Stella Stark // ORIGINS [REWRITTING]

3.5 Tennessee

"How did you meet my father?" I asked Maya. Pepper, Maya and I were in a hotel outside the city, hidding from any threat. I wanted to go find dad but Pepper insisted to stay here. I started hacking into Jarvis' system to find dad but it took a while, so I just talked to Maya.

"Tony... Tony isolated himself and hid into alcohol, after your grandparents died. He just needed a friend and I happened to be there." She begun. "And you know, we both liked to party and he was handsome and one night you know..."

"Yeah yeah I know, trust me I know." I quikly said. I just thought about all the different women who I had breakfast with over the past fifteen years. A new one every morning, yet none of them was my mother.

"You know, for a second, when I saw you at the the door, I thought you were one of his multiple girlfriends, but I recognized his smile. You have his smile, you know..." She said. I wish Maya was my mom. She was pretty, smart, funny. She could be... She knew my father during the 90s, she also had green eyes and dark brown hair like mine. I knew it wasn't possible but I liked thinking about it.
Pepper went back from her walk. 

"I ordered some food on my way. Everyone's okay with pizza?" Maya and I nodded and Pepper joined us on the bed. "So tell me about your boss. Who is he?" Pepper asked.

"I think he works for the Mandarin..."

"Wait your boss works for the Mandarin? What kind of botanist are you?" I asked.

"What I actually am is a biological DNA coder but sure you can call me a botanist."

"What's he's name?" Pepper added.

"Aldrich Killian" As Maya said his name Pepper and I both looked at each other. "Years ago, Tony and I met him... He wanted to talk about his project and Tony, true to himself, rejected the guy. I, on my side, was working on a project to recode DNA and renewing dying cells. Killian recruited me few years ago... But now I think he's working for the Mandarin..." Maya's eyes filled with sadness. "At first you start wide-eye, pure science, good intentions... but then the ego kicks in, the obsession..."

"You can't be too hard on yourself, Maya. You gave your research to a think tank."

"But Killian built this think tank on military contracts."

"That's exactly what we used to do. So don't judge yourself." Pepper concluded. Someone knocked on the door. Pepper walked to door. A man with a trolley stepped in but Killian jumped from behind and killed him. 

"Maya, Stella ru-" Pepper could finish as Killian grabbed her by the neck and pinned her to the wall. Maya stayed calm and walked to Killian. I was thinking about how I could get ourselves out of here as Killian didn't seem interested in attacking us. I stayed behind Maya and looked at my phone, the overriding of Jarvis' system was nearly done.

"Why were you at Stark's mansion last night?" Killian asked Maya.

"I'm trying to fix this thing! I didn't know yo and the master were going to blow the place up" Maya retorted.  "We can use Stark, just like we can use Stella!"

"Wowo wait a second I ain't no lab rat!" Killian and Maya acted like they didn't ear and continued talking.

"Okay, I'm losing patience..." Killian finally said. He let go Pepper, making her collapse on the floor, catching her breathe. He took out a gun from his pocket and pointed it at Maya and I. Maya raised her hands and followed Killian. I didn't. "Listen kitten, I won't hesitate shooting a bullet in that pretty face of yours" Killian said to me. I looked at my phone, dad was in Tennessee -what the hell was he doing there?- I put my phone back in my pocket and looked at Killian.