The Stark Internship

Part 29

TONY

The skylight is the only thing stopping me from being in complete darkness. I take a couple steps down the corridor and activate my night vision.
As far as I can tell, there is nothing to worry about yet.
I walk cautiously, aware that I only have to make it five minutes or so. Not wanting to get into a fight just yet.
I stop suddenly, a gaping hole in the floor in front of me. I back up against the wall, peak over the edge. A large warehouse sits below me, and I see Peter tied to a chair.
'FRIDAY, we alone?' I say quietly, having to hold off jumping straight down to help him.
'It seems it, sir. But his vitals are considerably concerning. While they haven't been able to break into his suit they've done...something.' Her voice comes back.
'I'm going down.' I say, jumping down through the hole and initiating my blasters a second before I reach the ground.
Peter manages a small glimpse of surprise, a rope tied round his mouth to stop him speaking. His eyes widen slightly as his head pulls to one side. And then a second wave of understand comes over him and he starts shaking his head, fear in his eyes. He tries to talk.
'Hey, relax kid. We're on our own. You're safe.' I say, not fully believing it myself. I take the rope out of his mouth.
'No no, Mr.Stark you have to go, you have to get out of here.' He says, his eyes red and glazed over, 'She, she...what happened?'
He loses focus and looks around the room, a new unfocused fear.
'Kid, hey, Pete. Look at me. Who's she?' I say as I start untying him.
'She, the...the woman. The...she lost her kids. An explosion. I'm not sure.' He says, 'Ironman?'
I look up as he says that. He smiles slightly, as if in disbelief.
'This is so crazy.' He says, shaking his head.
'Peter, hey, Peter.' I say as he loses focus again, 'look at me, Pete, what's up?'
Once again he focuses on and his eyes grow wide, he shakes his head.
'You have to go.' He says, 'she, she, God what did she do?' He closes his eyes, falls forward, frustrated with his ruined memory.
'Alright Peter, Okay. Come on.' I say, lifting him up beside me.
'Tony Stark.' A new voice comes, cold. She stays in the shadows, 'this is the last time we'll meet.'
'What did you do to him?' I ask, still holding Peter up as I look around, unable to pick anything up.
'No spoilers, Ironman. All in good time.' She says. I hear a loud bang and a glow of red fills the room. I have to shield my eyes.
'You called for backup?' Wanda says, levitating down from the hole in the corridor above. Steve jumps down beside her, rolling into a land beside me.
'This the one?' He asks, nodding towards the woman who is now lit up by Wanda's powers. She holds her still in motion, lifting her slightly off the ground.
'Sure is.' I say, conscious of Peter growing heavier as he starts to lose conscience.
'Alright Wanda, you got her? I'll go in.' Steve says, starting towards the woman, 'Wanda?' He asks again as she stays silent.
'Hey Wanda? You okay there?' I ask. She lowers herself to the floor, staring at the woman. A couple small steps towards her.
'That...she...' She says, not looking away from her.
'Wanda, talk to us.' Steve says, moving towards her, one arm on her shoulder. He looks from her to the woman.
'She...she's my mother.' She says, her voice catching at the end. She lets out a sharp breathe and looks from me to Steve and back at her mother.
'Steve tie the woman up. Now.' I say. He does so, moments before Wanda's light dims and she falls to the floor.
Peter passes out a second later and I move him to carry him over one shoulder.
'Right.' Steve says, carrying the woman over one shoulder and standing above Wanda, 'well. This is new.'