By Name Only

3)

    "When your dreams all fail
    And the ones we hail..."

    (Tony's POV)

    After yet another sleepless night of tossing and turning, I finally make my way to the lab. The familiar tables laden with electronics and half-finished inventions are a welcome respite from the horrors I am forced to see in my mind. Sighing softly, I advance into the cavernous room towards my latest project: a suit that has been malfunctioning. Grabbing a screwdriver and other necessary tools, I take a seat in a rolling chair and get to work. This is going to take awhile.
   
    Bruce ambles in around 8:00, a cup of coffee clutched like a life preserver in his hands. Around here, it is. We both know that one shouldn't have food in the lab, but at this time in the morning, we're past caring. With a nod to me, he continues on to a computer and sits down. I return to my work.

    We'd been getting intelligence thanks to Jarvis about a Hydra base in Greenland. Apparently, they do human experiments there as well. What a sick practice.

    An alert on one of the computers near the table catches my eye. Rising from the chair, I walk towards it and activate the holographic screen. Bringing it up with my hands, I spread it out to see what I am being alerted to. Passing the myriad of other files, I finally find the one I want. My eyebrows shoot into my hairline due to surprise at the new intelligence.

    Apparently, one of the experiments isn't human.

    Furthermore, most of the agents are out on missions to sabotage the world, so the base is particularly vulnerable for the next week. Hmmm. I do believe I smell the seductive perfume of an opportunity permeating the room. A smirk crosses my features. I turn to look at Bruce, who is absorbed in a computer.

    "Hey Bruce," I say teasingly.

    "Hmm?"

    "Whaddya say we raid a H.Y.D.R.A. base?"

    His head shoots up immediately, an incredulous look on his face. "Are you nuts, Stark?! No, let me rephrase that. You're nuts Stark! We can't just break into a H.Y.D.R.A. base! The security is through the roof, then there's the weapons they have, the most likely weaponized human experiments, and don't get me started on what they probably know about us! It would be suicide at best!"

    One of my eyebrows remains up. I know the risks, but this puts us one step closer to taking down H.Y.D.R.A. permanently. In a calm tone, I explain the new intelligence to him. The surprise in his face would have been comical on a different day.

    "Should I call in the others?" he asks tentatively. I shake my head.

    "I'll go alone first as a scout. Once I have a layout of the base, we'll tell the team. I'll go in today. Be in and out before you have time miss me. It's not as though I have anything better to do anyway. Jarvis will let you know when I get back."

    Bruce pinches the bridge of his nose, and slowly shakes his head.
"Guess I can't stop you. Just be careful."

    I smile a little and nod.

    "I will."