They didn't take out the body. Instead, Killian left it for Tony and Izzy to stare at.
Tony said nothing to his daughter. She probably didn't want to talk. His stomach churned at the thought of what Killian had done. He had shot that little girl without barely a hesitation.
And Izzy… that dead girl had been like her – had done what she'd done because of Izzy had inspired her. How awful that must be, he couldn't imagine.
But thinking about that wouldn't help anything. Getting out of that basement, on the other hand, presented all sorts of opportunities for making Killian pay.
He addressed the guards. "Hey, how far is it from here to Tennessee?"
One answered. They'd have a long wait.
Tony amused himself on and off by yelling at the guards, and waiting.
Izzy's face was very white, but she didn't seem to be in as much pain as she'd been in earlier. Her body seemed, to a certain extent, to have accepted the virus. He sighed inwardly with relief. Izzy Stark would live to see another day. And, once they were out of there, he could get stabilize it so it wouldn't bother her at all.
Right now, though, they actually had to get out.
000000000
Bella closed her eyes, trying to block out the sight of the dead body. But even then, it refused to leave her vision. White shirt stained red with blood. Brown-blond hair, spilling out around her head. Sunlight shining off the gazed over blue eyes. And a strangely peaceful expression on her now very white face.
Her stomach churned and she nearly threw up again. But there would be next to nothing in her stomach to throw up anyhow, and she wasn't sure he had enough energy to turn her head anymore, so she managed to keep it down.
The incredible burning of the Extremis had subsided, slowly, painfully. Now, she was just exhausted. Still uncomfortably hot, but not painfully so. The worst was over. Now, she just wanted to sleep for a while. Sleep peacefully and for days.
However, Tony's constant talking kept her awake.
"Seriously, you're going to lying on the ground dead in five, four, three – come on!"
Bella couldn't take it anymore. "Tony, don't be ridiculous!" she yelled. "There is no plan, there is no back up, stop pretending there is, please – just stop!"
She didn't have enough energy to regret saying it.
Tony was silent. Even the guards were, for a moment.
A small sob escaped Bella's mouth, but she stopped herself from doing anything else. Don't look weak. Don't look weak. They were probably going to die very soon, but if she did, she'd prefer to met it with dignity, not pleading, screaming, and crying.
Her eyes fell on the body again. The girl's peaceful, glazed over eyes stared back.
Killian was going to pay for this. He was going to pay for everything he'd done to Tony, to Pepper, to this girl. Killian was hers.
Bella looked up, not looking at Tony or the guards, but at the camera in the corner. "I have a little message for Aldrich Killian," she snarled. "I just didn't know how to say it until now. You are a crazy, sick man. That's all I can say about you. It's all I need to. You hide behind the Mandarin because you're afraid of actually sticking your neck out. And you know what? I'm not afraid. I'm not scared of you. You made a bad mistake, Killian. And, like you said, all mistakes have consequences."
There was a short silence.
"I'd clap if my hands weren't otherwise occupied," said Tony.
"That doesn't help anything, you know," said one of the guards.
Maybe it didn't, but Bella couldn't bring herself to care. She felt better.
Tony didn't go back to threatening the guards. Instead, he stared at the body, then looked at the guards. "How can you work for someone who would do that?"
"It pays the bills," said one.
The other just shrugged.
Bella couldn't pretend she was surprised – she'd known many people who could overlook what their employer did as long as the pay came in on time. She had never quite figured out how they did it, though, and rather hoped she didn't. Some things in life, she was quite content to be unaware of.
Shoes sounded on the floor.
Maya Hansen walked toward them.
"Hello, Miss Hansen, what are you –" began Bella.
Bella's question was interrupted with a sharp scream as the scientist saw the dead body on the floor. She stood, staring at the body for a moment, face white as a sheet.
"What…" She dropped a folder on the ground. "Killian… what have you done?"
She turned and ran.
There was a very long silence.
Bella just stared at the body on the floor. She still couldn't wrap her mind around it. Her presence had been enough to convince that girl to just throw her life away in order to stand up to Killian and try to help? The girl must have guessed what would happen.
"Why did you do it?" Bella's voice, barely above a whisper, was inaudible to anyone aside from herself.
"Izzy?"
Bella turned to look at Tony.
"We'll get out."
"Yes, I have no doubt the Mandarin and Killian will want to gloat and show off their victory."
"Well… actually, just Killian. The Mandarin's an actor."
"What?!"
"Quiet!" yelled a guard.
Tony ignored the man. "Yeah, his name's Trevor Slattery. He's just a front for the Extremis enhanced soldiers exploding."
The guard took a few steps forward and punched Bella in the face.
"What was that for?" demanded Tony.
"Figured you'd listen more closely."
A sudden burning sensation crawled up Bella's face. She knew her face was healing any damage.
The guard's face went white.
Bella exhaled. Smoke and flames appeared in front of her face.
The guard jumped back.
She might be able to get used to this.
"Wow, Izzy," said Tony. "Might have to change your name to Silver Dragon."
Bella laughed, for what felt like the first time in ages. "We just might."
In that moment, something smashed through the window and encased Tony's hand. A repulsor.
Tony grinned. "Well, gentlemen, it's been nice, but we have a lunatic with evil plans to stop."