The Keepers of Onslaught (Avengers FF #4)

9 - One Step Closer

Tony looked around at the busy hall. Nurses and doctors walking through. Patients. Family members. Too busy for a small conversation like this. "Can we talk somewhere quieter?"

Nurse Harper watched him and glanced around. She lowered her clipboard down to her side. "I have patients to take care of, so let's try to keep this quick."

"To the point. I like it." Tony glanced at Peter and followed her down the hall. The traffic didn't flow this far down. When she turned around to face them, Tony started with, "We came to ask for your...expertise."

It was the nice way to word it. Believe it or not. With the things going on in the world, maybe Nurse Harper wasn't known as a mutant in the workplace. Even if the mutants were accepted by some of the population, it was still difficult. Everything always was.

Nurse Harper analyzed Tony, eyes slightly squinted as she did. Even Peter couldn't read him. Tony was quiet and composed, if one could believe it. Nurse Harper's eyes widened a bit and she feigned innocence, "Any nurse can help you."

Except Tony knew that was coming. He retorted, "None of them can do what you do." Tony paused and watched as the nurse tensed up.

Ah, so no one did know her secret. Her next question would probably be the cliche how did you know that? Peter almost cracked a smile.

Tony continued, "Look, I don't want to beat around the bush more than you do. If you agree to help, I can pay you for your time. Our friend needs help."

She was quick to shoot back, "I don't examine druggies unless they're admitted."

"No-"

Peter cut in, "It's not like that. My cousin needs your help. Please."

Nurse Harper held out her hand, and Peter took it. Her blue eyes looked over him, and for a split second, Peter would've sworn on everything her eyes were gray in that moment. Her expression fell to one of sympathy, and it reflected in her soft voice as well, "Okay."

Electricity ran through Peter's arms and up his spine. A nervousness, more or less. Hours had passed as they waited for Nurse Harper to finish her shift and get there. If he had known they had to wait for her to come to the tower, Peter would have stayed asleep. Or, well, tried to. If his dreams let him. Peter stared at his reflection in the window in front of him. Were those circles under his eyes? Gross. No, they couldn't be. Maybe? Did he really look that bad? And that pale? Jeez, no wonder why his students called him a vampire sometimes. When his eyes adjusted to see Lilly on the bed, still as a corpse, a shiver ran through him.

All he wanted was his cousin back. Alive. Well. Awake. Seeing her hooked up to a lot of machines and a life support system put him on edge. The air in his lungs left him, and he inhaled quickly to capture more. He crossed his arms to keep himself from hyperventilating as memories floated through his mind.

For the first time in a long time, Tony looked scared as the sentinel towered over him on the battlefield. Brown eyes wide as he tried to crawl backwards on his injured leg. He was bloody. Beaten. Three sentinels and one giant red villain had been too much for them. They were severely unprepared, especially when they saw an infinity stone embedded into the main sentinel. Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

Lilly jumped in front of Tony, shielding him from the blow. She tried to wriggle away as it grabbed her head. The screams...god, the screams that erupted from her throat contained more pain than Peter could ever show. The stone glowed an immense orange color, and once the screaming faded, faded away. Peter's heart dropped at the same time Lilly hit the ground.