So, first things first, Sorry for not updating sooner, i had a school project that needed LOTS of video editing and the program i used was junky so i had to get a new program. Then on the plus side, i got a request and i worked on the for a few days, and the to add to that, i had a sleepover at a friends out this weekend AND i'm coming down with a cold so, i'm sleeping in a bunch.
Well anyways, this chapter is quite exciting! I'm really excited to hear your reviews! EEK! :) I'm just so psyched about this chapter! So i'll get on with it!
Disclaimer: IMAA is not mine! I will never own it!
Pepper awoke to a hand over her mouth. Her eyes flew open in panic and she tried to scream, but the hand just clamped tighter around her mouth. Successfully shutting her up. She couldn't do much else with her hands and feet tied up. Though, she could tell that it was one of the Maggia men. She tried to struggle, but found it useless as someone joined and held her still.
A long and possibly dirty rag was tied around her mouth as a gag. She tried to spit it out, but as much as she tried, it was tied too tightly. She was pulled to her knees and she looked around. Ghost stood a few feet away eying Tony who was still asleep. Though, she noticed that he had a few new cuts on his back.
She glared at Ghost.
"I knew you were a feisty one." Ghost said. "Always the red heads."
She glared even more.
"Anyways," Ghost started. "Stark isn't being a good boy so, I think we'll teach him not too."
Pepper broke her glare only to take a look at the others in the room. Still asleep and seemingly unharmed. She hoped they weren't harmed. Rhodey lay facing away as Howard lay facing the fireplace they were seated by.
"Don't worry." Ghost said noticing her worry. "I haven't touched them…yet."
She glared again.
"Oh, I can already tell you're going to be a fun one!"
Ghost walked over to her and twisted his hand into her hair and pulled. She screamed through the rag, and held onto his arm to lessen the force, but stopped when she was kicked in the side, winded. She was literally pulled by the hair, across the floor to where it was freezing cold. Her elbows scraped against the floor along the way, cutting them open to the bitter air.
"Here should be just about right." Ghost said as he let go off her hair.
She had tears running down her face, but she wiped them off with her shoulder. She would not let this man see her cry. He would not get that satisfaction. Then she thought of Tony. Maybe this is why he fought Ghost so much. Why he held back. For the shame of showing emotion in front of Ghost. She understood now. This had to be why he didn't tell them. He didn't want to show Ghost that he was worried. He didn't want to make a big deal out of it. Make a scene as some would say.
She shivered. He exposed arms and bare feet were freezing and she was amazed at just how cold it was in there. Especially when just a few days ago, it was pretty warm outside. She felt like her arms were stuck in ice. They burned. Her throat was already drying up. She understood why Tony couldn't talk.
She noticed Ghost was messing around with something. Twirling it in circles, twisting it into his own thumb, and tossing it up in the air. It was still dark, and the lights were still turned off so she could only guess what it was that he was playing around with.
In a flash she saw a blur just before she felt her left thigh burning up, soaking in the process. She cried out before gasping as she pretty much chocked on air. She looked down to where a blade was plunged deeply into her thigh. She paled.
She bit her tongue hard, but only lasted a minute before Ghost started to wiggle the knife back and forth while he untied her gag. She screamed a high pitched scream, unable to last all that long.
…
Tony jolted awake when he heard screams. Frantically, forgetting about his knee, he shot up into a sitting position only to cry out in pain and hold his knee with a wince. He held it for a moment so the pain would go away before he saw his dad and Rhodey sit up startled.
They both looked to him expecting it to be him, but Tony already forgotten about them. He knew who was missing. It was Pepper. His Pepper was in pain. He looked around frantically. There. Ghost stood, kneeling in front of a female silhouette. It was still dark out, but Tony forced his eyes to adjust.
"Pepper?" He called out with a raspy, tired voice.
Her screams stopped and Tony half expected her to start up again. Luckily, she didn't. Ghost just pulled the knife out of her leg that Tony noticed, and walked over to Tony. He laughed as he now stood over the now wide awake teen.
"Thought that'd wake you up." Ghost sneered.
"What do you want?" Tony demanded.
"Like I said before; revenge."
Tony was glaring at Ghost with pure hatred and disgust. He was mentally trying to burn holes into the white suited criminal. Ghost laughed again.
"You should get a look at yourself, Stark. You're a pathetic excuse for a genius who runs off of emotions and hormones. You think yourself mature enough to protect your friends, your family. I think you're doing a wonderful job at that." Ghost paused and laughed again. "I just think it's awfully ironic. The last time we met, you remember that don't you?"
Tony glared even more, if that was possible. He would not answer Ghost. He would not.
"The last time we met, the special ability I have that helps me beat you all those times, didn't seem to work. So I lost that fight. And now, that new Extremis thing you've got, seems to also be out of order. Which is why you lost this fight. Why you couldn't save your family. At least I'm not some wretched teen who can't even protect his girlfriend."
Ghost scoffed and walked over to Rhodey. "Like this one for example. He's not a girlfriend, but he's basically your brother. If I were you, I wouldn't want anything to harm him." Ghost pulled out a different knife.
"Don't you touch him." Tony snapped out.
"Oh, you don't like me this close to him?" Ghost asked.
Rhodey was glaring at Ghost as he leaned away from him.
Tony on the inside was flat out panicking. His mind was everywhere not really sure what to think. His stomach was churning as he looked over to Pepper. His Pepper. Who was bent over holding her knee as she cried. Ghost hurt her. He wouldn't know what to if Pepper died. And Rhodey? His dad? If they had all died, and it was because of him, he'd never forgive himself. He'd never want to live on. He'd never be able to. He was shaking in anger and slightly in pain. His back burned and his chest and arms were on fire. He could almost imaging flame bursting from his chest.
A sound of protest brought Tony from his thoughts. He looked over to Rhodey who was being lifted by the front of his sweater. Howard tried to help, but the Maggia men grabbed hold of him.
"This will be fun." Ghost said.
Ghost dragged the knife across Rhodey's cheek, blood spilling over. He didn't make any noise, but winced. Ghost then threw Rhodey down and at the same time slashed at his right shoulder. Rhodey yelped out, and held his arm, but didn't do anything else.
"What is wrong with you two? Why don't you scream?"
Tony almost laughed. He would have if Rhodey wasn't hurt.
"Maybe I can you to scream again Tony." Ghost said. "But not in pain, but in loss."
Tony felt sick to his stomach at those words. He was thinking desperately, but nothing came up. Nothing helped. They were all he had left. Without them, he'd be alone again. Just like he was after his mom died. Or the plane crash. He'd felt so alone, but right now, he was about to lose them all in one day. Just because he couldn't protect his family. Just because he was too pathetic to save them.
He didn't want to lose them. He didn't want to even think about it, but somewhere deep in his mind, was telling him that this was the end. He didn't want to believe it.
Ghost walked up to Pepper who was still sobbing to herself as she held her leg. She didn't want to cry, she didn't want to seem weak. She was strong. But the thought of Tony dying in front of her because of her, was unbearable. If he were to die, she wouldn't be able to handle it. She wouldn't want to live with that kind of guilt. She forced herself to stop her crying as soon as she heard footsteps walking towards her.
Tony paled and his stomach churned as he watched Ghost approach Pepper with the Knife in his hands. Tony could only watch and that made him sick. He could feel his breath shudder and break as he breathed in what seemed like poison, but he wasn't that lucky. It was only plain old rusty air that smelled of oil and mud.
Just as Ghost got to Pepper, he threw the knife as far as he could across the room. Tony could only watch in horror as Ghost pulled out his gun.
"Stop it! Don't you touch her Ghost!" Tony shouted as loud as his sore throat would allow him. "Stop!"
Tony could tell Ghost was smiling under that mask of his. It sure pissed him off that Ghost had the audacity to smile at a time like this. It just wasn't right. It was sick.
Ghost laughed. "Still not enough, kid."
Tony clenched his fists together. "Why are you doing this!?"
"Revenge." Ghost said as he loaded and cocked his gun.
Ignoring the pain in his kneed she struggled to try to get out of the chains binding him to no avail. He was stuck. He didn't want to watch as Ghost aimed his gun that was ready to fire to Pepper's head. She was staring at Tony with terrified eyes, begging for help. For a savior, a hero. He wanted to look away. He had to, but just as he saw Ghost's finger flex on the trigger, there was a loud crash followed by a giant dust cloud.
Then there was a gun shot.
CLIFFHANGER! HA! HA HA HA! Ooh, this has got to be one of my most evil cliffhangers. I don't know, but its got to be one of them. HEHEE! Anyways, did you like it? It was good right? If i was talking to you guys right now, i'd be bouncing up and down energetically and laughing like mad. I'm in a weird mood where everything is funny. HA!
Oooh! I watched Rise of the Guardians and it was AWESOME! One of THE best movies EVAH!
Fun Fact: When i sleep, i sometimes wake up in the oddest of places. Such as, the bathtub, my laundry basket, under my table, or in my brothers bed. And i've once fallen off of a bunk bed and landed on a stereo that had its antenna up. OUCH! it really hurt.
Okay, so I'm going to go now! So, um BYA!
P.S. And Baby Phase should be up by tomorrow if i don't get distracted. I swear, I keep saying that i'm going to finish that one, but then just as i open it up, some has to show me something, go somewhere, or watch a movie, or i find music videos on youtube and get distracted...but if i get time tomorrow, I'm going to work until its finished, which isn't long, since i'm on the last few paragraghs.
Well Bya for now! For real!