"No, I can blame you," she started stalking towards him every step made him lean further into his chair. "I can blame you for putting the idea of the need for the greatest weapon of our time into the mind of everyone with access to news. You planted that seed and what grew from that is your doing. Everyone who died the night is on you."
"Melissa,"
"My name isn't Melissa." She snapped at him harshly.
"I guessed that." Tony tried not to roll his eyes in front of the woman who obviously wanted to kill him. "You aren't the first person who has told me this. I've been accused of being everything from a heartless bastard to a mass murderer and I agree with each of them. You telling me I'm responsible is old news."
"Maybe." She studied his eyes for a few seconds looking for any honesty they could contain. "But you haven't heard one thing. Daniel Lansing a twelve year old boy who was killed by one of Hammer's droids. All he wanted when he grew up to was to be just like Tony Stark so when one of those robots laid broken on the ground when it exploded." The tears in her eyes were filled with rage. "I couldn't reach him in time. Which leaves me with a simple question do you know the pain that fills you when your child dies."
Tony didn't say anything. He obviously never had children so he wouldn't know anything about losing one. But he was pretty sure he was looking at all of the pain, guilt, and anger right now.
She pulled the gun out of her waistband and set the muzzle on his thigh while clicking off the safety. "It feels like you're being tortured slowly every second of the day. You failed to save my son , you will know the pain that you have caused me and more importantly Daniel."
She pulled the trigger.