Bella moved silently past the stack of crates, hesitating as footsteps sounded on the other side.
Tony had told them to split up – now that she had taken Extremis, he seemed confident she could handle herself on her own without getting killed.
If Extremis hadn't killed her, it was unlikely much else could anymore, with or without the suit.
She crept forward, wishing that she'd paid more attention when learning how to shoot a gun. She had one – not that it would do much good against an Extremis soldier.
"Hey!" yelled a voice behind her.
Bella spun around, pointing the gun, skin glowing orange, the internal burning making her want to drop to her knees in pain.
The guard jumped.
"Oh!" said a voice. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was one of you, I'm so sorry." He turned and fled.
"You okay, Izzy?" asked Tony.
"I'm fine. Scared some guard out his mind, though, he thought I was an Extremis soldier."
Tony laughed. "Technically, you are an Extremis soldier."
"Not one working for Killian, I'm not."
"Uh oh. Izzy, we've been spotted."
"I'd kill for some armor right now," said Rhodey.
"We do need backup," admitted Tony.
There was a moment of silence over the comm.
"Is that…" asked Rhodey.
"Yeah."
Bella glanced around. Familiar streaks of light had appeared in the dark sky.
Tony had activated the House Party Protocol.
"Merry Christmas, buddy," said Tony.
All of Tony's suits surrounded the platform.
Something landed next to her.
Tony's new Iron Man suit stood next to her, waiting.
"Merry Christmas. Try and bring it back in one piece, please."
The suit fastened onto her.
A few days ago, it would have been much too big for her. Now, it still was. But the Extremis had made her taller, and now her fingers could actually reach inside the hands and control it to the extent she would need to.
"JARVIS? Target and disable all Extremis heat signatures with extreme prejudice. Except for Izzy's."
"Yes, Sir," said all the suits.
"So, you actually survived long enough to make it here," said a voice behind Bella.
She spun around to see Killian standing behind her.
"I do have to give you credit, I admit. For a sidekick, you do good work."
"I am not a sidekick."
"Aren't you?" asked Killian. "You depend on Tony for everything. If it weren't for him, you'd still be working for the Ten Rings, building missiles and guns and pitying yourself. He's the one who got you out of that cave. He's the one who designed your suit so you'd be able to protect yourself. He's the reason you're a superhero. He's the reason anything good ever happened to you. You couldn't exist without him."
"I think you've forgotten something. You shot that girl. And I had to watch. So how good an idea do you think pushing me is right now? She went through the same things I did. The things that you, indirectly, put me through. If make me angry enough to breath fire or explode, trust me, I will bring you down with me."
He eyed her for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not she was serious.
"And on the subject of being a sidekick – if my reliance on Tony makes me one, what does that make you? Because you didn't develop Extremis, Killian – Maya Hansen did. I owe Tony a lot – I've helped him with so many things, but I'll never be able to pay him back. Whereas, what did you owe Maya Hansen? – and you shot her."
"Hey, Izzy?" said Tony over the comm. "Hate to interrupt your speech, but could you attack him maybe?"
Bella mentally face palmed and fired at Killian. Real bullets, not repulsors.
The bullets slammed into him.
Bella shrieked.
Then his skin seemed to grow back together.
"You'll have to do better than that."
"Where's Pepper?"
He smiled. "Think I'm going to tell you?"
It had been worth a try.
Bella fired the repulsors, sending him flying.
"You're afraid to kill me, aren't you?" said Killian with a smirk.
"It doesn't take courage to murder, it takes a lack of moral stamina, something you certainly don't have in abundance."
Killian lunged, punching her in the stomach.
Ribs snapped under his fist, even under the suit. Instantly, they burned, then healed.
She grabbed his arm and threw him into a stack of crates. Killian hit the ground hard, then tackled her, fists pummeling the metal suit.
The suit deactivated, opening and leaving her unprotected.
"All right then, Killian."
Bella punched him in the face. The bones in her hand snapped, then healed even as she jumped to her feet and kicked him in the stomach.
He grabbed her leg, pulling her down to the ground.
Bella kicked him, this time the foot connected with his jaw. "You talk about me hiding behind Tony, and yet you hid behind the Mandarin. Like I said in that basement. You are a crazy, sick man. And I'm not afraid of you. You made a mistake when you shot her. And like you said – mistakes have consequences."
"Why do you care so much about her? You'd never even met her before."
"That's not the point."
Killian drove his elbow into her freshly healed ribs.
He hauled her to her feet, hands squeezing at her throat.
Bella gasped for air, trying to lock his wrists against her collarbone, kicking out at his knees. He staggered slightly. Bella's hand shot out, hitting him in the face. She delivered a sharp kick to the
Around them, suits were everywhere, taking out Extremis soldiers.
"You'll never get away with it," said Bella. "People know now. Even if you kill everyone here, other people know, and that could prove very problematic in future. You made a mistake attacking a member of the Avengers – because if either of us goes down, what's left of the Avengers will hunt you down, and I don't think you'll enjoy what happens next."
He grinned. "Yes, well, that doesn't matter anymore. Because as long as you and Tony die, I'll be happy."
The Iron Man suit suddenly hit Killian, wrapping around him.
"JARVIS, blow Mark 42!" yelled Bella before she knew what she was doing.
She turned and ran.