Peachy

An Eye for An Eye

///0///0

"It's not far. Bruce, whatcha got for me?" Tony spoke on the earpiece he had.

"Less than ten miles away." Bruce came over. "At your speed, you'll never catch up."

"Ha! Don't worry." Thor extended his hand. Mjölnir came to him. He spun her and grabbed Tony by the waist. "Hold on!" Thor laughed.

"Thor wait-"

"Away!" Thor swung his hammer forward.

"Bruuuuuuuuce!" Tony yelped.

///0///0

Bruce chuckled, shaking his head. He was navigating an aircraft that he and Tony had been working on. He looked back at his passenger, who didn't look too amused. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know."

"Afraid of heights?" Bruce asked.

"No. It's not that. I just can't take you guys' word for it. I can't believe she would do something like this. I need to see for myself."

Bruce didn't say anything and just turned to the sky. This wasn't gonna be easy.

"Bruce." Tony's voice came over the radio.

"Copy." Bruce answered.

"We're here." He said.

Bruce looked down to see an old abandoned school building. "Okay, I'm right above. It'll be landing on the roof."

"Thor and I are going in."

"Tony, no. Not until we're down there with you." Bruce said.

"I have to. Stephen could be hurt...or worse."

"Hold on, Tony. We're-"

"We're going in Banner." Thor came over the radio suddenly.

"Wait-" Bruce was cut off by static noises. "Dammit." He looked back at his passenger. "We have to get down there quickly. Is there anyway you can hold on to me without me hurting you?"

"You can carry me on your back."

"Done." Bruce said, unbuckling himself and helping his passenger out.

///0///0

>Thud< >Thud< >Thud<

"Oh."

Stephen gasped, listening to the thuds. Stephen's eyes were full of tears. Whoever was doing this had been manipulating his mind, bringing out the bitterest of memories in his brain. Taking the pain from deep down inside and bringing it back up onto the surface. Digging deep inside for all the misery and agony Stephen had gone through his entire life.

"You hear that? They're here."

A screen suddenly projected itself in front of Stephen.

"Let's see if they came alone like I asked."

Live feed of Tony and Thor banging on the door played on the screen.

Stephen screamed.

"Stephen?" Tony asked.

Stephen screamed again.

"Stephen! Stephen!" Tony hit the door.

"Aww, look how desperate he looks." Said the voice.

"Thor, take down the door." Tony said. "Now!"

"ARGH!" Thor struck the door with lighting, blowing it down, exposing the room Stephen was in.

The screen turned off.

Tony walked in, laying eyes on Stephen. "Oh, god. Steph-" He stopped when he saw a shadow behind Stephen. "Alina, let him go."

"Rude. Didn't even bother to say hello." Alina stepped into the light behind Stephen with a blade against Stephen's throat. She looked at Thor. "Thor, hi."

"Let him go you, wretch!" Thor threw Mjölnir at Alina. She dodged her.

"Rude." She turned to him and stomped her foot against the floor.

Suddenly vines full of thorns rose from around Thor and took a hold of him. They pulled him down on his knees and began to wrap all around him, tightening.

"Good boy." She smiled. She heard a high pitch hiss come from Tony's direction. Tony was pointing his metal glove at her. "Oh, Tony. Not that agai-uh!"

He blasted her, hitting her in the shoulder.

"That's was a warning shot." Tony said. "Let him go."

Alina looked at her shoulder, and groaned as she looked back at Tony. She raised the blade in her hand and broke through Stephen's shoulder. "Hah!"

Stephen screamed in agony.

"Stephen!" Tony shouted, looking at him. Blood began to run down Stephen's shoulder.

Alina extended her arm to Tony, suddenly thick vines pushed him against the wall, pinning him against it. They began to slowly cover his entire body, tightening.

"L-Let him go." Tony resisted. "I will give you a-anything. I'll give you the formula T-Timothy wanted."

"I want my brother back!" Alina shouted.

Tony looked at her.

"He was the only thing in this world I cared about. If it weren't for you Anthony, he'd still be here." Tears of anger streamed down her face. "My dear baby brother..."

"Alina he wanted to kill us-"

"He just wanted to be like you!" Alina yelped. "He looked up to you, but you rejected him."

"Rejected him? He was the one who turned against me. I would have been more than happy to be his friend, but he did that to himself. He asked for it."

"No. You poisoned his mind." Alina took the blade out of Stephen's shoulder. Stephen groaned in pain and tossed his head back. "You took him from me..." She placed the blade against Stephen's throat. "I'm just returning the favor."

"Alina! Wait! Stop!" Tony yelped.